If you are like me, you've probably made at least one or two New Year’s resolutions like going to the gym more or tackling some projects around the house this year. What about resolutions at work? Sure, you probably know the timeline for required reporting and plan accordingly each year, but what about those other activities that are not associated with an annual requirement that you keep putting on the back burner? Do you make plans for when you accomplish those?

“What happens when you hire a person with disabilities is you see how we do our jobs and then the mystery is over and we’re not special anymore. We become a part of the fabric of the work culture.” - Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, who is also blind. Before moving into Human Resources, I spent several years working in the disability insurance industry. I worked with employees experiencing some of the most challenging circumstances anyone can expect to encounter in their lifetime. Many found their way back to gainful employment after recovering, or learning to live with medical and mental health diagnosis such as permanent paralysis, agoraphobia, cancer, fibromyalgia, depression and multiple sclerosis, to name a few. What made the difference in these employees’ lives was the support of fearless employers and human resource professionals who looked past assumptions about limitations to see the possibilities. On the other hand, some employers have fears of heavy burdens and unmanageable expenses related to hiring and accommodating employees with qualifying disabilities. These fears, when acted upon, can lead to discriminatory hiring and employment practices. I can say that in my experience, which is extensive, the fears are of the unknown, with little bearing in reality or when compared to the very real benefits of hiring talented employees, embracing diversity and limiting discrimination claims. 3 Business Tax Incentives to Offset Accomodation Costs While there may be time and expense related to providing reasonable accommodations, businesses have many tax credits available to them for offsetting cost, including: Disabled Access Credit: This is a credit for small businesses that incur expenditures for providing access to persons with disabilities. An eligible small business may take the credit each and every year they incur access expenditures. Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction: This deduction allows businesses to claim up to $15,000 a year in qualified expenses, for items that normally must be capitalized, to remove architectural and transportation barriers to the mobility of persons with disabilities. Work Opportunity Credit: This credit provides eligible employers a tax credit up to 40 percent on the first year’s wages (up to $6,000) for a new employee with a credit-qualifying disability. Finding the right talent in the 21st century workforce will become increasingly challenging. Organizations cannot afford to overlook any source of valuable contributors if they want to stay competitive. At Helios HR, we help our clients develop smart solutions and the sound policy needed to both accomplish business goals and support a spirit of diversity and inclusion.

What does it mean to be an inclusive workplace environment? Employees vary greatly in every organization. When making a decision to hire an individual based on whether they “fit” into the culture many companies view an individual’s personality, attitude and whether they are able to be trained to excel in the position or if they are currently equipped to handle the responsibilities immediately. Many employers probably never think about how to integrate a transgender employee into the organization’s environment or how well the organization succeeds or fails can be life-altering for all involved.

Did you know there are five generations in today's modern workforce? Now, if we could just get everyone to all work together! Let's take a quick review of each generation and their traits before we delve into the common problems we see our clients face...