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Do’s And Don’ts Of Office Email

July 31st, 2018 | Posted by ATS in Artificial Intelligence | Machine Learning | Workforce Analytics - (Comments Off on Do’s And Don’ts Of Office Email)

Texting has become the preferred method of correspondence with friends and family, over emails. And why not, texting is quicker. Email, however, still reigns supreme in the corporate world so make sure you reserve those quirky jokes and smiley faces for the people with whom you have personal relationships with, like friends and family. Your work colleagues and especially, your boss might not take kindly to the same writing style you use in your personal texts when you are communicating with them.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Office Email

Here are a few email tips from Dawn Rosenberg McKay from an article titled 6 Rules for Email Etiquette in the Workplace:

  1. Mind Your Manners

Even in a world where we are rushing to get things done as quickly as possible in order to move on to the next task, take the time to use good manners in your email. Don’t neglect to say “please” and “thank you.”

  1. Watch Your Tone

Tone is how you, as a writer, can express your attitude in an email message. It influences how it is received. You usually want to make sure to come across to the recipient as respectful, friendly, and approachable. You don’t want to sound curt or demanding. Reread your message several times before hitting send.

When writing to someone with whom you’ve communicated before, begin by saying something friendly like “I hope you are well.” While emojis may help you convey tone more easily, refrain from using them in professional email unless you are writing to someone with whom you have a very informal relationship. Never use them when writing to a prospective employer.

  1. Be Concise

Busy people have neither the time nor inclination, to spend more than a minute reading an individual email. If you want to allow your recipient to read your message quickly, and still understand it, you must keep it brief.

Don’t leave out pertinent details, however. Make sure your message clearly conveys your reason for writing it in the first place. Nobody saves time if you end up having a back and forth while you try to explain the details you omitted.

  1. Avoid Using Texting Abbreviations

Even though you want to save time, you shouldn’t use texting abbreviations in your professional email. If you text a lot, as many people do, you may be accustomed to using a sort of shorthand to speak to your friends. For example, you may use “u,” “ur,” and “plz” instead of “you,” “your,” and “please.” These abbreviations have no place in business correspondence, unless the recipient is someone with whom you have a casual relationship.

  1. Use a Professional Email Address

For messages related to your current job, always use the email address your employer assigned to you. However, you should never use it to send messages that are unrelated to your job, for example, if you are looking for a new one. Use a personal email account instead.

  1. Don’t Forget Spelling and Grammar Count

It is imperative that you proofread your email carefully. Never neglect this critical step, no matter how busy you are. The things you want to be attentive to are correct spelling and proper grammar. In addition to spelling common words correctly, you also want to spell people’s names right, including that of your recipient and the name of his or her company.

Bottom line
In the era of the Internet, artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, cool automated business software and access to a dizzying array of mobile apps, the corporate world is conservative, and, how you communicate in that setting has to remain professional, because you never know who may intercept your mail. After all, when your work emails are professional, it’s less likely to put your company at risk.

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ATS TimeWork OnDemand is a best-of-breed time and attendance solution that helps small, mid-size and large enterprises streamline payroll costs, tackle complex workforce challenges and improve compliance.

Tracking And Managing Workforce Compliance Is Easier Than You Think

A recent article by Kate Tornone for HRDive titled Docking pay for bathroom breaks exceeding 90 seconds ‘absolutely contrary’ to FLSA states in part;

  • Employers must pay workers for breaks lasting 20 minutes or less, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled (Secretary United States Department of Labor v. American Future Systems, Inc., No. 16-2685 (3rd Cir., Oct. 13, 2017)). The opinion came in a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) suit filed by sales representatives at American Future Systems, doing business as Progressive Business Publications (PBP). The reps were paid only for time spent logged into their computers; any time away that lasted longer than 90 seconds became unpaid.
  • Federal regulations say that breaks of 20 minutes or less are compensable (see 29 CFR 785.18) but PBP argued that it didn’t provide “breaks;” rather, it maintained an arrangement called “flex time” that allowed workers to go off the clock whenever they wanted, for any reason. The court, however, was not persuaded; that’s an arrangement that “forces employees to choose between such basic necessities as going to the bathroom or getting paid unless the employee can sprint from computer to bathroom, relieve him or herself while there, and then sprint back to his or her computer in less than ninety seconds.” Docking the pay of employees who can’t manage to do that is “absolutely contrary to the FLSA,” the court said.
  • Ruling in the employees’ favor, the 3rd Circuit upheld a lower court’s summary judgment for them. That court had previously found the employer liable for least $1.75 million in back wages and damages, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The ruling applies in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands.

There is likely more than meets the eye to this issue which prompted the DOL to intervene, if you are using the honour system and/or some paper-based time sheets to track employee time.

Managing employee schedules, overtime and work hours should not be a complex issue, if you using a solution like ATS TimeWork OnDemand.

Some of the benefits include:

  • The automation of time tracking and reporting capabilities, while giving employees self-service access to Internet-enabled devices like smartphones and tables.
  • Transforming human resources tasks from an administrative function to a strategic asset with powerful integration tools to; HRIS, Payroll and ERP.
  • Improved accrual benefits management- this embedded module gives you the tools to track and monitor employee vacation and other absences, thus eliminating the types of errors that occur in a manual-based environment.

ATS TimeWork OnDemand application is designed to help you grow your business by automating routine tasks and providing power analytic tools to better manage your workforce.

To learn more about ATS TimeWork OnDemand, go to our website. You can also register for a bi-weekly webinar or download a demonstration. To reach an account representative by phone, call: 866.294.2467.

According to Webopedia, “Cloud computing is a type of computing that relies on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to handle applications”.  For many businesses the traditional way of accessing information involves accessing applications downloaded on a physical computer or server in their building.  In the world of cloud computing, businesses can access the same kinds of applications, but this time they do it through the internet.

When you update your LinkedIn status, you are essentially using cloud computing. Do you pay any of your your bills or access any app by phone? If so, you are in the cloud. Many small and large businesses rely on cloud computing to solve their business challenges. And, this type of technology has become a competitive advantage, for many smaller companies, who previously saw large corporations deploy cloud applications with a great deal of success.

But why are so many businesses now moving to the cloud? Simple, the benefits of the cloud helps improve cash flow and increases workforce efficiency. Here are some additional benefits:

Scalability
Smart CIO and IT Managers who have done their due diligence have embraced the cloud. Many of them are now encouraging their CEOs to deploy the cloud over on-premise solutions. For example, cloud computing allows you to scale up or down based on your needs. This unprecedented level of agility can give businesses using cloud computing a distinct advantage over their competitors.

Improve Cash-Flow
Business executives are not fond of tying up a lot of their capital in IT projects and they should not have to. With a cloud computing application like ATS TimeWork OnDemand, the pay-as-you-go, subscription-based model eases cash flow. And, the quick turn-around time of database set up, and deployment, is sure to make most naysayer business executive embrace the cloud computing.

Access 24/7, Anytime, Anywhere
With an Internet connection, regardless of where you are, you can access ATS TimeWork OnDemand. The beauty of cloud computing means, you are not restricted with which device you can use; whether it’s a Smartphone, tablet or workstation you can still access the cloud.

Any of the benefits mentioned is enough to convince many business executives to give cloud computing some serious consideration. And after talking to customers who are using ATS TimeWork OnDemand, we are pretty sure they will make that move.

You might also like:

Keep an open mind when deciding if the cloud is right for you

A leap of faith can help your business leverage the benefits of the cloud

Are HR leaders really embracing the cloud?

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Benefits Of Cloud Computing? There Are So Many, Where Do We Start?

In 2013 when a leaked memo surfaced that Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer had directed one of the company’s HR executive to initiate a ban on the ‘work from home’ policy, the tech world went berserk. Several people within the tech industry are used to the flexible policy of working from home and so, it came as no surprise that the news was met with a heavy dose of resentment and bloggers galore took to social media and posted blogs all venting their disagreement with Yahoo’s policy. Whether your company is for or against the working from home policy this practice is not going away, in fact, it is increasing in numbers by some well established companies.

An article titled Office ‘Hoteling’: ‘Some Companies Offer Reservations, but Some Workers Have Reservations’ by Amy Whyte for workforce.com it states in part;

“Though hoteling has been around for some time — Crain’s Chicago Business reported on IBM’s switch to a desk reservation system in 1994 — the trend has recently picked up steam. “Big Four” accounting firms Deloitte and EY, formerly Ernst & Young, are among companies that have adopted office hoteling in the past year. Instead of assigned desks, companies like American Express Co. are offering employees storage lockers to hold their files and supplies. Rather than being tethered to landlines, employees at GlaxoSmithKline carry laptops equipped with Internet phones.

Even the federal government has gotten in on the trend with the U.S. General Services Administration using hoteling as part of its efforts to reduce federal office space and increase efficiency and collaboration. Charles Hardy, the GSA’s chief workplace officer, said the hoteling model has enabled it to assign 3,400 people to its headquarters, a building that previously only housed 2,200.”

A flexible work policy that includes employees working from home is not for every company. Just imagine an outside sales rep that is required to drive 2 hours or more each day, 5 days a week to sit at a desk and make cold calls to prospective customers. A company may have valid reasons for having this rep drive in to work each day. Perhaps the sales rep is below her quota and, so by closely managing this person, she might yield the desired result. With the advancement of internet phones, a cloud-based customer relationship management software (CRM) for a rep to add his notes and communicating by e-mails his superior and colleagues all day long, why would any company ask a sale rep to drive in each day to make phone calls?

In conclusion, companies who, for various reasons believe employees are better managed in an office will most likely frown upon a flexible work from home policy. In contrast, other companies who do not want to be burdened with bricks and mortar costs and see the value in such a policy will embrace this modern way of working, albeit with employees who do not need to be tethered to a desk. If you happen to work for a company that do not believe in a flexible work from home policy and you decide to approach your superior about it, make sure you have all the facts to back up the reasons why you should work at home. Change takes time.

To learn more about ATS go to our website. You can download product brochures and also register for one of our upcoming webinars.

Does Your Company Have A Flexible Work Policy?

The Benefits Of Workforce Management Training

August 14th, 2014 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Time and Attendance Blog | Web-Based Time and Attendance Software | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on The Benefits Of Workforce Management Training)

It has been said that implementation is the bread and butter of any time and attendance project and while this is true, the same should be said for training. It’s therefore, not uncommon for us to get request for additional training, from our customers, several months after the system deployment. Whether you’re operating in locally, regionally or on a global scale, day-to-day business processes are often time-consuming. And, if your company is one of the few still using some kind of antiquated punch clocks, chances are its costing valuable time and money to operate that way. With ATS Time and Attendance Training, learn how to use built-in modules that are designed to address these pain points and drive better business performance.

Why is training so important? Well, if your departmental managers/supervisors are not fully trained, chances are you will not gain user acceptance, which means they will not use the system. For example, some companies will wait to train end-users prior to going live. To get the best out of your time and attendance system, we suggest, preparing users who will need to perform edits on a daily basis with training as part of the business management process overview. This ensures that employee productivity does not take a nose dive after go-live and business operations continue without disruption.

To help your employees gain a thorough knowledge of ATS time and attendance system, ATS offers several hands-on training programs. These programs address the unique needs of your departments and covers specific requirements within the software. The training programs will teach you not only program functionality, but more importantly, how to use the system to the benefit of your organization.

On-Site Training –ATS offers on-site training for customers who prefers that their users be trained at their facility. On-site training classes allow the flexibility of adapting the class duration and training topics to those most applicable to your company’s environment, while also allowing for the training of multiple users without asking them to travel away from their work environments.

On-Demand Learning –offers the convenience of Internet-based sessions that are available whenever you are. All you need is a computer, and high-speed Internet connection. On-Demand Learning is an ideal way to review material, acquaint new hires with basic software skills, and with the aid of an ATS professional train your staff in remote offices.

Lunch and Learns- are fee-based 1-hour real-time training sessions on various topics of the ATS TimeWork product. You will walk away learning a specific task or understanding a feature that you can immediately use in your daily work. We hold them monthly and have a full schedule available

Very few companies can effectively use a time and attendance right out of the box. It must be modified to suit the business requirement of an organization. So, if you are in the market for a new system, then make sure sufficient time is set aside for training. That’s one ROI you cannot afford to overlook.

To learn more, go to our website. You can also join out business group on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter or Google Plus.

The Benefits of Workforce Management Training