Office culture can impact an employee’s experience at a company for better or worse, which, in turn, has an impact on the overall success of the business. Legal advice can help employers ensure that employees are satisfied with their experiences and the company is reaping maximum benefits. Happy employees are productive employees, which benefits the company as a whole.
Attracting & Keeping A Talented Workforce
Having a solid benefits package is one factor that can help to establish a desirable work force. Employers should weigh the pros and cons of benefits packages and determine whether the benefits to their employees and their corporate culture outweigh the costs to the employer’s bottom-line. A plan that might be more costly for the employer in terms of dollars and cents could be the very same plan that draws quality employees. A workforce of efficient, knowledgeable, productive, and creative employees can help to increase a company’s returns. A competitive benefits package will help to draw the talent that creates such a workforce. Working with an attorney well-versed in em
ployment law can help employers to make sure they are meeting local, state and federal requirements regarding benefits, as well as putting themselves in a position to meet their business goals while offering benefits to employees.
Diversity in the Workplace
Diversity in the workplace also drives corporate culture, and it includes a number of factors, including not only characteristics such as a person’s sex, age, or ethnic or religious background, but also characteristics such as the geographic location of an individual’s upbringing or an individual’s current hobbies and interests. Studies have shown, and it is now tantamount to common knowledge, that a diverse group of employees can help an employer to understand various perspectives, thus providing the employer with the ability to process and provide better services for its clients and customers. Thus, aside from what an employer might consider a moral or ethical obligation to diversify its workplace, there will likely also be added value in terms of the employer’s bottom line. The diversity of a workforce is protected by state and federal employment laws, which protect the rights of employees and prohibit discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, pregnancy, disability, age and veteran status. Engaging knowledgeable attorneys to stay abreast of developments in employment law issues can help to put an employer’s mind at ease with regard to its employees and their experiences, and can help to protect the employer should a dispute arise.
Business Start-Up Help: Employer Beware
Creating an exciting, dynamic workplace is appealing, particularly in the start-up world where the workforce is typically made up of young, creative, entrepreneurial individuals. As an employer, it is important to be mindful of the varying thought processes and communication styles that each of your employees gravitates toward, as well as your own, especially given the close-quarters and the family atmosphere endemic to start-ups.
Four years ago, Carlson Dash was a start-up law firm, and its lawyers have faced and overcome a variety of obstacles typical to start-ups. And, we recently underwent our own strategic planning process at a retreat run by a third-party facilitator who helped us understand the benefits of knowing how we each attack problems and the various communication styles we use. It helps promote a more effective team and collegial work environment. Lawyers, such as the lawyers at Carlson Dash, who understand the specific issues small businesses face when getting started, because we also lived this American Dream, can help start-ups take proactive measures to avoid situations that could otherwise end up in costly litigation, which could easily burden a start-up’s fragile budget.
This document is intended for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for consultation with a licensed legal professional in a particular case or circumstance.
