Matt Straz
New York
Namely’s combination of HR software & services can help you save time, avoid error & build culture.
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Articles by Matt Straz
Namely Merges with Vensure Employer Services + PrismHR
NEW YORK (September 6, 2022) – Namely, the leading HR platform for mid-sized companies, today confirmed it has merged with the organization recently created by the combination of Vensure Employer Services and PrismHR.
How to Check Back In After a Professional Slump
Let’s face it, at this point we are all probably a little tired of hearing buzz words like “burnout.” But what happens when you inevitably reach your breaking point? How do you effectively take a pause and then jump back in? We’ve cracked the code when it comes to burnout recovery and reacclimating back into your career. Here are our top tips to help aid your post-burnout healing and reintegration process.
The Best HR Podcasts to Listen to in 2022
HR Between performance reviews, benefits administration, compliance, and company culture, HR professionals have a lot on their plate. To be effective at their jobs, they need to stay informed on the latest HR updates, news, and trends. With so many experts sharing their insights in the HR field, the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming and time consuming to sift through. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of the most valuable and resourceful HR podcasts in today’s world of work.
How to Manage Conflict in Remote Teams Effectively
HR When conflicts arise at work, they don’t only have a negative impact on the individuals involved, but also on their entire team’s engagement, motivation, and overall morale. To address conflicts right away, HR teams and managers should have a conflict management strategy in place—especially when it comes to remote teams. How can you effectively manage conflicts as your employees work from home? Here are 6 tips that will help you master conflict resolution in the virtual world: 1.
5 Ways to Connect Employees to Your Company Mission
HR Many budding entrepreneurs have been driving their business blindfolded because they’re lacking one important ingredient to success: a clear mission. Your mission statement can communicate your company values to your employees—which, in this metaphor, are your passengers. Your ability to make sure your employees are heading in the same direction and are 100 percent on board with your mission can help you break down business barriers. Here are 5 ways you can make that happen: 1.
Cultivating Empathy in the Workplace
HR Being a good listener, caring deeply for others' suffering, feeling overwhelmed by tragic events—all of these qualities point to empathy, a natural, human ability to feel what others are feeling. These qualities will also help shape the future of the workplace, as empathy is becoming a disruptive force that organizations are tapping into—especially in response to the pandemic and cultural and social movements.
8 Spooky Ways to Celebrate Halloween Virtually
Talent From trick-or-treating to hosting festive parties and pumpkin carving contents, HR teams have gotten creative with ways to celebrate Halloween in the office. But as Halloween creeps up on us this year, employees across the country are still working from home. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused employee morale to be at an all time low. So how can you lift your employees’ spirits this spooky holiday season?
Best Practices for Internal Communication During a Crisis
Internal communication needs to be steadfast and strong for companies to work effectively. And when a crisis strikes, letting staff know what is happening around the world and how it will be affecting them in the workplace needs to be a priority. In this blog, we outline four best practices for communicating internally during a crisis to ensure your company continues to function optimally. 1.
17 Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 That Aren’t Happy Hours
It’s been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. As we reflect on two months (or more) of mandated virtual work, HR and people teams around the world are looking back on their most successful morale-boosting activities—and searching for new ideas to keep their teams happy, healthy, and engaged. One of the simplest and most popular solutions has been virtual happy hours.
What to Do if an Employee is Diagnosed With Coronavirus
Dealing with sick employees is never straightforward. But as COVID-19 has changed the workplace in unprecedented ways, HR is faced with an even tougher task: what to do if an employee is diagnosed with coronavirus. We’ve put together a step-by-step list of how to respond: Be Empathetic The first thing to do when an employee reports a positive coronavirus diagnosis is simple: empathize with them. Respond with sensitivity, humanity, and understanding.
How 8 Companies Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day
Employees are the heart of any organization. They create your company culture, help your business grow and improve, and make coming into the office every Monday bearable. Without them, frankly, your business wouldn’t be able to succeed. That’s why it’s important to recognize your employees’ hard work and acknowledge their accomplishments.
HR's Next Big Buzzword: 'Homing' from Work
We all work to pay the bills—but is it OK to pay the bills at work? Enter the biggest HR buzzword you’ve never heard of: “homing,” or attending to everyday chores like paying the rent or scheduling doctors’ appointments, all while at the office. Let’s face it, most of us are guilty as charged. While it’s rarely discussed by name, the practice is commonplace.
7 Unique Ways to Celebrate National Boss’s Day
October 16, 2019 might seem like just a normal Wednesday, but this year it commemorates National Boss’s Day. This fun holiday, founded in 1958, is a reminder to appreciate everything your boss has done for you personally and professionally throughout the year. A great boss can look out for you in the workplace, invest in your professional growth, and motivate you to do your best work. But what’s the best way to show your boss you appreciate everything they do for you?
5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules
It’s that time of year—the sun stays up past 6 PM, flowers are in bloom, and spring fever has started to spread through the office. It won’t be long before summer is in full swing. Not surprisingly, many businesses tend to slow in the summer months, as employees cash in on vacation days and spend more time with friends and family. However, a study by Project: Time Off revealed that over half of Americans surveyed did not use all of their vacation time last year.
8 Creative Summer Workplace Perks
Summer doesn’t just mean great weather, barbeques, and beach days. Depending on your workplace culture, it might also mean summer work perks. “Summer Fridays,” relaxed dress codes, and beer on tap are just a few ways companies encourage employees to relax, unwind, and make the most of the warmer months. To help inspire your own summer fun, we asked eight companies to share their unique summer workplace perks. Here are some fun ideas to add to your company’s summer bucket list: 1.
6 Ways to Make Entry-Level Employees Feel Valued in the Workplace
When it comes to building a great team, finding top talent is only half the battle. Retaining that talent, whether it’s your entry-level employees or senior management, is extremely important, as high employee turnover is costly and disruptive to other team members. In addition to offering competitive pay and a great culture, making your employees feel valued in the workplace is an important part of retention. However, it can be easy to overlook this for your entry-level employees.
Why Stay Interviews Are the New Exit Interviews
As an HR professional, you probably know that communication is one of your most powerful tools. From an employee’s first day, it’s your job to facilitate an environment in which he or she can thrive. When employees do choose to leave the company, exit interviews often shed light on what went wrong. But why wait until employees are already out the door to ask those questions?
3 Payroll Lessons From Fyre Festival
Everyone knows about the ill-fated Fyre Festival. Simply put, it was supposed to be a massive festival in the Bahamas and the experience of a lifetime. Ticket holders would get the opportunity to sip margaritas and hit the pool with celebrities, supermodels, and artists. Long story short, none of that ever happened. People spent (and lost) a lot of money for what turned out to be a living nightmare. Seriously, look up the stories.
Beyond Perks: How to Uplevel Your Benefits Package
The field of human resources is changing. In our HR Redefined series, we give innovators a medium to share personal reflections, professional advice, and best practice guidance. The following is a recap of a panel discussion at HR Redefined 2018, moderated by Matt Monahan, VP of Benefits at Namely and featuring Colleen McElroy, Benefits Consulting Team Lead at Namely; Brett Davis, Senior New Business Manager at Cigna; and Asha Mungara, Director of People Operations at b8ta. Busy May 6-7?
The Do’s and Don'ts of a Flexible Work Schedule
A great team is hard to find and expensive to replace. Money aside, losing top performers affects morale and, worst-case scenario, can prompt a mass exodus, leaving whole departments devoid of senior leadership and perspective. That’s why it’s so important to engage employees in ways that are meaningful and desirable. But what does “meaningful and desirable” mean? And what kind of impact does it have on your bottom line?
It’s Time for a New Approach to Workplace Substance Abuse
Substance abuse in the workplace is an age-old challenge in all industries, not to mention mine. According to one report, the construction industry has the second highest rate of heavy alcohol consumption and substance abuse overall. The high-pressure environment and extended hours typical in construction only exacerbate the problem. Employment attorneys and seasoned HR strategists urge caution when dealing with dependency.
Retro Pay 101: Payroll Lessons From the Government Shutdown
The absolute worst feeling that a payroll professional can have is finding out someone didn’t get paid. While that stings for us, it’s even worse for the ones who wake up to an empty bank account on payday. Last week, roughly 800,000 federal employees experienced that due to a partial government shutdown. Eventually, most of these employees will be paid for their time.
Hiring in HR? Consider Talent From Non-Traditional Backgrounds
I pursued a career in HR because I have seen firsthand how HR presence (or lack thereof) can make or break a business. Though I previously saw myself on the chief operating officer “track,” I came to realize that people operations should not be embedded within the business operations function. HR is a dynamic field, and the challenges faced today are different than those of the past.
'The Resume is Dead' and Other Recruiting Myths
Recruiting in this market is tough. If you’re like most businesses today, sustained record-low unemployment has made it hard to find, hire, and keep good people on board. Even in this so-called “candidate’s market,” finding a job is no walk in the park either. There isn’t one place with all of the job listings, and every news site, blog, or distant relative has tips on how to get your resume noticed.
Why Small Businesses Need HR
There comes a time when every small business owner realizes they need an HR department. It’s not a question of if, but when. The need for HR starts the moment the first employee is hired. In the beginning, the owner—and eventually, other employees—shoulder the burden themselves. That means having to manage payroll, onboarding, and performance reviews on top of their other responsibilities.
Over 80 HR Laws Take Effect on Jan. 1
Forget the champagne and confetti—HR teams have a different kind of New Year’s tradition. Every January, states and cities across the country enact laws impacting company policies and employee wages. While the Trump administration has slowed regulations at the federal level, local activity has remained fast and furious. Over 80 new employer requirements will take effect on January 1, 2019, involving workplace issues ranging from overtime exemption to criminal history access.
4 HR Predictions for 2019
There’s never a dull moment (or year) in HR. The last twelve months have been witness to IRS surprises, political intrigue, and exciting advancements in HR technology. As 2018 comes to a close, one can’t help but wonder what next year will hold for the workplace. It's time to dust off the crystal ball. Every year, Namely forecasts what might come to pass in the industry. Some of our predictions have proved spot on—others not so much.
How to Support Inclusive Office Holiday Celebrations
The end of the year is a festive time for people around the world. Whether your employees observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, or Diwali, it’s important to honor the diverse array of festivities and traditions within our increasingly global workforce. We asked companies to share how they make their celebrations inclusive of everyone. Here’s what they told us. Holiday Carnival “For the holidays, our two co-CEOs throw a huge carnival for all Fresh n' Lean employees.
11 HR Professionals Share Their Favorite Interview Questions
Despite the recent debate over the effectiveness of job interviews, it doesn’t seem that the standard interview process is going away anytime soon. So how do you ask the right questions that reveal a candidate’s true potential? We took that question straight to the experts. Here are the top interview questions eleven HR professionals always make sure to ask. 1. Why should I hire you?
11 HR Influencers You Need to Follow
In the HR profession, it pays to keep good company. Whether you need to “phone a friend” about a workplace curveball or just want to exchange tips and tricks, maintaining a strong professional network can make all the difference in your career. Don’t know who to connect with first? We’ll help you get started. Below we’ve highlighted some of our favorite HR influencers, their areas of expertise, and where you can find them online.
Solving Advertising's Talent Crisis
Advertising is a massive human enterprise. The top 10 advertising agency holding companies employ a combined 370,000 employees worldwide, with thousands more employed as consultants, freelancers and outsourced team members. All of this talent is a major investment for the agencies. Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP, estimates that his company spends $9 billion each year on employee compensation. The other holding companies spend billions more on top of that.
Top 5 Moments from HR Tech 2018
For those wanting to see what cutting-edge HR looks like, this year’s HR Technology Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas was the place to be. Boasting over 400 vendor booths, 150 sessions, and thousands of attendees from every industry and company size, the annual event offers something unique to the HR conference circuit. Namely was on the exposition floor and in several dozen of the event’s concurrent sessions. Below we’ve recapped some of our favorite moments from HR Tech 2018.
4 Steps to Build an Effective Training and Development Program
Talent As a new generation enters the workforce, there is an even more pressing need to invest in workplace learning and development. As the baby boomer generation moves toward retirement––taking years of valuable expertise with them––millennials are quickly becoming the dominant group in the workforce. In fact, millennials are on track to make up 75 percent of employees by 2020. However, of this vast talent pool, 43 percent of millennials intend to change jobs in the next two years.
3 Reasons Why HR is Critical to Your Company's Success by @NamelyHR
Who is a CEO’s right hand? The VP of sales? The CFO? What about the head of HR?Related: 'Human Resources' Just Doesn't Tell You What HR Really DoesHR usually isn’t lumped into this "right-hand" category, and that's a shame because HR leaders are critical to the success of every organization. They do much more behind the scenes than many people realize.
How to Leverage Your Executive Leadership Team
One of the hardest things to get right as a founder is building out a strong and capable leadership team that can propel the company to the next level. The next hardest thing, once the leaders are assembled, is determining: 1) How much ownership of the strategy should those leaders have?
How to Support Employees Returning to the Workplace by @NamelyHR
Employers are offering more generous parental leave policies and other family-friendly benefits and practices to help employees better manage their work-life balance. In fact, the Employee Benefits Survey 2016, conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), found that the number of family-based perks employers offer has increased each year in recent years.
Is Employee Feedback Missing at Your Company? Here's Why and How to Fix It. by @NamelyHR
Employees want to know how they’re doing, and giving them feedback is the best way to keep them informed. However, a new study from Leadership IQ found that fewer than half of employees surveyed knew whether they were doing a good job. With the increased focus today on HR technology and performance analytics, just the opposite should be true.Related: Five Steps for Giving Productive FeedbackSo, what’s going wrong with this picture?
How Employees and Managers See Things Differently -- and How to Fix It
Engaged Employees September 19, 2016 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The employee experience is crucial to retaining and growing your workforce. Happy employees want to stay where they are and continue to do their best work. But when those employees are dissatisfied, they’re likely to search for greener pastures.
How to Get Your Office Workaholics to Take Time Off by @NamelyHR
Workaholics are often romanticized as incredibly dedicated, engaged employees who grind all day and night and lead their team in performance. No wonder so many young professionals aim for this title.Evidence?
How to Control Increasing Employee-Benefits Costs by @NamelyHR
Healthcare costs are rising, and that means one thing for employers: more expensive employee benefits. In fact, an August survey of 133 large U.S. employers by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) found that employers surveyed expected health-plan premiums to rise in 2017 by 5 percent.Related: 6 Hacks for Taking Control of Your Healthcare CostsStill, many of those employers are optimistic that they can lower that increase by making changes to their plans.
This is What Happens When You Adopt Equal Pay Legislation by @NamelyHR
We're searching for top company cultures to be featured on our annual list. Think your company has what it takes? Apply Now » This year, 2016, has been a huge one for equal pay legislation, with Massachusetts the most recent state to pass an updated law. While most of the updates have been at the state level, all employers, no matter their location, should strive to level the playing field for all employees.
The Expensive Benefit Plan Penalties You'll Want to Avoid by @NamelyHR
We're searching for top company cultures to be featured on our annual list. Think your company has what it takes? Apply Now » 2016 has been a whirlwind year for employer legislation and compliance, and things aren’t slowing down. In July, the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized a list of increased penalty amounts for violations related to employee benefits and pay -- some of which haven’t been updated since 1997.
What's in a Name? New HR Titles Reflect These Professionals' Strategic Importance
We're searching for top company cultures to be featured on our annual list. Think your company has what it takes? Apply Now » HR professionals are the glue that holds a company together, but the term “human resources” doesn’t necessarily scream excitement to the everyday person. In fact, to some it feels outdated.
Do You Really Need a Non-Compete Agreement?
Non-compete agreements are under fire lately, raising several questions about whether or not they go too far in restricting employees. The Massachusetts Senate advanced a bill in July that would limit the time period of a non-compete agreement to just three months. The bill also redefined “garden leave,” meaning the practice where an employee leaving a job is directed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll.
Wearables at Work? What You Need to Consider. by @NamelyHR
Wearable technology has been praised for its ability to transform the workplace, and it’s not going away anytime soon. The Human Cloud At Work study, led by researchers from the University of London, in 2014, found that wearable technology -- like brain activity sensors and motion monitors -- increased productivity in individuals by 8.5 percent, while their job satisfaction levels went up by 3.5 percent.
The Most Unusual, Even Wacky, HR Laws Nationwide
Local HR laws are confusing enough; try throwing in factors like multiple offices and remote employees spanning multiple states, and as an employer, you're looking at a tangle of rules and regulations. From the East Coast to the West Coast, the Midwest to the South, each state has different laws governing everything from payroll rules to discrimination policies.
Why It's Not Too Early to Start Improving Open Enrollment
It might sound a little crazy, but open enrollment is right around the corner -- and now is the perfect time to start preparing. The fact of the matter is, most employers review their benefits only once a year. A 2016 Society for Human Resource Management report found that 77 percent of 2,937 HR professionals surveyed said they performed a benefits program review on an annual basis only.
Can Distractions Actually Boost Productivity in the Workplace?
Distractions run wild in the workplace. In fact, a CareerBuilder survey of 2,186 U.S. hiring managers and human resource professionals published in June found that 19 percent of employers participating thought their employees were productive for less than five hours a day. Related: Distractions Are the Enemy of Good: 3 Ways to Minimize Them The reason? Employers blame distractions. So, to boost productivity, they typically try to stamp out anything that looks like one.
This Is the One Simple Thing Employees Really Want
Apply now to be an Enterpreneur360™ company and let us tell the world your success story. Get Started » New perks, new strategies, new working models -- employers are trying everything they can to keep their employees happy and motivated. But in many ways, it’s not really working. In March, employee engagement reached a high of 34.1 percent, only a slight increase, a Gallup report found, from an average of around 33 percent, dating all the way back to 2011.
Are Better Benefits the Solution to the Employee Wellness Problem?
June is Employee Well-being Month, and that means employers are taking a hard look at the health and happiness of their employees -- and what they can do to improve it. That makes sense: Much of the conversation on employee health these days focuses on wellness programs and how to make them work for employees.
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