Resources

Is a PEO the Answer? Or Not? This may get me into trouble, but in service to our clients, I’m going to put it out there: A PEO may not always be the answer, even for small businesses. Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) have helped countless companies. They’ve...

You got there.  You know what you have to do.  You’ve dealt with all your own “stuff”.  Now, you just need to make it so.  I prefer to come from the assumption that managers want their employees to be successful, but if that’s no longer possible, that they will be...

At a recent Affogato team meeting, someone casually mentioned dress codes. What should have been a quick side note turned into a 30-minute discussion full of opinions, examples, and “what about this?” scenarios. That conversation made one thing clear: dress codes,...

Sometimes we all need a trusted advisor...   The joy of being an HR Consultant lies in developing long-term relationships and becoming that trusted advisor to our clients.  One of the best things we ever hear is “I don’t know who can help me, and I trust you to...

Can I say how nice it was to enjoy the trip of a lifetime?  It was possible because the Affogato team is so supportive of each other.  They kept me informed and took care of business so I could live like a local, speaking French all day, every day.  At least they held...

Have you ever sat through a team meeting where someone casually said, “We should probably look at updating our leave policy,” and everyone just nodded and moved on? Weeks pass. Then a complaint is filed, and what suddenly seemed like a small task becomes a much bigger...

It’s here!  I’ve been looking forward to a special trip for almost 2 years and it’s finally here.  Thinking about what has enabled me to take this kind of time off made me realize how many questions we get about managing time off, like sick leave, holidays, vacation...

Does anyone ever feel completely “settled”?  If you do, please share your secret!  It’s a safe bet that most of our employees are juggling a lot, and reprioritizing several times a day.  At work, at home, in life.  (Ok, not just our employees.  Every. Single....

Dear Affogato Friends,  Every March, I get to spend time doing something that matters as much to me as being a small business owner.  I participate in making grants to non-profit organizations in my community.  I’m the President of the 100 Women Charitable...

Ok, we got the memo. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. But what does this mean for HR professionals, and how can we leverage this technology to benefit our organizations and our people? Lisha Gray has been spearheading our internal initiative to understand...

Ok, we have to start with the observation that Halloween has moved into the big leagues.  I’m guessing that competing with the World Series has made the holiday up its game a lot.  I live in one of those neighborhoods that makes the list of “Best Holiday Lights”, but...

Someone struggled for your right to vote.  Use it. ~ Susan B. Anthony  People who know me know how strongly I feel about voting.  It is a privilege and a responsibility.  It’s a right that I feel really passionate about and have since I was first able to vote (which I...

Last time I talked about leaves of absence and how they can creep up on us.  Let’s go a step further and talk about a culture that promotes balance and boundaries and how that might avoid some of that creeping.In California and many other places, some time off work is...

What's the difference? I often find myself describing what we do by talking about what we don’t do.  That can work when people understand what the HR function is, but it can also be complicated.  To help deal with all the variables (size, industry, location, work...

It’s almost summer!  My late-spring trip to France was lovely.  Cold, exhausting, exhilarating, but truly lovely.  A definite highlight was our open-top tour in a vintage Citroen. Back in February, when it was cold and rainy and we were celebrating our sixth birthday,...