GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

Organizations aren’t born into existence as large and complex constellations of purpose, people, processes, and projects. They often start small, with the seed of an idea which is then tended to as it grows and is supported by its ecosystem. At some point during an organization’s growth and development, a clear division of labor becomes necessary over and above simply organizing tasks and responsibilities into individual jobs. This is where defining job levels and how all jobs work together in an organization, commonly referred to in whole as job architecture, can create a scalable blueprint for additional organizational growth.

If you’re a small business owner, you know that shopping for employee health insurance can feel like an uphill climb. Premiums go up year after year, and the quote you receive from carriers often feels like it’s based on factors completely outside your control.

It’s not just the leaves changing this fall; business and workplace environments are also experiencing change at a faster pace than normal. We know you’re feeling it and uncertainty seems to be the theme of the season.

It’s not all gloomy like our upcoming Oregon weather, but there are some trends worth watching closely. Here are a few that stand out and some suggestions about what you can do.

Employers in Oregon often wonder whether there are special rules around asking about criminal history or conducting background checks. While criminal background checks are not required in most industries, many employers use them as part of their hiring process. So are there special rules in Oregon? Yes.