The Most Wanted Employee Benefits

The Most Wanted Employee BenefitsThe Most Wanted Employee BenefitsEmployees are looking for mora than just a paycheck these days when considering staying with a current employer or looking for something better. It appears that employee benefits are weighing heavily on this decision. A new, more informed breed of employees wants compensation thathelps them stay healthy and care for dependents like never before. Recent Study Reveals Employee Benefit Requests and Trends For employers hoping to attract the best new college grads or the top tier candidates on the market,you will want to pay particular attention to this article because we will discuss the top 10 fruchtwein wantedemployee benefits based on currentresearch. According to aSociety forHuman Resource Management (SHRM) and Colonial Life joint studyconducted recently,these are the employee benefits that a vast majority of career seekers are demanding from hiring companies in 2014 and beyond. Their findings are elend surprising , given the drive towards a more balanced work life as a foremost value in the workplace now. Heres a run-down of the top employee benefits requested. 1 Health Care and Personal Welfare The above surveyfound that companies have increasingly offered employees vision, contraceptive, mental health, bariatric and laser vision surgery over the past five years. Over the same period, companies are decreasing in the amount of retired health care coverage and health reimbursement arrangements (HRA)offered to former employees. This means more employees are seeking employee benefits to cover theirbusier-than-everlifestyles. 2 Preventive Health and Wellness Benefits Companies have begun to decrease their health care expenses by offering more in the way of preventive health and wellness programs for employees. These programs include health care premium discounts for not using tobacco products, for receiving an annual health risk assessment, and discounts for taking part in a wellness pr ogram. Companies have also begun offering bonuses or non-cash incentivesto those who meet their wellness goals. 3Retirement and Savings Planning Employees of all ages are looking for retirement savings and planning benefits from their employers more so now than ever before. Employees are becoming more responsible for their savingsand as a result employers are pulling back on the amount of defined contribution savings plans, hardship withdrawals, and plan loans over the past five years. This is essentially putting retirement planning and personalsavings back on the map as a core value in the workplace. 4 Leave Benefits An incredibly important benefit that employees are seeking these days is that of the leave benefit. From 2010 to 2014, there has been an 11 percent increase in the number of companies offering employees paid time off benefit plans, according to the SHRM and Colonial Lifesurvey. Despite this, the number of companies offering paid personal time off payment has dr opped somewhat. It will be interesting to see how this affects workplace productivity and if the option to work from home is making an impact on the number of days taken off for personal needs. 5 Flexible Schedules Employees want to have a lot more flexibility in their work schedule. Unlike previous generations of workers, younger employeesdonotwant work to rule their lives. Instead, they still want to have a social and family life outside of work. Flexible schedule benefits that are mostin demand include flex days, work-at-home options and flexible shifts. This helps more people get the most out of their workdays while maintaining adequate work-life balance. 6 Career Development The study reveals that workplace-sponsoredcareer developmentis becoming a benefit that is somewhat decreasing at companies, due to lack of demand from employees. Even though some companies are worried about a lack of skilled workers, not all are showing the same concern. Some employees still want t o be offered career development benefits, which include taking classes on the companys dime and being paid to attend training courses. It has been suggested that open courses andeLearninghave given some employees the chance to learn just what they need to be successful on the job. 7 Business Travel Perks Travel is still an important aspect of the work world today, which is why employees look for business travel benefits when applying for new opportunities. Employees want discounts and theywant to be reimbursed for booking hotel rooms, taxi rides, airfare and much more while away from the office. Job applicants look for companies willing to pay for their travel during interviews or for training.This also includeshaving access to company-paid cell phoneswhile on the road. 8 Relocation Benefits This benefit category decreased from 2010 to 2014, as found by the survey conducted by SHRM and Colonial Life. The percentage of employers offering spouse relocation assistance and temp orary relocation benefits dropped somewhat. Not many employees are willing to switch their residence for a new job, or even to remain with a company that has decided to move its headquarters or offices to a new location. Relocation benefits are highly prized by employees who are willing to make a residence change as a result of a job offer. 9 Compensation Bonuses Companies have exhibited a sizable decrease in compensation benefits offered employees from 2010 to 2014. These benefits include 529 savings plans, incentive bonus plans for executives, dependent care flexible spending accounts and undergraduate educational assistance. Any cash benefits that a company can offer, outside of a salary, are an attractive tool that can be used in recruitment of top-level candidates. 10 Employee-FocusedCommunity Programs Companies may beoffering employees fewer communityprograms these days, but they are still highly coveted amongst a younger, and more social workforce. These are community programs that ofteninclude company-sponsored sports teams, executive club membership, travel planning services, postal/shippingservices, onsite dry cleaning, daycare, social clubs,and other options that help employees settle into to their communities. It will be interesting to see what the next few years will bring in terms of the types of employee benefits that grow in demand and what will go by the wayside. The above survey sheds light on certain changes in the values and needs of the newest generation of talent. Image leistungspunkt md3d - Fotolia.com

This is the smartest thing Ive ever done in an interview

This is the smartest thing Ive ever done in an interviewThis is the smartest thing Ive ever done in an interviewI studied my interviewer.When I applied for my original substitute teaching job, it welches because I needed a job and was comfortable around teenagers. Teaching was bedrngnis my dream job. Nor was this school my dream school. I didnt have a credential and my degree wasnt even in education. Sure, I had limited experience with teaching from TAing and tutoring in college, but all of that combined wouldnt have put me above the other applicants.By any measure, I wasnt the best candidate on paper.But I knew quite a bit about the people in leadership at this school. One was a family friend of my college roommate, another frequently gave speeches that I had attended, and the third had actually assisted me in creating an organizational psychology study on school leadership back when I was a junior in college.If I had been interviewed by either of the first two, I probably could hav e pulled out a decent amount of knowledge about them and what kind of candidate they looked for. I might have done all right.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Luckily, it was the third person that eventually interviewed me for the job. Could not have planned it better if I tried. I literally had a full research paper mapping out how this person felt about their own leadership and what qualities they valued in employees in their own words. Between that and mining the internet for all the things this person had written about teaching and leadership, I had a fairly full picture of what kind of person they were looking for. Relational. High expectation. High support. Transformational.And then I emphasized those traits during my interview. I worked a mirror of their values into every answer, from how Id greet students to discipline strategies to religion (its a private religious scho ol).I didnt lie or manipulate. Everything I said was true and I only promised what I was willing to deliver on if I was hired. I simply presented the parts of myself that the interviewer would be most likely to resonate with. There may have been a bit of flattery thrown in as well, albeit only things I truly felt.Smashing success. I started work the saatkorn day, and have worked consistently at the same job for nearly 2 1/2 years now.This article first appeared on Quora.

Customize this Outstanding Urgent Care Rn Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Urgent Care Rn Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Urgent Care Rn Resume SampleCreate Resume Ruth OBrien100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA, 91010Cell (555) 987-1234example-emailexample.comProfessional SummaryMultitasking Urgent Care RN capable of delivering quality care to a multitude of patients with diverse trauma, illness and pain issues. Strong attention to detail and diverse nursing skillset well suited for emergent situations and settings of varied case presentation. Personally invested in delivery of quality patient care without compromise.Core QualificationsVelociDoc Urgent EMRPhlebotomyIV AdministrationTrauma CareTherapeutic InjectionsBLS/ACLS/PALS CertifiedExperienceUrgent Care RN, August 2010 April 2015City Urgent Care of New Cityland New Cityland, CAAssess and triage approximately 120 incoming patients per shift to ensure maximum workflow and optimization of patient care processing.Check and record vital statistics, initiate IV lines, perf orm phlebotomy, therapeutic injections and stabilization activities to ensure patient readiness for physician examination.Perform injections for severe allergic reactions, provide wound care, temporarily place or set fractures to prime position toward pain alleviation and limb preservation.Expedite care for severe injuries such as gun shot wounds, stabbings, vehicular accident injuries and other trauma.Urgent Care RN, April 2004 August 2010Urgent Care America New Cityland, CAEvaluated and triaged incoming patients, directing as appropriate and providing immediate attention to most urgent cases.Provided frequent care to victims of violence, automobile accidents and foreign object ingestion as parte of an urban urgent care environment.Ensured patient records updates within EHR/EMR with concise notes regarding presentation, diagnosis and treatment plans.Education2004 Bachelors of Science, NursingBaptist College of California New Cityland, CA2004 Registered Nurse CertificationState o f CaliforniaCustomize Resume

When Time Really Becomes Money

When Time Really Becomes Money When Time Really Becomes Money Is it because, in fact, time is more than money?If so, should we consider adding time income to current employment compensation packages, to our total personal income calculations (and expectations), and, God forbid, to taxable income?These are questions I was left with after watching a 2011 Hollywood sci-fi thriller.A Brilliant Dystopian PremiseNot a moviegoer, I haphazardly view films online, after some necessary sifting. But within the first few minutes of belatedly viewing In Time (with Justin Timberlake) on Netflix a few nights ago, I recognized its brilliant dystopian premise, profound implications and blueprint for the transformation of the measure and meaning of wealth, work, life and death (despite the trashing and thrashing critics otherwise gave the film).Its futuristic premise is simple to formulate, yet surreally imaginative No one physically ages after age 25 however, a clock countdown starts on that birthd ay, ticking away whatever seconds, hours, months and, if one is wealthy, decades or centuries one has accumulated as income or other wealth in a cashless society- or more accurately a society in which time has replaced money as the only accepted currency.zulauf out of time on your 25th or thereafter- you instantly die on the spot. Earn, trade, inherit, beg for or steal it, and you can top off your account balance, visible on your forearm as an embedded LED display (which, as conspicuous non-consumption, i.e., a publicly visible savings account, predictably invites robbery or worse, through forearm-to-forearm forced transfers).Become time-rich- become virtually immortal (if you can forever dodge the likes of falling rocks, lethal viruses and time-muggers ready to clean your clock and zero you out).A cup of coffee costs 4 minutes a stay at a 5-star- two months a short bus ride- 2 hours (which suggests travel and its associated infrastructure become very pricey in the future).But apart from the upfront, front-row messages and images of this time-chase-driven movie, there was something else- some very subtle shift in perception and measures of what counts and how we count it, as we scramble after it through work or ways more desperate than a job.Through a single brilliantly exploited ambiguity, In Time changes everything.The Ambiguity of Time is MoneyWhat ambiguity?- the ambiguity of the clich time is money.Time is money does, of course, have at least three key meanings The familiar first is time costs money the second, money costs time. The third- and the premise of In Time- is time replaces money. (A possible fourth, money replaces time, could be the premise of a truly bizarre sequel, given that all interpretations of time is money posit the equivalence of time and money, e.g., What time is it? Answer $5.)In Time-Triggered Insights and Their ApplicationsChief among the subtler insights viewing In Time triggered for me are thattime is worth more than money, becau se it has intrinsic as well as exchange value, making it more precious than its money counterpart. Time, but bedrngnis money, passes the intrinsic value test, which identifies intrinsic value with uses apart from utilization as a medium of exchange, e.g., gold, which has intrinsic value as plating, dental fillings, etc. vs. paper money (the latter having virtually no intrinsic value).We will always value time for its intrinsic, life-sustaining, life-defining value, even if it never becomes a medium of exchange. That cannot be said of paper currency or bank account smudges.Hence, it may be argued that 21st-century employment compensation packages that either save or add time by slowing down aging, e.g., by reducing the amount of immune system stressing, joint-damaging, sleep-depriving or otherwise dangerous work, will offer a very attractive time income on top of a money income.Life extension perks, such as organic cafeteria food, nutritional supplement subsidies, provision of smoke- free environments, public transportation allowances (which reduce the probability of prematurely dying in a vehicular accident) and the like represent time income worth more than its weight in money.time has built-in increasing scarcity value, because even if it is exchanged for nothing, unlike money, the amount each of us has automatically diminishes (like the money in a Cyprus bank account these days), whether it is invested or spent or not.Each individuals time account is like a cosmic trust fund with a perpetually decreasing balance (unless we find ourselves in an In Time scenario, where we can top off our time balances with fresh injections of time).In practical business terms, this increasing scarcity value of time means that any life extension add-ons to an employment contract will probably increase in attractiveness in direct correlation with the age of the employee (unless age-dependent health problems and other quality-of-life challenges that can diminish gusto for life ha ve already kicked in).Thats because as anything valued diminishes in total amount, additional units of it will have increasing, rather than decreasing, marginal utility (the value of the next-extra unit).when value is measured in units of time, the cost of everything can or will increase, because of the opportunity costs associated with giving up (traded or stolen) times intrinsic value, compounding its normal exchange-value opportunity costs. This means that all spending decisions become more momentous, more acutely experienced and more costly.In In Time, inflation is deliberately engineered as a technique of population control, to ensure that not too many (poor) people live forever. So, without warning, time prices jump (costing the life of at least one character in the film who cant afford the new bus fare to get to a time recharge rendezvous).But, even now, in the present, if we switch from money-denominated to time-denominated calculations, everything is at risk of immediately becoming more expensive, making the decision to buy or not potentially more costly, with higher-stakes.This is because every unit of time exchanged for anything else, will, unlike a conventional money exchange, mean sacrificing, in addition to the alternative goods and services that could have been purchased with that time, the intrinsic value of that time as a life-defining and life-preserving resource- a value that must be reckoned as an additional potential opportunity cost.If you dont get this point, compare paying for something with gold (as an analogue of time, in virtue of having intrinsic value), instead of paying with our printing-press or digital fiat money, backed by nothing.When you pay for something with gold, it can be argued that unless the dollar pricing of that gold by the other party takes into account the intrinsic value of gold apart from any exchange, e.g., as a dental filling or a wedding band, exchanging that gold for something else means incurring two kinds o f opportunity costs.These are the best-deal alternate goods and services that could have been purchased by exchange or the sacrificed best use to which the gold could have been put directly, e.g., a dental filling for your throbbing molar or a wedding band for the love of your life (which, in some sense, may be priceless).Even though you could not capitalize on both the intrinsic value and exchange value of such a unit of time or gold, the expansion of the total platzdeckchen of opportunity costs (to include the priceless ones) means that paying for something with time (or gold) can or will mean paying more than one would with fiat cash.Indeed, a higher opportunity cost of a unit of time than gold can be claimed on the grounds that the intrinsic value of time is greater than an equivalently dollar-denominated unit of gold, since unlike gold, time is that without which we cannot live- a point comparably made next.running out of time is always worse than running out of money or gold, if only because running out of money or gold doesnt preclude having enough time left to get more and because having run out of time makes money and gold irrelevant.Therefore, if running out of time is worse than running out of money, it can be further argued, as it has above, that, despite its status as a platitude, time is money is inaccurate now and will always remain so, even in an In Time cash-replaced-by-time dystopian future.Put more precisely and indeed, Time is more than money.If you think you need more time to grasp this, you can try to get it back when we switch to a time currencyif you have enough time left to wait for that.

Nunavut The Last Frontier

Nunavut The Last Frontier Nunavut The Last Frontier The Arctic remains one of the final frontiers for oil and gas exploration. High oil prices, engineering advances in offshore equipment, and climate change are prompting renewed interest in gas and oil exploration in Nunavut, Canadas largest territory and home to the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement in the world.The Nunavut Settlement Area (NSA) sprawls across 810,000 square miles, approximately twice the size of Europe, and is populated by approximately 33,000 aboriginal Inuits. The region is characterized by extreme cold, extended seasons of darkness, hurricane-strength storms, and poor visibility, all affecting access and working conditions. Average daily temperatures during winter months sortiment from below -30 C to -55 C on the extreme end and wind chills can approach -70 C.In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that the Arctic could hold as much as 160 billion barrels of crude oil, the equivalent of five years of global oil consumption and that includes considerable oil and gas reserves in the NSA. According to Peter Taptuna, Nunavuts Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, in a July 2012 interview with Canadas Financial Post, Most of this potential both already discovered, and undiscoveredlies in the high Arctic Archipelago, known geologically as the Sverdrup Basin. In the Sverdrup Basin there are 19 fields historically discovered that are still held by companies as Significant Discovery Licenses. The best estimates of discovered resources are in the sortiment of 500-million to 1,800 million barrels of oil, and 17 to 27 trillion cubic feet of gas.Experts estimate that the Sverdrup Basin alone could hold up to approximately 11 percent of Canadas total crude oil resources and 20 percent of Canadas natural gas resources. But even with such vast potential, no exploration activity has occurred in the area since the mid 1980s. No doubt the inactivity is related to the h uge technical and logistical challenges that exist in drilling and transporting the oil in such a hostile, barren environment. However, new drilling technologies, market demand, and possibly global climate change may be changing the arctic exploration landscape.Aerial view of Devon Island, Nunavut.The Melting IcecapThe National Snow Ice Data Center (NSIDC) announced in achter monat des jahres 2012 that Arctic sea ice cover melted to its lowest extent in the satellite record recently, breaking the previous record low observed in 2007. Sea ice extent fell to 4.10 million square kilometers (1.58 million square miles) on August 26, 2012. This was 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) below the September 18, 2007 daily extent of 4.17 million square kilometers (1.61 million square miles).If the meltdown trend continues as some scientists expect, arctic shipping lanes may be open for a longer season, making it more economical and practical to transport carbon products for product ion.Technology AdvancesAccording to the American Petroleum Institute (API), technology advances are making arctic exploration, development, production, processing, and distribution of oil and natural gas cheaper, more efficient, and more protective of the environment.New technology currently being employed in the arctic include ice roads and ice drilling pads, directional and horizontal drilling to limit the surface area of well site locations, coiled tubing drilling, and grind and inject practices. Other technology innovations being developed include airstrips built of thickened ice, new icebreaker designs, ice-breaking supply boats, and floating drydocks for servicing the other ships on site.Royal Dutch Shell received a controversial go ahead from the U.S. government to drill offshore during the summer of 2012 in the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea, just off the coast of Alaska, and southwest of Nunavut on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. As of August 2012, Shells drilling plans were de layed by regulatory issues and by the incompletion of a vessel to carry and deploy an oil containment ordnungsprinzip in the event of a spill. Shell had planned to dig an exploratory well in each area and agreed to a deadline of September 24, 2012 to complete drilling. It is unknown at this time whether Shell can meet that deadline. If not they will have to wait until July of 2013 to start drilling.Tom Ricci is the owner of Ricci Communications.In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the Arctic could hold as much as 160 billion barrels of crude oil, the equivalent of five years of global oil consumption.

The Insider Secrets for What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 Exposed

The Insider Secrets for What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 Exposed Updating numbers facing the experience column is insufficient. One of your major goals with writing a resume is to create the document effortless to read. Theres a particular template that youve got to follow when you compose the FBI Special Agent resume, Lisa states. The same is true for social media profiles. Who Else Wants to Learn About What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018? You must bring somewhat more efforts to GET the job that you dream on. The very last thing you would like to do is receive a job that you cant do. Whether youre actively searching for employment, it is a fantastic concept to make sure your resume is up-to-date and reflective of all you need to offer you. You need to understand you way on getting the job. Dont make the error of answering each job posting with the identical generic resume. Forward-thinking sales teams will be seeking to employ those who are, maybe tech-sav vy, at least tech-literate. By putting in some work, and observing a strategy, you can make an effective resume that gives a great abflug on the work marketplace. You use your finest skills that are related to the job as subheadings. Applicants that are looking to relocate for a work often opt to include their present mailing address, but otherwise, its up to you whether to incorporate an address. The chronological format is the most widely used by jobseekers. Its objective is to provide a recruiter a fast snapshot of your experience and qualifications. Again, you wish to make sure that your resume is readable. Resumes are marketing tools that should sell you, states Rangel. Todays resumes have to be short and ought to only showcase a couple of pages. Finding the Best What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 You are able to read more about the procedure for producing your value known inside my latest article. With this kind of a big selection, you are able to readily fi nd a template that works for your style and your degree of experience (for instance, an entry-level resume should seem different from the resume of someone with 20 decades of experience). When you have the basics of a resume down, then you can begin considering getting creative with your resume. Yoga teachers still desire a website I will cover the normal yoga resume format. Spelling mistakes in a CV give the very first impression that youre careless and dont have pride in your work, Mr Watson explained. As soon as you have spell checked your resume, take a close look in its general look. You must locate a way to differentiate yourself from the hundreds of resumes which look exactly like yours. When you add your accomplishments make certain you avoid the most frequent resume-writing mistakes below are some industry-specific examples of achievements that you are able to utilize to provide you with ideas and to aid you write anaccomplishment-based resume. Get the Scoop on What Y our Resume Should Look like in 2018 Before Youre Too Late Besides all that the space youre going to be saving by taking away the street address it is possible to insert any other value-adding details. Bear in mind employment gaps, career trajectory, where youre in your industry, and where you intend on going. In the long run, youll still require solid resume content to truly sell yourself to employers. Just make sure, whichever format you pick, which youre targeting it for the job which youre applying to.The employer isnt likely to devote a great deal of time on your resume. Removing your graduation dates from your resume can be a sensible move and supply a tiny additional anonymity once it comes to your age. You simply receive a very brief quantity of time to produce an impression and a well written resume summary can make a big difference. In truth, it is even portrayed in how their resumes are complete. What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 and What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 - The Perfect Combination While most Office users are content with available fonts, there are lots of users who wish to utilize Google Fonts in Microsoft Office Word program. Otherwise, when you have downloads tens of fonts from Google Fonts and wish to receive them installed quickly, decide on all fonts, right-click, and click Install button to have them installed in virtually no time. You may also download absolutely free templates from our Resume Library to get going on your best resume. Utilizing a resume template has become the most time-effective method of tailoring your resume for each position. What Your Resume Should Look like in 2018 Fundamentals Explained You must organize your resume to aid agencies evaluate your experience. You require tocustomize your resume for each work application and therefore dont simply incorporate the accomplishments that you think are definitely the most impressive. The procedure for doing a resume is a procedure of de veloping your achievements, said Rangel.

3 Ways to Make a Team Project Productive From the Beginning - Spark Hire

3 Ways to Make a Team Project Productive From the Beginning - Spark HireHow many times have you been a part of a team project that simply cannot stay on curse? How many times does a project shift from one focus to another? How many times have you had to adjust a project as you gained more information about the end result? While some of these frustrating aspects of teamwork are unavoidable, others can be accounted for at the outset of the project. Here are three suggestions that could help you have a productivebeginning to a team project.3. Begin at the very end of the projectDo some preliminary research and sketch out your tentative conclusions. This is the advice of Robert Pozen, author of the book Extreme Productivity Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours. And while this may sound like very simple advice for the outset of a large project, Pozen emphasized the use of tentative conclusions. Accept from the outset that there will be adjustments, and create a solution or supposed end p oint that allows flexibility. Use your vision of the end as a general guide for the project. This may help reduce the stress of a large project as well, since they so often find a way of morphing into something different than welches originally intended.2. Include all the key players from the outset of the projectIn order to help you discuss the end solution successfully, make sure that you have a representative from all parties whom the project will affect. If the project has implications for the entire company, make sure to rouse input from people throughout the company instead of just looking for the solution within the vacuum of your own team. This way you can learn how the project could be beneficial and receive input from all sides of the company, helping you avoid a situation that might cause you to refocus the project later. These representatives from other departments dont have to be ever-present members of the projects team. Think of them more as consultants who give their advice and then leave the team to their work.1. Decide what is good enough for the project and the teamPozen also reminds us that perfectionism is an enemy of productivity. We do not live in a world with the time and resources at our disposal to give each project every moment of attention or every triple-checked detail that it deserves. As you establish your desired conclusions, also establish a level of completion that youre striving for. This does not mean that you leave things undone or do less than your best quality of work on the project, but allow yourself to be content with B+ work on projects to make more time and effort available for other projects elsewhere.Large projects, especially those undertaken with a team, can be daunting. Plan for the shifts and changes that can take place over the course of your projects by accounting for them as you develop your goals. Were not able to see the future or precisely predict the end point of a project, but we can make educated guess es from our previous experience that will help to alleviate stress and frustration throughout the process.Do you think these tips will lead to a productive beginning to your next team project? Spark a conversation below

25 Effective Teambuilding Activities

25 Effective Teambuilding Activities25 Effective Teambuilding ActivitiesTeambuilding can be humdrum but it doesnt have to be. Boost staff spirits and build camaraderie with one of these low- or no-cost teambuilding activities.Every team is different, and leaders would be wise to choose a creative teambuilding experience that fits their groups personality and needs. Some may prefer to get their employees away from the office for a day of adventure or rejuvenation. Others may opt for a mora structured activity, such as a brainstorming or strategy workshop, to inspire new ideas or ways of thinking.Whatever you decide, yur goal should be to carve out time for your employees to have fun, interact outside of their normal work environment and learn a thing or two. So how do you choose an unforgettable teambuilding activity for your staff? The Creative Group asked more than 400 advertising and marketing executives to share the most memorable teambuilding experience theyve ever had. Get insp ired by these 25 effective teambuilding activities that range in price and purpose.Creative and effective teambuilding activitiesSome of the examples executives recounted prove that effective teambuilding activities dont have to break the bankWe instituted Take Your Dog to Work Day.It creates camaraderie among employees.We play office trivia as a team.ur department watches a movie together every month.We celebrate birthdays and company anniversaries.We hold chili cook-offs.We invite employees to family friendly company picnics.Some staff bond over sporting darbietungsWe organized a monthly bowling trip - and it turned out great.We formed a company softball team.We participate in activities such as basketball, pool and laser tag.We host an event for new hires that includes activities like wall climbing.We invited all employees to a baseball game.We went out for a go-kart race with all our employees.Ready to staff an open role? Use our candidate finder.Teambuilding activities that re quire brains over brawn are often good choices for those on a budgetWe offer workshops to help develop skills like effective communication, team coordination and problem solving.We plan an annual staff retreat to talk about upcoming events and discuss strategies and goals.We played a blindfold game, which helped build trust on the team.We invite motivational speakers to present to employees.Have more funds to work with? Consider one of these more elaborate outingsWe competed in an escape room challenge.We took a tour of the World Trade Center.While at a national meeting, we broke into groups and composed songs and then performed with local country musicians.We went zip-lining.We participated in a water rafting trip.These examples prove you can build camaraderie while giving back to the communityEmployees participated in a 12K run to support a good cause.We volunteered to help build a home.We hosted a banquet fundraiser to help students go to college.Our team came together to help fe ed the hungry in our community.Effective teambuilding icebreakersIf you want to create a precedence of thinking outside the box with your team activities, sometimes all it starts with is a good question. You can even incorporate these in regular meetings to lift the mood and engage your staff. But dont pose questions that make employees roll their eyes. Consider these thoughtful and fun teambuilding questions for your next get-together.What was your first job? What skills did you learn from it that you still use today?What is one thing that no one in this room probably knows about you?What book, show, podcast or Ted Talk would you recommend to your coworkers?If you could choose any one famous person, living or dead, whom would you like to join our team? Why?Are you an early bird or night owl? How does this affect how you work?If you could pick up a new skill in an instant work related or otherwise what would it be?What is one thing you would like to do in the next year that youve never done before?What is the most interesting place that youve been, near or far?

You Can Fire an Employee With Compassion and Class

You Can Fire an Employee With Compassion and ClassYou Can Fire an Employee With Compassion and ClassManagers cite firing employees as the job they most hate to do. Sometimes, however, terminating a staff parties employment is the best step to take for your organization. Sometimes terminating a persons employment is the kindest action you can take for the employee, too. Some employment relationships were never meant to work. In some circumstances, firing an employee is an immediate necessity for the safety and well-being of the rest of your employees. Occasionally, the employee may have done such an egregious action that immediate termination of employment was warranted. Because employment termination can take many forms, depending on the circumstances, lets take a look at immediate termination for cause and termination for non-wertmiger zuwachs due to a lack of productivity or a general mismatch of the employee, job, and company. Immediate Employment Termination for Cause Occasio nally, situations arise for which you will want to terminate a persons employment immediately. Make sure you have behauptung instances listed in your employee handbook. These often include situations in which an employee threatens violence or commits a violent act,brings a weapon to work,views pornographic movies on work computers and on work time,steals company property, and/orcommits similar offenses of a dire nature. The best you can do, under such circumstance, is to follow this process to terminate an individuals employment. Ensure the employee is not a danger to himself or otzu sich employees. (If he appears to be, help otherbei employees to safety and call law enforcement authorities and security personnel immediately.)If the employee does not appear to be dangerous to himself or others, notify law enforcement authorities if an illegal act has taken place.Utilize internal security personnel, if available.Remain polite and respectful.State the offense calmly and with a witness in the room.Tell the employee his employment is terminated. Obtain the return of all company property.Allow the employee to pack personal items from his workstation if circumstances warrant.Enable the employee to ask any questions about the end of employment.Escort the former employee from the building with the understanding that if he returns he is trespassing. Employment Termination for Non-Performance Firing an employee does not have to be the worst experience of your year. You can use the occasion to examine what went wrong in the employment relationship. Assuming the termination is for a mismatch, you can help the employee build self-esteem despite their employment termination. You can encourage the employee to look ahead and get started on a new job search. Even if the firing is for non-wertzuwachs, you want to end the relationship on a positive note. Firing an employee who is unable to meet reasonable company production standards is common. So, is firing an employee who, even with extensive training, proves unable to perform her job. Occasionally, you have an employee who is perennially late for a job that requires constant staffing such as an assembly line or a frontline customer service worker. Sometimes, an employee is bored or unhappy with her current fleck, pay, or job title. You have no open positions for which she qualifies. Her pay and title are consistent with the position. Unfortunately, the employees job performance is rapidly deteriorating. In some instances, an employee is either consciously or unconsciously asking you to fire her for her performance. The individual knows, on some level, that her employment with you is the wrong placement. In a recent termination meeting, the employee stated, What took you guys so long to fire me? I am bored out of my skull with this job. In all of these instances, these are the steps to follow. Steps in Employment Termination for Non-Performance Before the Termination Meeting Make sure the employe e is clear about the job expectations, the production expectations and any other details that would enable the person to perform effectively. Job descriptions, posted production standards, and data about performance help the employee understand and perform their role. A performance management system ensures the employees clarity about the goals.If the employee is violating policies and procedures, make sure these are written and that the employee has been trained in the policies and procedures. A signed form stating that the employee has read and understood the policy is good testimony that you can use to allay the potential for future litigation. Provide help and guidance give the employee regular feedback about her performance. Make sure you explain the potential consequences of underperformance. Coaching for improved performance provides a step-by-step coaching approach you can use to help an employee improve her work performance. This approach avoids discipline and produces resu lts.Determine that you are applying the performance standards fairly. For purposes of discrimination avoidance, you must address any employee who is doing the same things in the same way. You must address the employee with the most serious problems first. All employees who are failing to follow your policies must be disciplined in the same way never focus on one persons performance. If you determine that a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) might help the employee succeed, use a PIP to positively encourage the employee. The detail required in a PIP sometimes helps a failing employee reach clarity about job expectations. You can fire an employee without using a PIP on occasion, too.Most importantly, you need to document any performance discussions for the employees file with the time, date, and policy or performance problem clearly identified. Keep good records because you never know when you will need them. Minimally, good records will refresh your memory of the termination. Employe es move on and good records ensure the employer will be able to address any issues about the termination in the future. In progressive discipline, each write-up must escalate so that you have verbal warnings, verbal written warning and then suspensions on the record. This ensures that employment termination is never a surprise. When you schedule the termination meeting, the employee should not be surprised. In a recent termination meeting, the employee came to the meeting with all of his possessions already packed. No surprises is good. Employment Termination for Non-Performance During The Termination Meeting These are the steps to use when you schedule and conduct an employment termination meeting. Schedule a meeting that includes the employee, the employees supervisor, and either a Human Resources representative or in some cases, the supervisors manager. These meetings are often held mid-afternoon on a Tuesday or Wednesday so that the employee has the ability to start a job se arch immediately. Even in this connected world, you want to enable a terminated employee start to take action immediately.Be straight-forward. Tell the employee her job is terminated. You can tell the employee the reason for the termination although most lawyers would advise against this. In many companies, where the employees have carefully and regularly communicated with the employee facing termination, they do not. The assumption is made that they have communicated effectively about the performance issues for months. No need to rehash everything at the termination meeting. Be civil, concise, and compassionate. Respect the persons dignity. Allow her to speak if she wants to and ask any questions she may have. You may even engage in some discussion about what went wrong in the employment relationship. Example, perhaps the person was not a good fit for the position from the beginning. Perhaps the employees work style is too slow for the pace of the company. Perhaps the employee had become so bored, she wanted to be fired. At no point, however, allow the person to think you might be talked out of the decision to terminate her employment. The employee may try to get even, to lash out and make you wrong. Dont become angry, argue with the employee, or try to settle the score. Recognize going into the meeting that you are likely very disappointed, too.You had an expensive investment in this employees success, both personally and financially. You will have to recruit and train the employees replacement. Make sure your emotions are under control so you can remain compassionate and respectful.You can assess by the way the meeting has gone whether discussion or advice to the departing employee would be helpful. You will find that you can often help by discussing the kind of job the employee might succeed in, how to locate job searching resources, school attendance ideas, and the employees strengths. This brief discussion can help the employee clarify their direction an d help them move on. You build the employees self-esteemand help them begin the process of job searching. Collect all company property or determine its location and make arrangements to collect it. Work closely with your IT staff to cut off the employees access to work systems and regain electronic devices the company owns.Give the employee a choice about who among the meeting attendees will walk her out of the building. Give the employee a choice about whether she wants to remove personal belongings from her workstation now or after hours.Complete all of the steps in your employment ending checklist. Note these are the top ten things you never want to do when you fire an employee. More Most Popular Content Top 10 Human Resources Trends of the Decade DisclaimerPlease note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and ?employment lawsand regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

Military Spouses Volunteering During Employment Gaps

Military Spouses Volunteering During Employment GapsMilitary Spouses Volunteering During Employment Gaps4While accompanying a spouse on active service you may find yourself in a situation where employment opportunities are very slim. Often times this occurs on remote and overseas assignments. However, there is also a possibility for it happening when stationed stateside. During employment gaps it is important to continue to stay involved in activities that will support your professional aspirations. One such way to do this is by volunteering during employment gaps in the local community.Volunteering can provide a tremendous amount of experience and is a great way to show employers what you were doing between positions. Additionally, volunteering gives back to the community, requiring characteristics that can only enhance workplace culture.Here are some items to keep in mind when choosing volunteer activities to utilize in your professional job search as well as some benefits gained t hrough volunteer activitiesHow does it relate Choosing a volunteer activity that relates to your desired industry can provide specific experience and skills needed in the future.Length of time If the volunteer position or activity is for an extensive amount of time, it is well worth adding it to your resume as experience when you have employment gaps. This can show employers that you are invested in what you do and that you can be relied on.Foot in the door Many volunteer organizations will choose within their volunteer pools when hiring for paid jobs.Connections Volunteering can be a great place to make connections and network. You can build business relationships that may lead to other great volunteer or employment opportunities.Personal Well-being Who doesnt feel great when giving back to the community? Not only does it provide food for the soul, but it also helps to build self-confidence, develop social relationships, and supports physical activity.Volunteering is an activity th at should not be ruled out by the unemployed or those seeking to develop professional (or personal) skills. Giving back to the community will provide personal growth and happiness, as well as assist professionally through the experience gained, skills learned, and connections made. Heres to offering a helping handReaders, what was your last volunteer experience? Do you find volunteering during employment gaps useful? Has it ever helped in your professional life? Tell us