Knight added to People Lease team

People Lease is proud to announce the return of Janice Knight to our team. Janice brings with her over 20 years of experience in administrative support and customer service.

As a professional who understands the innovative People Lease system, Janice has a track record of providing excellent assistance in payroll, accounting, benefits, insurance and marketing. Janice has a strong commitment to enhancing the client experience and her contributions will be utilized throughout the organization.

Janice lives in Clinton with her husband Robert, son Christopher and three dogs. She enjoys vacations with her grandchildren, who live in Vicksburg and Greenville SC.

Jaynee Sindledecker named 2012 Employee of the Year

People Lease is pleased to announce that Jaynee Sindledecker has been named Employee of the Year for 2012.

A People Lease employee since 2010, Jaynee joined our staff with several years of experience in payroll. Her responsibilities include semi-monthly new hire reporting, Magnolia Federal Credit Union enrollments, and 401(k) deduction setup and payment processing. In August 2012, she received the Fundamental Payroll Concepts credential through the American Payroll Association. She is in the process of obtaining the Certified Payroll Professional credential.

A California native, Jaynee moved to Mississippi in 2005. She is married to Doug Sindledecker and they have two children. Jaynee enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and is involved in choir and handbells in her church.

People Lease recognizes Margaret White’s years of service

Payroll and back-office service provider People Lease is pleased to celebrates accountant and tax specialist Margaret White’s 14th anniversary with the company.

A People Lease employee since November 1998, Margaret is considered the backbone of the People Lease organization. She handles bill payments, makes deposits and files federal and multi-state tax payments. No role at People Lease has greater fiscal implications or is more deadline-driven.

“Margaret’s can-do attitude and on-the-job insights make her one of the organization’s most valuable assets. We’re very lucky to have her,” says Director of Operations, Ken Lewis.

Margaret lives in Jackson and is the mother of two children, grandmother of three, and has a dog named Max.

Jaynee Sindledecker receives American Payroll Association certificate

Jaynee Sindledecker, Payroll Specialist for People Lease, receives her certificiate from the American Payroll Association from People Lease Operations Manager, Ken Lewis. Sindledecker recently completed the Foundations of Payroll Certification program of the American Payroll Association, the first of the two most prestigious certifications offered by the national organization. APA certifications are valuable, objective credentials that verifies a specific level of knowledge, skills, and abilities in the payroll profession.

A People Lease employee since 2010, Sindledecker's responsibilities include monthly new hire reporting and enrollment in Magnolia Federal Credit Union, Blue Cross Blue Shield bill reconciliation and payment, and premium deduction set-up. Sindledecker will test for the Certified Payroll Professional certification, the American Payroll Association's highest certification offered to payroll professionals late this year. People Lease is a full-service, employee administration company operating in Ridgeland for more than 28 years.

Make Sure Your Employees Take Their Vacations

Many employees don't take all their vacation days. If they're not, both they and your business will suffer.

Why wouldn't an employee want to take the paid vacation you provide? In the current economy, many employees are afraid to take vacation because of how it might reflect opinions of their work performance. Many just don't have the available funds to go out of town.

It's up to you to make sure they know their job will be waiting for them when they return. After all, you need employees who stay fresh so they won't suffer from fatigue or burn-out.

If they're worried about spending the extra cash, let them know it's okay to try a stay-cation and work won't be calling to bug them just because they're home.

People Lease Service

Businesses succeed or fail based on one very important factor: service. Here at People Lease, we consider our success to be a direct result of the hard work we put into keeping our customers happy.

At People Lease we handle the back-office chores associated with employee administration. We provide companies with services like payroll, benefits, retirement, and deal with making sure our customers stay compliant with federal and state regulations. To do this effectively we work closely with our clients to make sure their needs are always met.

We know that every business is unique with its own unique problems. We service clients both large and small. No matter what size the company is, our staff is completely dedicated to providing perfect service. Our clients know that the well-being of their employees is one of the most important aspects of a successful business and we know that any difficulty will affect an employee’s peace of mind. That’s why any small problem is a big deal to us.

At the end of the day, People Lease clients know that we’re there for them. Our clients can always pick up the phone and talk to one of our payroll specialists and get personalized solutions to their employee administration concerns. If you want more information on what we can do for your company call us today at 601-987-3025.

Disaster Recovery Plans

With hurricane season on its way, small business owners might want to find the time to think about their disaster recovery plans. Of course, businesses should always be prepared for disasters at any time. You never know when you could be faced with flood, fire, accidents, or even computer malfunction.

Having a good plan in place can significantly reduce the costs incurred and can be the deciding factor in your company's survival in the event of a disaster.

To start on your disaster recovery plan, first you need to find out what events are most likely to cause disruption in your business and plan accordingly.

Over the years more and more businesses have begun to rely on computers to run their business. As a result, businesses need to develop effective back-up and recovery strategies to reduce the impact of disruptive events. Keeping your records backed-up and secure are essential to any disaster recovery plan. Many businesses use on-site or remote backup drives to keep their data secure. A newer option is cloud computing, where your information is stored via the internet. Look around to see what's right for your business.

Another factor to think of is how you will access the data in the event of an emergency. Will you need an alternate worksite or will employees be able to do their work from home? Will communication be disrupted?

Of course, the most important part of any disaster recovery plan is the safety of employees and patrons. Make sure employees are well-trained in what to do in case of emergency.

Here at People Lease, Hurricane Katrina was a definite eye-opener in the importance of disaster recovery plans. We would be glad to share our experiences with any business owners looking to make their own plan. Contact us anytime at 601-987-3025.

Background Checks

For the past few weeks we’ve been posting about hiring methods and practices (you can find the posts here). During our research, one of the things we’ve discovered is that an essential part of the hiring process is checking out a prospect’s background. You really can’t afford to be surprised by a candidate’s previous history. After all, if an employee's actions hurt someone, the employer may be liable. A bad decision can wreak havoc on a company's budget and reputation.

People Lease offers a fantastic employment screening service to all our clients. With our service you’re able to establish a prospect’s identity, obtain driving and criminal records, get information on illegal substance tests, confirm the existence & validity of licenses, and confirm education & employment information provided on their resume. Another part of the service includes contacting references with customized questions (according to job description) about their relationships with the applicant, and his or her personal and professional reputation and activities.

People Lease is here to help you with hiring and all aspects of employee administration. To learn more about these services and others, please contact us today.

A quick checklist to help guide you through the hiring process

• Determine the need to establish a new or fill an existing position.
• Make sure an updated job description for the position is on file.
• Consult the job description to identify the required knowledge, skills, and experience required.
• Calculate the available compensation, including pay and benefits.
• Train managers on how to conduct effective interviews.
• Create an advertisement or recruiting campaign for the job position.
• Contact applicants to schedule interviews.
• Contact top candidates' references.
• Meet with the relevant decision-makers to select a candidate.
• Present the offer letter.
• Conduct background checks.
• Schedule New Employee and Department Orientations.
• Document all new hire paperwork into the employee's HR file

Avoiding Hiring Mistakes

Whether you're growing your business or replacing staff members, you want to find quality employees. You already have applicants and after looking through our recent posts on hiring, you think you're ready to find the right person. You know that the wrong person can cost your company time and money. But all too often, businesses make hiring mistakes.

There are several hiring mistakes to avoid. Common problems start with the interview. You need to be clear about the job's requirements up front and stay on target. You don't want to hire someone based solely on their personality or appearance without asking questions related to the position. Also, don't mistake a candidate's nervousness for lack of ability. Interviews can be intimidating for anyone, especially if it's a surprise group interview.

Another mistake is paying too much attention to the candidate's degree over their experience. There's just no substitute for a proven track record.  Don't forget, you're looking for someone who has a good feel for the position and will be a good fit for your team. You might consider involving your current employees, as well.  After all, they're the ones who will be interacting with the person hired. Getting your employee's input can help strengthen their involvement and loyalty for the company.

Possibly the most important mistake to avoid is not checking candidate's backgrounds. If you're serious about a potential employee, make sure their work history is accurate and check a few references. Internet giant Yahoo recently made this mistake when their new CEO's resume listed a degree he didn't actually have. In addition to the work history and references, background checks are very handy. You certainly don't want to hire a professional embezzler or someone who's been convicted of stealing from the company warehouse.

Hiring is always a daunting task but if you remember these rules while going through your interviews you'll be one step ahead of the game.

The role of social media in hiring

So you've decided to do a little hiring and you're going through the resumes and talking to references as these things have always been done. But what about the new tool in the hiring toolbox?

Social media is a huge part of American culture these days and it's naturally extended into hiring practices. Many managers are looking at job seekers' profiles to find out who is company material.

What can employers find out about a candidate through social media sites? Many look to see if the applicant conveys a professional image and what communication skills they have. Managers can also see if the candidate's background info supports their professional qualifications. In most cases, employers look to get a good idea of the candidate's overall personality.

Of course, social media is also a means by which employers weed out candidates. The most common strike against job seekers is posting inappropriate or provocative pictures online. Drinking and drug use is also a factor in rejecting candidates. Additionally, employers tend not to hire those with poor communication skills, have bad-mouthed a previous employer, and who make discriminatory remarks.

If you're looking to hire, you wouldn't be the first to take advantage of social media to find out a little about who your candidates really are. Of course, businesses have to be very careful when using social media not to discriminate against potential employees in order to stay in line with the law.