Human Resources

Ohio Sees Slight Pullback in Manufacturing Jobs

Ohio employers reduced the number of manufacturing jobs last month, according to preliminary employment figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In November, Ohio had 687,300 manufacturing positions compared to October’s 693,100 — the highest mark since February 2020.

Meanwhile, OhioMeansJobs.com — the state-administered website that allows employers to post job openings at no cost — currently has more than 30,000 job listings tied to manufacturing. 12/20/2022

Gallup: Higher Pay Won’t Fix Retention Problems

For years, employers have been told they must increase wages to attract and retain good employees. But in this new analysis, Gallup reports that in many cases, higher pay is only compensating for poor management and a bad employee experience.

Gallup’s research finds increasing base pay has a negligible effect on performance. Instead, the best predictors of attraction and retention are unrelated to pay, such as: overall job satisfaction; organizational commitment; work environment; stress levels; and workgroup cohesion. 12/20/2022

NLRB Gives Green Light to ‘Micro Units’

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has made it easier for labor unions to organize smaller bargaining units known as “micro units,” which could help organized labor establish footholds in businesses where only a small group of employees want representation. OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published this insight into what the NLRB ruling means for employers. 12/19/2022

Benefits Benchmarking Reports Available

OMA Connections Partner Gallagher conducts benchmarking surveys to help employers compare their benefit offerings. The manufacturing insights from Gallagher’s 2022 Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey show comparisons such as deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, and co-pays across multiple health care plan configurations.

In its Total Rewards Strategies for an Evolving Workforce Study, Gallagher compares what manufacturers are offering in employee benefits beyond health plans — such as career development, financial well-being, culture management, and more.

For more about Gallagher’s offerings, or for a custom report, email Michael O’Malley, Gallagher’s benefits consultant. 12/14/2022

HR Roundup: Some Employers Skipping Interviews

• More employers are omitting the interview process due to the tight labor market, reports say.
• Research shows middle market companies face greater retention challenges than larger firms, according to this summary from OMA Connections Partner RSM.
• OMA Connections Partner Roetzel says a 3-2 decision by the National Labor Relations Board means employers involved in unfair labor practice proceedings may be required to compensate suspended and discharged workers beyond back pay and reinstatement.
• To help businesses strengthen employee passwords, OMA Connections Partner Schneider Downs has published this list the top 10 most common passwords of 2022.
• OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published this guidance for HR professionals to prevent and detect fraud within the company.
• Fisher Phillips has also published this insight for employers following federal enactment of same-sex marriage legislation.

Meanwhile, Bricker & Eckler, the OMA’s general counsel, reminds employers to physically (and, if necessary, virtually) post the EEOC’s new “Know Your Rights” poster, released earlier this fall. (Here’s OMA guidance on state and federal posting requirements.) 12/15/2022

HR Roundup: Unemployment Claims Continue to Rise

• Last month, the U.S. labor force participation rate fell for a third straight month to 62.1%. (Ohio’s labor force participation was 61.5% as of October.)
• Ohio has seen eight consecutive weeks of first-time jobless claims.
• The American Enterprise Institute reports research shows 64% of non-working prime-age men were receiving some form of government assistance.
• Planning year-end bonuses? Can’t afford to offer big bonuses? The Dayton Business Journal published this list to help employers mitigate bonus-related issues.
• At 11 a.m. on Dec. 13, OMA Connections Partner GBQ Partners will host a webinar to share 401(k) audit guidance for benefit plans with 100 or more participants.
• At noon on Dec. 14, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips will host a webinar titled, “Wage and Hour: Regular Rate Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – Practical Strategies When Calculating Overtime.”
• Fisher Phillips has published this guidance for companies that have begun to consider reductions-in-force or other layoffs.
• EHS Today has published insight on how to deal with harassment in the workplace.

In other news, Congress could soon require employers to auto-enroll workers in their retirement plans as part of a broader effort to improve the U.S. retirement system, reports say. 12/8/2022

HR Roundup: Ohio’s Jobless Claims Up, Labor Force Participation Down

• Ohio’s latest jobs report shows two different pictures, with more Ohioans out of work, but fewer looking for work. (Here are the most recent labor force estimates by county.)
• OMA Connections Partner Schneider Downs has summarized the IRS’ 2023 cost-of-living adjustments for retirement plans and IRAs.
• Eighty-five percent of C-suite leaders said they felt “human resources” is an outdated term (compared to 73% of HR leaders), a new survey finds.
• To help HR professionals avoid antitrust violations, OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has published this list of red flags and best practices.
• Fisher Phillips has published this summary of a federal court ruling that determined an employee had provided sufficient notice for intermittent FMLA leave due to “flare ups” of recurrent depression.

In other news, Psychology Today has published its list of seven keys to a great workplace culture. 12/2/2022

HR Roundup: Ohio Added 22,500 Manufacturing Jobs Over Past 12 Months

• Ohio’s unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in October, up from 4% in September. (This map shows October’s unemployment rates for all 88 counties.)
• From October 2021 to October 2022, Ohio manufacturers added 22,500 jobs in the non-durable (+12,100) and durable goods (+10,400) sectors.
• Ohio’s manufacturing employees earned an average of $1,026.27 a week in October 2022, an increase of $90.17 from a year earlier. (This Ohio Labor Market Review provides averages for the state’s major metros.)
• New surveys show U.S. employers plan to boost salaries anywhere from 4.6% to 7% in 2023, reports say.
• Technology use and sick-leave policies are among the topics that may need revisions in 2023 employee handbooks, according to experts.

Meanwhile, CNBC reports these 10 words and phrases are the most annoying in workplace jargon, according to a survey of employees. 11/22/2022

Overcoming Toxic Workplace Culture

U.S. employers continue to face labor challenges as 4.1 million workers quit their jobs in September alone.

OMA Connections Partner BSI reports that a recent MIT study found a toxic workplace culture is the top reason people leave their jobs. In this insight, BSI identifies the signs of a declining or toxic work culture — and what employers can do to reverse the trend. 11/16/2022

HR Roundup: Ohio Manufacturing’s Average Hourly Earnings Hit $30.25

• The average hourly earnings of all manufacturing employees in Ohio jumped to $30.25 in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (This compares to $31.23 nationwide in October.)
• A national think tank says Ohio has spent more federal COVID-19 relief funds on unemployment benefits than any other state. (Ohio’s unemployment benefit levels are near the U.S. average, according to this comparison.)
• Employers are still waiting to see if the U.S. Department of Labor will propose wage and hour changes under the federal overtime rule.
• Prioritizing “stay interviews” and evaluating benefits are key ways to boost employee retention, HR experts say.
• Some DEI policies are sending the wrong message, leading to “reverse discrimination,” a new survey warns.

Meanwhile, Congress has passed legislation that would render unenforceable workplace pre-dispute non-disclosure and non-disparagement clauses involving sexual assault and sexual harassment. Here are 10 things employers should know, according to OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips. 11/17/2022