Keeping up with compliance as a small HR team can honestly feel like a juggling act. Between managing benefits, payroll, documentation, and staying on top of new laws, it’s easy for compliance to slip through the cracks. It has happened to all of us.. Unfortunately, the consequences of those slips can be huge - penalties, lawsuits, or worse.
So, how do we manage it all without feeling completely overwhelmed or defeated?
Here is how we do it inside Acacia.
Keeping up with compliance is one of those areas where knowledge is half the battle.. There’s always a new minimum wage law or benefits change around the corner, and if you don’t know about them, you can’t ensure your org is compliant. Government websites like the DOL and IRS are a good place to start. They update their guidelines frequently, but honestly, if you are anything like me, you find them a bit difficult to navigate or understand sometimes with all the legalese.
Here are a few tips and tricks that I've developed over the past few years, since I now juggle multiple clients with similar needs and have an internal team to keep up with.
First, I like to rely on my HRIS systems. Having HRIS systems that send me reminders about filing deadlines, policy updates, or other regulatory requirements is a huge help when there’s a lot going on.
Most modern HRIS/payroll systems will send these updates. They are also great at ensuring payroll compliance with tax filings or ensuring you have your employee paperwork in order. (sidebar: our favorite HRIS system for small employers is Paylocity. If you are considering a switch in 2025, we may be able to get you a discount)
If you are on Quickbooks or a small payroll system, you may not get the same updates which leads me to our next tip.
Second, I am signed up for HR newsletters and blogs so all of the updates are sent straight to my email. These range from lawyer blogs to HR newsletters that pull the top 10 articles from the week.
To help me avoid inbox overwhelm, I have them filtered into a folder and once a week, I go through and note the important updates I need to be aware of or take immediate action on.
Third, I love reaching out to my own HR network I’ve spent the last six years building. These include my peers, my team, our clients, and even the folks I meet through networking events or attend webinars with. Even during a casual conversation, I’m always picking up tips from folks who deal with the same issues.
So now that you know how we stay informed, let me tell you how we ensure our small employer clients are compliant.
We put all of our clients on an annual handbook review schedule. At the same time each year we review their handbook just to see if there are policies that need to be updated based on current laws. This could be updates that we already rolled out separately, but just haven’t included in the handbook yet.
We also regularly audit compliance processes. This is something we do immediately during new client onboarding, but on a regular basis, we will walk through compliance processes to ensure we keep them current.
As soon we as know of a new change coming that is going to impact our clients, we start talking about it. We create an initial game plan, even if the effective date is months away. This ensures we aren’t scrambling at the last minute to get them compliant.
The last thing I do that has been so helpful is that I try to keep a compliance calendar that tracks all the important deadlines - things like compliance reporting, employee training, etc - so nothing sneaks up on me. And as mentioned above, I also block out specific times during every month to focus on compliance, so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Working in a small HR team or flying solo is not an easy task and compliance will always have to remain a priority. Accomplishing this doesn't have to be scary. It's all about finding ways to stay on top of things without losing your mind.
Using the right tools, networking with others, staying informed, and reviewing policies regularly are all small steps that, over time, make a big difference. Compliance might be a lot to handle, but with a little organization and the right mindset, it’s totally doable. You got this.
Let’s Make Compliance Easy!
Feeling overwhelmed by compliance? We’ve got you.
Our audit services can help you spot gaps, simplify your processes, and stay ahead of the game.
Let’s talk! Book a quick call with our CEO, and we’ll figure out how to make compliance stress-free for your team. Schedule Your Call.
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