Hagel and Company Human Resources Blog - California, Idaho, Washington State HR News

HR and payroll departments are buckling under the weight of federal and state legislative actions affecting benefits and payroll processes.  When these issues are compounded by downsizing and right-sizing in both of these business units, the employees inside and outside HR feel the effects of mounting paperwork.  A sizeable reduction in paperwork, time and effort is available through employee self-service (ESS) software.  Although many of you may believe you can’t approach your executives with a request to buy anything at this time, you may be mistaken.  Technology as a solution for decreased spending and increased productivity over the long haul will get everyone’s attention in a positive way if you present your argument in a well-prepared business proposal aligned with business strategies and goals.

“Increase productivity while decreasing costs” is likely to be on your CEO’s list of business goals for 2011.  Defining a delivery model for HR and payroll processes in support of business goals, transforms HR from a service delivery unit to a strategic partner in business operations.  Creating a repository of information that can then be used to drive business decisions is a key component of the employee self-service system.  Moving information more efficiently reduces costs and improves productivity.  Let’s review just how this happens.

The benefits of an ESS system include:

• Employees’ have the ability to manage their own demographic information. Employees can update changes in family status and addresses; check W2 info; request leave and have it approved0—all without the distracting paper processes.
• Automating administrative processes reduces manual data entry, costs and errors. Eighty percent of HR’s time is spent on low value routine processes.  That translates into 6 hours of everyday processing, tracking and updating at a relatively expressive cost per hour.  These processes do not add directly to the bottom line.  Transfer this process to technology and the service delivery model improves without an increase in costs.
• Better data leads to better reporting and analysis. Developing an information asset allows HR to provide improved organizational support through analysis of facts and data gathered through the ESS system.

Understanding the advantages of ESS within HR and payroll may seem obvious once you start looking seriously at the benefits such a system can provide.  But how do you convince the keepers of the cash?  You have to speak their language.  In doing so, you learn how to move your HR department from being viewed as service providers to being recognized as strategic business partners.

Building the business proposal:

1.       Identify functional requirements for a system. Consider cost savings, data integrity, time savings and reduction of duplication in effort.

2.       Explain why the status quo needs upgrading. Emphasize the lack of functionality, the lack of integration between business management systems and the resulting data integrity issues.

3.       Determine the immediate needs to be met by an ESS system. Include information about availability to employees (24/7), process standardization, quality improvements and reduction in transaction costs.

4.       Review potential solutions. Identify all costs associated with your top 3 vendors including, additional hardware and integration needs, as well as the cost of future upgrades.

5.       Calculate your Return on Investment (ROI). Do this for the first 3 years as costs are often loaded at the front end.  In order to do this, you are going to need to know what it costs your department to perform these same tasks manually now.

6.       Assess the value of the changes. Think in terms of decreased costs, improved automation and delivery of services.  Document the values as they relate to established overall business goals and objectives.

The proposal is ready.  By following this outline, keeping strategic business objectives in mind and reviewing current costs, it’s relatively easy to make the argument for the value of an employee self-service system.  In addition, by building an understanding of how HR and payroll operations affect the business overall, you’re developing skill sets and competencies for analyzing and modeling best courses of action for the organization.  With the time saved by a self service systems, your HR and payroll departments can focus on increasing services and becoming a more strategic partner to your business.

During the summer it reminds us that, for most employees, the highlight of the year comes when they are able to take their vacation. However, recent studies show that more Americans are working throughout the year without taking a break. This is attributed to being overwhelmed with job responsibilities and not wanting to have to catch up after being away. But health experts say that it is important for people to take time off for physical, mental and psychological reasons.

Providing an easy, automated workflow system that allows employees to easily schedule time off may help take away some of the anxiety of leaving work responsibilities. Sage Abra’s Employee Self Service software (Abra ESS) makes it easy for employees, managers and administrators to manage time-off requests. Employees can access their personal data anytime via the internet or an intranet to create, edit or delete time-off requests while also managing time-off balances, attendance plans and absence transactions. Managers and supervisors can then approve the requests without viewing other sensitive employee information.

Abra ESS protects sensitive employee data using password protection, SQL server database security, and an encrypted Sage Abra HRMS database. Abra ESS supports 128-bit SSL encryption to protect data transmitted over the Internet. Users may also tailor the Abra ESS system through customization tools while creating a central portal for employees to access important company information.

The automated process and online accessibility also eliminates the frustration of waiting on people, memos or other types of paper trail. So, employees should take their time off as it helps their overall well being and thus their contribution to the company. Employees who are able to use their allotted vacation time will also be more satisfied because they are able to receive their full benefits. And, satisfied employees create a happier and more productive environment in the workplace which is something everyone wants.

Contact us today for more information about Employee Self Service Software

When the economy slows, businesses tighten their belt and look for ways to cut costs and get more work accomplished with fewer resources. That’s why more companies today are challenging their human resource (HR) departments to make more strategic contributions to the organization. While HR is traditionally viewed as a cost center saddled with time-consuming and paper-intensive administrative tasks, it’s a necessary burden in order to comply with governmental regulations that require specialized reporting. The question is this … how can you streamline your HR processes to minimize that burden and transform HR into a model of efficiency with meaningful impact on the bottom line? For some, the answer is automated HR software. Let’s take a closer look.

Technology Maximizes Limited Resources

Most small and midsized businesses have limited staff to manage the many aspects of human resources. In fact, HR staff typically spends far more time performing routine administrative tasks than strategic objectives. But the simple fact is once those routine administrative tasks are automated, it has a profoundly positive impact on both the HR department and company overall. And that’s where Sage Abra HRMS comes in.

Sounds Interesting, But What Does It Do?

First things first … HRMS stands for Human Resource Management System. In the same way that ERP software automates your accounting and operations, Sage Abra HRMS automates all aspects of managing your workforce including Employee Benefits, Time and Attendance, Training, Recruitment, Compensation Management, Compliance, and more. You get hundreds of standard reports, customizable templates, automated workflow, and a full range of features that will reduce the cost of compliance, eliminate redundant data entry and paperwork, automate repetitive processes, and have your HR Department running like a well-oiled machine.

Consolidate And Digitize

Many companies rely on a combination of paper, spreadsheets, and file cabinets to manage employee information which means that hiring data, payroll records, and benefit plan elections are probably stored in multiple places. Each employee change needs to be replicated across a variety of files … a record-keeping nightmare. But with Sage Abra HRMS, all of your employee data is digitized and consolidated into a single database. This results in fewer errors and potential fines, elimination of duplicate data entry, and more timely reports and analysis.

Contact us to learn how Sage Abra HRMS can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

December and January are the months to end the year and start a new year with your HR and Payroll software.  There is no better time to make sure you are ready for the year ahead.

Hagel & Company has the expertise to help you accomplish your goals.

We have designed two discount packages that will give you flexibility to have one of our expert consultants assist you in the following areas: 

• Package A:  10% Discount on a Half Day (4 hours) of Consulting 
• Package B:  15% discount on a Full Day (8 hours) of Consulting  

Take advantage of these special discounts when booking your consulting days by January 22^nd 

Please call Aaron Simon at (253)572-2439 x 301 or click HERE to book your time now.

*Any additional time will be billed at our regular rate

**Travel expenses may be in addition to package rate

photo credit: Ludo29880

Human Resource technology adoption is often driven by small projects aimed at specific business problems that, when solved, provide a very clear return on investment.  As an example, Employee Self Service technology, or ESS, has evolved as a fantastic solution for an HR staff that is burdened by the repetitive administrative task of responding to routine employee requests.   In this article, we’ll take a look at ESS, explore the benefits it offers, and briefly introduce the ESS module for Sage Abra HRMS.

What is ESS?

ESS technology provides a central location for company personnel to view and update important personal data and company information. As the name suggests, ESS enables employees and managers to “self serve” (rather than contacting the HR department) for routine tasks or inquiries such as time-off requests, review of current benefits, updating dependents, review record of attendance, and more.  ESS access is typically delivered over the internet or company intranet.

The Benefits that ESS Offers

By automating employee activities such as time-off requests & approvals or dependent/beneficiary changes, companies can save considerable administrative time and expense associated with paper-based forms and manual processes.  Other benefits of ESS include:
Elimination of Duplicate Data Entry and Better Accuracy – By allowing employees to enter    routine record changes themselves, you eliminate the need to have HR staff re-enter the same information on a paper form or into an HR or payroll system.  This also helps to reduce errors.
Reduced Transaction Costs – Partially or completely replacing paper-based processes reduces (or completely eliminates) the time and costs associated with copying, routing, printing, mailing, filing, and storing paper.

Improved Focus – ESS technology allows HR staff to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as employee retention strategies or developing competitive benefits packages, rather than getting bogged down by routine administrative functions.

Introducing Sage Abra ESS

Sage Abra ESS will streamline your company’s HR processes and give employees ownership of their personal information.  Employees can request time-off, review benefits information, access performance reviews, update specific fields, and review payroll information.  Managers can view a direct reports’ personnel file, view and post employee notes, review attendance information, and approve time-off requests.  Companies can also post important documents and messages for employees to review.  Perhaps best of all, submitted and approved changes are automatically updated from ESS to the Sage Abra database which eliminates duplicate data entry and possible errors.

Contact Us to discuss whether Sage Abra ESS can save you money.

We are proud to announce that we’ve been named to the Sage America President’s Circle again!  This is awarded to the leading sales producers among SBS business partners representing a host of segment-leading brands, including Sage Accpac ERP, Sage Timberline, Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage SalesLogix, Sage Abra HRMS (human resource management system), Sage FAS Fixed Assets and others.

I attribute the company’s success to the dedication and hard work of all the employees of the company and to the loyalty of its 500+ customers across the Western and Southern United States.

Thank you to everyone who helped us achieve this goal!

Frank Hagel has been elected chair of the 9 member Sage Software Employer Solutions Business Partner Advisory Council for 2009-2010. The ES Group publishes Sage Abra HRMS, including HR, payroll, training management and recruiting software.

Johnny Laurent, Vice President and General Manager of the Employer Solutions Group said, “The council was established to provide a vital communication link between Sage and the Employer Solutions Business Partner channel. It will advise Sage management on matters impacting and of mutual interest and concern to the client community and the Business Partner channel within the North American market. The ES BPAC addresses issues dealing with sales effectiveness, product issues and needs, market conditions and the competitive landscape surrounding the business.”

Congratulations Frank!

Hagel & Company would like to send out a general notice to Sage Abra customers who are encountering the following error at Login:

LOGON line 50 API Library is not found.   Error 1726

We are aware of this error that has been caused by an update to the Symantec Endpoint Protection anti-virus software, which has incorrectly identified an Abra file (AFWREG.FLL) as a Trojan Horse and removed it from the Abra program.

This file is NOT infected, and this is not a fault of your Abra system.  Anti-virus companies now have to go much further to protect against malicious programs, and occasionally this will impact existing safe programs.  Symantec has been contacted to correct this issue with their software.

Meanwhile, Customers should create a Central Exception for the Abra Programs directory within their Symantec settings, then restore the files from quarantine.  The file identified is:  AFWREG.FLL.

Should Symantec have deleted these files, they can be restored from the Abra CD after the central exception has been put into place.

Specific instructions for central exceptions are found on Symantec website:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ent-security.nsf/docid/2008030423280248?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=1

If you need further help, don’t hesitate to contact Hagel & Company, contact Sage Customer Support at 800-829-0170 or access Sage Abra SupportPlus.

PRESS RELEASE
Hall Web Services, Inc.
Hagel & Company Announces Second Annual User Group Meeting at Safeco Field

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Puyallup, Washington – Hagel & Company (http://www.hagel.net), a leading provider of Sage North America’s award-winning Sage Abra HRMS (human resource management system) since 1993, today announced their second-annual Sage Abra users group conference to be held August 13, 2009, at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.

Part of Hagel and Company’s ongoing commitment to fostering a community of Sage Abra users, the event features information sessions on Sage Abra, free time for users to exchange information with other users, dinner, and the opportunity to watch the Seattle Mariners play against the New York Yankees. The event starts with pre-conference classes from 8:30-11 a.m. PST, and continues with conference sessions in the afternoon. An optional QA, dinner, and attendance of the baseball game are available for interested users.

“We were very pleased with the attendance and results of last year’s event,” said Frank Hagel, President of Hagel and Company. “We found the user conference to be a great way to allow our customers to meet each other, learn, and have an enjoyable time. Given the state of the economy, efficient HR has never been more important and we know that Abra users are looking for more ways to save time and money using their HRMS.”

Similar to last year, the conference will have three 45 minute or hour-long learning sessions, with two options available for each time slot. In addition to these main conference sessions are two pre-conference classes on Crystal Reports and benefits planning for Sage Abra.

Sessions cover timely issues key to modern HR departments, including Cobra Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, talent management, employment law updates, and discussions of third-party products and modules available for Sage Abra. Sessions will be led by experts in the field, including Hagel and Company staff members Aaron Simon, Jeff Moan, Terri Greshem, and Kelly Jo Drllevich.

Full conference registration, including all sessions, dinner, and the baseball game, is $85 for the first attendee of a company, and $75 for each additional attendee from the same organization. Registrants interested in the afternoon sessions only, and not dinner or the game, can attend for $50 as the first individual in a company, or $40 as additional individuals. Online registration and additional information is available at Hagel and Company’s website: http://www.hagel.net/abra-user-group.asp.

About Hagel & Company
Hagel and Company, a Sage Certified Business Partner, is the source for Sage Abra HRMS, timekeeping systems and talent management applications in the Northwest, Southwest and Northern California areas of the United States. Hagel and Company’s Sage Certified Trainers bring decades of human resources (HR) and payroll systems experience to assist with software implementations, as well as hands-on, on-site, personalized software training and support services. For more information, please visit www.hagel.net.

Federal Minimum Wage Increases July 24, 2009
June 23, 2009

On July 24, 2009 the Federal minimum wage will be increasing from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. The Federal Minimum Wage Law establishes a minimum wage rate per hour for all non-exempt workers.

This marks the final leg of a scheduled three phase increase. The increases took place as follows: $5.85 per hour as of July 24, 2007, $6.55 per hour as of July 24, 2008, and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009.

Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage provisions are required to comply with the law (state or federal) that allows for a greater minimum wage to be paid to the employee. Many states have minimum wage laws which are more stringent than federal regulations. If this is the case, employers must comply with their state-specific minimum wage requirements.

Many states have also chose to increase their minimum wage rates to $7.25 per hour effective July 24^th in order to coincide with the federal change, including:

• Maryland
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

Tip Credit:

Employers are required to pay tipped employees (defined as employees regularly earning more than $30 per month in tips) no less than $2.13 per hour, provided each employee earns enough tips to bring their average hourly wage to at least the State minimum wage. Any deficiencies must be supplemented by the employer so that the employee’s average hourly wage with tips reaches the minimum wage level.

“Opportunity” Wages:

Employers are allowed to pay an “opportunity wage” of $4.25 per hour to employees under 20 years of age during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment. However, employers are strictly prohibited from displacing employees in order to hire youth at the opportunity wage rate.

Posting requirements:

Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must post the Federal minimum wage notice in a conspicuous place. An updated poster will be required if your current minimum wage poster does not include the federal 2009 minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.

HR411 Membership

This information was provided by HR411 and Hagel & Company to help you. If you would like a complimentary membership to HR411 please email angela@hagel.net with HR411 in the subject line. Thanks!