The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on June 15 that protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In Hawai‘i, state law already made it unlawful for employers to discriminate…
New terms are trending in our world: Social distancing, WFH, PPP, and flatten the curve. COVID-19 has changed customer expectations and business operations. Business strategies and processes that were once clear and well executed, are unnervingly murky and chaotic. As…
Part III of a three-part series of timely workplace advice articles from the Hawaii Employers Council We have long realized that employees who are anxious about medical, financial or emotional issues at home are more likely to be absent or…
If you have small children, it’s much harder to work from home. It just is. But here are a few ideas from Hawaii Business Magazine’s “The Careerist” columnist Kathryn Drury Wagner, who has been there and done that for seven…
Part II of a three-part series of timely workplace advice articles from the Hawaii Employers Council Many offices have been working remotely since mid-March, giving supervisors and employees time to develop routines, adjust expectations and communicate feedback to improve their…
Part I of a three-part series of timely workplace advice articles from the Hawaii Employers Council Workplace safety should always be on employers’ minds, and with COVID-19 continuing to spread, it’s even more important to be proactive and vigilant about…
By Sarah Kalicki-Nakamura and Cindy Sakai, TH!NK Is your organization underperforming due to unproductive conflict? If you said yes, you are not alone. Entrepreneur.com reports that the cost of unproductive conflict equals $359 billion in the United States. Productive conflict…
Working from home is suddenly widespread in Hawai‘i as employers mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “Companies should be allowing temporary remote work arrangements because they care about the health and safety of their employees,” writes Derek Kanehira, VP and director…
How are you coping amid the COVID-19 crisis? This is a really big challenge. Having been through the Great Recession and dotcom bust, this is 10 times worse because of the speed and completeness of the economy shutdown. Our business…
Employee retention is an increasing concern for employers faced with a competitive labor market. Record low unemployment means everyone is struggling to hire. Yet more than three-fourths of all employees who voluntarily leave their position could have been retained, according…
Have you ever made a bad hire? You’re not alone. While asking thoughtful interview questions can help determine if a candidate is a good fit for your work (or not), there’s one thing you have to watch out for: illegal…
The job of an employer today isn’t as simple as it once was. As we get into 2020, look for these signs to see if it’s the right time to shake up your HR and get outside support. Your business…
Employment and labor laws evolve every year and with that comes added compliance for Hawaii employers. As 2020 kicks off, here is a quick breakdown of the new labor laws your human resources team needs to know. New Hawaii Employment…
Six of the ten fastest growing occupations from 2018 to 2028 are healthcare and social assistance related, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projections. Combine an expected rise in demand for employment in the healthcare sector, with non-competitive…
Jasmine Tanioka remembers her parents, Mel and Lynn Tanioka, working seven days a week when they started Tanioka’s Seafoods and Catering. It’s a big job for any organization, let alone a family business, where long working hours can often spill…
Rick Nakashima knows the restaurant business. As a partner in Ruby Tuesday Hawaii, Gyu-Kaku Hawaii, and Rainbow Drive-In Hawaii, he has operations all over the islands and employs nearly 700 people across the state. This is no small feat when…
Tis the season for festive decorations, holiday parties and...year-end paperwork. As the holidays roll in, it’s time to brush off your HR to-do list. Don’t have one? Keep reading. Year-end paperwork and reporting doesn’t have to overtake your holiday celebrations.…
“Making business simple is our goal.” –Bill Guss, Founder, ALTRES A lot has changed in 50 years. New technologies shape and disrupt business processes and entire industries, seemingly overnight. Regulatory and compliance issues are endlessly complex and workplace dynamics constantly…
For many employers, open enrollment is fast approaching, and that means it’s time to renew your employee health insurance plans for 2020. Benefits are a significant labor cost. So how confident are you that you're getting the best value? Here’s…
"I'LL NEVER FORGET IT" Three people – two women and a man – describe being sexually harassed while on the job. They asked to remain anonymous to protect their privacy and to avoid retribution. ■ For a Honolulu woman who is…
Two women tackling the issue say the solution is to include everyone in the process: women and men, managers and employees, victims and perpetrators. Rachael Wong's Voice is urgent, but her words are measured. She says sexual harassment in the…
More than 100 insurance carriers are licensed to offer workers’ compensation insurance in Hawaii. The way these insurance carriers manage workers’ compensation has basically not changed in decades. The traditional system is complicated, time-consuming, and can disrupt company cash flow—but…
Payroll is an essential and stressful part of running a business. Mismanaged payroll can result in hefty penalties, time to revise, and even hurt your relationship with your employees. Here are some of the most common (and costly!) payroll mistakes…
Wage and hour compliance can be complicated, but it’s important to get it right. That’s because mistakes can be costly. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Honolulu investigated companies at several Hawaii malls…