Have employers felt off balance during the past three years regarding relationships with their employees?
The question ideally should read, which employers have not felt off balance, at least to some degree? In fact
, this condition seems to be the new normal for many employers as they try to  stay abreast of the
shifting expectations, perspectives, and demands of their workers in the post-pandemic world. To keep
up with this constantly evolving situation, employers need to have access to the most current
national polling information and other sources that analyze and report on these workplace dynamics.
Those not paying attention will have a difficult time attracting and  keeping workers because
the pre-COVID traditional relationships between wage payers and wage earners have changed
so significantly.

Once upon a time in the not-too-distant past, employers established the rules and employees
were expected to follow them. Employee domestic problems, their thoughts about topics like the
environment, politics, or social justice were not disclosed to their employers. In 2022, however,
employers no longer can expect workers to leave their personal troubles or opinions behind them
when they return to work every day.

 

COVID’s massive disruption of traditional work environments, the “Great Resignation”, and

various social trends have changed the old order. Workers feel a new sense of empowerment

and insist that their voices be heard. Below are several trends that employers should become

familiar with to better understand the motivations and concerns that their employees may

have as follows:

Work-life balance: This movement preceded the pandemic by decades but gained strength and

proliferated only since then. Basically, work-life balance means that career and personal

obligations are in a state of equilibrium. More flexible scheduling by management to

accommodate workers’ preferences increases work satisfaction in theory, resulting in overall

greater job satisfaction and increased productivity.

Work-life Integration: This term has replaced work life balance to some extent as being more

desired by many workers. Work-life Integration means that work and home life no longer have

distinct boundaries. Traditional terms like “straight time” and “overtime” do not apply here

because hours are not the measuring stick for productivity. Outcomes, quality of work, and

results are the keys, not when the work is being done.

Employers just need to remember that work-life balance is more about dividing time in equal

parts, when an employee is working the homelife concerns are not allowed to intrude and vice

versa. Work life integration however means blending of both depending on daily circumstances

that may arise but with the understanding that work assignments will be completed on time.

For example, an integrated employee may decide to work in the middle of the night to

complete a work assignment whereas a work-life balance worker has a more defined and

consistent work schedule, such as 9-5 or 3-11.

Work-life balance has fallen out of favor somewhat because it does not accommodate the

realities of the post-pandemic world. Yes, 9-5 is still useful for some people but the majority

prefer the more pliable work-life blend format and that in their eyes helps them become more

productive. Workers prefer control over their schedules as much as possible and many now

regard flexible employment as more of a necessity than a benefit.

Stability– As the “Great Resignation” is cooling off somewhat and some workers now prefer

joining a stable company. Surveys are beginning to signal that they are becoming more

concerned with keeping their jobs at companies that have a proven track-record, bucking a

trend that only recently seemed to be more of a game of musical chairs. Perhaps it is a

yearning for more predictable period of employment and a return to the pre-pandemic sense of

security they once had. Almost half of those surveyed indicated they will stay with their current

employers for at least the next 12 months, another sign that the human resource waters may

be beginning to calm down somewhat.

The looming threat of a recession also has many employees worried that they may lose their

jobs, very recent survey data indicates. Ultimately, employers will decide if they can afford

subsidizing their existing workforce as cuts may be necessary and ironically, the new hires that

comprised the Great Resignation could be among the most vulnerable.

 

Employers who understand the most recent trends should be in better position to retain more

existing workers than just a year ago and hire new employees who list stability as a second

priority only to salary considerations when choosing a new company. Presenting an image of a

dependable and reliable source of income is helpful while bearing in mind that workers want

their employers to be as flexible as possible relative to their daily work schedules and are

sensitive to helping them overcome any personal issues they may encounter.

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We are pleased to announce the 2021 term dividends for our Safety Group 533

and 534 members have been declared, and checks were mailed out! If you have

not had your audit done or have an estimated audit, you will NOT RECEIVE

YOUR DIVIDEND until an actual audit is completed.

Do you hate your annual audit with NYSIF? Do you dread meeting with your auditor more than getting a tooth pulled? If so, we have some great news for you! You no longer have to suffer through the tedious, stressful in person audit! Now, you can complete your audit remotely using the NYSIF audit upload system. It’s fast, secure, and convenient. All you have to do is go on the NYSIF website, enter your policy number and audit ID number, and upload the required records. After the upload is complete, the auditor will call or email you with any questions, and to discuss the audit results in detail. It’s that easy!

 

 

 

This feature securely delivers audit documents to the appropriate NYSIF auditor, and the documents are automatically deleted from the system after 60 days.

Typical records required for most policyholders include:

  •  Payroll book/earnings records, Payroll Tax Returns (941, NYS-45, NYS-45-ATT), 1099s issued with the corresponding 1096, W-2s issued with the corresponding W-3.
  •  Record of income and expense – Cash Book, Check Book, General Ledger, Profit and Loss
  •  Most recent business tax return filed – 1120, 1120S, 1065, 1040 Schedule C, E, F, 990
  •  Certificates of insurance for subcontractors used
  •  Records of how the customer is billed

If you have not already done so, we urge you to take advantage of this exciting new option.

Please direct any questions or concerns regarding this content to:

The Safety Division at Hamond Safety Management

Anthony Vacchio, avacchio@hamondgroup.com 516-762-4224