Very best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving

The Retail EmployerNovember 2008

• December Retailer of the Year and Retail Achievement of the Year Awards
• Happy Holidays? Time Off and Pay for Work Over the Holidays
• Introducing New Employees to the Workplace—Onboarding Can Boost Productivity, Retention
• Tapping into a Dependable, Untapped Workforce

December Retailer of the Year and Retail Achievement of the Year Awards

Upcoming...

Friday, December 5, 2008

Honoring the Winners of the Distinguished Retailer of the Year and Retail Industry Achievement Awards

JOIN US IN HONORING—

2008 Distinguished Retailer of the Year

An outstanding member of the retail community - a proven leader in his/her firm and actively involved in community endeavors. And the winner is: LISA MCSHERRY, LEX’S OF CARYTOWN

2008 Retail Industry Achievement

A significant contributor to the retail community - a proven leader who has made significant contributions to the retail industry. And the winner is: WILLIAM H. BAXTER, CAE

Please join us in recognizing both the winners and our industry as a whole. For more information, contact Jenny Price, jprice@retailmerchants.com or Len East, len@retailmerchants.com, or call 804-662-5500.

7:45–9:15 a.m.

New Location!:
Crowne Plaza Richmond West
6531 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 285-9951
Directions >>

Cost: Members, $25; Non-members, $30

Happy Holidays? Time Off and Pay for Work Over the Holidays

by David E. Nagle

The best employers are those which are able to find the right balance of work, compensation and time off for their employees during the holidays. Finding equilibrium is particularly difficult for retailers, because the goal of having a store fully staffed during the busiest time of the year is directly at odds with the goal of giving all employees time off to celebrate the holidays. This short article won’t help you decide the balance of work, pay and time off that will apply in your business this holiday season, but it offers a reminder of the legal requirements, for in these times, when so many businesses—and retailers in particular—are struggling for survival, the decision may be driven more by what the business has to do than what it would like to do.

First and foremost—neither federal nor Virginia law requires that an employer give employees the day off for a holiday. An employer can give the day off, with pay, or without pay1—or not. An employer can require that employees work on the holiday, and the employer who does so is not required by federal or Virginia law to pay for such work at premium rates, nor to award an alternate day off with pay. For employers in other industries, compensation for hours worked on holidays is often increased, because the business is closed or operating on a limited basis over a holiday. However, retail stores are often busiest over holidays because that is when other employers are closed, so it is difficult to give many personnel the day off, or to incur the substantial expense that premium pay for holiday work would entail. Employers seeking to find the right balance of work, pay and time off over the holidays should consider carefully the way in which they will achieve adequate and appropriate staffing, while maintaining employee morale. An employer is not required to provide premium compensation or other paid days off, but it is important for an employer to acknowledge that employees who have to work on holidays are missing out on important time with friends and families. Employers should be considerate, spread out the burden (as well as any opportunity for premium pay), and be as flexible as possible in scheduling (or allowing employees to exchange shifts).2 If an employee is bitter about having to work, they are unlikely to provide the customer service that will make our holiday season a successful one.

David E. Nagle is a Richmond attorney who has counseled and represented employers on issues involving workplace law for more than 25 years. He is a partner in the firm of Jackson Lewis, a national law firm with over 500 attorneys dedicated to representing employers in matters involving labor, employment, immigration or employee benefits law. David can be reached at (804) 648-4077, or at david.nagle@jacksonlewis.com.

Calls requesting information on the Employment Law Information Program should be directed to Preston Perrin with the Retail Merchants Association at 804-662-5500.

1 But a salaried, exempt employee cannot have his or her weekly salary reduced due to the holiday.

2 At the same time, employers need to be mindful of the duty to pay overtime compensation after 40 hours worked during the workweek. The law does not require that paid time off be counted as “hours worked” for purposes of overtime compensation, so an employee who gets a holiday off with pay, and actually works 40 hours in the workweek as well, may legitimately receive 48 hours of pay at straight-time rates. Back to top

Introducing New Employees to the Workplace—Onboarding Can Boost Productivity, Retention

How employers handle a person’s first on-the-job experience determines a lot about their ability to perform over time. But, effectively transitioning new employees into the workforce is about more than just the first few days. Research shows that it takes people some time on the job to reach full productivity – from eight to 26 weeks according to one report by the Society for Human Resource Management. So, what’s the best way to help new employees ramp up quickly? Investing in the long-term success of employees through onboarding is a great way to start.

Orientation v. Onboarding

Onboarding is the process of equipping a new employee for their role within an organization over time. On the other hand, orientation typically occurs on a new employee’s first day and consists of giving new hires an overview of the company products, services, customers, and organizational structure. It’s also when new hires fill out personnel paperwork and get the basic lay of the land. Orientation is a critical part of onboarding, but many companies leave employees to fend for themselves after this introductory session. So, to effectively boost new hires, it’s important to create a program that extends beyond orientation.

The Goal of Onboarding

Onboarding expands the process of helping new hires understand their roles. Many programs last from a month to a year. A great program doesn’t have to be an official checklist of materials and procedures. Experts say onboarding programs should have one main goal: to help the hiring manager build a relationship with the new employee. This may be surprising since many companies focus on providing information more than the employee-employer relationship. But, research shows that one of the most important factors in job satisfaction is this relationship. That’s because it helps employees understand their jobs better, get relevant feedback, and understand what is expected of them.

Enable Conversations

Beverly Kaye, author of Love ‘em or Lose ‘em: Getting Good People to Stay, suggests having managers focus on having regular conversations with new hires during the onboarding period. What should these talks cover? Kaye suggests the following: how the employee can build relationships within the team, what the employee’s passions are, how they can use their passions on the job, what challenges they desire in order to grow, how the job relates to overall company goals, how they can maintain work/life balance, and how to follow-through on feedback from the boss.

Request Questions

One of the hardest things for new hires to do is ask questions. Many waste a lot of time in their first 90 days just trying to guess their way around systems, procedures, and norms. So, it’s critical in an onboarding period to ensure a culture in which new hires feel comfortable asking questions. One easy way to do this is to create a specific way or time new hires can ask questions. You could set aside the first five minutes of staff meetings for general Q&A, or establish weekly individual meetings for new hires and managers to discuss overall questions. Or, take an informal approach and ask co-workers to check in with new hires regularly to see if they need help.

Foster Relationships

Another important element in bringing new hires in is helping them build relationships with new co-workers. This helps them feel connected and also facilitates question asking. A great way to help new hires feel welcomed from day one is to create a buddy program for the first few weeks. Assign new employees to seasoned ones who can show them around and help them meet new people on the team.

Remember that onboarding doesn’t have to be a complicated process. But, helping employees learn more than just the basics of the company can also help them see why your company is a great fit, boosting not just productivity, but retention as well.

This article is reprinted with permission of www.ExpressPersonnel.com. Contact Ms. Lorraine Alexander at 804-550-0200 or lorraine.alexander@expresspersonnel.com if you would like to be added to their distribution list. Express Personnel now offers RMA members a Retail Staffing Program. More information is available online through www.retailmerchants.com.

Tapping into a Dependable, Untapped Workforce

by Janine Snader

We continually hear about the approaching shortage of workers in employment forecasts. Even with today’s employment situation, employers need to plan ahead and begin tapping into diverse sources of employees to fill the gap.

Did you know that there are millions of individuals with disabilities who want to work? More than 50% of people with disabilities are unemployed. They represent a large untapped employee reserve and many are skilled workers with the qualifications employers seek.

Turnover is one of the greatest problems employers face. Experts agree that turnover can cost one to three times the cost of an employee’s salary. Studies have shown that workers with disabilities have greater loyalty, retention and lower absenteeism, thereby significantly reducing the cost of turnover.

Other available savings include tax benefits for businesses who hire individuals with disabilities, including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides annual tax credits up to $2400 per employee, and other allowable deductions for making businesses accessible. Occasionally accommodations are required, but 72% of individuals with disabilities reported that the accommodations cost nothing. For those that had a cost, the median cost was only $600.

Additional benefits of hiring employees with disabilities include a strong work ethic and good problem solving skills. Employers state that the work ethic of employees with disabilities positively influences the production and morale of other employees and people with disabilities have excellent problem solving skills because they have experience!

This pool of potential employees can be a solution to many current issues in the workplace. Vocational rehabilitation organizations are available to provide free job matching services and any support needed to make the match a success. So consider the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities and make a difference for your employees and your bottom line.

For additional information, call Business Solutions at Goodwill Industries at 804-521-4926.

Upcoming Events

RMA Links

• RMA Home
• Retail Staffing Program
• Job Postings
• Labor Law
  Information
• Pre-
  Employment Surveys

The Retail Employer is published the fourth week of each month. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Contact:
Preston Perrin
(804) 662-5500
Fax: (804) 662-5507
e-mail

The Retail Merchants Association does not share your personal information with third party sources. If you would like to be removed from The Retail Employer mailing list, please click here and type "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the "Subject" block before sending.