admin, Author at Cura HR

If there were an action companies could take to improve their employees’ mental health, lower their stress, and increase their productivity, all companies would take that action at the drop of a hat…right? Not necessarily. Offering paid time off greatly improves both productivity at work and job satisfaction, and yet the United States is the only advanced economy that does not have federally mandated paid vacation, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

The “Great Resignation” of 2020 and 2021 highlighted the importance of a better work/life balance for employees. According to a QuickBooks survey, three-quarters of American workers say it’s highly important for employers to provide paid vacation time. Offering and encouraging your team to use paid time off (PTO) will positively affect worker productivity and reduce turnover.

Always review state and federal labor laws to ensure your PTO and vacation programs comply with regulations.

In this blog, we’ll dive into helpful questions and answers so you can implement the right PTO program for your company.

Is PTO Required By Law?

In the U.S., neither federal nor state law requires paid time off. However, most companies do offer benefits, including paid vacation time, to attract and retain top talent. According to Zippia, 76% of private industry workers receive paid vacation time.

Does My Company Need a Paid Time Off Program?

If your company offers paid time off, but you’ve not yet documented and rolled out the program, it’s important to do so. A clearly written program eliminates confusion and creates a trusting work environment.

How Is Paid Time Off Typically Earned?

Your company should establish how time off is earned. One common way is through accrual, meaning a set amount of time is earned each pay period. Another method is to provide a grant on a specific date. Additionally, allowing more time to be earned based on tenure will reward loyalty. This LinkedIn article provides a general sense of how much PTO is normally offered by companies, and how it is earned, based on specific industries.

Is “Use-It-Or-Lose-It” Allowed in My State?

PTO can be influenced by state laws. Most states allow employers to rescind unused time. If you want to encourage employees to take time off — and avoid substantial payouts when employees leave — consider a use-it-or-lose-it program. It is, however, important to note that California, Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska consider PTO a form of earned wages and therefore prohibit a use-it-or-lose-it policy from being implemented.

No matter what you determine is best for your company, it’s important to explain what happens with unused time so employees can take it before it expires.

Can I Tell My Team Members When to Take Paid Time Off?

Establish when employees can take time off if having multiple people out of the office at the same time would create a problem for your company. Seniority, rotating holidays, or a first-come-first-serve approach can help manage time off. Furthermore, creating a practice of advanced scheduling will allow managers and employees to prepare for the absence.

Does My Company Need to Payout Accrued Time Upon Termination?

The short answer is, it depends on where your company resides. Several states require payment of accrued time when an employee is terminated. Most states leave it up to the company to establish what happens to the accrued time, making a clear program especially vital.

Help! Who Will Help Create a Paid Time Off Program for My Organization?

Employment laws in the U.S. can be a challenge to follow. Writing and implementing a straightforward PTO program requires ongoing knowledge of your state’s ever-changing statutes. Cura HR ensures company policies and programs align with your organization’s business model and are compliant with state and federal laws. Our seasoned team of human resource experts are adept at identifying and deploying the best solutions. We’d love to learn about your organization and how we can leverage HR best practices to take your business to the next level.

Professional Upskilling

Supporting employee growth is a direct investment in your company. Providing opportunities for your team members to expand their skills through training and development programs, also known as upskilling, is an attractive benefit that boosts employee growth, job satisfaction, and retention rates and attracts potential new hires. According to a Gallup study, 65% of workers believe employer-provided upskilling is very important when evaluating a potential new job.

To achieve significant benefits from new training programs, assess both your team's and organization's needs. Then determine if there are skills that will help your employees improve productivity and develop professionally.

Common types of workplace training include:

Improve Employee Retention Rates

The days of a lifetime career have dwindled, making it imperative to find new ways to retain and attract talent. According to LinkedIn, 94% of employees say they would stay at their workplace longer if their company invested in their career development.

Satisfied employees tend to remain loyal to an organization if they contain a positive work culture. Fair compensation, benefits, opportunities for growth and development, and a safe work environment create a culture people want to be a part of.

"Employers are getting a hard wake-up call around how competitive their offerings are—pay, benefits, flexibility," says Britt Andreatta, CEO of workplace consultancy 7th Mind Inc.

Motivate & Engage Employees

A supportive work environment is one way to boost employee morale, which is a benefit of training and development. When a company invests in the development of its employees, team members believe they are valued, which develops self-confidence, engagement, and motivation.

Approximately one-third of the U.S. workforce feels engaged, according to Gallup. Implementing incentive programs to help boost engagement can lead to fewer absences, higher productivity, and less burnout.

Keep Your Company Competitive

Employees are a valuable asset to a company, and investing in their training and development increases their capabilities and productivity. Additionally, the opportunity to learn and develop new skills is a top factor when candidates consider a new job. Therefore, training and development is a win-win for each team member and the entire organization.

According to Forbes, 46% of companies have specific training for new graduates just entering the workforce. With nearly half of your competitors offering training benefits, your business must strengthen incentives to attract new talent.

Improve Productivity

Productivity increases when employees receive the training needed to be successful in their roles. Fewer errors results in less time correcting mistakes and the ability to perform jobs more efficiently and effectively.

Training and development nurture an organization's culture of innovation. If encouraged to think creatively, employees are more likely to produce innovative solutions to boost productivity and efficiency.

Investing in employee training and development can lead to a more competitive company that employs an engaged and productive team.

Cura HR’s Employee Training & Development Services

Cura HR is a team of well-rounded human resources experts with decades of combined experience across all industries. We strive to bring you comprehensive HR solutions tailored to your business needs.

Reach out today to learn more about what we can do to help your organization implement training and development programs.

Create an Inclusive Environment

In celebration of Pride Month, take some time to ensure your team understands the importance of using correct personal gender pronouns. Everyone, not just transgender or nonbinary individuals, wants to be referred to by the correct pronouns. Understanding that there is a wide range of gender identities and expressions can foster a more inclusive work environment.

Leaders and managers who encounter various gender identities in their workplace can create opportunities for team development and improved communication by respecting their employees’ preferred pronouns.

What Are Personal Gender Pronouns?

Personal gender pronouns (or PGPs) are the pronouns that people ask others to use in reference to themselves, according to Harvard Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. The most common gender pronouns are she/her/hers, he/him/his, and the gender-neutral pronouns, they/them/theirs. Other gender-neutral pronouns include ey/em/eirs and ze/zir/zirs. Here is a link to a more complete, although not exhaustive, list of the more commonly used gender pronouns.

If you are unfamiliar with a person’s pronouns, don’t hesitate to ask them. There’s no harm in demonstrating regard for someone’s identity.

Be Respectful

Using the correct pronouns of your colleagues shows them respect, which helps cultivate an inclusive environment. Not only do inclusive environments reduce stress in the workplace, but they also maximize collaboration and increase employee satisfaction.

If you mistakenly misgender your teammate, simply apologize and correct your error. If someone habitually misgenders a co-worker, it can be viewed as discriminatory. Discrimination based on sex, including sexual orientation and sexual identity, is illegal.

Lead By Example

Build an environment of inclusivity to help all of your employees feel seen and respected. Including your pronouns in your email signature and when you introduce yourself conveys a sense of alliance. Keep in mind that revealing one's pronouns may cause anxiety for some LGBTQ+ people, so don't force your employees to do so. You can also incorporate neutral language when addressing your team.

Ignoring employees who wilfully use incorrect pronouns can lead to workplace anxiety and exclusion. Respectful behavior, including proper pronoun usage, should be a part of employee policies, with workplace culture reflecting those policies.

Do’s & Don’ts

Cura HR strives to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe diversity comes in many different forms—from who we are and what we believe to our personal passions and skill sets. We celebrate what makes us unique and are mindful of creating space for every voice in the room. At Cura HR, the pursuit of diversity and inclusiveness is a journey rather than a destination.

If you would like to discuss your HR needs, get in touch with us today, we’d love to learn about your business.

Know How to Offer Constructive Feedback

A great manager knows how to coach their team and provide effective employee feedback on a regular basis. Constructive feedback offers employees solutions and strategies in the areas they need to improve. In fact, a whopping 68% of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled in their jobs, according to Zippia.

When given properly, feedback can encourage employees to grow and become more engaged in their role, which leads to greater job satisfaction and better communication between parties. At the end of the day, a productive organization is one filled with people who feel passionate about their jobs and supported by their managers.

Knowing how to offer constructive feedback is a learned skill that will benefit your entire organization. In this blog, we’ll give you tips on making your employee feedback more effective.

Give Feedback Early and Often

Infrequent feedback sessions may increase employees' stress when asked to have one-on-one discussions. In addition, waiting for performance reviews can leave employees to repeat mistakes. Over time, small mistakes can lead to significant problems. Instead, informal, weekly feedback can quickly course-correct and drive employee performance. A more casual work culture can be propagated by including feedback in the everyday work routine.

Does the Delivery Method of Feedback Matter?

Since “The Great Remote-Work Migration of 2020,” different modalities of relaying employee feedback have become necessary. According to a Western Michigan University study, the delivery method does not significantly increase or decrease performance when objective feedback is given. There is, however, a significant effect on performance when comparing people who receive objective feedback to those who receive no feedback.

Although employee performance may be unaffected by the modality of feedback delivery, it can be challenging to convey tone or emotion in text messages and emails. For this reason, consider providing constructive feedback in person, via phone, or via video conversation. On the other hand, positive feedback via email, phone calls, video chat, and in-person are appropriate.

Listen and Be Empathetic

The intention of feedback is to help each team member reach their full potential, which will create a culture of continuous development. This is done by managers who listen, ask questions, are empathetic, and encourage dialogue.

Providing feedback with an accusatory tone can make employees feel as though you aren’t on their side and may shut down a conversation. Managers who offer empathy and an openness to hearing what their team member says about the given situation is far more effective. Listening to others may even help you learn about items to change and areas for improvement.

The Benefits of Properly Executed Feedback

Employees are hungry for feedback from their leaders, managers, and even their peers. They want to gain insights that advance their professional abilities and potential. Properly executed feedback corrects problems, improves productivity, and strengthens relationships between employees and their managers. Leaders should offer direct, solution-based feedback that celebrates their employees’ strengths.

At Cura HR we know that treating employee engagement as a continual effort rather than a one-time event is essential to an engaged workforce. We help businesses cultivate productive employee experiences across stages in the employee lifecycle.

Hiring HR talent with deep experience in all functional areas of HR can be costly and is often unnecessary. Many businesses outsource various HR functions, including compensation, to ensure compliance with state and federal labor laws, minimize liability, and provide knowledgeable and reliable discipline-expertise.

In addition to cost being a potential hurdle, finding compensation professionals with the in-depth technical expertise and breadth of experience businesses need has proven challenging as this skill set is in high demand. Cura’s compensation team is made up of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds, industry and business experiences. Our team of certified compensation professionals work with organizations of all sizes to deliver creative solutions for the ongoing challenges of compensation administration process and automation, equitable decision-making practices, plan design and modeling as well as training and communications.

What We Do

Cura HR creates custom solutions for every project and client by combining our years of experience with fresh ideas and best-in-class compensation practices. Cura typically initially engages with organizations to complete compensation projects such as:

Developing a career architecture
Conducting market analysis
Performing a pay equity audit
Creating salary structures
Designing and modeling incentive plans
Delivering compensation training and reward communications
Establishing a total rewards philosophy

After the project work is complete, clients continue to engage us to solve for ongoing compensation management such as:

Annual compensation planning
Participation in salary surveys
Managing merit cycles and incentive plans
Performing job evaluations
Tracking and communicating incentive plan results
Managing equitable pay practices
Coaching and supporting management

The Cura team gives your business access to validated compensation data and benchmarking, metrics, and analysis to assist in managing your compensation programs. We value knowledge and the empowerment that comes with sharing it, and are truly passionate about discussing compensation and best practices.

Outsource Compensation With Cura HR

If you’re looking for project-specific support or considering an outsourced compensation function, we’d love to learn about your business and how we can create a solution that works for you.

Did you know that according to Gallup, workplace friendships are linked to increased job satisfaction, better job performance, and higher employee retention?

Many employees also say that having friends at work helps them feel more engaged in the workplace, and as a result, more committed to their organization.

In today’s business world, with more companies shifting towards a hybrid or fully remote work model, a sense of connection amongst co-workers has never been more important. Here are a few ways HR can create a company culture that supports friendships in the workplace.

Foster a Sense of Community Through DEIA

Most of us would agree that people feel better and are more productive when they’re in a welcoming and safe environment. This, in turn, can have a significant impact on how co-workers interact with one another.

For instance, people who feel they are accepted and supported at work are more likely to:

Reach out for help when they need it
Confide in those around them
Offer to help others when they’re able
Speak up and add their voice to the company conversation
Provide creative insight on projects or tasks

A strong focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) doesn’t just improve the overall culture of a company. It can also be the key to helping your employees develop deeper connections with one another by creating a supportive community in the workplace.

Enable Frequent Team Interaction

Face-to-face team interaction is especially important for hybrid and remote teams.

If most of your employees live in the same geographical area, occasional in-person team parties and events are a good option.

However, for fully remote teams, here are a few creative suggestions:

Provide virtual peer-to-peer learning opportunities
Host interactive virtual group coaching sessions
Provide an informal virtual space for employee communication and celebration
Host a work-appropriate book club with regular virtual meetings

Provide Workshops on Conflict Resolution

Along with creating a healthy workplace atmosphere, HR can help maintain it by educating employees on workplace conflict.

Providing workplace conflict resolution training can help employees learn how to deal with tensions in a respectful and productive way that will add to, rather than detract from the company culture.

Beyond that, encourage employees to share their experiences openly and ask employees for input on how the company’s current approach to conflict resolution might be improved upon.

Be a Safe Space for Employee Concerns and Celebrations!

Finally, HR can position itself as a safe space where employees can share both concerns and celebrations.

Maintaining an open-door policy with a respect for employee privacy will encourage better communication, and top-down transparency within the organization will go a long way towards instilling trust.

When it comes to celebrations, make sure there are guidelines in place for employee recognition.

Keep in mind that the celebrations don’t need to be reserved for workplace wins. 60% of organizations help their employees celebrate life events as well, such as weddings and birthdays, which can increase a sense of camaraderie and unity within your company.

Let Cura HR Help Foster Connection Within Your Organization

Creating a company culture that encourages deeper employee connections and fosters a sense of community can have lasting and widespread impacts on your organization. This is especially important in today’s remote and hybrid business world.

Are you ready to learn more about how Cura HR can help support better employee connection in your organization? Get in touch today.

It’s no secret that the world of business has undergone drastic changes in the last several years, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

With increasing advancements in AI tools, Big Data, and digital platforms, some have begun to suggest that we’ve already moved out of the fourth industrial revolution and are entering the fifth.

While this is exciting, it might also leave you wondering how to make sure your business doesn’t fall behind.

Employee reskilling is one of the best tactics you can use to ensure your business remains adaptable, alert, and ready to embrace the new business world ahead.

What is Employee Reskilling?

Employee reskilling is the process of training employees to move into new positions within their current company.

Traditionally speaking, when technological or industry advancements created the need for a new skill set, businesses would look to hire new employees to fill those roles.

However, as businesses continue to adopt new technology to automate and streamline their processes, many current jobs are becoming obsolete.

In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, more than one billion people in today’s workforce will need to be reskilled by 2030 in order to adapt. Positions that require interpersonal and creative skills are expected to be in particularly high demand.

The Benefits of Employee Reskilling

Now that you know what employee reskilling is and how vital it will be to individuals in the coming years, what are the advantages that employee reskilling can bring to an organization?

Employee Reskilling Can Help Business Stay Current

Implementing a limber employee reskilling program can help ensure that your business evolves with the rest of the world rather than scrambling to adjust after the fact.

Training employees in areas like AI and data, interpersonal skills, specialized human resources, and engineering and cloud computing can help your business stay ahead of the curve.

To get started, Forbes also recommends focusing on core skills that cannot be performed by a computer, like critical thinking and problem solving skills, and looking for current skill gaps in your workforce.

Employee Reskilling Can Have a Dramatic Impact on Retention

Along with staying current on industry-wide trends and advancements, it’s also more vital than ever for businesses to keep up with shifting employee expectations and desires.

In many cases, this means investing in the long-term career development of your employees.

A LinkedIn study from 2018 found that 94% of employees would remain at a company longer if that company would invest in helping them learn new skills to advance their careers. Since 2020 and the Great Resignation, this number may be even higher.

Providing employees with the education they need to adapt and flourish will go a long way towards creating and maintaining a healthy and talented workforce.

Employee Reskilling Keeps Your Business Forward Focused

Finally, giving your employees the tools they need to build new skill sets will be a major contributor to keeping your business focused on the future.

Soon, it may no longer be enough to “keep up” with technological advancements—your organization will need to have the tools and expertise to stay ahead of the trends.

Reskilling employees now means investing in a workforce that is capable of that level of intuition and foresight.

What Role Does HR Play in Reskilling?

The human resources function will play a pivotal role in implementing and maintaining employee reskilling programs in organizations of every size.

Cura HR is a team of well-rounded human resources experts with decades of combined experience across all industries. We strive to bring you comprehensive HR solutions tailored to your business needs.

Reach out today to learn more about what we can do to help your organization stay current and future-ready.

Every year, millions of college students graduate and enter the workforce. Even with unemployment levels at record lows, some graduates are still struggling to find careers in their chosen fields after graduating.

Entry-level positions are a vital part of any company. Being able to fill these roles with talented, hard-working candidates is just as important as hiring qualified executives and leaders. Especially because many of these entry-level graduates will eventually become high performers and leaders within their industries.

Are you struggling to recruit talented upcoming employees? Don’t make the mistake of passing up a competent candidate solely due to their lack of experience. Here are a few tips and tricks for scouting out and identifying new talent.

Recruit Directly from Colleges

Most colleges have job boards, career platforms, and internship programs available. These opportunities can prove fruitful for soon-to-be graduates and employers looking for new talent. Contact a local university or community college and ask if you can promote careers on their job boards or careers page. If there is an upcoming college job fair, consider sponsoring and participating.

If you’re hesitant to hire a recent graduate, consider offering a seasonal internship opportunity. Internships provide college students with hands-on experience and possibly an income, as well. This is a great opportunity to receive additional support, and determine if the intern is a good longer-term asset for your team.

Make Your Messaging Clear

A study done by LinkedIn found that employees are 67% more engaged when companies talk about their culture regularly. More than ever, younger candidates are seeking companies whose messaging resonates with and is aligned with their beliefs. For example, if your company culture values knowledge sharing and strong commitment to clients, emphasize this in your job postings and on your careers page.

Your mission and vision statements should also be very clear. For example, if your company’s mission is to provide the best possible affordable clothing while also being eco-friendly, state that in your job postings and on your company website to find interviewees who resonate and align with your values.

Finally, make it clear in your job postings that the job is entry-level. If a job is entry-level, it should typically require 0-3 years of experience.

Up Your Social Media Game

College Pulse performed a survey that found that 48% of college students used LinkedIn as their primary social media platform for job searching. Using LinkedIn to promote your entry-level job listings is an effective way to reach recent college graduates.

Here are a few tips for writing effective LinkedIn job postings to appeal to recent graduates:

Use standard job titles rather than jargon-laden ones
Be as detailed as possible about job functions
Clearly list requirements (experience level, education, etc.)
Outline your values and company culture
Include details about your total rewards package (benefits, compensation, time off, etc.)
Offer opportunities for growth

LinkedIn also has features like InMail where you can contact potential candidates directly. Reaching out to recent or soon-to-be graduates allows you to connect with talented individuals on your own. If you see someone who fits the description of an outstanding candidate, reaching out directly allows you a chance to hire them before someone else. Keep in mind that InMail is a paid feature.

Know What New Talent Looks Like

Once you’ve found qualified candidates, it’s time to start interviewing. First and foremost, you should consider your company culture. Look within your company and consider the employees who are currently excelling. What traits do they have? What value do they bring to your business and teams? Consider these traits when interviewing potential employees, and look for them in responses to interview questions. We have a few interview tips prepared if you’re stuck.

Ideally, you’ll want to look for the following traits:

Invested in your company’s mission, vision and values
Highly motivated and willing to learn
Collaborative and team-oriented
Receptive to feedback
Ability to problem solve

Keep in mind, these candidates may have less experience than candidates in upper-level positions. Look for leadership experience in college clubs, internships, and part-time work opportunities.

Hire Up and Coming Talent With Cura HR

Between discerning who will be a good fit and getting your message to the right people, hiring new talent can be difficult. Cura helps companies build and nurture their greatest asset—their employees. Your people are your value center. Healthy, diverse, and productive work environments are conducive to attracting new talent and retaining existing teams.

We’d love to learn about your business and how we can leverage best-in-class HR practices to help you attract and retain upcoming talent.

Management serves functions beyond decision-making and bringing expertise to your business. Leading by example, managers set the tone of the workplace for all employees. Despite this, a study done by West Monroe found that 43% of new managers had not received any formal management training.

Creating effective development strategies for leadership at your company is essential for promoting best-in-class management practices. If you’re not sure where to start, the Cura team has effective training suggestions to help you develop your managers so they can optimize their leadership skills!

Soft Skills Training

Soft skills are essential for anyone in a leadership role. Soft skills training allows managers to better connect with employees in order to provide effective feedback, set goals and expectations, and build trusting and productive relationships. A manager with effective soft skills can promote a healthier work environment, which is good for your employees’ mental health.

You can promote soft skills development through either online or in-person courses. If you aren’t sure how to go about this, team Cura offers various training programs for managers and employees alike.

Conflict Resolution Techniques

Soft skills create the foundation for managers to be able to effectively handle and ideally, resolve conflict. Situations such as conflicts between employees can create disharmony in the workplace and can escalate quickly if not resolved. Training managers to both mediate conflict and identify when they need assistance from an HR partner to navigate the situation is important.

Take action to prevent conflict before it starts. Outline clear expectations for behavior, and educate both managers and employees on these practices regularly. Ensure company policies and practices are clear on how to address conflict if it does arise, and that they are followed consistently throughout the organization. Clearly outline the procedures for reporting an issue and consider using an anonymous reporting system allowing employees to inform leadership if they are not comfortable sharing with their manager.

Finally, know when to involve HR in workplace conflicts. More serious issues such as harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence should all be handled in partnership with an HR professional. If you are unsure about how to handle an issue, it’s best to consult with an expert.

Performance Evaluation and Feedback Standards

Effective performance reviews are a great way to show employees how well they are doing. Train managers to address performance evaluations in a thoughtful and productive way. Encourage regular and sincere constructive feedback, and celebrate when they are doing well. Conducting performance reviews and providing feedback should be done face to face when possible to build strong relationships and trust.

Also, partner with your team to establish goals and performance expectations for the upcoming review period. Consider what they are doing well, and the steps that can be taken to improve areas where they’re struggling. Don’t forget to offer support and resources to help them reach these goals.

Company and Legal Knowledge Training

Educate managers on all company policies and programs. It’s critical for them to know about everything from the Code of Conduct, to the Attendance Policy and everything in between. It’s important to be familiar with this information to help support, communicate and enforce policies and practices when needed. Additionally, ensure managers know how to deal with violations of company policies and the appropriate steps to take.

Managers should also be familiar with your products and services, company processes, mission, vision, and business model. The greater their knowledge of your organization, the better they can help advise customers and employees.

Finally, ensure that managers are familiar with state and federal employment laws and regulations. While these are generally overseen by HR experts, it’s important for all managers to be aware of regulations such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) laws, among others. Awareness of these laws and regulations is especially important because violating them can lead to serious repercussions for your business.

Create a Management Development Program with Cura HR

Manager training is an ever-evolving topic that needs to align with each organization’s unique needs. A new or experienced employee transitioning into management needs guidance and resources to set themselves and your company up for success.

Cura HR helps our clients identify and implement opportunities to level up their talent. We are certified in the most widely used and reputable people assessment tools, offer extensive manager and employee training, and facilitate effective team-building and development programs. We’d love to learn about your business and how we can help you to develop your team!

Hiring top talent is something every business strives for. After all, experienced and dedicated employees are always excellent to have on your team. As people gain experience, they develop and deepen their skills and competencies. Despite this, many older employees state that they face discrimination in their workplace due to their age. A survey done by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that 61% of respondents had experienced or witnessed discrimination based on age in their workplace.

This number is especially concerning since the workforce is getting older and working longer in their careers. This means that hiring and keeping experienced talent is more important than ever. Making sure that your workplace is accepting of people of all ages will ensure that you keep older employees satisfied with working at your company. If you’re not sure how to foster an age-inclusive company culture, here are a few suggestions to help.

What is Workplace Ageism?

Despite how common ageism is, many people do not know it exists. Ageism is a type of discrimination or prejudice that consists of treating an employee poorly compared to others because of their age. Age discrimination is prohibited by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which forbids discrimination and harassment of people over the age of 40 based on their age.

Combating Ageism in Your Workplace

Preventing age-based discrimination from happening at your company starts with implementing practices to raise awareness of biases and behaviors associated with ageism. Start by creating a training program to address unconscious biases. Unconscious bias training is an important part of promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone, which is something that Cura HR values within our organization.

Promoting an Inclusive Company Culture

When looking at your team, are there people of all different age groups? Or is your company dominated by people of a certain age group? Having a team of all ages promotes inclusivity and different perspectives, which helps employees and teams think creatively.

Ensure that managers and employees know that it’s not okay to make jokes about or comment on someone’s age. Remarks such as “OK Boomer or OK Snowflake,” “You are so young,” or “When are you going to retire?” are never appropriate in the workplace. Use age-inclusive language on your company’s website and social media channels, and include a statement about how promoting diversity in age is an important value to your company.

Be Conscious of Ageism Throughout the Employee Lifecycle

Hiring is another place to be aware of potential biases. Subconscious bias can cause hiring managers to hire people very similar to themselves. Unfortunately, this can lead to a workplace made up of very similar people. If you have two qualified candidates, and only hire one of them because they are younger, that is a form of age discrimination.

Some other forms of age discrimination throughout the employee lifecycle include:

Passing up people for promotions based on their age
Not providing salary increases to older employees
Laying off only older employees
Encouraging older employees to retire early

Cura HR Can Help You Promote an Age-Inclusive Workplace

Are you unsure about how to create a work environment that is inclusive for employees of all ages? At Cura HR we offer outsourced HR partnership and support at the level you need. Whether you need help developing an ageism prevention training program or want to create a more inclusive hiring process, Cura HR has your back!

We’d love to learn about your business and how we can leverage best practices to elevate your HR!

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