From solid management practices to financial security to work-life balance, there are considerable elements that go into creating a successful, profitable workplace environment. Although each company is different, the industry’s Best Workplaces do share distinctive commonalities. The parallels allow these companies to recruit and retain qualified workers—people who are more satisfied with their jobs and, therefore, more productive and efficient. Greater efficiency leads to increased profitability and a greater competitive edge.  What if you could get behind the scenes and see what these leading companies are doing? How competitive are their wages and benefits? How do they handle health care issues? What employee training methods do they use? What incentive programs are working for them? Each year the Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA) program judges companies based on eight main areas: management practices, work environment, training and development opportunities, recognition and rewards, workplace health and safety, health and well-being programs, financial security, and work-life balance. The practices of winning firms—the top HR programs in the industry—are compiled in the Key HR Metrics report.  Enter the 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program to showcase your company’s superior HR program.) Here’s your chance to go behind the curtain of the printing industry’s top companies. Take a look at these highlights from the 2013 HR Metrics Survey and see the practices of your competitors: Management practices Sexual harassment training for all staff members should be performed every 24 months, and new hires should receive training during orientation. Provide written job descriptions and annual performance reviews for all employees. (For Americans with Disabilities Act purposes, job descriptions ideally should have “essential functions” noted on job descriptions.) How many women and minorities hold management positions in your organization? Top companies have comparable numbers to the national average. (Find current averages at www.eeoc.gov.) Work environment And how about your turnover rate? Strive for 8.4% or lower. Training and development opportunities Cross-train employees. A total of 89% of BWA winners had more than 80% of their staff trained across a range of areas. Create a succession plan for an aging workforce. Seventy-four percent of BWA firms  had succession plans for senior managers, 59% for key managers, and 56% for key non-managerial employees. Recognition and rewards Incentivize employees. Well-designed plans will pay off and increase profitability and efficiency. (The 2013 Wage and Benefits Surveycompiles successful ideas from more than 500 companies.) Develop employee recognition programs. You can find customizable certificates here. Workplace health and safety To keep your injury and illness rate low, you may want to institute a Safety Committee with a mix of hourly and managerial employees. If your company has persistent injuries and illnesses, address the issues with a targeted training program....

From solid management practices to financial security to work-life balance, there are considerable elements that go into creating a successful, profitable workplace environment. Although each company is different, the industry’s Best Workplaces do share distinctive commonalities. The parallels allow these companies to recruit and retain qualified workers—people who are more satisfied with their jobs and, therefore, more productive and efficient. Greater efficiency leads to increased profitability and a greater competitive edge.  What if you could get behind the scenes and see what these leading companies are doing? How competitive are their wages and benefits? How do they handle health care issues? What employee training methods do they use? What incentive programs are working for them? Each year the Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA) program judges companies based on eight main areas: management practices, work environment, training and development opportunities, recognition and rewards, workplace health and safety, health and well-being programs, financial security, and work-life balance. The practices of winning firms—the top HR programs in the industry—are compiled in the Key HR Metrics report.  Enter the 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program to showcase your company’s superior HR program.) Here’s your chance to go behind the curtain of the printing industry’s top companies. Take a look at these highlights from the 2013 HR Metrics Survey and see the practices of your competitors: Management practices Sexual harassment training for all staff members should be performed every 24 months, and new hires should receive training during orientation. Provide written job descriptions and annual performance reviews for all employees. (For Americans with Disabilities Act purposes, job descriptions ideally should have “essential functions” noted on job descriptions.) How many women and minorities hold management positions in your organization? Top companies have comparable numbers to the national average. (Find current averages at www.eeoc.gov.) Work environment And how about your turnover rate? Strive for 8.4% or lower. Training and development opportunities Cross-train employees. A total of 89% of BWA winners had more than 80% of their staff trained across a range of areas. Create a succession plan for an aging workforce. Seventy-four percent of BWA firms  had succession plans for senior managers, 59% for key managers, and 56% for key non-managerial employees. Recognition and rewards Incentivize employees. Well-designed plans will pay off and increase profitability and efficiency. (The 2013 Wage and Benefits Surveycompiles successful ideas from more than 500 companies.) Develop employee recognition programs. You can find customizable certificates here. Workplace health and safety To keep your injury and illness rate low, you may want to institute a Safety Committee with a mix of hourly and managerial employees. If your company has persistent injuries and illnesses, address the issues with a targeted training program....

Today, many companies employ more diverse workforces. Do you have the up-to-date Form I-9 to prove that every employee in your firm is identified and verified to work in the U.S.? If not, your company could face serious fines. HR professionals and business owners may know that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently stepped up employer audits, and two printing firms have already been targeted this year. Luckily, the firms received advance notice from ICE about the audit and contacted Printing Industries’ Human Relations Department for help.    Every day many companies are receiving an audit notification, or Notice of Inspection (NOI), from the ICE. When you receive this notice, you have only three days to produce the Forms I-9. If you are unsure if your firm is prepared for ICE, read on! Avoiding Problems with ICE Unlike the kind brought on by freezing temperature, this type of ICE can be avoided easily by following a few easy steps to prepare. If you are an HR professional or business owner, taking the right precautions can make a big difference in whether you pass or fail a Form I-9 audit. Review the Fact Sheet: Form I-9 Inspection Overview to learn more about the audit process. If audited, you may be asked to provide supporting documentation, which may include a copy of the payroll, list of current employees, Articles of Incorporation, and business licenses. Have new hires? This video will help you ease the process and explain to your new employee why the Form I-9 is necessary and how to complete it. This Employee Information Sheet is also a useful tool to highlight the I-9 process for new hires (there’s a Spanish version available as well). You, as the employer, are responsible for completing sections two and three of the Form I-9. Find a video explaining the details of Section Two here and Section Three here. Penalties You could Face These HR resources can help streamline the process for ensuring that you are in compliance with Form I-9. However, in the case that you do not meet all of the inspection criteria, these are the penalties you should be aware of: If corrections for a technical or procedural violation are not rectified within 10 business days, you could receive a fine for all uncorrected violations. When an unauthorized worker is knowingly hired or continually employed, ICE will require their employer to cease all unlawful activity, institute a fine, and may criminally prosecute the company. The firm may also be debarred and ineligible for some government benefits. The fees for knowingly hiring or employing unauthorized workers ranges anywhere from $375 up to $16,000. If your company fails to produce a...

Today, many companies employ more diverse workforces. Do you have the up-to-date Form I-9 to prove that every employee in your firm is identified and verified to work in the U.S.? If not, your company could face serious fines. HR professionals and business owners may know that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently stepped up employer audits, and two printing firms have already been targeted this year. Luckily, the firms received advance notice from ICE about the audit and contacted Printing Industries’ Human Relations Department for help.    Every day many companies are receiving an audit notification, or Notice of Inspection (NOI), from the ICE. When you receive this notice, you have only three days to produce the Forms I-9. If you are unsure if your firm is prepared for ICE, read on! Avoiding Problems with ICE Unlike the kind brought on by freezing temperature, this type of ICE can be avoided easily by following a few easy steps to prepare. If you are an HR professional or business owner, taking the right precautions can make a big difference in whether you pass or fail a Form I-9 audit. Review the Fact Sheet: Form I-9 Inspection Overview to learn more about the audit process. If audited, you may be asked to provide supporting documentation, which may include a copy of the payroll, list of current employees, Articles of Incorporation, and business licenses. Have new hires? This video will help you ease the process and explain to your new employee why the Form I-9 is necessary and how to complete it. This Employee Information Sheet is also a useful tool to highlight the I-9 process for new hires (there’s a Spanish version available as well). You, as the employer, are responsible for completing sections two and three of the Form I-9. Find a video explaining the details of Section Two here and Section Three here. Penalties You could Face These HR resources can help streamline the process for ensuring that you are in compliance with Form I-9. However, in the case that you do not meet all of the inspection criteria, these are the penalties you should be aware of: If corrections for a technical or procedural violation are not rectified within 10 business days, you could receive a fine for all uncorrected violations. When an unauthorized worker is knowingly hired or continually employed, ICE will require their employer to cease all unlawful activity, institute a fine, and may criminally prosecute the company. The firm may also be debarred and ineligible for some government benefits. The fees for knowingly hiring or employing unauthorized workers ranges anywhere from $375 up to $16,000. If your company fails to produce a...

Why is employee recognition important? It’s one of the most powerful recruiting and retaining tool. The Department of Labor reports that a reason why 64% of employees leave their job is because they are not recognized. So if you want to know the true measure of a company, simply count its number of satisfied employees! More graphic arts companies of all sizes are learning the value of putting their people first. When firms recognize employees for their achievements, their employees: Develop a clearer understanding of company goals. Are more engaged, productive, and motivated. Stay longer with their company. Are you struggling to come up with new ideas for employee incentives, or trying to get your incentive program up and running? We’ve put together this list of 10 inspiring ways to reward your employees that are low cost and low tech, perfect for small- and medium-size firms.  But no matter where you work, when you put your people first, business success follows. Does your company have a great employee incentive strategy? Why not tell your customers and potential employees? Share how your company puts #PeopleFirst. We could choose your response to recognize on www.printing.org/HR along with your company name!  Join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages using #PeopleFirst. Watch the video to learn more! Provide training opportunities—Investing in ongoing employee development programs not only improves job skills and troubleshooting abilities but also contributes to professional and personal advancement (see Tip #2). Plus, cross-training gives employees more job security and your company greater flexibility. Promote from within—With the right skill sets, established and trusted employees can advance and fill other needs within the company. Inside promotions show management’s investment in its people. Reward across the board—When recognizing achievements, don’t just highlight that person who gets the biggest contract. Call out the team player who always lends a helping hand or the take-one-for-the-team player who worked overtime to finish a big project. On that note, Take time to highlight each department like prepress, admin, or customer service reps. The Employee Recognition Program gives special recognition weeks that coincide with industry milestones like Ben Franklin’s birthday (Press Operators, Assistants and Helpers Week in January) and the creation of the U.S. Postal Service (Mailers Week in July). A little “thank you” goes a long way! Incentivize profitable ideas—An idea that generates revenue, saves on costs, or increases safety is valuable. Show your employees that management listens to and encourages their ideas with awards and recognition. Recognize outstanding performance—When an employee goes above and beyond to do something that benefits the company, make a big deal about it. Success is contagious, and people remember the celebration that ensued for their good deed. Celebrate...

Why is employee recognition important? It’s one of the most powerful recruiting and retaining tool. The Department of Labor reports that a reason why 64% of employees leave their job is because they are not recognized. So if you want to know the true measure of a company, simply count its number of satisfied employees! More graphic arts companies of all sizes are learning the value of putting their people first. When firms recognize employees for their achievements, their employees: Develop a clearer understanding of company goals. Are more engaged, productive, and motivated. Stay longer with their company. Are you struggling to come up with new ideas for employee incentives, or trying to get your incentive program up and running? We’ve put together this list of 10 inspiring ways to reward your employees that are low cost and low tech, perfect for small- and medium-size firms.  But no matter where you work, when you put your people first, business success follows. Does your company have a great employee incentive strategy? Why not tell your customers and potential employees? Share how your company puts #PeopleFirst. We could choose your response to recognize on www.printing.org/HR along with your company name!  Join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages using #PeopleFirst. Watch the video to learn more! Provide training opportunities—Investing in ongoing employee development programs not only improves job skills and troubleshooting abilities but also contributes to professional and personal advancement (see Tip #2). Plus, cross-training gives employees more job security and your company greater flexibility. Promote from within—With the right skill sets, established and trusted employees can advance and fill other needs within the company. Inside promotions show management’s investment in its people. Reward across the board—When recognizing achievements, don’t just highlight that person who gets the biggest contract. Call out the team player who always lends a helping hand or the take-one-for-the-team player who worked overtime to finish a big project. On that note, Take time to highlight each department like prepress, admin, or customer service reps. The Employee Recognition Program gives special recognition weeks that coincide with industry milestones like Ben Franklin’s birthday (Press Operators, Assistants and Helpers Week in January) and the creation of the U.S. Postal Service (Mailers Week in July). A little “thank you” goes a long way! Incentivize profitable ideas—An idea that generates revenue, saves on costs, or increases safety is valuable. Show your employees that management listens to and encourages their ideas with awards and recognition. Recognize outstanding performance—When an employee goes above and beyond to do something that benefits the company, make a big deal about it. Success is contagious, and people remember the celebration that ensued for their good deed. Celebrate...