Category: Employees

  • How to Stay Healthy While Working Remotely

    How to Stay Healthy While Working Remotely

    Working from home alleviates some of the day to day challenges you’d come across. For example, you don’t have to figure out your outfit for the day. Likewise, there’s no need to check the weather app for sudden downpours. However, it also comes with severe physical, social, and psychological challenges. Health tips include fitness fundamentals. You need to follow a nutritious diet and exercise regularly. People have switched to remote employees over the last couple of years. It’s inevitable with the pandemic. This change has brought a sudden hike in productivity. But, unfortunately, people in traditional offices don’t deliver the same way. While this change is a boon to your company, you shouldn’t sacrifice your health in the process. Even minor interruptions are welcome in an office setting. Nothing prompts you to move away from your desk at home. In this article, you’ll learn how to stay healthy while working remotely. But first, let’s take a look at the challenges you’ll face.

    Challenges of Working Remotely

    Working from home has its own set of advantages. However, they come with a plethora of challenges. Here’s what you can anticipate:

    • Feel isolated
    • Struggle to stay motivated
    • Face numerous disruptions
    • Fail to find a work life balance
    • Burnout
    • Face poor eating habits
    • Minimal physical activity

    Despite the long list of drawbacks, you can still stay healthy while working from home. All it takes is some conscious effort. So let’s take a look at how.

    How to Stay Healthy While Working Remotely

    The challenges of working from home could be physical or psychological. It’s impertinent to maintain your health in these trying times. Here’s how you can make your work life at home easier.

    Maintain a Healthy Diet

    It’s essential to focus on consuming nutritious food while at home. Try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet.

    Experts say healthy food includes eggs, nuts, fish, beans, and lean meat. Try to limit food high in sugar, salt, and fat. It’s okay to indulge once in a while but avoid eating fatty cuts of red meat frequently.

    Stay Hydrated

    It’s essential to stay hydrated. You need to drink fluids frequently. You’ll be susceptible to mood swings and constipation otherwise. So water should be your beverage of choice. However, coffee and tea (in moderation) work too!

    Get Enough Exercise

    Exercise comes with a slew of physical and psychological advantages. You tend to feel positive. A short walk in your local area can elevate your mood. If you can, use a standing desk to avoid long hours of physical inactivity.

    Create a Space for Optimal Comfort

    You should set up a home office that promotes good posture. It can help prevent back pain. The ideal office chair should come with armrests and allow you to rest your feet on the floor. Your hips and knees should be at a 90-degree angle.

    You can also add a cushion that helps the curvature of your back. The monitor should be an arm’s length away. And the top should be below or at your eye level. Larger font sizes also help reduce eyestrain.

    Make Connections

    Working from home makes it challenging to nurture relationships. It’s hard to connect with your co-workers outside the office setting. But, on the other hand, it’s natural to socialize in an office setting.

    On the other hand, working from home compels you to work alone. Therefore, you should make an effort to initiate conversations with your coworkers. It doesn’t have to be about work only. Talk about the new changes or your day to day activities.

    Avoid loneliness by spending more time with your family or housemates. Eat meals together. Take out the board games. Watch a movie on Netflix. There’s so much you can do!

    Practice Mindfulness to Avoid Stress

    Stress is inevitable whether you’re working in the office or at home. Mindfulness helps alleviate some of that stress. This practice asks you to pay attention to the present.

    You have to observe your surroundings without actively judging them. Mindfulness helps you increase your objectivity. You won’t be plagued with negative thoughts and get entangled in them. You’ll rise above it.

    Walk Around

    People often get up several times a day in a traditional office. They grab a cup of coffee or say hi to their colleagues. Working from home somehow curbs that. You can simply ask someone to get you a cup.

    Everything is in smaller spaces. The distance is shorter too. You don’t end up walking often. If you work remotely, you’ll notice you end up sitting for more extended periods. You don’t have the same distractions as office workers do.

    It’s essential to go up and walk around. You should walk for at least 30 minutes a day. It’s highly recommended that you do! It helps reduce the risk of heart diseases.

    Take your furry friend out for a walk. Get a breath of fresh air. This break will rejuvenate you. Take an extended lunch break and go for a walk after your meal. Every minute counts!

    A walk clears your head and combats your lousy mood. It reduces anxiousness and depression. Your work won’t feel like a stump anymore. Get rid of all those mental blocks by walking.

    Find a Work Life Balance

    When people work remotely, it’s hard to differentiate between work and leisure. The thin line between work and life disappears. For this very reason, you should set boundaries. Have a dedicated space for work only. Get a room, if possible.

    Establish a concrete work schedule. Time boundaries will prevent you from overexerting yourself. Assign a lunch break for yourself. Scatter coffee breaks here and there.

    Remember to detach yourself from work after office hours end. Allow yourself to communicate with others around you. Everyone needs time to relax. Don’t take that away from you!

    Final Thoughts

    It’s easy to remain healthy while working remotely. All you have to do is adhere to these eight tips! Consume a nutritious diet, set a schedule, and exercise regularly. These three are essential. The rest will fall into place. Put your emotional well being first. You’ll find yourself flourishing in no time!

  • Internship Programs: Tips for Successful Ones

    Internship Programs: Tips for Successful Ones

    Once you are done with your undergrad or almost about to finish your studies, you would surely start looking for a job for a stable life. That’s when internship programs enter your life. Before you finally land yourself in a complicated field of the corporate world, you start with a small sector of that world, that is internship.

    Internship programs are all about gaining experience in the particular job field you are intending to join, and even though this program is not tough, you still need to know the basics and the rules to do better here.

    Go through this article to know what an internship program is, why you should pursue an internship program, and what are useful tips would help you to be successful in this field.

    What Is An Internship Program?

    An internship program is a limited period of work experience that is offered by a company or any organization. Internship programs exist in different fields, such as non profit organizations, businesses, or even governmental organizations.

    Usually, students get the opportunity to do internships as it is a field of learning, but the experienced ones also get to do internships in new fields as well. If you ask me what an intern actually does, then let me tell you, an intern usually works on tiny projects, learns about the place he is going to work in, exercises their skills, and learns new skills as well. Through internship programs, you might even land a permanent full time job too.

    Internships are usually part time. Some organizations offer paid internships, and sometimes unpaid internships, but mostly they would pay you.

    Different internship programs offer different facilities.

    Why are internship programs important? Yes, why? Because you need to work on your skills if you are going to do a job. At the same time, you would know which particular field would be better for you to join. If you take multiple internship programs in different organizations, it means you are getting to experience different corporate skills, and that is helping you to decide which path you want to choose. In easy words, internships help you to choose your career.

    What Makes A Successful Internship Program?

    Now, before you join in, how would you know that the company you have selected offers the best internship program? No, you don’t. This is why there are some factors that you need to observe during the internship period.

    These are the elements that will help you to understand the condition of the internship program:

    Training:

    Training can be both formal and informal. The training is different in different organizations. The training is provided so that you can work on your skills. Now, you have to observe how helpful they are to you. Are they being friendly? Are they not providing enough material to help you understand the curriculum? Are they giving you excessive pressure with your work? During the training period, you would be given some resources which will help you with your work, and you have to observe how rich those resources are.

    Professional Links:

    One of the major elements of an internship program is the professional development of that particular company. You need to see the links and connections that the company has with other organizations. The stronger the links of a company, the better the internship program, because the facilities are wide.

    Opportunities:

    Internships programs where you only have to work can be pretty boring. You need to see what other opportunities you can find in these internship programs. The opportunities can be fun activities like bars, restaurants, outings, volunteering, and other official activities.

    Reviews:

    Before you join in, make sure you have seen the reviews of the internship programs. You need to check the positive and negative reviews of the organizations before you fill in for the internship.

    These are the elements you need to know before joining the internship.

    Tips For Successful Internship Program:

    Before I give you the valuable tips on how to be successful in internship programs, let me tell you how you can find internship opportunities:

    From University Campus:

    University campus is a fine place where you can get internship offers pretty easily. Your university might hold seminars where they will introduce you to new companies offering internships. You can even get internship news from your friends and classmates as well.

    Stream Online:

    There are certain sites or social media pages which offer internships, and if you are familiar with these, you can contact them for the opportunity.

    Newspapers:

    Not very useful, but newspapers can also provide headlines about internship opportunities.

    Now that you have the sources to find internship opportunities, it’s time duration calculator for you to know how you can actually get those internships:

    • As soon as you start your undergraduate program, you better start looking for internships. The earlier you look, the more efficient it gets.
    • Prepare your CVs and resume for internships.
    • Train yourself for the interview.
    • Connect with people. Form a strong bond with them. It creates a network for you which might lead you to internship programs.

    Finally, it is time to give you the tips on how to be successful in internship programs:

    • Befriend your coworkers. If you have a good relationship with them, they can help you out with the curriculum.
    • Learn from your seniors and the professionals.
    • Start working with a goal.
    • Keep yourself busy, stable, and professional.
    • Be organized, neat, and tidy.
    • Be punctual.
    • Work with ease and keep track of it. Make sure you don’t mess up with the projects you are working on.
    • Take small breaks and don’t get too hard on yourself.

    Even if you get into internship offers, you might not work things out due to your lack of understanding of the whole curriculum. This is why I have provided you with tips on how to be successful in internship programs.

    Conclusion

    There are numerous challenges you might find in an internship program. But all you have to do is to be professional and deal with it by being extremely sensible. Workplace environment vary, so do their facilities and activities, and so does their internship program, but your skills and patience will remain constant. I have provided all the details you would need to know to join an internship program and the tips to be a professional intern in corporate organizations.

  • How to be a Proactive HR Manager: 7 Tips for Success

    How to be a Proactive HR Manager: 7 Tips for Success

    A reliable HR manager is most likely to be aware of strategic HR management, which is the connection between the organization’s human resources and its objectives and goals. To effectively carry out the strategic HR management, the human resources should play their role adequately as strategic partners in accordance with company policies and you need to be a proactive HR manager.

    Only a proactive HR manager can execute the HR strategies by conducting various activities such as hiring, training, and complimenting employees. Utilizing Day off application is one of the strategic moves to make the tasks more effortless. It entails a lot of work, experience, insightfulness, and consistent experimentation with new techniques to become a proactive HR manager. Let’s get to know about some strategic moves to become a proactive force behind the workforce strategy.

    Understand the company’s objectives

    Strategic HR has a direct connection with the company’s goals. Thus, first, you must understand your organization’s goals and thoroughly get familiar with aims, objectives, and mission. With the clear communication of the company’s goals, you can analyze the operational measures, address how efficient, effective and impactful your HR practices are.

    While the business metrics data can assess the efficiency and performance of the human resource, analytical methods can measure them by making them understand and how to predict the outcomes. Using an employee leave tracker would help you address the issues of why people leave your organization.

    Establish your HR capabilities

    The high employee turnover of a company can affect its creditability. The turnover factor of the firm can have any reason. The PTO tracker can easily provide HR strategic data on employee turnover. You would be able to know the reasons for its high or low rate if the company is recruiting when someone is retiring etc.

    Moreover, the employee time off tracker can let you know if the turnover rate is high in one department or in the entire organization. The HR managers should evaluate their capability as a strategy to become proactive. You should be able to understand the employees and their contribution to fulfill your and the company’s goal and objectives.

    Furthermore, consider conducting skills tests for every employee that would help you discover what employees are experts in which area. This would help you identify which employees need to be trained in particular, analyze if they are trained enough, who the manager is for training in that area, etc. 

    Analyze your goals

    Assessing your current HR capabilities would help you recognize the barriers to constructing plans to use the opportunities effectively. You can utilize the PTO tracking software to analyze the number of employees and their skills. This way, you can identify ways to effectively equip the employees to achieve your and the company’s goal. It is a must for HR managers to build a business case.

    For example, you can analyze employee departures to calculate the employee turnover rate. When analyzing the cause, you might find certain qualities as an HR manager that might have discouraged specific employees and some characteristics that have encouraged the employees’ commitment towards the company. 

    Determine the future requirements of the company

    Once you have done analyzing your objectives and goals, determine the future HR requirements for the company. The future prediction of requirements is made according to the demand and supply structure of the organization. Following the number of employees, the prediction needs to be done with association with their skills that would be required to meet the company’s future needs.

    Evaluate the current availability of employees and skills to help your company to achieve its goals. Make use of the employee leave tracker app to forecast the company’s HR needs. It would also help you estimate whether the current HR personnel in the HR management can accommodate the company’s future growth.

    Utilize the tools to track employees’ activity

    A major proactive strategy of HR personnel is to determine how all the departments and the employees of the corporation are using required tools and how this impacts their ability to perform their tasks. A free time off tracker is a software tool that should be integrated with the organization’s network.

    This can effectively identify the gaps in using the tools to facilitate a more organized workforce. Day off app is a workforce management software that can manage some major HR functions such as scheduling and assigning work, holiday entitlement, sick leave management, etc.

    Identify the workforce components of the company

    Identifying the workforce component of the company is essential for a proactive HR manager since it solves business problems to achieve the company’s goals. When the company’s higher executives find too many errors in the work projects, you might find the solution in the employee turnover analysis or in the performance data.

    The company revenue might be down due to high turnover that can reduce the performance and productivity of the company. A free vacation tracker can prove very effective in such cases to study the turnover. The vacation tracker is a helpful integration for HR personnel to recognize the workforce components of the organization.

    Never compromise with data quality

    HR metrics should always be consistent, accurate, reliable, and efficient. The data quality you provide to the company executives should never be compromised to establish yourself as a proactive HR manager. Vacation tracker software can prove to be an advantageous tool to measure the matrices steadily over time.

    HR personnel is entailed to establish timelines for the strategies to carry out. The time off app is a must-use HR tool to track the progress you made in the identified areas. With these evaluations and taking corrective action, you would not fail to meet the objectives of your human resource management.

    In order to develop as a proactive HR manager, you should not only focus on your growth as an HR manager but the growth of the organization as a whole. Keep up with developing your skills, practice new strategies as well as suggest developing ideas to the organization become an extraordinary HR manager.

    FAQ: Becoming a Proactive HR Manager

    What does it mean to be a proactive HR manager (not just reactive)?

    Being proactive means you don’t wait for problems, attrition spikes, missed hires, or payroll errors, to force your hand. You tie people decisions to business strategy, anticipate talent needs, and build systems (policies, tools, training) that prevent issues. Practically, this looks like quarterly workforce planning with leadership, always-on hiring pipelines, skills mapping for critical roles, and clean data you can trust. You replace “firefighting” with playbooks, service levels, and visible dashboards everyone can understand.

    How do I align HR strategy with company objectives in real terms?

    Start with the business plan for the next 12–18 months: markets, products, revenue targets, and risk. Translate that into people requirements, headcount by role, skills depth, leadership capacity, coverage plans, and cost envelopes. From there, build a roadmap with owners and dates: hiring milestones, internal mobility targets, learning paths for scarce skills, and policy/tooling updates (e.g., leave management, performance). Review monthly with the exec team so HR plans move with the business, not behind it.

    Which metrics should I track to prove HR’s impact?

    Pick a balanced set of leading and lagging indicators: time-to-fill, offer acceptance rate, quality of hire (90-day success), internal fill rate, regrettable attrition, manager effectiveness, eNPS/engagement, PTO utilization, absenteeism, and payroll error rate. Layer in cost metrics (cost per hire, overtime, benefits utilization) and capability metrics (skills coverage for critical roles). Report trends, not just snapshots, and pair every red indicator with a corrective action and owner.

    How does a leave/PTO tracker support strategic HR, not just admin?

    Transparent PTO is a trust lever and a planning tool. A modern tracker automates accruals, approvals, and compliance; surfaces coverage risks on team calendars; and feeds payroll cleanly. Strategically, it reveals patterns, unused balances (burnout risk), weekend “sick day” clustering (policy gaps), or overlapping vacations in critical periods (capacity risk). With those insights, you can rebalance workloads, coach managers, and protect peak operations without whiplash policies.

    How do I forecast future talent needs with confidence?

    Marry demand and supply. On the demand side, translate the operating plan into roles, timing, and location scenarios. On the supply side, map internal skills (via profiles, assessments, manager inputs), mobility, and attrition risk. Build “what-if” models: if product X accelerates, which roles become constraints? If attrition rises 2 points, where do we feel it first? Refresh quarterly, and keep a bench of pre-qualified candidates for your hardest-to-hire roles.

    What belongs in a proactive HR tech stack?

    Keep it simple and connected: an HRIS as the system of record; a leave/PTO tracker for clarity and compliance; payroll and time/attendance integrated end-to-end; a collaboration/work manager (e.g., Asana/monday) to run recruiting and onboarding playbooks; an engagement/pulse tool for quick feedback; and lightweight performance/OKR software for continuous coaching. Prioritize SSO, mobile access, and clean integrations over niche features.

    How do I improve HR data quality so leaders actually trust the numbers?

    Set one source of truth (HRIS) and push updates downstream; restrict editing in satellite tools. Automate nightly syncs plus event-based webhooks. Lock key fields (manager, location, status) outside HRIS. Run a monthly data-hygiene checklist (duplicates, orphaned users, stale titles) and publish an “owner for every field.” Most importantly, show your work: include change logs and definitions on every exec dashboard so numbers are explainable, not mysterious.

    How should HR partner with Finance and Operations to deliver outcomes?

    Share a plan, a calendar, and a dashboard. With Finance, align headcount, comp bands, and hiring phasing to the budget; co-own variance tracking and forecast updates. With Operations, co-design staffing models, coverage rules, and peak-period guardrails (your PTO tracker helps here). Hold a monthly triad (HR, Finance, Ops) to review hiring progress, skills gaps, PTO/absence trends, and productivity blockers, and agree on one or two fixes before the next meeting.

    How can I reduce turnover with data-driven actions?

    Start by segmenting attrition (regrettable vs. non-regrettable, role, manager, tenure). Combine exit/stay interview themes with engagement and PTO signals (e.g., high unused balances, after-hours messaging). Fix the biggest drivers first, manager capability, workload, career pathing, then set a 90-day plan with owners. Track the cohort you intervened with to confirm the needle moves.

    How do I upskill managers to execute HR strategy consistently?

    Give them simple playbooks (hiring, onboarding, feedback, performance, leave) and train in short, focused sessions. Provide templates (30/60/90s, 1:1 agendas, feedback scripts), shadow/coaching for new managers, and office hours with HRBPs. Measure manager effectiveness in pulses and tie development to concrete outcomes (team retention, time-to-productivity, engagement lift).

    What’s the least disruptive way to roll out tools like Day Off?

    Pilot with a friendly team, map the existing process, and remove friction before go-live. Enable SSO and mobile, migrate balances cleanly, and set a clear cutover date (“no email PTO requests after X”). Offer a 2-minute tutorial, pin the link in Slack/Teams, and have HR respond quickly in week one. Share early wins, faster approvals, fewer payroll corrections, to build momentum.

    What are realistic 90-day wins for a proactive HR manager?

    Publish an HR–business plan one-pager, clean and centralize PTO with a tracker, standardize onboarding with role templates and early wins, and launch a monthly HR, Finance, Ops review. Pick one high-impact process (e.g., approvals) and cut cycle time in half. Show the before/after metrics; nothing earns trust faster.

    Conclusion

    Proactive HR is equal parts strategy, systems, and stewardship. When you translate the business plan into people plans, back it with clean data and connected tools, and coach managers to execute consistently, you stop firefighting and start compounding wins. Start with the biggest friction, implement simple, integrated solutions (a transparent leave tracker goes a long way), and review progress with your partners in Finance and Operations. The result is a workforce that’s prepared, a leadership team that trusts HR’s numbers, and a company that can move faster without breaking trust.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • How to Create a Culture of Passionate Employees

    How to Create a Culture of Passionate Employees

    Everyone is passionate about something. For some, it’s teaching or learning. For others, it’s leading a team, solving complex problems, or building something new from scratch. In the business world, the most successful companies often share one thing in common: a workforce filled with passionate people.

    But passion doesn’t magically appear. It’s nurtured. It’s influenced by leadership, workplace culture, recognition, and opportunities for growth. And when organizations learn how to inspire passion in their employees, they unlock higher productivity, lower turnover, and a stronger, more innovative culture.

    So, what exactly is passion? Psychologists describe it as a powerful inclination toward an activity that feels meaningful and important. In everyday terms, it’s the drive that makes you want to show up, give your best, and keep going even when challenges arise.

    Passion is the heartbeat of innovation and the glue that binds successful teams together. Without it, work becomes a checklist; with it, work becomes a mission.

    Why Passion Is the Fuel Every Workplace Needs

    Passion is not the same as motivation. Motivation can come from external sources, a paycheck, a promotion, a deadline. Passion, on the other hand, is intrinsic. It comes from within and sustains effort even when external rewards aren’t immediately present.

    In the workplace, passion has a ripple effect:

    • Higher Productivity: Passionate employees don’t just complete tasks, they take ownership of outcomes and push for excellence.

    • Stronger Engagement: They show up fully, connect with colleagues, and contribute ideas freely.

    • Lower Turnover: When employees feel passionate about their work, they’re less likely to leave, saving companies recruitment and training costs.

    • Better Innovation: Passion breeds curiosity and creativity, leading to fresh solutions and new opportunities.

    • Healthier Culture: Enthusiasm is contagious. Passionate people lift the energy of those around them.

    A workplace without passion may hit targets in the short term, but it risks long-term stagnation and burnout. Passion keeps the fire alive.

    How a Passionate Culture Creates Passionate Employees

    Culture is the soil in which passion grows, or dies. Employees spend roughly one-third of their lives at work, and if their environment is uninspiring, toxic, or overly rigid, even the most passionate individuals will eventually disengage.

    A passionate culture is one where employees:

    • Feel Valued: Their efforts are recognized and rewarded.

    • See Opportunities: They have clear paths for growth and skill development.

    • Trust Leadership: They believe in the company’s mission and trust their leaders to support, not exploit, their passion.

    • Enjoy Balance: They can pursue excellence at work without sacrificing personal well-being.

    In short: when the culture encourages passion, employees bring their best energy forward, and the company benefits tenfold.

    9 Proven Ways to Inspire Passion in Your Employees

    Recognize and Reward Effort

    Recognition is one of the simplest yet most powerful passion-builders. Employees want to know their work matters. Whether it’s a “thank you” in a meeting, a performance bonus, or public acknowledgment of achievements, recognition reinforces purpose.

    For example, companies like Salesforce and HubSpot run recognition programs that allow peers to celebrate each other’s contributions, not just management. This creates a culture where everyone feels seen.

    Provide Growth and Learning Opportunities

    Few things kill passion faster than stagnation. When employees don’t see a future for themselves in an organization, disengagement sets in. Offering professional development opportunities, like leadership training, mentorship programs, or access to online courses, shows employees you’re invested in their journey.

    LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report reveals that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their career. Growth fuels passion.

    Create Transparency With PTO and Leave Management

    Passion thrives in environments of fairness. If employees feel policies around leave, vacation, or time off are inconsistent, frustration builds. Tools like PTO trackers or leave management apps eliminate guesswork and ensure everyone is treated equally.

    When employees trust that they can take a break without guilt, and that leave is managed fairly, they return to work recharged and more passionate.

    Offer Meaningful Perks and Benefits

    Perks are not just extras; they’re signals of how much a company values its people. Beyond competitive pay, benefits like paid parental leave, flexible hours, mental health support, or annual company-funded vacations send a clear message: we care about you as a person, not just as a worker.

    These investments create loyalty and passion. They tell employees that their well-being and long-term future matter.

    Encourage Collaboration and Team Spirit

    Passion multiplies when people feel connected. Foster collaboration through cross-functional projects, team-building exercises, and even casual social events. Rotating teams or pairing people from different departments can break down silos and spark fresh perspectives.

    When employees feel part of a bigger mission, and enjoy the people they work with, their enthusiasm grows.

    Build Trust Through Flexibility

    Rigid 9-to-5 schedules are fading. Today’s employees want flexibility, whether that’s hybrid work, flexible hours, or results-oriented scheduling. Trusting employees to manage their time shows respect and signals that passion, not micromanagement, drives performance.

    Companies that embrace flexibility consistently report higher morale and stronger retention.

    Give Employees Ownership and Responsibility

    Micromanagement smothers passion. Instead, give employees room to own projects, make decisions, and solve problems. When people feel trusted with responsibility, they develop pride in their work. Pride leads to passion.

    This doesn’t mean abandoning support, mentors and managers should be available, but autonomy is key to fostering genuine enthusiasm.

    Lead by Example

    Passion is contagious. Leaders who show up with energy, vision, and commitment inspire employees to mirror that behavior. If managers are disengaged or uninspired, employees will follow suit.

    Good leaders demonstrate passion not just through words, but through actions: supporting teams, celebrating wins, and staying curious themselves.

    Show Genuine Care

    At the heart of passion lies human connection. Employees are not machines, they want to feel heard, understood, and cared for. Leaders who listen empathetically, respond to concerns, and prioritize well-being build trust.

    When employees know their leaders truly care, they’re far more likely to give their passion in return.

    The Challenges of Passion

    While passion is powerful, it has its risks. Overly passionate employees may overwork, burn out, or feel crushed when results don’t meet expectations. Leaders must balance passion with well-being initiatives, encouraging rest, offering mental health resources, and reminding employees that setbacks are part of growth.

    Passion without balance can become a liability. Passion with support becomes unstoppable.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Why is passion so important in the workplace?

    Passion turns competence into excellence. Employees who care about their work bring more energy, creativity, and persistence to tough problems, which shows up in faster execution, better quality, and happier customers. It also has cultural spillover, enthusiasm is contagious, and teams with a few highly engaged people tend to lift overall standards and morale.

    How can HR help create a culture of passion?

    HR sets the conditions where passion can thrive: fair policies, clear paths for growth, and systems that make great work visible. Prioritize transparent PTO and leave processes, a simple recognition program (peer-to-peer plus manager-led), and quarterly development plans tied to real opportunities. Train managers in coaching skills and psychological safety so people feel safe to share ideas and take smart risks.

    Can passion be taught, or is it natural?

    Some people arrive with strong intrinsic drive, but most passion is shaped by context. Give meaningful problems to solve, clear autonomy over how to solve them, and frequent feedback that connects effort to impact. Rotations, stretch assignments, and mentorship help employees discover work they care about, and sustained support turns initial interest into lasting passion.

    How do managers inspire passion in their teams?

    Great managers translate strategy into purpose, then remove friction so people can do their best work. Set vivid, outcome-based goals, give ownership rather than tasks, and offer regular, specific feedback that highlights progress and teaches the next step. Recognize helpful behaviors (knowledge-sharing, cross-team help), protect focus time, and model curiosity, ask good questions, don’t just give answers.

    What role does work-life balance play in employee passion?

    Balance keeps passion sustainable. Without recovery, motivated employees burn out and disengage. Offer flexible scheduling where possible, protect time off (no “quick pings” during PTO), and monitor workloads so peaks are temporary and planned. Encourage managers to normalize taking breaks and vacations, well-rested teams are more inventive and resilient.

    Do perks and benefits really affect employee passion?

    Yes, benefits signal what the company truly values. Competitive pay matters, but programs like paid parental leave, mental health support, learning budgets, and flexible work options build trust and loyalty. Tie perks to performance and growth (e.g., conference stipends for presenters, sabbaticals after tenure) so employees see a direct link between contribution, development, and reward.

    What’s the biggest mistake employers make when trying to foster passion?

    Treating passion as a motivational speech rather than a system. Posters and slogans won’t fix opaque pay, inconsistent recognition, or absent career paths. Start by removing friction (confusing processes, unfair workloads), making success criteria clear, and rewarding the behaviors you want more of. When the environment is right, passion follows, and sticks.

    Conclusion

    Passion is more than a nice-to-have, it’s the foundation of a thriving workplace. When employees feel valued, supported, and trusted, their passion naturally fuels productivity, creativity, and loyalty. But passion doesn’t grow in isolation; it’s shaped by leaders who recognize effort, HR teams who create fair systems, and cultures that balance ambition with well-being.

    By investing in recognition, growth opportunities, flexibility, and genuine care, employers don’t just spark passion, they sustain it. And when passion becomes part of everyday work, companies unlock their greatest advantage: a motivated, resilient, and inspired workforce that drives long-term success.

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  • 8 Must-Read Books For HR Professionals

    8 Must-Read Books For HR Professionals

    Human resource management is the fulcrum of a company and its work structure. HR recruiting and management is a crucial process that creates an impact on all other processes of the company. Therefore, it is important to hire experienced and knowledgeable HR professionals for the team. If you are someone who wants to go ahead in the Human resource management sector, you not only depend on your college education but look towards expanding your knowledge base. If you want to expand the knowledge base, a good resource to start from is books. As a future or working HR manager, here are the must-read books you need to read for a secure future.

    The Best Books for HR Managers

    Work Rules!

    Written by Laszlo Bock, the book is a resource based on human behavioral patterns. The book helps HR managers in working with people based on the different behavior they show. The Work Rules! Book also discusses HR management around behavioral economics. The book has examples from different work environments and industries of the world. Therefore, you can use these real-life examples as inspiration to better your problem-solving approach. Moreover, the book provides insights into the work culture of Google to the reader. This helps in a better understanding of a balanced work environment. The book shows an approach to creating a balance between creativity and structure for employees in the workplace. Hence, there is a lot to learn from this book.

    Can I have it all?

    Written by Anuranjita Kumar, the book is a memoir of the Chief Human Resource Officer of Citi. Therefore, when you pick this book up for a read, you can be sure that you will get insights about HR management from the best HR management officer of a leading global company. As a woman leader in the HR management sector, Kumar brings a perspective that is seldom discussed in public. In fact, the book discusses how working women can handle every aspect of their lives and the go-ahead to be leaders too. If you want to bring gender equality to the workplace, definitely read this book.

    I am HR

    The book is a refreshing pick among the current bestsellers. If you are among the new-age HR managers who are trying to make their own mark in the sector, definitely read this book. The book is written by the founder of LFR Inc. Thus. You get to see HR management through the eyes of someone who belongs to the corporate world. The book addresses the different stereotypes attached to the profile of HR managers. When you read the book, you will be able to know why HR management is seen as a boring and thankless job. The book also talks about the revival of HR management to make it more fun and employee-friendly.

    Don’t Hire the Best

    The book is written by Abhijit Bhaduri, the chief learning officer of Wipro. The book talks about hiring fresh human resources and how HR managers can approach it judiciously. The nook talks about why the right fit for a job may not be the best of the lot always. Sometimes, HR managers have to choose the right person for the job unconventionally. The decision to hire someone depends on how the HR managers look at the process and the result. The book talks about small startup scenarios and global organizations from the hiring perspective. Thus, the reader gets a complete view of the corporate world and how to handle different work environments. The book helps in understanding the process of hiring from the perspective of the company culture, the people, and the role you want to hire for. As hiring is a major responsibility for HR managers, you might want to tap into this one.

    Quote me if you can

    The book is written by NS Ranjan, the Group CHRO of Tata Sons. This specific book is one that holds a compilation of quotes from the author. It emphasizes the need for a happy working place for employees. It helps HR managers in creating a balanced and productive workplace at their companies. As the author is a leader in HR management, you get to read his words and be mentored by them.

    Friend and Foe

    The bestselling book is written by Columbia and Wharton business school professors. The book presents an academic perspective with some research-backed facts. That book talks about healthy competition in the workplace and how competition and cooperation can be balanced in the workplace. The book talks discuss the mechanism of creating a friend out of a foe and how the workplace environment affects this process. You can learn a lot about trust and cooperation building from the book. Since the book is research-backed, you can be assured of what you learn from it.

    Good to Great

    The book widely talks about what makes a company successful and includes human resource management in it. Whether you are in an HR management position or a leadership role, this is a book you must read. The book is authored by James C.Collin. The book goes in-depth into hiring the right people, leadership, and work culture. Moreover, this book will help you understand the culture of freedom and culture of discipline in the workplace. The book discusses how HR managers can balance each aspect of the work culture to create a highly productive workplace.

    People Skills

    This book is an old one, originally published in 1979. This book focuses on the importance of communication and interaction skills and how to use them. As communication and people management skills are of foremost importance for HR managers, this is a very useful book to read. Therefore, this book will help an HR manager in slipping into leadership and management roles. It helps you build speaking and listening skills in the workplace. It also helps you in the peaceful resolution of conflicts at work. The book discusses verbal as well as nonverbal communication skills in the workplace. This book is like the all-in-one guide to effective communication and HR management in your workspace.

    These eight books are the bestselling, useful books that every HR manager should read at least once. Moreover, these books will help you in upskilling and upgrading your skillset in the role. 

    FAQs

    Why should HR managers read books in addition to gaining professional experience?

    Experience shows you what happened; great books explain why, and how to repeat (or avoid) it. They distill decades of experiments, failures, and wins into playbooks you can adapt. Use them to pressure-test your assumptions, borrow proven frameworks, and spot second-order effects you might miss in day-to-day work.

    Are these books suitable for beginners, or only for experienced professionals?

    Both. Beginners get structured foundations (how to design roles, interview, and onboard). Experienced pros get nuance, e.g., when to hire for potential vs. pedigree, how to tune incentives, or how to reshape culture without breaking trust. Read with a “translate to my context” lens and capture 2–3 experiments you’ll run per book.

    Do these recommendations apply to startups and small businesses, or just large corporations?

    They travel well. In startups, you’ll use scrappier versions (lightweight competency maps, one-page policies, short feedback cycles). In enterprises, you’ll scale the same ideas with governance and analytics. Think “same principles, different altitude”: clarity of purpose, selection for fit, fast feedback, and visible leadership.

    How can I apply lessons from these books in real life?

    Turn insights into small, testable changes:

    • Pilot a structured interview (2 competencies × 2 questions each) and track scorecard-to-performance correlation after 90 days.

    • Replace generic onboarding with a 30/60/90 plan tied to outcomes, not activities.

    • Run monthly stay interviews to surface “friction logs” and fix the top 3 issues.

    • Convert values into behaviors (e.g., “bias for action” → “ships v1 in 2 weeks with a rollback plan”).

    What other resources should HR managers explore beyond books?

    • Certs & courses: SHRM/HRCI, Coursera/edX micro-certs in people analytics or employment law.

    • Communities: local HR chapters, People Ops Slack groups, niche forums for comp/benefits or ER.

    • Signals: industry benchmarks (pay, time-to-fill), labor law alerts, and vendor research for tech shifts (ATS, L&D, AI tools).

    How often should I update my HR knowledge?

    Continuously, with rhythm. Adopt a quarterly learning sprint: one book, one talk/podcast series, and one experiment you’ll run. Measure lift with simple KPIs: time-to-fill, quality of hire (90-day success), eNPS, regrettable attrition, and manager effectiveness scores.

    Do these books cover trends like AI in HR or remote/hybrid work?

    Some principles, behavioral science, culture design, hiring rigor, map cleanly to AI and hybrid contexts. Pair the books with a modern toolkit: structured prompts for JD drafting, bias checks in screening, async rituals (written updates, decision logs), and remote-friendly performance frameworks (OKRs + quarterly calibration).

    How do these books help build leadership qualities?

    They sharpen three muscles:

    • Clarity: turning strategy into human systems (roles, incentives, norms).

    • Courage: making talent calls and culture trade-offs with fairness and transparency.

    • Compassion: designing for dignity, feedback that helps, policies that include, careers that grow.
      Blend them with practice: monthly skip-levels, regular “decision post-mortems,” and a visible talent thesis you revisit each half-year.

    Conclusion

    Great HR isn’t paperwork, it’s culture, performance, and growth. Start with one book, translate a single idea into a small pilot, and track what changes, time-to-fill, quality of hire, engagement, retention. Share the wins (and lessons) openly, then iterate. With each cycle, you’ll sharpen judgment, strengthen trust, and build a workplace where people thrive and the business compounds.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Top 5 Free Apps to Manage Your Employees

    Top 5 Free Apps to Manage Your Employees

    When it comes to increasing the productivity of the employees, it is important to have an eye on the employees’ attendance. Well, utilizing the traditional methods for this can be very time consuming, and those processes can develop errors. So, how to make the leave management process effective? For this, you can use a professionally designed and developed time off app. As per the experts, Employees apps such as leave tracker app can be very useful in monitoring the employees’ shifts, planning the workflow, and allocating resources.

    However, to witness the maximum benefits of a Leave tracker, you should choose the best one, and this can be a daunting task. So, to help you out in this, we have listed down some best free time off tracking apps for you. Have a look.

    Day off

    When it comes to managing your employees’ leave or vacation in the most comfortable and accurate way, you can always use the Day off app, the best leave tracker tool that is designed and developed for all types of businesses. Using this app, companies can save their efforts and time and can easily track the absence within a few seconds. What’s more? Using this free vacation tracker, you can also set up your unique vacation as well as leave policies. Let’s discuss the top features of this app.

    Easy way to create a company

    With Day off, you can create your company account within a few seconds. To create your company, all you need is to use your company name, mail id and set a password. Once done, you can add teams and set different configurations for each team. After that, you can send an invitation to the employees to join the account to their mobile number or email.

    Customize the settings the way you want

    To customize the settings, first, you need to choose the weekends, and working days, then you need to add the leave balances, and then you can add some new leave types; your company policy has some extra leave types. Just a few clicks and you are ready to go.

    Can easily manage all the leave requests

    This Free time tracking app app offers you a full calendar view where you can find all the leaves of your employees. Besides, this will display a list of received leave requests with details, such as leave type, start and end time, leave duration, and more. With a few clicks, you can decline or accept the leave requests.

    One-click to send the important announcements

    When there is any crucial news, it is the responsibility of the HR managers to inform that the employees. And to do it effectively, you can use the Day off app. Just write the announcement, and using the app, you can send that to all. Your team will be notified within a few seconds.

    Easy way to submit a leave request

    With this app, your employees will enjoy an easy way to apply for a leave.  Within a few seconds, they can send their leave requests, and they can view the current status of the requests.

    This Paid time off tracker has all the features that will enable you to manage the leaves or vacations of the employees without facing any issues. The best part is that it is available for both Android and iOS platforms. So, go on and give it a try now.

    Time Camp

    This free to use Vacation tracker can be used for unlimited users, and you can add unlimited projects to it. This versatile program is perfect for all businesses. The software program is available in the form of a web timer, desktop app, mobile app and is also a Chrome plugin. The users can track time to the specific project automatically and can also change the time entries manually to customize the timesheets.

    The best part is that it comes equipped with a GPS tracking feature. As a result, you can track the time and attendance of the employees based on the location. It also lets you store different records of the employees, such as email, date of joining, name, phone number, department, and more.

    Hubstaff

    Hubstaff is an Employee time off tracker and has a GPS feature. It helps the HR management to understand how the employees are spending their time. As a result, their overall productivity can be maximized.  Since its first launch, it has become very popular among different industries as an advanced leave management tool. Some of the amazing features of this app are; online timesheets, productive measurement, detailed reporting, GPS tracking, and more. Use it now and see perfect growth in the employees’ productivity.

    BambooHR

    It is not just a PTO tracking software; you can use it as a professional HR management solution. The program comes with its own Android and iOS app. Using the app, all the members of your team can take advantage of the app’s simple to use interface to apply for leave with a few simple clicks. Besides, using this, HR managers can easily track their employees’ records and can also track PTO. What’s more? This powerful app can also effectively track applicant data. Well, its free version has limited features. If you want to explore all the features, then you may find it a little costly.

    FactoTime

    This app is designed for mobile devices running on both iOS and Android platforms. The app has all the features you will to properly track your employees’ working hours, shifts as well as attendance. Speaking more about it, the program functions as a punch clock and collects all the information on employees’ location, attendance, total time spent on the project, and more. It utilizes the three factor authentication process, i.e., location, selfie, and punch, to accurately record time. The best thing is that you can calculate the salary of the employees and manage the payroll based on the attendance recorded in the app.

    All these mobile apps can help you a lot in managing your employees’ leave or shifts. However, to enjoy the easiest way to do that, you can trust Day off. Download its free version now and see how this can simplify the process.

  • Self Service Software: Top 10 for Employees

    Self Service Software: Top 10 for Employees

    Having the right employee self service software is essential to growing a business successfully. This software allows employees to update their own details and keep all information centralized and updated. All those facilities can make the HR manager’s job less hectic. From hiring to onboarding to scheduling meeting and dozen more responsibilities, the HR management team have to navigate through all that.

    In today’s business management scenario, without incorporating the right amount of technology, all people involved in a business would experience many hassles. Therefore, employee self-service software is becoming popular for all sizes of businesses.

    Software like Day Off is integrated with various programs that improve business efficiency as well as employee experience. Choosing the right employee self service software can be challenging with a wide array of tools present in the market. Therefore, below is a list of the top ten employee management software to make your business management effortless. 

    KissFlow

    Kissflow is one of the most sought after employee management software by businesses who want to empower their company’s human resources management aspects. This software comes with many innovative features such as applicant tracking, employee leave tracker, attendance management, employee onboarding, and offboarding functionalities. Additionally, Kissflow offers customizable HR solutions like hiring skilled talents at the right time, a PTO tracker, boosting employee engagement, various employee self service tools, and an easy facility for feedback and evaluations. 

    Namely

    Namely can be your all in-one solution for employee management. It is a popular HR, payroll, benefits, vacation tracker, and talent management platform among employees. Businesses find it easier to handle their HR  processes by implementing this software in their system. Moreover, the platform attributes features like employee management, recruiting, employee time off tracker, producing visually rich reports, analytics, and many more.

    Dayforce

    Another most reliable employee self service software is Dayforce, which provides cloud based software. It helps the HR managers to manage employee payroll, onboarding, offboarding, talent, benefits, and many more. It is such a comprehensive software that it would take the operates a while to utilize all its features. Although your team would find it complicated at first, this PTO tracking software would benefit your HR team and employees alike in the long run.

    Peoplebook

    Peoplebook is another comprehensive employee self-service software that features employee information absence management, payroll tasks, proactive employee leave tracker app tool, performance management, biometrics, and employee training management, etc. The software avails many designs for producing reports; however, you can’t customize the reports. In order to know about their product pricing, contact directly with them and get a quotation for the software.

    APS payroll

    APS employee self service software is an acronym that stands for “Automatic Payroll Systems.” As the name suggests, the technology offers advanced human resources and payroll services to HR teams regardless of any business size. It is a cloud-based workforce management software with integrated features like payroll, free vacation tracker, reporting, time tracking, benefits enrollment, etc.

    Workday

    Workday is another branded name as the employee management software with unique characteristics. All of its element focuses on finance. The software uses various tools to conduct enterprise management. Its service covers human resources, talent management, recruiting, payroll and free time off tracker, and benefits management. Furthermore, this cloud-based platform includes financial management such as business revenues, financials, business expenses, and procurement.

    BerniePortal

    BerniePortal might be not so familiar employee self-service platform, which enables employees to be onboard, enroll in benefits, employee attendance clock in and out software tool, read and post reviews and sign notices, request for PTO, and access to update employee data while operating work remotely. Users can also access the BerniePortal platform from their smartphone app. This software is not only for employees; it can also function as workforce management software, talent management software, human capital management software, etc. 

    Zoho People

    Zoho People is one of the most popular online human resource management systems that can manage and access all your employee and client data from a centralized location. This comprehensive employee management platform allows HR managers and business operators to streamline the functionality that is associated with managing employees.

    The platform is integrated with an extensive number of modules to help the HR team with employee onboarding, preparing timesheets, time off app, managing employee leaves, the work performance of each employee, manage their personal details, and benefits management.

    Moreover, the software provides a wide variety of templates that can be easily customized according to your business requirements. Since Zoho charges prices per user or employee, companies who hire new employees frequently would have to pay a different amount each coming month that can make the whole payment cycle confusing. Therefore, Zoho People is more suitable for small and medium sized businesses.

    HRLocker

    HRLocker, the employee management software, is more intended for startups and micro-businesses since it can support up to four employees, including core HR. It is a free-offering software with features like onboarding/offboarding, and absence management, etc.

    However, you can upgrade the software to with the starting price of $3.50 per employee every month to manage up to fifteen employees. The platform can generate standard reports, automate the process of employee onboarding and offboarding, as well as highlight personal employee data via the HR dashboard. As cloud based software, HRLocker offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.

    Freshteam

    Just like  HRLocker, Freshteam is also a free plan employee management software. The software can support up to fifty employees and simultaneous job postings. The software functions similarly as Day off app to track basic time and attendance of employees, support applicant tracking, core HR management, etc.

    Its service also includes email and phone supports. The upgrading plan would cost $50 per month to give access to 50 more users and 250 employees. The basic plan would allow users for more job postings, more customization, live chat support, and more advanced features for employee time tracking.

    End thought

    An ideal employee management software must be user friendly, cloud based, and easy to incorporate. They should come with an employee self service portal, which can also connect seamlessly with other third party tools. All the above software in the listed sport those dynamic features to make the HR manager’s job simpler.

  • HR Executive: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming an HR Executive

    HR Executive: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming an HR Executive

    If you ask some of the top Human Resources executives in the world why they chose to be an HR manager, there will be two primary answers. The first kind are the people’s person  they like helping others. The other has learned how to collaborate with people because the median salary for an HR executive is $70,000 while the top performers can earn in six digits. So, money is surely a big factor. 

    Regardless of which your source of motivation is, this is how you pave the road to becoming an HR executive.

    Step 1: Graduate from High School

    Even when you’re in high school, you can prepare for a career in human resources. It’s best to take a wide variety of courses in economics, business, technical communications, psychology, mathematics, and professional communications, if available. Experts also recommend taking up community college courses or AP classes to earn college credits to help score you a better position in the related university degree program.

    Step 2: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

    Without any surprise, the first step towards building a career in HR is earning a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. Some HR professionals get their BS in business or human resource management, some choose educational paths in sectors like operations, marketing, communications, legal studies, journalism, sociology, or psychology.

    Generally, these programs are offered in a school’s management or business department.

    Step 3: Complete an Internship

    According to The Society for Human Resource Management, 96% of HR executives said that their time as an intern played a critical role in their success in the industry. Internships allow individuals to gain first-hand experience in the sector of their choice. You get the best way to acquire and apply practical knowledge that’s the focus of any human resources bachelor’s program.

    If you don’t have the chance to take up any internship during your time in university, don’t be afraid! Some companies have started accepting new college graduates into their internship program. The purpose of an HR internship is to show students how the industry works behind the scenes. Internships or externships are a great way for future HR managers to recognize, hone, and improve critical interpersonal skills.

    Step 4(i): Gain HR Work Experience

    After getting a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field, we suggest you enter the workforce to gather experience. Almost any upper or advanced management position in HR or a related field will be great. However, these generally require the students to provide proof of post secondary training, on top of real world experience. Entry level positions comprise human resource assistance, specialist, or associate.

    Step 4(ii): Earn a Master’s Degree in Human Resources

    Although an optional step, a master’s degree in HRM or administration equips students with a strong foundation on which they can build a successful career as an HR executive. Think coursework in human resource theory, psychology, operations, speech, labor management, technical communications, employee development, employment law, accounting arbitration, contract negotiation, statistics, mediation, information technology, professional communications, and contract negotiation.

    Step 4(iii): Earn a Doctorate in Human Resources

    Getting a doctorate is another optional step that takes about three to four years. But it’s completely worth it in the end. A PhD in HR is strongly grounded in higher coursework in information technology, labor management, arbitration, professional counselling, mediation, technical communications, employee development, employment law, contract negotiation, professional communications, statistics, and of course, human resource theory paired with human resource operations. PhD holders in this field usually soar to advanced management positions, ultimately managing teams at private companies.

    Step 5: Try HR Certification

    Basically, in Leave management certification, a third-party organization analyzes the standard of an applicant’s experience and knowledge. Those who meet industry benchmarks are eligible for certification. These talented individuals have a lot to offer, so it’s no surprise that a growing number of companies are on the lookout for HR executives with additional certifications. Not only do these show expertise, but they also display dedication and commitment to the field.

    Both the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) offer a variety of certification designations, like Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Employment Benefits Specialist (CEBS), and Professional of Human Resources (PHR) certifications. Some more specialization tracks are Compensation Management Specialist, Retirement Plans Associate, and Group Benefits Associate.

    Keep in mind that to even sit for those exams, a learner needs up to four years of experience working in the HR field. Alternatively, a combo of experience and education could suffice. These exam lengths and durations vary by concentration and state.

    Another professional improvement choice is to get into a professional society. The Society for Human Resource Time Off Calendar and the National Human Resources Association are two of the most popular HRM professional organizations in the U.S.

    FAQ

    Where do HR executives work?

    Human resources executives work in every corner of the world where the human capital has to be managed. This could include the service industry, health and human services, elementary schools, transportation, communications, investment firms, healthcare administration, public safety, science labs, small to medium businesses, and even the government.

      • What are the most important activities of an HR executive?

    A HR executive must be able to:

      • Focus on the big picture. Recruitment is important but so does the retention of old, talented employees.

      • Maintain their initial passion as it will rub off on the employees and their subordinates.

      • Show actual interest in the work of each employee.

      • Successfully collaborate between various departments of the company.

      • Stay flexible to change.

      • Stay on top of market trends – technologically and practice wise.

      • Maintain a positive approach to lucid conversation.

    Conclusion

    All top schools of the world have a decent HR program some better than the other. Needless to say, acquiring a compelling degree from a high ranking university definitely sets you ahead in the game.

  • 6 Incredibly Useful Software Tools for Small Businesses

    6 Incredibly Useful Software Tools for Small Businesses

    Navigating a small business toward success requires teamwork, a solid sense of direction, tremendous patience, and a handful of software. The right tools can make a big difference to the job. However, choosing the right software is a challenging feat. The secret is recognizing the proper software in combination with other tools to serve your nature of work is important. Check out some useful software tools to help you run your small business.

    Wave: Best Accounting Software

    Kirk Simpson and James Lochrie founded Wave Accounting in 2010 to bring an easy to use, free financial software to the market. In 2021, Wave’s employee base has crossed the 250 mark and they’re working to serve small businesses across the world. It lets companies track expenses and income, scan receipts, send invoices, track sales taxes, and much more  for free!

    Wave builds a network between credit cards and multiple bank accounts and helps set up profiles to keep track of finances. This free software organized payments, invoices, and accounts to make tax calculation easier. Users can make and send professional invoices from the dashboard as well as the mobile app. Wave can set automatic credit card payments and recurring invoices for repeat customers so they can get their invoice and payment details immediately.

    Apart from their free services, Wave also offers premium, paid services, including bank payments, credit card payment, payroll setup for contractors and employers.

    Wix: Best Website Builder

    Frustrated with the high costs of making a website, three entrepreneurs joined forces to create Wix in 2006. Today, the company boasts a user base of 200 million spread across 190 countries. This is our pick because Wix lets users create professional websites without any required coding knowledge at a budget friendly rate.

    On Wix, you will find many professional templates to personalize your website. Pair that with the convenient drag and drop editorial feature and anyone could make a functional website within a few hours. All websites are designed to look attractive on mobile devices and offer interesting effects like video backgrounds, animation, and scrolling.

    As Wix features an advanced e-commerce feature, users can sell online as well. You can set up an online store, figure out conversion rates and revenue, manage inventory and more. Wix is compatible with PayPal, Wix Payments, and Stripe and can integrate with Facebook and Instagram.

    MailChimp: Best Email Marketing Software

    MailChimp was founded in 2001 and since then has been an affordable email marketing service perfect for small businesses. Now a diverse marketing platform, MailChimp offers websites, landing pages, postcards, and many more amazing features. Both free and paid plans will be a great choice for small business, but you can go a long way without paying a dollar – the best part of this service. You can easily start using the free email software.

    On MailChimp, you can get pre made email templates, basic customization, opt-in sign up forms and popups, and audience segmentation. A mobile app is included as well to let you check campaign performance, send emails, and create reports with just a few clicks.

    Using the drag and drop templates, you can create professional emails with little to no design skills on MailChimp. The software keeps track of clicks and open rates while segmenting data to let you know what’s working best for your small business.

    Trello: Best Project Management Software

    In 2011, Fog Creek Software introduced a project management tool prototype designed to provide high level planning solutions. Within just a year, the platform had more than 500,000 users and was named Trello. Trello impresses with its flexible, visual, and free options to manage projects.

    Featuring a Kanban style board for project and task tracking, Trello makes project management extremely easy. The intuitive and simple interface lets users make customer lists and boards with a plethora of inclusions such as images, checklists, links, due dates, regular files, and more.

    Trello can be integrated with Google Drive, Slack, Dropbox, as well as many other third party software. Integrate it with mobile apps to streamline workflows and collaboration.

    Even with its free plan, the software has a lot to offer, including unlimited lists, cards, and boards. However, there is a 10MB per file attachment limit to be mindful of. It extends to 250MB with the paid plan.

    Slack: Best Team Communication Software

    With Slack, you can create channels revolving around a particular topic, project, team, or client. The channels can be public for all Slack account holders or it can be private and accessible via invitation only.

    Apart from real-time communication, Slack offers a slew of fantastic features like poll creation, meeting scheduling, file sharing between teams, cloud storage, and connection to third party projects  all through integrations. You get free voice and video calls and also spin off discussion threads in order to keep the larger conversation organized.

    Small businesses that only require a single workspace, a handful of integrations, and one on-one video calls can benefit from a free Slack account. There is a 10,000-message search limitation on free accounts, though.

    Day Off: Absence and Vacation Tracker

    One of the most important tools for a business’ HR department is an employee tracker app. Productivity and efficiency depends largely on the availability of the employees, not to mention their satisfaction with their workplace. With Day Off, you save time and effort with employee absence. You can track individual and team absences from one place and it takes a few seconds to check up on leave applications and accept/deny them.

    The convenient PTO calculator brings everything on one platform for the HRM. Requests are directed to the right person. HR can also define teams while setting available vacation days left for each person. The mobile app makes it easy for both employees and manager.

    Conclusion

    A software doesn’t necessarily have to be “premium” to deliver quality services. Small businesses can cut down on costs by looking into the more budget friendly options.

  • 2025 Public Holidays in UK

    2025 Public Holidays in UK

    One of the favorite things for many of us is planning a Public Holiday . Nothing is better than a well-planned calendar with flight info and dinner reservations. But first you need to know when exactly to do it. These holidays not only mark moments of historical importance but also provide an opportunity for communities across the UK to come together, celebrate, and cherish the nation’s heritage.
    Here is a list of the 2022 public holidays in the UK, where most of government offices, businesses, shops and banks will be closed:

     

    Holiday Date
    New Year’s Day Mon, Jan 3, 2022
    Good Friday Fri, Apr 15, 2022
    Easter Monday Mon, Apr 18, 2022
    Early May Bank Holiday Mon, May 2, 2022
    Spring Bank Holiday Thu, Jun 2, 2022
    Platinum Jubilee bank holiday Fri, Jun 3, 2022
    Summer Bank Holiday Mon, Aug 29, 2022
    Boxing Day Mon, Dec 26, 2022
    Christmas Day Tue, Dec 27, 2022

    As the UK welcomes 2022, these public holidays or day off not only offer a break from the routine but also serve as a reminder of the country’s rich cultural tapestry and the spirit of unity that binds its diverse communities. Each holiday brings its unique traditions, making the UK’s public holiday calendar a colorful mosaic of celebrations, reflecting the nation’s identity and heritage.

  • 2025 Public Holidays in USA

    2025 Public Holidays in USA

    One of the favorite things for many of us is planning a vacation. Nothing is better than a well-planned calendar with flight info and dinner reservations. But first you need to know when exactly to do it. These Labor day reflect the spirit of unity and pride shared by Americans across the nation. Let’s explore the USA’s public holiday calendar for the year.
    Here is a list of the 2022 public leave tracking in USA, where most of government offices, businesses, shops and banks will be closed on:

     

    Public Holiday Date
    Martin Luther King Jr. Day Mon, Jan 17, 2022
    Memorial Day Mon, May 30, 2022
    Independence Day Mon, Jul 4, 2022
    Labor Day Mon, Sep 5, 2022
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  • Legal requirements for PTO and Leave in UK

    Legal requirements for PTO and Leave in UK

    The employment landscape is constantly changing with new needs, expectations, trends and regulations marking their arrival. More than ever, HR managers are concerned about the essential benefits which employees require from an organization. As a matter of fact, innovative and lucrative employee benefits could help an enterprise mark its presence in high-demand marketplaces. At the same time, employee benefits are also helpful for drawing in talented human resources to the organization this article will give you a brief about PTO in UK.

    One of the most significant employees benefits obviously points out towards leave. Leave has its own share of importance in helping an organization maintain a work-life balance for employees. On the other hand, it is important to note how legal precedents are transforming the design of leave policies across various organizations. The following discussion helps you dive into the details of legal implications relates to PTO and leave in the UK.

    Why are Leaves Important?

    According to a study conducted by the job website, Glassdoor, 7% of workers do not get their complete minimum paid leave entitlement. In addition, an average employee in the UK takes only 62% of their total holiday allowance. This is one of prominent reasons for which 79% of British workers have to experience work-related stress. Furthermore, almost 76% of employees experience burnout due to various factors such as personal circumstances, workloads or the work environment.

    Without the lack of motivation and freedom to take a day off, employees could lose the zeal to work, thereby affecting productivity. So, letting employees cool off the steam by offering them paid and unpaid leaves might be a promising initiative. On the other hand, it is important to understand the important precedents you must follow in offering leave to your employees.

    Understanding PTO

    PTO is basically the acronym for Paid Time Off, which is also referred to as the annual leave or statutory leave. PTO indicates the number of days, weeks or months an employee could take time off from work while receiving compensation from their company. The PTO of an employee starts to grow when they begin working with a company having a clearly defined PTO policy. Generally, the employer has the final discretion on when employees could take their paid leaves. Subsequently, the employee receives their standard wage according to the company’s PTO policy.

    Entitlements in PTO for Employees in the UK

    If you are planning on developing a leave tracker for your organization, you need to understand the PTO entitlements in UK. You should know the number of days that workers could take a leave. Majority of workers involved with five-day workweek routines could legally receive an entitlement to 28 days of paid holiday annually.

    Part-time workers, as well as employees working irregular hours like term-time workers or shift workers, are also legally eligible for PTO according to the hours they put in work. In order to calculate the time off allotted to a part-time worker, you could just multiply the number of days they work in a week by 5.6. For instance, if a part-time employee works three days a week, they can legally take 16.6 days of PTO.

    Types of PTO Permitted in the UK

    The PTO tracker solution for an organization should also include the different types of PTO in the UK in its scope. The PTO policy of an organization in the UK should include various types of paid leave along with relevant guidelines. A detailed understanding of different types of PTO allowed in the UK could help in defining the specifications of a prolific vacation tracker solution. Here are some of the notable cases in which you are entitled to PTO or paid leaves.

    Paid Sick Leave

    Employees are humans and are bound to fall prey to sickness at some or other point in time. Paid sick leave or statutory sick pay provides coverage for employees who fall ill for a minimum of four consecutive days, along with non-working days. Employers could start paying the statutory sick pay from the fourth day till the employee’s return to work. According to UK regulations, employees put on paid sick leave are entitled to pay £94.25 for the period of 28 weeks. Employees receive statutory sick pay on regular payday along with deduction of National Insurance and Taxes.

    Paid Annual Leave

    The most basic type of PTO which you must have in PTO tracking software is the paid annual leave. It is the most basic leave entitlement for a worker, and employees in the UK get paid annual leave of 28 days. Apart from the 5.6 weeks worth of paid vacation, bank holidays could also be a part of statutory leave according to the employer’s discretion.

    Maternity Leave

    Another prominent entry that you can find in different types of PTO in the UK is maternity leave. It basically includes the time that a parent takes off from work before and after giving birth. The laws in UK dictate that maternity leave could be allowed for a maximum of 52 weeks. On the other hand, if the employer has defined any specific considerations in their leave policy, the maternity leave could extend further.

    The first 26 weeks come under the scope of ‘Ordinary Maternity Leave’. The next 26 weeks would be classified under the ‘Additional Maternity Leave’ category. Maternity leave applicants could take the leave 11 weeks before the due date at the earliest. After birth, employees must take a leave of two weeks and four weeks in the case of factory workers.

    When you are designing an employee leave tracker app, you must also know about the payment for maternity leave. In the first six weeks of maternity leave, employees are generally eligible for receiving 90% of their average weekly income. In the case of remaining 33 weeks of maternity leave, employees are entitled to either 90% of their average weekly income or £151.20, with the lower one getting first preference.

    It is also important to note that maternity leave benefits are different according to the type of employment. Employers should note that all employees are not eligible for statutory maternity leave pay.

    Paternity Leave

    As an employer, you would also have to deal with the aspect of paternity leave while designing an employee time off tracker. Paternity leave is generally applicable for employees given that their partner has given birth or they have adopted a child. According to UK laws, partners who are eligible for paternity leave can receive two weeks of statutory paternity leave pay.

    Eligible employees can prefer to take the two weeks holiday at a time or differently. However, employees could not start their paternity leave before the date of the child’s birth. Most important of all, employees should finish their paternity leave within 56 days of the date of their child’s birth. Employees eligible for paternity leave are entitled to statutory paternity leave pay. The statutory paternity leave pay can be £148.68 for every week or 90% of their average weekly income, with first preference for the lower amount.

    Compassionate Leave

    Employers are also entitled to the privilege of allotting compassionate leave to employees. However, employers do not have any legal obligations for offering paid or unpaid compassionate leave. You can include compassionate leave or bereavement leave in a Day Off App for supporting employees in dire circumstances. Employees are eligible for compassionate leave when their relative or dependent fall ill or face an accident or in the case of death of a loved one.

    Employees in the UK could receive a certain period of compassionate leave due to certain reasons. For example, compassionate leave is applicable if employees face illness, assault or injury or their child is involved in an accident at school. Compassionate leave is also applicable for employees in the UK who face discrepancies in care arrangements.

    Unpaid Leave

    Once employers have dealt with the problem of defining PTO in their leave policy, they have to deal with unpaid leaves. The design of an effective time off app for an organization should also include necessary elements for including unpaid leaves. Unpaid leaves are an effective method for employers to offer leaves to dedicated and reliable staff members beyond the paid leave limit. Unpaid leaves give the opportunity for employees to take leaves in the case of unprecedented situations. At the same time, employers could also use them as instruments for showing their goodwill for employees in critical scenarios.

    Types of Unpaid Leave

    Just like the different types of paid leave, it is also important to note the types of unpaid leave. According to UK law, there are two specific exceptions in the case of unpaid leave. Other than the three exceptions, there is no specific obligation for employers regarding the number of days they can allow as unpaid leave for employees. So, it is important to specify the rules and specifications regarding unpaid leave in employee handbooks or contracts.

    HR management should also find out the ways for deducting unpaid leave from the salary of employees. Employees are safe from unauthorized deductions in their wages and pay by employers. However, employers can specify the details of conditions in which unpaid leave is applicable for employees. At the same time, the employment contract should also include details of deduction such as time and amount for unpaid leave.

    Another important aspect specified in UK law for unpaid leave refers to the two exceptions. The first exception is applicable in situations where employees have to serve on magistrate or jury duty. The second exception is evident in situations where employees have to look after their children.

    Unpaid Leaves and Jury Service

    Jury service is also another important aspect that you have to take into account while designing a free vacation tracker. Employees are not mandatorily obliged to take leave for jury service. As a matter of fact, employers have the obligation for allowing employees to work in the role of a voluntary magistrate or attend jury service.

    Alarmingly, employers who deny this right to employees can face contempt-of-court charges. Worse of all, the penalty in such cases could include two years in jail or a hefty fine. While employees could not miss jury services, employers do not have any obligation for paying staff during the concerned period.

    Law for Unpaid Leaves for Parents

    UK laws for leave are quite lenient and rewarding for parents. Parents could become eligible for unpaid parental leave in different cases. Parents could claim unpaid leave almost 18 weeks before their child, or adopted child reaches the age of 18. The limit for unpaid parental leaves in a free time off tracker must be 4 weeks for every child annually. Employees could take unpaid parental leaves in the multiple of one or two weeks rather than on individual days. It is also important to note that unpaid parental leave is applicable in the case of every offspring rather than for an individual’s job.

    Most important of all, it is difficult to delay unpaid parental leave due to various reasons. For example, the absence of a staff member would affect the business negatively. Another possible reason to avoid any delays in unpaid parental leave is if the father or partner of the employee has taken it immediately after the birth or adoption. Unpaid parental leave cannot be extended in cases where the staff member does not qualify for leave, as the extension will go beyond the 18th birthday of the child.

    The government specifies that employees must provide their explanation in writing when deferring unpaid parental leave. Employees must submit the explanation within seven days of submitting the original request. In addition, employees should also provide a new start date. The new start date should be within six months duration of the requested start date. It is impossible to change the duration of unpaid parental leave requested by the employee.

    The Comprehensive Solution

    HR managers have to navigate all these complexities in the legal aspects pertaining to PTO and leave in the UK. However, new and innovative tech solutions such as leave tracking apps could help in effective leave management. The development of such tools is a new chapter in streamlining human resources management. Find out more about compliance with legal implications pertaining to leave and PTO in your HR policy.

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