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Author: Poppy Williams, techbizguide.com

As your business grows and you begin hiring, you must research employee benefits and develop a package to offer. A paid time off program can help your business provide support and flexibility to employees. Understanding the complexities of PTO policies enables you to design a fair-minded and sensible program for your company. Keystone Business Brokers offers some tips that can help you get this program off the ground.

1. Differences From Paid Leave

A survey showed that most workers employed by private businesses receive some form of paid leave as part of their compensation, with some industries offering paid vacation for over 90% of employees. In the past, companies often had separate categories for vacation days and sick days. Today, many businesses have moved to a PTO model in which both planned and unplanned time off come from the same pool.

2. Advantages of a PTO Model

Studies have found that overworking can be harmful to employees and businesses alike, and offering PTO is one way you can prevent stress and burnout. Taking time off allows employees to stay refreshed, productive and engaged. The benefits you provide demonstrate to your employees that you value their contributions and well-being. Furthermore, a solid benefits program can help you recruit and retain a great team.

3. Pitfalls To Avoid

Unfortunately, there are drawbacks associated with PTO policies. Your policy should account for those who abuse their PTO. For example, if you have an employee who takes excessive unplanned absences, your PTO program should clearly outline how to deal with them.

Additionally, if workers perceive the policy as unfair or insufficient, it could contribute to employee dissatisfaction. Avoid creating scenarios in which employees have PTO but cannot easily use it, thus losing their compensation.

4. Benefits To Consider

As you design your company’s PTO policy, there are many details you must consider. For example, depending on your hiring model, you should determine if PTO benefits are only for full-time employees or if you’ll extend some support for part-time or contract workers.

Furthermore, you can give unlimited PTO or allow employees to accrue it throughout the year. With the latter model, you must determine if employees can borrow PTO from the future or roll over unused PTO to the next year. Some businesses pay employees for unused PTO to reward regular attendance.

Setting clear guidelines regarding how and when to request time off prevents unfairness and scheduling mishaps. You should also have regulations regarding paid and public holidays and how those differ from PTO.

5. Tasks To Outsource

Business consultants can help companies design and present a new PTO program. Depending on their level of skill and experience, keep in mind that the marketing consultant hourly rate is generally between $23 and $98 per hour. Online job platforms feature reviews, pricing, and timing information that allow you to find the right consultant.

You can present your employees with a written account of the PTO policy and ask them to sign the document to ensure they understand and agree. PDFs are excellent for creating professional contracts that are accessible and properly formatted. When you need to reduce the file size to make it easier to send online, use a PDF compressor tool. It maintains the document’s structure and elements and the quality of fonts and images.

A program that allows employees to take time off while still being paid can benefit your team and business. Although there are disadvantages to using a PTO model, creating a policy with clear guidelines for handling various situations can help you avoid the drawbacks.

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During this chaotic economy, businesses are adopting creative strategies to stay afloat. We all optimistically hope that business will rebound by the summer of 2021. When and if the marketplace bounces back, the business environment will be changed. The consumer is a creature of habit, and the method of purchasing goods and services has changed during the pandemic.

Online purchasing has increased exponentially creating opportunities for retailers to sell goods via the internet causing the demise of many large retail chains to shrink and eventually go out of business.

Gyms have gone out of business due to membership cancellations. Exercise equipment companies like Peloton, Nordic Track, and Mirror are heavily promoting their home gym equipment that in some cases daily online classes. This is an example of blending a product with a service. Sales of home fitness equipment have skyrocketed. Peloton stationary bike currently will take 8 to 10 weeks to ship.

Business owners have to reevaluate their position in their markets and adapt to the changing economy.

Foodservice Survival – The Cloud Kitchen
Cloud Kitchens, also known as Ghost kitchens are a new phenomenon in the foodservice business. During these times restaurants are finding it difficult to stay afloat. Many eateries have offered outdoor dining to pick up business, but this will slow down and possibly disappear as the winter approaches.
Recently, I called in an order to a local pizzeria and when I arrived I was startled to see all the cars double-parked in front of the retail location. Upon entering, I stepped into a long line of patrons waiting to pick up their dinners. The line circled around the tables in the restaurant and the few customers eating in were surrounded by the customers who came to pick up their meals. The individuals eating looked annoyed by the situation and probably would not dine there again.

This is an example of a popular Italian restaurant surviving in this climate because the food is excellent. In order to survive the current crisis and become more profitable, the owners should consider converting this pizza restaurant to a Cloud Kitchen format. When I called in my order I was told it would be ready in 20 minutes, I arrived 25 minutes later. Having to stand in line for approximately another 20 minutes was annoying. If the owner of this establishment would convert to the Ghost Kitchen concept he would have a smoother operating business and certainly more satisfied customers.

Changing the format for a traditional restaurant to a Cloud-based requires a new mindset. If the owner decides to leave the current location they can lease a smaller space in a less visible location not requiring parking. This will require only kitchen staff. No longer a need for dishes, glasses, or utensils, just disposable packaging. These are all cost-saving changes that will help increase the bottom line.

Restauranteurs will need to create a marketing strategy that will include keeping their current customers and bringing in new customers. As we have all heard time and again that social media marketing is the way to promote your business. The one drawback is how do customers find your webpage? This is where traditional time-tested methods still work such as direct mail, circulars, and if you can afford radio spots referencing your web presence.
Cloud Restaurants need delivery service and there are several well-known providers that they can partner with. GrubHub is probably the most well known, Uber Eats and DoorDash have apps that can be download. The benefit of these delivery services is that the restaurant does not have to invest in additional software or add staff to deliver their meals. The delivery services also promote the restaurant’s brand by featuring their menus on their websites and apps. This gives the restaurant a wider exposure to drawing new customers.

Another alternative is a hybrid location combining both traditional and cloud-based operations. Using the aforementioned pizzeria which has a big following they could scale back the dining area and erecting a partition. This would allow the take-out customer an area to stand and adding more cash registers to process customers. Also, the few people dining in the restaurant would not be annoyed.

Surviving in the New Normal: Formulate a New Business Model

Small businesses are struggling to survive the current pandemic, many businesses have closed and will never reopen, others are on life-support. Trying to stay afloat during these times is only prolonging the inevitable which is insolvency. Business owners must become proactive, and take an analytical approach to reinvent their business to be competitive and Profitable.

We are in the fifth month of this pandemic and it appears that the crises are not abating, but escalating. It’s up to each business person to look into their company to implement a strategic plan to become solvent during these uncertain times.

The SWOT analysis is an acronym for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. The four categories are divided into two groups internal and external. This is a way of examining your company’s position in the marketplace.

Strengths, write a description of what traits your company has proficiency making them stand out against competitors.

Weaknesses, what are areas of your business that need improvement.

Opportunities, external circumstances offer an opening to advance the company’s position in the marketplace. Examples are new technology, new relationships, filling a void in the market.

Threats, the environmental factors that are out of your control, but you have to find solutions and deal with them.

After addressing the above categories the analyst should determine how to address these four elements and strategize a plan to move the organization forward.

                                            Sample SWOT Analysis

Once you have completed the SWOT analysis you can navigate your enterprise to a more profitable position. In some instances, owners and managers have ascertained areas that should be scaled back and niches that they could expand, and capture more market share.

There are several free and inexpensive programs on the internet available.

CNET offers downloads @ https://download.cnet.com/s/swot/.

The Cautious Slowly Evolving New Normal by NJ & PA Governors
We are now in the third month of the Covid-19 quarantine. The State of New Jersey is still in a lockdown mode. Governor Murphy is taking a cautious approach because new jersey has experienced a high rate of infections and deaths due to the coronavirus.

Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania has announced that on June 5, 2020, the commonwealth will relax the quarantine for Southeastern Pennsylvania. He further stated that sixteen counties will go green and red counties will go yellow.

An interesting story I recently viewed on television about Easton PA. Mayor Sal Panto has plans to help local retailers and restaurants. His plan is to close city streets to traffic between 4:00 PM and midnight, Thursday through Sunday. This will allow retailers to display merchandise outside and allow dining at a safe social distance.

Kudos to Mayor Parto for his proactive leadership in supporting the Easton, PA economy. Hopefully, this will be a model for other mayors to follow.

According to NJ.com, Governor Phil Murphy is slowly easing the Covid-19 restrictions in New Jersey. The Governor said he is “taking deliberate incremental steps in reopening the state and avoiding large steps taken together.”

Stores & supermarkets deemed essential, from CVS, Walmart and Costco to ShopRite and Trader Joe’s are open
The essential businesses that remain open — some with limitations — include:
Auto repair shops
Banks and other financial institutions
Bars and restaurants (for drive-through, delivery and takeout only)
Bicycle shops (but only to provide service and repairs)
Convenience stores and grocery stores (any stores that sell food)
Farming equipment stores
Food banks
Gas stations
Gun shops
Hardware stores
Laundromats and dry-cleaning services
Liquor stores
Livestock feed stores
Mail and package delivery stores
Medical supply stores
Microbreweries or brewpubs (for home delivery only)
Mobile phone retail and repair shops
Nurseries and garden centers
Office supply stores and printing shops
Pet stores
Pet groomers, pet daycare providers and pet boarding businesses
Pharmacies and medical marijuana dispensaries
Stores that sell items for religious observance or worship
Stores that sell supplies for young children

In closing, I would like to say that the Delaware Valley will continue to lose businesses. Some business owners have become creative in adapting their business model by offering pick-up and delivery options, while others have become more aggressive with their online presence. Unfortunately, these are survival tactics and slow the rate of hemorrhaging cash. The fixed costs for restaurants and retail stores can not meet the expenses to creditors when a business is not allowed to use the full capacity of its buildings. Contact your city and town officials ask them to implement the Easton model as a possible way of increasing sales volume. It’s time for local officials to step up and help.

Please let us know what innovative ideas you or others have used to stimulate sales during this pandemic. nick@kbizbrokers.com

Be safe, wear your mask, gloves, and wash your hands.

BUSINESSES SURVIVING COVID-19

These days there is a plethora of information available on television, the internet, and various news media. Many reporters have adopted curation journalism. This type of reporting requires the correspondent to sift through all the available information, find the relevant facts, and craft it into a thorough accurate message. In this week’s blog post I have reviewed much of the current information obtainable from credible sources to forecast what businesses can expect as this pandemic continues and its aftermath. A CDC spokesperson stated on TV that a vaccine may not be available until 2022 which indicates the economy will be in a state of oscillation for the next couple of years.

One of the businesses that have been dramatically affected by this epidemic is the foodservice industry which I will use as an example for this blog post. Some restaurant owners to keep the cash flowing are offering customers pickup and delivery options. This is not a long term solution, because the sales volume is not sufficient to cover the overhead costs. This tactic is covering some costs, but not producing enough income to pay all expenses and earn a profit. To stay in business, the restauranteurs have to be malleable to the current market forces. They should consider finding smaller locations for cutting expenses or partitioning their existing building and subletting. With a smaller retail space consisting of a kitchen, check out, providing takeout, and offering prepackaged catered meals for home consumption.

The food supply chain is shifting most of its packaging from institutional to the consumer. Since institutional is in bulk containers, and consumer marketing packaging is more expensive expect prices to go up at the supermarkets.

Twitter just announced that employees who are currently working from home can continue to do so after the quarantine is over. There are benefits for the organizations that adopt a work from the home business model. Less office space is required which lowers fixed overhead costs. For employees, there is a restructuring of office hours. In many cases, the employees can accomplish their assignments at their own time and schedules. Many of these workers were employed in downtown locations which have many businesses that depend on their patronage. Just a 20% drop in sales volume can be devastating for these businesses.

As the marketplace changes entrepreneurs must look for opportunities for growth and expansion. As stated previously delivery for restaurants will increase exponentially thus creating a need for companies like GrubHub. Also, the delivery service can be extended for many other businesses such as dry cleaners, retailers, and grocery stores.

In closing, people are creatures of habit, and as time passes the consumer will adjust to the new economy. Lifestyles will change and consumer buying habits will be different. Restaurants will eventually reopen, but they will accommodate fewer patrons due to social distancing. The operating costs will remain the same which will be a problem.

Entrepreneurs will have to look for niches in the marketplace and capitalize on them. My former office-mate, a Khe-Sanh Marine used a phrase that applies to the current situation, “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.”

Notice: Effective today, 5/15/2020, all future blog posts will be published on the first and fifteenth of the month.

U.S. Department of Commerce Announces Availability of $1.5 Billion in CARES Act Funds to Aid Communities Impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic
Investing in communities and workers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 482-4883
publicaffairs@doc.gov

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is now accepting applications from eligible grantees for  Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) supplemental funds (EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance) intended to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
“President Trump is working tirelessly to make sure Americans stay safe during this crisis and that our economy is loaded to spring back when this global scourge recedes,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance funds will support the long-term recovery of communities across the nation that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.”
“EDA’s CARES Act Recovery Assistance is designed to provide a wide range of financial assistance to communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of this pandemic,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “We intend to deploy our CARES Act funding as quickly, effectively, and efficiently as possible, and in a manner that meets the needs of our  communities.”

On March 27, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act into law. The CARES Act provides EDA with $1.5 billion of which $1.467 billion is available for grantmaking. The remaining funds will be transferred to cover salaries and expenses and oversight activities.
The Secretary’s announcement comes as EDA has published an Addendum to its Fiscal Year 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity (FY20 PWEAA NOFO) making the funds available.

Under this announcement, EDA will make CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants under the authority of its Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, which is intended to be flexible and responsive to the economic development needs and priorities of local and regional stakeholders.
EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance investments will support a wide range of non-construction and construction activities, including Revolving Loan Funds, in regions across the country experiencing severe economic dislocations brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Examples of projects that EDA may fund through its CARES Act Recovery Assistance include economic recovery planning and preparing technical assistance strategies to address economic dislocations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, preparing or updating resiliency plans to respond to future pandemics, implementing entrepreneurial support programs to diversify economies, and constructing public works and facilities that will support economic recovery, including the deployment of broadband for purposes including supporting telehealth and remote learning for job skills.

From: US Chamber of Commerce website
How to Access Stimulus Funding for Your Small Business
In March Congress passed the $2 trillion-dollar Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a stimulus package that includes several programs aimed at small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Demand for the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)< https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/ >paycheck-protection-program has been massive since the application window opened on April 3. The original $349 billion allocated for the PPP ran out in mid-April. On April 24, Congress passed legislation to replenish funds for small business loan programs.

What’s New: The newest legislation will allocate another $310 billion to the PPP and an additional $10 billion to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) grant program. The bill also includes $60 billion for other economic disaster loans for small businesses, with half of that amount reserved for community financial institutions and smaller banks and credit unions.

Wondering what new programs you should apply for? Unsure how to apply? Read on.

What Loan Program Should I Use?
Although the PPP has been the most popular loan program for small businesses, it may not be the right solution for every business. Be sure to check out other loan options from the Small Business Administration (SBA), other federal loan programs, and organizations and companies providing grant money.
Here are some new federal programs aimed at helping businesses impacted by coronavirus:

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): This has been the most popular option for small business owners. It’s a loan, that can become a grant if certain requirements are met. It was designed to help businesses keep their employees on the payroll.

Details: Interest is to be no more than 4% and the amount applicants receive is based on a calculation of average monthly payroll cost multiplied by 2.5, to cover two and a half months of payroll (including healthcare costs and paid sick leave) with a maximum loan amount of $10 million.
Who is Eligible? Small businesses, 501 c3 nonprofits with fewer than 500 employees, certain veterans organizations, sole proprietors, the self-employed, individual contractors.

Ready to Apply? If you are a small business owner this step-by-step guide < https://www.uschamber.com/report/guide-small-business-covid-19-emergency-loans > will walk you through the process. If you are an independent contractor or sole proprietor use this guide < https://www.uschamber.com/report/independent-contractors-guide-cares-act-relief >. If you are a nonprofit use this guide <https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/reports/coronavirus-emergency-loans-guide-and-checklist-small-businesses-and-nonprofits >.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): The CARES Act expanded the SBA’s long-standing EIDL program, which assists businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.
Details: The SBA will provide initial EIDL loan disbursements of up to $15,000, in addition to a grant of up to $10,000 that does not have to be paid back if used on certain expenses. However, if a small business owner gets both an EIDL grant and a PPP loan, the forgiveness of the PPP loan would be reduced by the amount of the grant.
Who is Eligible? Businesses with fewer than 500 employees; cooperatives, ESOPs, and tribal small businesses with fewer than 500 employees; sole proprietors; independent contractors; and most private nonprofits.
Ready to Apply? If you are a small business owner contact the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and will walk you through the process. If you are an independent contractor or sole proprietor  < https://www.uschamber.com/report/independent-contractors-guide-cares-act-relief >.
Other New Federal Programs: In addition to loan programs, the CARES Act also expanded paid sick and family leave requirements and enacted a tax credit to provide further assistance to businesses.
Temporary Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act created new temporary paid sick leave and paid Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) programs that are 100% reimbursable by the federal government. Check requirements, eligibility, and exemptions using this guide < https://www.uschamber.com/report/guide-coronavirus-paid-leave-programs >.
Employee Retention Tax Credit: A 50% tax credit for the first $10,000 of compensation, including the employer portion of health benefits, for each eligible employee. Check eligibility and calculate your tax credit using this guide < https://www.uschamber.com/report/guide-the-employee-retention-tax-credit >.