Are you concerned about your employees' physical and mental health? Of course you are! Have you created a wellness program? Maybe not quite yet. I know, starting a new program can be challenging and seem like a lot of work initially. There's the chance that the program can fizzle if you don't stick to it, you may not have buy-in, and more importantly where on earth do you find the time to get started? But I'm here to help you on this one, so let's talk about it...

By Shawn Wilkins, Senior Recruiter & Brett Carlson, Recruiter

Are you unsure what documents should be kept in an employee’s personnel file? Maybe you have employees who have been with you for 10, 15, 20 years? What’s important and what should you shred? As HR people, we get that sometimes those files can become a little overwhelming. We are frequently asked by our clients to conduct audits of personnel files to make sure they are in compliance and staying current with best practices.

Helios has had many clients inquire as to how they can effectively improve their talent management. While not easy, it is vitally important to attracting, retaining, and developing your employees. The solution — use a common language. Competencies, which are the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for job success, provide that common language.

What drives the use of employee development programs? Are the funds used mostly around the time of an annual review as a result of an employee realizing they are eligible for a raise by obtaining an industry specific certification? Are the funds used primarily as a result of the criticism on a deliverable or a behavior being recognized as needing improvement? If so, it may not necessarily be the availability of the benefit itself causing the disinterest in the program. It may be that the program needs to go beyond that which develops employees. The program must be designed so that it strengthens employees.