Monthly Archives: November 2016

Small businesses may never return to the times before out-of-control labor laws took their HR departments away, but that doesn’t mean they have no choice but to give up control. Not long ago, a California builder went to work on a few new homes. He was a typical small business owner, an artisan, subcontracted forContinue Reading

It’s no secret, Texas is one of the best states for small businesses. But it has more to offer than friendly regulations. Perhaps more than anywhere else, its culture, weather and lifestyle choices offer business owners and employees alike ways to work hard, earn a living and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Here areContinue Reading

California has birthed many great success stories: the Gold Rush, Hollywood and Silicon Valley, for starters. For centuries people have moved to the West Coast seeking unconventional opportunities and fast fortunes. Those who hope to get rich quick using more conventional means may have a hard lesson to learn. Brick-and-mortar startups don’t become profitable overnightContinue Reading

For 72 years, Texas’ businesses have had enjoyed an option afforded to those of no other state: to forego covering employee injuries under their statutory workers’ compensation program. Now that Oklahoma has allowed its companies a similar option and two other states are considering it, opt-out programs are now on the minds of workers’ compensationContinue Reading

With so many big companies evading the U.S. treasury by taking advantage of tax shelters and payment loopholes, small businesses, too, want to shave a few percentage points off their business tax rates. But those who can’t afford to pull the “double Irish” or hire a team of tax attorneys to fully exploit the system’sContinue Reading

When it comes to building a human resources department, small businesses have three basic choices: 1) hire HR staff, 2) outsource or 3) some combination of the two. Most companies use a combination. Even the most well funded big corporations will often use vendors for some HR services — such as a 401k, health insuranceContinue Reading

As the vast body of labor regulations continues to grow and ratchet ever tighter, companies must keep abreast of and comply with hundreds of new workplace requirements each year. This means hiring bigger HR departments, contracting with more outside experts, or both. To staunch administrative outflows and cut through the complexity, many businesses are lookingContinue Reading

You love setting goals — too much, perhaps? Yes, goals can be great. Used the right way they bring teams together, drive effort and announce to the world your intentions to achieve. But there is a darker side to goal-setting, one that can undo everything it’s meant to accomplish. In 59 Seconds: Think a Little,Continue Reading

Tobacco use is the scourge of workplaces everywhere, just ask any smoker who works in an office setting. Businesses ban lighting up in buildings, penalize users through their wellness programs, and relegate smokers to taking their breaks in out-of-sight crannies near alleyway dumpsters. As the vilification movement continues to swell, an unlikely hero — orContinue Reading

The decision to screen job candidates for criminal backgrounds and drug use is often a hard one for businesses to make. Finding the right balance between protecting themselves from liability while still attracting the best job applicants can be tough. But with the right policies and application process, screenings can help a business without hurtingContinue Reading

Only a fool would walk away from free money, especially if that money adds up to tens of thousands of dollars over a career. But the reality is that most employees don’t invest enough in their retirement plans to reach their goals. One-third of employees fail to participate in company-sponsored 401k plans when offered. AndContinue Reading

More than stacks of money, more than lines of customers — even more than the knowledge contained in a thousand books on small business — an entrepreneur’s ultimate success depends on the people he has at his side. That’s the opinion of Garry Bradford, founder and president of UniqueHR, who started his life as anContinue Reading