Archive for category: Blog

We work with small businesses across the country. Despite different states and different industries, there is a common challenge facing all our clients:

Fear of having hard conversations.

We seemed to have forgotten how to have discourse. Ironically, at a time in which technology has made it infinitely easier to communicate, we’re doing less and less of it.

As a result, managers, leaders, and owners feel incapable of having tough conversations that lead to positive outcomes.

If you know us, you know we like to provide simple, practical, and solution-driven counsel to our clients. If you’ve been putting off a tough conversation, here is our simple, practical, and solution-driven recommendation:

Just Say It. 

What do we mean by “Just Say It?”

Just say the hard thing you need to tell a failing employee.

Just say the truth to an underperforming team member.

Just say the feedback you have held off saying to someone who needs to hear the truth.

We can appreciate the reasons you’ve put off having that tough talk. But trust us: provided you do it with kindness, you’ll make progress to a positive and healthy resolution to the issue. And as you continue to Just Say It, you’ll be more passionate and committed to your job, deliver better performance, and get better performance out of your employees.

Quite often, the hardest part of a tough conversation is starting the conversation. Here’s an ice-breaker to use for your next challenging conversation:

“Are you open to feedback?”

We like this sentence because it sets the tone for the conversation you seek to have with the person. It lets the person know you’re prepared to provide feedback. And, the sentence invites the person to be candid. Maybe the person isn’t open to feedback at that moment. Certainly, decide if you need to continue the conversation regardless. But if the person will be in a better headspace at another time, it’s up to you if you want to reschedule the discussion.

But make sure you Just Say It.

It’s time for transparency in the workplace. It’s time to put the cards on the table. You may think that ignoring or discounting diminished work performance will “take care of itself,” but I assure you that most problems only get worse, not better if left unaddressed.

Unless you Just Say It.

Just say what performance needs to improve.

Just say what expectations need to be met.

Just say what the standard for quality must be moving forward.

Feedback is a gift: provided you do it with kindness, clarity, and respect.

The speed of business is only increasing. Your challenges will probably multiply, not lessen. You owe it to yourself to address problems with your team members: clearly and effectively. You’ll benefit. Ultimately, your team members will benefit. And your bottom-line performance and profits will benefit.

And it all starts with these three words: Just Say It.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Your Playbook for Tough Employee Conversations or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits. or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

INFINITI HR is happy to provide Monthly State Labor Law Updates as a service to our subscribers. These briefs provide a general description and are not meant to be all inclusive of compliance requirements. This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed from our blog.

This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Other changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed online on our website https://inspiringhr.com/blog/

Employers are encouraged to work with their Inspiring HR Consultant before making policy changes to capture the full requirements of these laws.

Some of the notable recent and upcoming state changes in this issue are as follows:

COLORADO

Colorado Unemployment Notice Requirements – Effective May 25, 2022

As part of the 2022 legislative session, Colorado’s unemployment insurance division updated the notice requirements that employers must provide to employees upon separation.

Preexisting notice requirements are listed below in items 1 – 4.  New requirements are reflected in items 5 – 13: 

1. A statement that unemployment insurance benefits are available to unemployed workers who meet the eligibility requirements under Colorado law;
2. Contact information to file a claim;
3. Information the worker will need to file a claim;
4. Contact information to inquire about the status of their claim after it is filed.
5. Employer’s name
6. Employer’s address;
7. Employee’s name;
8. Employee’s address;
9. Employee’s ID number or the last four digits of the employee’s SSN;
10. Employee’s first and last dates worked;
11. Employee’s year-to-date earnings;
12. Employee’s wages for the last week worked; and
13. The reason the employee separated from the employer.

The legislation also tasked the Division to develop a form for employer use to satisfy the requirements, however, as of this writing, the division has not yet released a form to the public.

Our Recommendation

We recommend developing a temporary separation notice based on the criteria above to use until the official form is available from the state.

FLORIDA

Florida Stop W.O.K.E Act – Effective July 1, 2022

The state of Florida has passed the Individual Freedom Act also known as the “Stop W.O.K.E Act”, aka Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees. The Act applies to Florida employers with 15 or more employees.

Highlights

The new law makes it unlawful for employers to host mandatory employee trainings that promote certain concepts related to discrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The law targets diversity trainings that promote ideas such as unconscious bias, racial colorblindness, and white privilege.

Voluntary diversity trainings are not affected by the Act. It appears employers can still pursue their diversity initiatives, move forward with their strategic plans, and require employee attendance at diversity trainings, as long as the training is provided in an objective manner without endorsement of prohibited concepts. Employers should carefully review the content of their presentations and current policies to ensure compliance with the law.

MAINE

Maine CROWN Act – Effective August 7, 2022

Maine has amended the Human Rights Act and enacted the CROWN Act into law, “An Act to Prohibit Discrimination in Employment and School Based on Hair Texture and Hairstyle.” The law becomes effective on August 7, 2022.

The Act also includes discrimination protections for traits associated with race, such as hair texture, Afro hairstyles and protective hairstyles. Hair texture and hairstyle, includes braids, dreads, locks, twists and knots.

Maine employers are encouraged to review their dress code and hygiene policies to ensure they do not prohibit or discriminate against employees based on their hair type, texture and/or style. All policies should be updated accordingly, and Managers and Supervisors should be trained on the policy.

NEW YORK CITY

New York City Restrictions on AI use in hiring practices – Effective January 1, 2023

New York City will enact a new law restricting the use of artificial intelligence and algorithm-based practices for hiring new employees and when promoting employees in the workplace unless these tools have been audited and determined not to be bias in selection.

As of January 1, 2023, all NYC employers who use any kind of AI or algorithm-based tests, tools or software programs, to identify, select, evaluate or recruit candidates or employees for a position, must hire a third-party to audit these tools to determine if they create disparate impact based on race, ethnicity or sex.

In addition, employers are required to notify all candidates and employees being assessed at least 10 business days prior to using the tool and what job qualifications and characteristics are used in the assessment. Candidates and employees may choose to opt out of the assessment and/or request an alternative assessment method. The tools used must be audited annually and the results of the audit must be available publicly on the employer’s website.

Artificial Intelligence and algorithm-based tools are defined as “any computational process, derived from machine learning, statistical modeling, data analytics, or artificial intelligence.” These tools are used to provide evaluate, score and recommend candidates.

If your Company is currently using artificial intelligence and/or algorithm-based tests, tools and/or software, you must ensure your process is audited by a third party prior to the effective date of the law or within 12 months of using the tools.

RHODE ISLAND

Pay Equity Act – Effective January 1, 2023

The Pay Equity Act prohibits employers from paying any employee a wage rate less than the wage rate paid to employees of another race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age or country of ancestral origin.

An employer may pay employees at different wage rates/salaries only if the differential is based on at least one following factors:

• Seniority;
• A merit system;
• A system that measures earnings by quantity or quality;
• Geographic locations with different costs of living;
• Shift Differentials;
• Job related education, training or experience;
• Regular or work-related travel; and/or
• A bona fide and job-related factor consistent with business necessity.

Employers are also prohibited from inquiring about an applicant’s current or prior wage/salary history or attempting to obtain this information. If an employer becomes aware of an applicant’s current or prior wage/salary information, they cannot use this information when making a hiring determination or to set wages for the applicant to be paid upon hire.

At the request of an applicant and/or employee, employers must disclose the pay range for the position being applied for. The pay range must include the minimum and maximum wage for the position. It is recommended that employers provide a pay range for the position prior to discussions about pay. In addition, employers may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing their pay or pay of another employee.

Employers are prohibited from taking adverse action, including but not limited to termination, refusal to hire, demotion, or reduction or withholding of pay, against any employee or job applicant solely on the basis of the employee’s or applicant’s exercise of any right under the Act.

What should I do?

Employers are encouraged to review wage information for all employees prior to the 1/1/2023 to ensure employees are compensated equally for comparable work. If a wage discrepancy is determined, employers may not reduce an employee’s wage/salary to comply with the law; however, employers may increase an employee’s wage/salary.

Employers must post a Pay Equity Act notice in the workplace. The notice must be located in an area that is accessible by all employees. The required notice will be made available by the state prior to the effective date of the Act. Once it becomes available, I will notify you.

Tip Protection Law – Effective June 28, 2022

The Tip Protection law prohibits employers from withholding or retaining tips earned by a tipped employee. The law has also created new requirements for tip pools and tip sharing, as well as deductions from tips for credit card processing fees.

Tip Credit

The current RI minimum wage is $12.25 per hour the minimum wage for tipped employees is $3.89 per hour. Employers are permitted to take a tip credit against the applicable minimum wage of a tipped employee as long as the employee’s tips for the workweek make up the difference, which is which is $8.36 per hour. Employers are required to retain documentation of the weekly tips received for each employee.

If an employer charges customers a service fee and distributes the service fee to tipped employees, the service fees cannot be used towards the tip credit.

All tips must be paid no later than the next regularly scheduled pay day. Tips may not be withheld from a tipped employee because the employer is waiting for disbursement from a credit card company.

Tip Pool

A tip pool may be established for employees who customarily and regularly receive tips as long as those employees are being paid the applicable minimum wage. Employers must notify employees of the tip pool contribution amounts and may only take a tip credit for the amount of tips each employee earns. A tip pool may include employees who are not considered “tipped employee;” however, non-tipped employees must be paid the applicable minimum wage and the employer may not take a tip credit. Exempt employees may not participate in a tip pool.

Credit Card Processing Fees

Tips are the sole property of the tipped employee. Employers may not retain any part of a tip unless it is used to cover credit card processing fees, which the employee must be notified of.  The reduction in tips for credit card fees may not reduce the employee’s wages below the applicable minimum wage.

It is recommended that all employers with tipped employees review their policies and procedures to ensure they are not retaining any portion of employee’s tips and they are following the requirements for tip pooling.

VIRGINIA

VA Overtime Wage Act (VOWA) – Effective July 1, 2022

In July of 2021, VOWA established states guidelines that deviated from federal FLSA overtime rules, such as how regular rates of pay were calculated and an extension on the statutes of limitations for claims and damages.

• As of July 1, 2022, most components of last year’s VOWA regulations have been retracted. The Virginia-specific rules have been rolled back, and employers will now apply the overtime standard and exemption rules from the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).
• Employers must still pay overtime to non-exempt employees, and there is a process in place for employees to file a state claim for overtime violations.
• The retraction is not retroactive, therefore employee complaints prior to July 1, 2022, must be evaluated against the prior VOWA statute.

Protected leave for eviction proceedings – Effective July 1, 2022

Employers are prohibited from firing or taking “adverse personnel action” against employees who miss work to attend eviction proceedings.  The court summons now includes a notice to the tenant-employee of this new protection.  Employees must provide reasonable notice to the employer of the summons and need for the leave.  Employers are not allowed to require employees to use paid time off

Seizure first aid [poster] – Effective July 1, 2022

Employers with 25 or more employees in Virginia must physically post a “seizure first aid” poster in the workplace in a location visible to employees. Seizure first aid means procedures to “respond, attend, and provide comfort and safety to an individual suffering from a seizure”, which does not include training to medically treat such individuals.

WASHINGTON

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Act Amendments – Effective June 9, 2022

Here are the most significant changes:

• First six weeks of leave following childbirth is designated as medical leave. During the six-week postnatal period, any PFML used by an employee who is eligible for benefits based on incapacity due to pregnancy or for prenatal care will count as paid medical leave by default, unless the employee requests to use paid family leave during that period.  The employee does not need to obtain certification of a serious health condition.  This new presumption is still subject to the maximum and minimum weekly benefits, duration, and other conditions and limitations under the law. The waiting period for birth parents to receive benefits is also eliminated.
• Bereavement Leave. This amendment permits use of paid family leave for bereavement purposes during the seven calendar days after the death of a qualifying family member.  A qualifying family member is a person for whom the employee (1) would have qualified for medical leave for the birth of their child, or (2) would have qualified for family leave to bond with their child following their birth or placement.
• Waiting Period. When applicable to the situation, the waiting period for benefits will no longer count against the employees’ benefit entitlement.
• Publication of Employers with Voluntary Plans. The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD), which administers this state leave program, must now publish on ESD’s website a current list of all employers that run their own “voluntary plan,” approved by ESD.
• Ending CBA Exception. Previously, this law did not apply to an employee who was subject to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was in existence on October 19, 2017, until the CBA was reopened, was renegotiated, or expired.  This exception now expires December 31, 2023.

Non-Disclosure Agreements – Effective June 9, 2022

Non-Disclosure Agreements are prohibited from including any clause between an employer and employee not to disclose or discuss conduct, or the existence of a settlement involving conduct, that the employee reasonably believed to be illegal discrimination, illegal harassment, illegal retaliation, a wage and hour violation, or sexual assault, or that is recognized as against a clear mandate of public policy.

This prohibition applies to all “employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, agreements to pay compensation in exchange for the release of a legal claim, or any other agreement between an employer and an employee.” An “employee” broadly covers a current, former, or prospective employee or independent contractor.

Noncompete Agreement Earnings Threshold – Effective June 9, 2022

Under Washington’s non-competition law, only employees or independent contractors who earn more than the established threshold can be held to non-compete provisions. For 2022, an employee’s annual earnings must exceed $107,301.04 and an independent contractor’s earnings must exceed $268,252.59 for a non-compete agreement to be enforceable.

Paycheck Fees Reimbursement- Effective June 9, 2022

An employer must reimburse an employee for fees charged when a paycheck is dishonored by non-acceptance or non-payment.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Five Wage and Hour Violations That May Surprise You or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

INFINITI HR is happy to provide Monthly State Labor Law Updates as a service to our subscribers. These briefs provide a general description and are not meant to be all inclusive of compliance requirements. This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed from our blog.

This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Other changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed online on our website https://inspiringhr.com/blog/

Employers are encouraged to work with their Inspiring HR Consultant before making policy changes to capture the full requirements of these laws.

Some of the notable recent and upcoming state changes in this issue are as follows:

Colorado

CO Paid Family Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Payroll Deductions to Begin – January 1, 2023

Beginning January 1, 2023, the state of Colorado will begin collecting insurance premiums for the new Colorado Paid Family Leave Insurance (FAMLI) from employers.

FAMLI creates a paid leave system funded by employees and employers for those employed in Colorado.  Contributions will be collected as follows:

• Employers are responsible for “remitting” on behalf of their employees or paying into the fund on their employees’ behalf.
• Overall, FAMLI is a shared fee between employers and employees based on .9% of wages
  • If you have less than 10 employees, you will not be required to pay an employer share.
  • If you have 10 or more employees, you will be responsible for .45% (half the premium) and may deduct up to the other 50% of the .9% premium as a standard payroll deduction.
  • Regardless of employer size, employers may voluntarily elect to contribute more than their required share of the premium.

Posting of employee’s rights under the Act is required and employers must track and provide balances on employee pay stubs. Additional provisions apply.

CO Enacts Revisions to Restrictive Covenants – Effective August 10, 2022:

Under HB 22-1317, newly enacted revisions to Colorado’s restrictive covenants (such as non-competes and non-solicitation clauses) will affect agreements entered into or renewed after August 10, 2022.

Highlights of the Revisions:

Changes include but are not limited to:

1. Restrictive covenants will be void unless an employer provides separate notice to workers of the terms of the covenants before they accept an offer of employment, or 14 days before the covenant goes into effect for current employees. Agreements with restrictive covenants must be accompanied by a notice, signed by the worker and contained in a separate document, which describes the covenant in “clear and conspicuous terms.” The notice requirements are met by
   • providing a copy of the agreement;
   • identifying the agreement by name;
   • stating that the agreement contains a covenant not to compete that could restrict the workers’ options for subsequent employment following their separation from the employer; and
   • directing the worker to the specific sections or paragraphs of the agreement that contain the covenant not to compete.

2. Moving forward, the primary exception to the law will be for persons who are:
   • classified as “Highly Compensated Workers” (federally, the threshold is currently $101,250); and
   • when the covenant is “for the protection of trade secrets and is no broader than is reasonably necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate interest in protecting trade secrets”; and
   • the agreement is no broader than is reasonably necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate interest in protecting its trade secrets.
3. Penalties for violations have increased
4. Employers may not choose a different state for enforceability of an agreement

We suggest seeking legal advice to review existing non-compete and non-solicitation agreement templates to ensure compliance with this amended law, and to revise agreements for enforceability after August 10, 2022.

DELAWARE

Delaware Governor Signs Paid Family Leave Legislation – Effective January 1, 2025

This law creates for covered employees up to twelve weeks of paid family and medical leave for qualified events through a new paid leave trust fund administered by the State and contributed to by employers

The new law provides benefits to replace up to 80 percent of a covered individual’s average weekly wage and job-protected leave for the following reasons:

• To care for a child during the first year after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement of the child through foster care.
• To care for a family member with a serious health condition.
• Because the covered individual has a serious health condition that results in the covered individual being unable to perform the functions of the covered individual’s position.
• Because the covered individual has a qualifying exigency, as defined under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

The maximum amount of leave benefits a covered individual may take is 12 weeks per year for parental leave and an aggregate of six weeks in any 24-month period for other qualifying reasons, for a cumulative total of up to 12 weeks of benefits per year.

Any employee, primarily reporting for work in Delaware, who has worked for one year for their employer and at least 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months is eligible to use the benefits and leave provided by the new law.

Employers with 10 -24 employees in Delaware must contribute to the program and provide parental leave. Employers with at least 25 employees also must provide family caregiving and medical leave. The law includes an exemption for employers that are closed for at least 30 consecutive days during the year, and those employers who have an approved plan for a similar benefit can opt to keep their plan and will not be required to contribute to the State fund.

Small businesses who do not qualify as “employers” under the Act will be able to opt into the plan on a benefit-by-benefit basis bust must do so for a period of least three years.

Employees who exercise their right to take covered leave are entitled to their previous position or one of equivalent seniority, status, pay and benefits upon return.

We anticipate this new regulation may raise many questions, so we suggest seeking assistance from your HR professional or legal counsel to review current paid time off benefit plans and leave of absence policies for compliance with this new law.

ILLINOIS

Chicago Adopts Sexual Harassment Prevention Obligations for Employers – Effective July 1, 2022

Under the new obligations, employers must provide training to employees and supervisors on sexual harassment prevention and how bystanders should respond to sexual harassment.

This new policy and training obligations for employers licensed by or with work locations in the city requires every employer to have a written policy in each employee’s primary language, to be distributed to each employee within the first calendar week of employment. The policy must include the following elements:

• A statement that sexual harassment is illegal in Chicago
• The definition of sexual harassment
• A requirement that employees participate in annual training; one hour of prevention training for all employees, two hours prevention training for anyone who manages or supervisors’ employees; and one hour of bystander training.
• Examples of sexual harassment
• Details on how an employee can report an allegation
• Information about legal services that are available to employees who may be victims.
• A statement that retaliation for reporting sexual harassment is illegal in Chicago

In addition, employers must display posters designed by the commission on sexual-harassment prohibitions in at least one location where employees commonly congregate. They must post at least one poster in English and one in Spanish.

Additional documentation requirements on policies and provided trainings apply to show compliance with the ordinance. Failure to maintain the required records for a period of at least five years creates a presumption that the employer violated the ordinance.

A person who violates the sections of the ordinance prohibiting sexual harassment, defining the mandatory elements of the policy, and mandating annual training is subject to a fine ranging between $500 and $1,000 per day.

Employers need to create anti-harassment policy according to the city ordinance, post the required notice and conduct the required training. Visit the IL Department of Human Rights website for sanctioned sexual harassment prevention training materials.

IL Regulations on Restrictive Covenants (Freedom to Work Act) were Amended – January 1, 2022

• This amendment eliminates the term “low wage employees” to existing regulations and prohibits employers from entering into non-competition agreements with employees earning $75,000 or less per year.
• Similarly, the amendment prohibits employers from entering into non-solicitation agreements with employees earning $45,000 or less per year.

The salary threshold amounts will increase every five years by $5,000 until January 1, 2037, when the amount will equal $90,000.  For non-solicit agreements, the salary threshold amounts will increase every five years by $2,500 until January 1, 2037, when the amount will equal $52,500.

Employers are now required to include in their non-compete and non-solicit agreements a notice that the employee may consult with an attorney and must be given a 14-day waivable period. Employers will need to incorporate this timeline into any onboarding documents

The amended law empowers the state attorney general to bring claims with civil penalties up to $5,000 for initial violations and $10,000 for repeat violations. Employees may also recover attorneys’ fees if they prevail in a claim challenging a restrictive covenant.

We suggest employers with employees in Illinois seek legal advice to review existing non-compete and non-solicit agreement templates to ensure compliance with this amended law.

New Jersey

New Jersey Requires Employers to Provide Tracking Notices – In Effect Since April 18, 2022

All NJ employers who use a device to track employee-operated vehicles are required to provide a written notice to employees subject to tracking, prior to using the tracking device.

A tracking device is defined as “an electronic or mechanical device which is designed or intended to be used for the sole purpose of tracking the movement of a vehicle, person or device.” The law does not apply to devices used for the purpose of documenting employee expense reimbursement, such as mileage counters or odometer readers.

If your Company uses any tracking devices or applications to track a vehicle, person, or device, then you must:

• Draft a notice that accurately describes the tracking practices for vehicles that employees use, with an acknowledgement section for employees. Obtain a signed Acknowledgment from current employees and new hires subject to tracking going forward.
• Update any applicable Company policies and procedures to comply with the law.

New Mexico

New Mexico Enacts Healthy Workplaces Act – Effective July 1, 2022

The Act requires all New Mexico employers to provide paid sick time (leave) effective July 1, 2022.

Under the Act, all private employers and employees are covered with the exception of those subject to the federal Railway Labor Act (RLA), the federal Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), or Title II (air carriers) working in New Mexico.

The Act provides the accrual of an hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 64 hours per year.  Once accrued and put to use, employers cannot require employees to find replacement workers to cover their absence and use of this paid sick time cannot be counted toward an absence or punitive attendance policy that may lead to or result in discipline, discharge, demotion, suspension, or any other adverse action.

Under the Act, Paid Sick Time can be used for preventative care, diagnosis, care, or treatment for mental or physical illness, injury or health condition of employee or family member; an employee’s need to meet at the employee’s child’s school or place of care related to the child’s health or disability; and medical attention, services, counseling, or relocation if an employee or family member is the victim of domestic abuse, sexual violence or stalking.

Posting of employee’s rights under the Act is required and employers must track and provide balances on employee pay stubs.

Additional provisions apply.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: What’s Your Plan to Shape Up Employee Experience? or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

Our Chief Inspiration Officer for an HR firm supporting small businesses speaks with owners and leaders every day who tell her they want to keep their best talent and attract the best talent. Her advice to them to encourage engagement and retention is to cultivate a purpose-driven workplace.

Your best talent won’t leave you for more money. They’ll leave because they don’t feel their contributions are purposeful. People want to be connected with something bigger than themselves. That’s what makes your best employees stay: when they feel purpose in their work.

What does a purpose-driven culture look like?

A purpose-driven workplace is one in which people are empowered and encouraged to do their best work for outcomes beyond just “getting it done.”

A purpose-driven workplace is thriving and flourishing. When challenges come up (and they will!), your team rallies together to solve the challenges. Your company is often better off for the challenge: your team will come up with new insights and innovations to avoid future challenges—and create new opportunities for business growth.

What is your company’s higher purpose?

So often, we are focused on the day-to-day. We understand that. It’s a very challenging time to run a business. Putting out today’s fires often come at the cost of reflecting on the greater good that your company can be doing: for your clients, for your suppliers and vendor partners, and for your community. But it’s that higher purpose that keeps your employees engaged. We all want to know our contributions are making a difference. Fostering a purpose-driven workplace means keeping your eyes—and your team’s eyes—on the big picture. This is true of tenured employees and employees just out of school. All of us want to feel connected to our work and contribute to a greater purpose.

A purpose-driven workplace isn’t just about keeping your eye on the big picture.

It’s also about ensuring that everything your team does is done with purpose and intention. It’s about solving challenges efficiently. It’s about focus. Staying organized. Ensuring key systems are optimized. Being several steps ahead. Knowing what we are here to do and what to do next.

Effective communication skills are essential in a purpose-driven workplace.

Think about the last poor customer service experience you had with another company. We can assure you, that poor customer service was due in no small part to poor communication within the company. As the saying goes, the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

• Are you checking in with your employees consistently?
• Are your meetings run with a tight agenda?
• Are next steps communicated well throughout the company?
• Are you encouraging consistent and effective feedback among team members?

There’s always an opportunity to improve communication, whether it’s in a one-to-one check-in with a team member, with a department, or across the company.

Running a purpose-driven company means knowing your purpose—and acting from it.

What is your vision for your company or your department? What does success look like? Go beyond KPIs and metrics. Think about the impact you seek to make with your clients and employees. It’s easy to get swallowed up in the day-to-day. There’s always another email to read, a memo to write, or a to-do item to check off. Being purpose-driven means knowing first your higher purpose. Maybe you’ve forgotten your purpose, or it’s a little fuzzy. Reflect for a moment: what are you here to do? What is the change you seek to make?

Once you reconnect with your company’s purpose, communicate it. Consistently. With passion. Every employee should know the bigger purpose for your company, what true success looks like. It’s a message you can’t repeat often enough. Especially when work is stressful. We need to be reminded of the “why” behind our work and its true and higher purpose.

Engage your team to operate with purpose.

When we act with purpose, we act with decisiveness. With focus. We are consistent. We show up on time, and we bring our best selves to the work. Each action your employees can take can make a difference in somebody else’s life. I am reminded of the classic story of the janitor at NASA in the early 1960s who was asked what did for NASA. While the janitor was mopping the floor, he said, “I’m putting a man on the moon.”

What’s your purpose-driven workplace look like to you? Describe it. Document it. Then lead from that purpose. You’ll feel more engaged in your work. And so will your employees.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Using Compensation Market Scans to Combat the Great Resignation or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

This article does not constitute legal advice. It is strongly suggested that you seek consultation or legal counsel before making decisions about policies.