Attorneys from Fisher Phillips recently provided updates on labor and employment topics during the coronavirus pandemic in a COSE webinar.

Topics discussed included:

• Stay in Place Order
• Sick leave + FMLA
• Benefits
• Workers' Comp

Watch a recording of the webinar below:

Please note that the information in this webinar was current as of April 15, 2020. It is important to review applicable regulations and guidance issued after this date to ensure compliance with all legal requirements.

The COSE Workers’ Compensation Program has assisted small to mid-sized businesses with claims and rating needs for the past 20 years. Our workers’ compensation program is one of the resources designed to achieve growth and success for our member clients. Over the last two decades, our program has incorporated a suite of services designed to control cost and increase member client capacity. This includes offering claims management, hearing representation and underwriting support while helping businesses navigate the complexities of Ohio’s workers’ compensation system. We pride ourselves in being the member client’s partner, advisor and advocate in the workers’ compensation arena.

The savings we achieve for our member businesses are just as important as the services we provide. COSE’s state-sponsored group rating plan leverages a strong member base to achieve the highest discounts available in the state of Ohio.  Group rating allows qualified members to achieve workers’ compensation premium discounts as high as 53%. COSE also offers a group retrospective rating plan. Group retrospective rating allows members not otherwise qualified for our standard group plan to achieve performance based rebates on workers’ compensation premiums. Together, these programs save millions of dollars in premium for our member clients every year. 

This year, COSE partnered with Cleveland-based Minute Men Human Resources to provide the claims management activities that support the program. Our program’s dedicated staff at Minute Men HR has over 100 years of combined experience in the workers’ compensation industry. Together we have built a comprehensive program that incorporates valuable services and exceptional savings for Ohio businesses.

Learn more about COSE’s worker’s compensation program or contact us at 216-452-0100 or email us at cose@minutemenhr.com 

The COSE Strategic Planning Course offers small business owners invaluable advice on a range of subjects to help them grow their business. We asked some recent graduates of the program what their takeaways from the course were and during the next several weeks, we’ll be relating to you their insights. Today’s “lesson learned” comes from Maia Ballard of RWJ Wiring, Inc. She talked about the importance of not trying to be a one-person show at your company.

Q: If someone were on the fence about enrolling in the COSE Strategic Planning Course, what would you say to encourage them to enroll in the program? 

Maia Ballard of RWJ Wiring, Inc.

I would tell them it’s the best money you will ever spend in your life. And the reason why is because a lot of times we, as business owners, have been in business a while but when it comes to the COSE Strategic Planning Course, you realize you know nothing. You don’t know as much as you think you know. I came to this class and was completely overwhelmed, stressed out and pulling my hair out and thinking I can’t make it. After 10 weeks, however, I had a new lease on life. They helped me to revise the way I look at my business.

For instance, one class focused on the topic that you shouldn’t be doing everything like the books, the accounting, the payroll. But that’s what I was doing. And that was too overwhelming. So, the first thing I did was I knew I had to get a bookkeeper. I had to get someone qualified to take over that responsibility because it was one less hat I had to wear.

The second thing I learned is that if you don’t have the right people in the right positions in your company to help you grow, then your business is not going to grow efficiently or effectively. I sought to find someone with experience and a master’s degree. You can’t train someone to be that kind of person overnight—especially as a small business person, you don’t have the resources to train them. But if someone comes in the door with that experience, that training and that knowledge, it’s so much easier for them to hit the ground running. That’s something I learned when I came here. I’m still in my 30s, but I’ve been in my business almost 10 years and I had no knowledge this is the way I needed to run my business. I wanted to be the business owner and work in business development, but how can I do that if I’m in the office 80 hours a week? By the time I’m finished doing all that, I’m exhausted.

Also, the mentors and the speakers they brought in are just unbelievable. If you attended all of those talks separately, you would easily spend more than what the course itself costs. In addition, once you go through the course, you become part of a family for life. It’s just like a sorority or a fraternity. Once you join, you’re there forever. You can always come back and sit in on a class to get more education. It’s amazing.

Anyone who is on the fence about signing up, I would tell them that you need to invest in yourself. If you want to be successful, you have to invest in yourself and your business and it will be worth it because you will achieve what you want to achieve.

Learn more about how the COSE Strategic Planning Course can help your business grow.

We asked some recent graduates of the COSE Strategic Planning Course about their takeaways from the course. Today’s “lesson learned” comes from Maia Ballard of RWJ Wiring, who talked about how personality tests can help your business focus in on making the right hire.

• RELATED: Learn how COSE’s Strategic Planning Course can help your business grow

What’s one thing you learned during the COSE Strategic Planning Course that you plan to implement at your business?

Maia Ballard, RWJ Wiring

I think one of the better classes was the one that dealt with doing personality assessments on both yourself and your potential hires. It helps you determine who you are as a person; you think you are this one certain personality and it turns out you have a different personality.

• RELATED: Personality assessments can help you find and retain top talent

The personality assessment class is just amazing for you as an owner because it also helps you choose the people you want on your team. You can’t have 10 of the same types of people on your team. You have to mix and match. You need achievers, mediators, etc., and you need to have everyone on board to make the business successful. It was an eye-opening class because while I had heard about educational assessments and intellectual assessments, doing a personality assessment had never come to my mind.

Had I known about this years ago, it definitely would have changed our whole game. It was one of the best classes and if you’re trying to grow your business, it’s worth making that investment to find out about the personality of the person you’re trying to hire. When you’re hiring people, they will lie, they will try to deceive you, but the truth comes out if you have an independent firm evaluate it. Your hands are off of it entirely and you are not emotionally attached at all. That was one of the best classes I took and I’m glad I did. Next year when they have this class, I am going to audit it when it comes back up because you have to continue to learn and invest in yourself and grow.

Read more on how the COSE Strategic Planning Course can help your business succeed by checking out the other stories in our “Lesson Learned” series:

• Lesson Learned: Have an Exit Strategy

• Lesson Learned: Make the Business Stand On Its Own

• Lesson Learned: Don’t Do It All Yourself

Generation Z is just entering the workforce, but by 2020, will make up 20% of the total workforce. They have different work styles and expectations than generations that came before. While they will likely be compared to millennials, they have distinct personality types. Read on below for what to expect from this up and coming generation.

• RELATED: Here’s a refresher on the characteristics that comprise the millennial generation.

Workplace expectations

In terms of workplace expectations, their expected salary post-graduation is $46,799. As a millennial who entered the workforce less than a decade ago, my initial salary was significantly lower. However, 77% of Generation Z expect to work harder than previous generations, thus earning the salaries they command. Unlike millennials, who job hop frequently, Generation Z plans to work for no more than four companies during their career. They are looking for companies who will invest in them and vice versa. Commitment from both parties is what they are seeking.

Attitude toward work

Their attitudes about their careers are also different than prior generations. More than eight out of 10 (82%) say their parents will help to influence their career decisions. They have a great deal of respect for their parents who likely navigated a recession while raising them. This will also provide them with the fortune of getting along well with Generation X managers in the workplace. An additional 30% say they would take a 10% to 20% pay cut to work for a company with a mission they care deeply about. This aligns closely with millennials who are philanthropists at heart and care more about mission than money. They are also eyeing retirement and perhaps entrepreneurship with 50% stating they would like to retire before age 60 but understanding they may need to work longer.

Working with Gen Z

Now that we know a little bit about them, how will we work with them? First, they prefer a collaborative work environment in an office setting. They would like to collaborate in small groups and really get to know their coworkers. This is different than millennials who are strong advocates for telework and work/life balance with much work being completed outside of the office and the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday. Interestingly, when polled Generation Z found it least ideal to be working offsite with a virtual team. The biggest reason for this is that Generation Z prefers face-to-face communication.

Similar to the war on talent that took place as Millennials entered the workforce, HR departments will need to think through how to manage this new generation to ensure they are recruiting the best and brightest.

• RELATED: Your how-to guide on engaging millennials in the workplace.

What’s one way to do that? HR departments will need to ensure they are listening and doing their homework to understand the multiple generations in the workplace and their different work styles.

Ashley Basile Oeken is president of Engage! Cleveland, a nonprofit whose mission is to attract, engage and retain young, diverse talent to the Greater Cleveland area. Learn more about her organization’s work by clicking here.