August 2024 Edition

RKL’s Workforce Strategies team is here to help you navigate the complexities of today's HR environment with the updates, reminders and insights you need to maximize your most important asset — your people. We value your feedback, so let us know what you think of this newsletter!

Pay Equity Remains an Issue Here in the U.S. and in the UK

Beqom, a global total compensation firm, found in their 2024 Pay Equity Study that one in three U.S. and UK companies do not have a pay equity strategy despite the pressure to increase pay transparency laws and address pay gaps. The survey indicated that while most employers see the urgency and need for such a system, they are finding it difficult to navigate the complexities. Here are some positive steps to move towards pay equity: implement a process for continuous feedback, evaluate current rates to market benchmarks, evaluate current rate distribution across the company, and correct any existing pay gaps or inconsistencies. 

Do you need expert help evaluating your organization's compensation practices to improve equity and transparency? Our Workforce Strategies advisors are here to help. 

The Do's and Don'ts of Political Conversations in the Workplace

With the upcoming political elections, you may be noticing a greater level of political discussion in the workplace. Under NLRA, employers may not prohibit employees from expressing their political opinions and engaging in political discussions at work. HR should take proactive measures to foster workplace civility and healthy political discussions. HR can coach employees who would like to engage in such conversations to listen to what the other person has to say, avoid stereotyping based on preferences and use "I" statements to clearly identify their opinions as their own.

Open Enrollment: Consider Automation to Save Time and Reduce Frustrations

It's quickly approaching: Open Enrollment Season! For many HR leaders, this means paperwork-heavy processes and chasing down forms from employees, but it doesn't have to. With the right HRIS Solution in place, you can streamline time-consuming tasks involved in processing enrollment, enhance communication with automated reminders and notifications, cover compliance bases, enhance the employee experience and more. 

Interested in learning more about how RKL's HRIS Solution, powered by isolved, can support your open enrollment process? Click below to learn more.

USCIS Extends Form I-9 Expiration Date 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently updated the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification to extend the expiration due to 5/31/2027. Employers must use Form I-9 with the edition date of 8/1/2023, which may have an expiration date of 7/31/2026 or 5/31/2027. Learn more about the deadline extension here. 

In honor of the recent Summer Olympics, we asked the Workforce Strategies team the following question and received these fun responses.

If ________ were an Olympic Sport, what would you win a gold medal doing?

"Drinking coffee." - Stephane Smith, Partner/Vice President

"Attending New Kids on the Block concerts." - Lindsay Heist, HRIS Solutions Practice Leader

"Overpacking to come to the office." - Katie Euler, Senior HRIS Specialist 

"Anxiety over driving on the highway." - Cyndi Paro, HRIS Specialist

"Watching Love Island." - Olivia Byron, Workforce Strategies Generalist