Hindsight is always 20/20. If you knew when you started your business what you know now, imagine where you would be today.
To help you plan for tomorrow and try to see into the future, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 biggest do’s and don’ts for San Jose businesses. Read on to see into the future and take steps today that will reap rewards for you for years to come.
Should your business be partnering with a PEO? Learn more!
1. Don’t Wing It
Many small businesses and their owners just wing it. They figure that what got them to where they are today will get them to where they want to go tomorrow.
Unfortunately, that’s rarely true and especially when it comes to all things HR. Suppose you or your staff don’t know how to handle a particular HR issue. In that case, violations of HR and employment laws can be extremely costly and embarrassing, having a negative impact on employee morale and increasing turnover.
2. Do Open up Recruitment Areas to Find Top Talent
Today’s workforce is global. Many people don’t want to hear that. By rejecting that premise, businesses are missing out on countless avenues of new and high-quality talent.
If you want the best talent your industry offers, you may need to look outside your geographic region. Your business may need to consider teleworking and remote options. As we have seen recently, with the right structure, company culture, and policies in place, remote work works.
Many employees today are looking for better work-life balance. This includes moving outside of California to more affordable locations. Be open to your valued employees working in a remote capacity and be ready to support them. Not only will this increase morale for your existing team, it will help you attract more skilled employees.
3. Do Connect with Someone Local that Understands the Local Regulations
One of the most confusing aspects for companies with remote workers is which state employment laws apply. Assuming that California employment law applies to all of your remote workers could be a mistake.
What you need is an employment law expert to help you navigate these challenges. It’s not usually cost-effective to hire an in-house expert so your best option may be to partner with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). A PEO can help you stay compliant with all employment laws, no matter where your employees are located.
California is notorious for being the first state to enact progressive and employee-centric labor laws. This can come as a challenge to San Jose businesses because they need to adjust their policies to stay compliant with California law. But that could mean they move out of compliance with other state laws where other employees may work. Navigating these complexities requires the skilled eye of an HR expert, which you can find at a trusted San Jose PEO.
4. Do Embrace HR Technology
HR technology can provide you with great relief. California law requires certain payroll and employee documents be kept confidential and kept for a certain number of years. Ensuring both of these requirements are met means more than just putting paper copies into a filing cabinet and forgetting it. Violating these record retention laws can result in costly compliance fines from the state.
Beyond confidential HR documents, technology offered by a San Jose PEO can provide seamless onboarding, automated timesheets, and benefits tracking. By automating these processes and putting them all in a centralized location, you can see all of the data in one place and your employees can request time off and make benefits adjustments without having to nag you. You will simply get notified when an employee requests time off, for example, and you can review and approve or deny at your convenience. HR technology makes your entire team more efficient and productive.
5. Don’t Settle for a PEO that Doesn’t Have a Local Presence
Many national PEOs are vying for your business. But most of those PEOs will just treat you like another number, not an actual client who runs a San Jose small business.
A local San Jose PEO can provide you with personalized service and support. Instead of calling your national PEO and getting a call center representative who cannot provide you a detailed answer, a local San Jose PEO will give you a dedicated team of representatives who can get you the solution you need right away.
Because they’re local, they can also visit your location, if necessary. This level of support can only be provided by a PEO around the corner.
Partner with a Local Trusted PEO
When deciding if a PEO is right for your San Jose small business, you need to weigh many factors. While most PEOs can provide you comprehensive services, only a local San Jose PEO can give you the personalized service and support your business needs.
A PEO based in New York won’t know what it’s like to run a small business in San Jose. Going local means that you can rely on someone who faces the same challenges as you. Get the support you deserve by partnering with a trusted San Jose PEO.
