I've heard many horror stories from employees who have notified their supervisors that they are resigning from their jobs:
When I handed in my resignation letter, my boss stopped talking to me.
I thought he liked me, but when I told him I was resigning from my job, he made my life a hell on earth.
Everything seemed to be going well in my job but when I told him that I was leaving, he fired me.
Do any of these stories resonate with you?
Some managers have difficulty with accepting the fact that an employee chooses to leave. For some, an employee's decision to end their employment seems to represent some type of a hidden message or indictment on their effectiveness as a manager.
Employees leave for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's for career advancement. Sometimes it's to make more money. Some employees leave their jobs to go back to school full time.
Sometimes, employees leave because they have issues with their supervisor, or the company.
That's why exit interviews can be an invaluable tool that can help you to understand why your employee decided to leave their job and, help you to assess what their experience was like while working with your company.
When meeting with your employee, be open and receptive to their feedback, whether you agree with what they are saying or not. Use your employee's exit to learn more about what has worked well in terms of their actual job and what things were detrimental to doing his or her best work. Learn about their perspective about the company; everything from their thoughts about company benefits to policies and procedures.
Remember that not everyone will feel comfortable answering your questions. Get their permission to meet with you for an exit interview in advance, and let the employee know that their response is voluntary. Be sure that they are aware that the goal is to learn what you can do differently or better.
No matter what the reason is for your employee's resignation, it's incumbent upon you as a supervisor to separate your emotional response from the reality of the situation. Use an employee's resignation as an opportunity to learn what you can do to make any necessary changes that will only enhance the experience for all of your staff.
Dianne Shaddock is the Founder of ESBHR.com, a website which provides "Quick and Simple Human Resources Strategies for Small Businesses, Non Profits, and Entrepreneurs. Go to http://EasySmallBusinessHR.com for more tips on how to hire and manage your staff more effectively. Easy Small Business HR, Your Personal HR Consultant!
Filed under Health Insurance by on Sep 8th, 2010. Comment. 
Does Failure to comply w/ Individual Mandate to buy Health Insurance result in Unconstitutional Capitation Tax?
According to Article 1, section 9 of the U.S. Constitution:
No capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
Thank the Cønservatives.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/23/1544396/that-health-mandate-gop-is-suing.html
"Healthcare reform bill incorporates big GOP idea: Individual Mandate"
Filed under Health Insurance by on Sep 8th, 2010. Comment.
Churches are unique small businesses. The most common church office employs less than 25 people, and is a non-profit company. That makes church staff group health insurance a little different than your average small business health safety. Several agencies actually offer separate and specific plans for churches. These plans take into consideration the tax status as well as the fact that most church employees are older and may have more extensive medical histories.
Several of the larger denominations of churches actually provide safety through their governing religious organization. Churches who are in good standing with their national organizations can purchase health insurance with lower premiums because they are essentially buying into an umbrella coverage. In effect, the national organization acts as a large business and folds the smaller churches into its health insurance plans.
If you need to purchase church staff group insurance for a small church that doesn't have the luxury of a large affiliate health program, there are many options available. Even though the cost of insurance may seem daunting at first, remember that it is far more expensive to cover an unexpected medical procedure than to pay monthly premiums.
Sometimes a church congregation will feel that it is their responsibility to make sure the church staff has health insurance coverage. Many congregation-led churches make it part of their stewardship efforts to find reasonably priced coverage for their ministers and staff. There are resources online to help any church group find the coverage that best suits their needs and compare pricing.
When you purchase church staff group insurance, spend some time talking with a qualified agent. There will be coverage issues that are directly related to the church's tax status, and to the medical history of the staff. Take the time to fully explain your staff's needs with an agent who can create a package that will best suit your church.
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Filed under Health Insurance by on Sep 8th, 2010. Comment.