By: Amy Bakay & Katherine Steffan
While the early 2020’s brought frequent changes to our work environment, our HR crystal ball doesn’t foresee much change in 2023. After partnering with almost 100 businesses in 2022, we have put together five Human Resources priorities we expect to see carry over into 2023.
Critical Compensation
Pay Transparency, Equity, Market Analysis and Retention efforts are all variables to compensation these days. As many states start to pass legislation that mandate pay transparency, 33% of organizations are already disclosing that information. It’s no surprise that total compensation remains a top priority for employees. A company whose compensation isn’t externally competitive or internally equitable will struggle to recruit and retain top talent and could face significant liability.
HR NOLA can review your compensation philosophy and structure to ensure you remain competitive and compliant.
Flexibility With Accountability
While most employers have come to terms with the fact that flexible schedules and work environments are here to stay, the subject of monitoring performance continues to be critical. We like to say, “The answer to flexibility is accountability”. Effectively communicating expectations and regular performance check-ins are key to optimizing hybrid workers.
According to ADP’s People at Work Survey in 2022, 64% of people would look for a new job if they were required to return to the office full-time, and 71% of employees would like more flexibility from their place of work. If your leadership team is not equipped to manage these conversations and manage performance, HR NOLA can provide your team with the tools required to be a successful leader.
Awareness and Accommodations
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, continues to be front and center as we move into 2023. Employers should strive to become more familiar with common conditions requiring accommodation, including long COVID-19, as well as typical accommodations workers may ask for or be provided. This may also apply to your remote workforce as well. While back-pain was the number 1 condition for many years, we see increased requests in anxiety and mental health related conditions. Awareness of your requirements under the ADA is imperative.
Remember, most accommodations don’t need to break the budget. In a 2020 Job Accommodation Network Survey, Employers reported that 56% of their accommodations cost nothing to implement!
Employee Wellness Matters
Along with pumpkin spice and hot coco, year-end often also means benefits open enrollment! We expect to see more wellness options offered to employees, mental health focus and greater employer contributions for health plans. According to the 2022 Employer-Sponsored Health & Well-Being Survey, mid-size companies have increased the amount spent per employee by 60% in 2022. Although not all businesses can afford this approach, it’s best to know which benefits are important to your employees and expand on those. Employee Surveys can be a great source of this information.
Compliance Risks Continue
Despite the flexibility the past few years have brought, compliance is now more important than ever. Many small businesses do not fully realize their state and federal obligations. With new employer mandates for EEOC postings, ongoing Immigration Form I-9 changes, Pay Transparency laws and the Louisiana CROWN Act, it can be overwhelming to manage alone.
At HR NOLA, it’s our job to stay on top of changing HR regulations so you don’t have to! Our extensive Culture & Compliance Audit checks over 400 data points to see how your business stacks up against state and federal regulations and Human Resources best practices. Contact us today to get started!
Sources:
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/pay-transparency-trend-grows.aspx
Those working from home are more satisfied with employment (90 percent), compared to those onsite (82 percent). According to the 2022 Employer-Sponsored Health & Well-Being Survey.
In addition, the amount spent per employee grew significantly among companies in the mid-market (less than 5,000 employees), increasing 60% in 2022 from $184 to $294 per employee.
https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/who-we-are/newsroom/press-releases/2022-fidelity-survey
According to HR consultancy Mercer’s Survey on Health and Benefit Strategies for 2023 11 percent will offer free employee-only coverage (i.e., no premium deductions) for at least one medical plan option
While coverage at no cost to employees historically has been more common among small employers (29 percent currently offer it), it is a newer strategy for large employers.
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/fine-tune-benefit-options-before-open-enrollment.aspx
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/common-ada-disability-accommodations.aspx
Voluntary benefits & Full coverage: https://www.onedigital.com/blog/top-5-for-2023/
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