HR To Do List: May 2022

May is typically a slower month for HR, but never fear! There’s always something important to get done! Slower months can mean a greater opportunity to focus on your company culture, plan some fun office events, and get everyone ready for summer. Whether the dog days of summer are your peak months or your slowest, some preparation is needed to get everyone ready.

HR To-Do’s

Now is the time to start getting ready for summer:

• Do you need to hire temporary or part-time staff for the summer months? Get your jobs posted, strategically analyze the avenues that worked best for you last year, and make a plan to hire top-notch employees. 
• Are there some partners you’ve worked with in the past to find temporary employees? High schools, community colleges, universities? Have you utilized job posting sites specific to your industry, town, or county? What about taking it back to the ’80s and posting a job on the bulletin board at the library? Or Starbucks? Have you worked with your local Chamber of Commerce to post a job? Let us know your best route to fantastic summer employees….we’re listening! 
• Coordinate vacation schedules. The summer months are prime vacation times…for good reason. Request that employees get their vacation requests turned in as early as possible so you can ensure the correct amount of coverage for your company. A retailer won’t be able to accommodate as many vacations in the same week as an office-based business may be able to accommodate. Be sure you know how many people you need at work each day, and don’t over-approve those vacation requests! 
• Have you performed an HR Audit lately? Slower months are a great time to make sure you’re in compliance. Are all your employee files complete? Are your payroll records maintained? Have you checked your employee terminations against your medical carrier’s invoices? 

Calendar Items

Don’t forget to honor those around us and also have some fun this month! 

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month as well as Jewish American Heritage Month. How will you acknowledge them? Perhaps you have a Diversity Committee that will do some Lunch and Learn sessions? Perhaps you have employees who would like to lead others on a “field trip” to a local museum to learn more about Asian, Pacific Islander, or Jewish cultures? Whatever you do, be sure your events are respectful, inclusive, and align appropriately with the intent of these month-long events of honor. 

Cinco de Mayo is May 5th! Perhaps a Cinco de Mayo party is more your office’s speed? Throw a party (again, watch the alcohol intake) and do double duty by educating employees about the true meaning of Cinco de Mayo, which is a celebration of the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. 

The Kentucky Derby will be held on May 7th! Maybe it’s time to throw an office Derby party! The glamour of the Derby is undeniable – get your employees to design their own Derby hats and host a competition for the “Wackiest Hat,” “Most Beautiful Hat,” “Best REAL Derby Hat”…the possibilities are endless! Just go easy on the Mint Juleps in the office! (Oh…and….no betting, either!) 

Mother’s Day is May 8th this year. Working moms may not wear capes, but they are indeed super heroes! Honor them and show them how much you appreciate them making your company a balanced priority in their lives. (And honor Dads in June, too!)

The Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 29th…and even Indy can be a great chance to create some fun at the office. Do you have racing fans on staff? Have them teach the team about the legends of Indy Car racing, how it’s different from NASCAR, about the traditions surrounding the Indianapolis 500. Why does the winner pour milk over himself to celebrate his victory?! Even a trivia contest with simple prizes gets people thinking about something other than work for a few minutes on a Friday afternoon…and in the long run, that keeps them more engaged and less burnt out!