In this day and time going to Cosmetology school is not very cheap. You are looking at a minimum cost of $14.000 – $19.000 for tuition and thats not all the costs. A student leaves the school and wants reliable employment! Simple college students come from a four year school and leave on their own to get employment. Today a college graduate will get entry positions in his/her profession offering, insurance, weekly pay, 401k, paid holiday, etc. But the picture for the graduating Cosmetology student is not brighter than it was forty years ago.

A salon owner will open the store, add employee’s, and offer the products, chair, all you need to be a hairdresser in there salon. And might I also add you will be given a schedule, and no hourly pay, not insurance, no paid holiday, NO 401K, NOTHING ONLY A CHECK. And that’s is if you get that at all.

Individuals say to me, ” I am a salon owner, it costs a lot to run a business”! I normally reply,” I didn’t tell you to open it”

Dont fall prey to the normal offerings you get when seeking employment, look for wages, benefits, this is a time when in the next Fifty years a lot of individuals will not stay in the profession because it is an unrealistic profession, pertaining to the subjects of wages, and benefits. If I went to school today and was offered 50% commission , after the fact I just spent close to $14.000 dollars I would have another look at a more stable profession. This is the year 2009, going onto 2010 and the commission structure is way out-of-place in this time period. Students cannot get a decent entry-level position in this industry and be able to afford there BILLS. How can you go to work everyday and worry about your rent, and basic needs. If the salon owner is not giving you a wage consistent to the economics of this time we are in. Then you are throwing your money away. There needs to be a change not a verbal response to cool the present misdeeds, but a nationwide charge to accept this ever growing cancer.

There is too much supply than demand in my industry, and thoughtful consideration to all salon owners in the profession are not all alike. There are some really good business minded owners, and a lot I truly respect. And then the chain salons ruin the atmosphere for the small business owner. There are so may storys I have received from ex-employes of the REGIS corporation that would make your blood curl. These large conglomerates make millions of dollars every year and cannot offer there employees decent pay, or benefits. And the turn over is so great. They will say in their employment packages that they offer this and that but don’t be fooled by their LINGO”. If you are getting out of the Cosmetology school and have a wonderful education stay away from these corporations for employment.

So you sit there waiting on a client, and lets say your schedule is from 10am-5pm and not a person has walked through the door. You have spent a whole day in the salon without pay, being given commission, and not making any profits for the day. And can I also add in you folded towels, swept the floor, answered the phone, etc for the salon also. So if the salon owner hires you he or she should have the business to give to you. Not everyone wants to hear, “Well Juli it was a slow day, here take some cards and pass them out”. Or I love this one,”You gotta pay your dues Juli”.

If a salon owner hires you they should hire you to build you up, not to have you here to cover hours, or wait until a (WALK-IN) comes through the door. This problem did’nt expose itself like a Florida sunrise. The salon professional is still languished in the poverty of prior decades of ill management. And bad business practices. But believe me the bank of justice is not bankrupt anymore. There needs to be a justice for the professional, and not words of, WORDS DON’T PAY THERE BILLS!

I never hired anyone unless I had the business to take them on, and I expected a commitment from them also, I started them out part-time. and also set up product knowledge class’s for them. Photoshoots were next on the list, and I also showed them how to set up a website, and teach them about internet marketing. I have a dress code I pay for the first four uniforms. I send them to schools, I pay for the school, they pay for plane and hotel. I send them away twice a year. Not to a class. But to 5 day class’s. Also two weeks paid vacation. And I also give them clients. But they also have to help themselves.

I run a business, and I have certain requirements. Just Like other corporations. But you have to find the right person to take and bring into the salon. Some salon owners will hire anyone just to have coverage of hours. And a lot of really great young stylists I have seen I have turned away because I did’nt have the business for them. I WASN’T GOING TO USE THEM.

These are human beings, young minded professionals and one bad turn from a salon owner or a corporation can leave a mark on these people. I consider myself fair when adding on an employee, and offer them benefits, education and most off all I TEACH THEM TO STAND ON THERE OWN TWO FEET”. To be self-sufficient and keep the passion of the craft. I suggest Unionization for our industry. To look out for the employee, salon owner to offer more just compensation for both sides of the record. Salon owners these days also have to deal with non-committal from there employee’s, lack of professionalism. Lack of want.

A more structured industry will also cleanse the have’s and the (INNER CIRCLE) that plagues the industry. The manufacturers will not longer be in a decisive mode to oppress the profession. But to give to the true professionals in my industry the right and the equal cause to be more assertive and produce, and to grow. Isn’t this also in the constitution. Thats is why I feel the industry professionals, wether it be employee, or business owner there needs to be some form of representation.
In a legal manner. And when these words are spoken and also written It makes the INNER CIRCLE, laugh, to see a speck in the glass all to easily to wipe away. But this speck cannot be wiped away because it is a ongoing problem. That is manifested its roots every so deeply in my profession.

See I am for both sides, the employee and the salon owner and there must be a common place for both entity’s. Only to give a more balance in our lovely profession. Professionals in my industry want to have some form of balance, commitment from the salon owner, and likewise for the salon owner also. But there must be some form of give and take on both sides of the fence. This profession will not make it for another hundred years with this unbalance, injustice, and FREE LABOR.

Joseph Kellner

The cost of employee relocation costs may seem enormous, especially when competing for top-level executives. However, there are many ways to avoid you get your business into a relocation package that will not be issued in the level executives involved again. Technical staff are not usually granted, extravagant relocation packages, so it is usually cut very little that can reasonably be of such packages.

First, there are several homesExpenses, which have proved very costly for some companies. For example, in the 1980s, it was very popular to buy a new employee-old house if it is not sold. This type of employee relocation costs is not only very costly but can also look a little shady when analyzing these issues. It is almost impossible to treat your employees a fair price for their home and not be confronted with the accusation paying too much. If it's to make your company business to paper envelopesTherefore, the company would invest in an Italian villa?

Other employee relocation costs are less clear-cutting. For example, your company should allow for a moving stipend or that an expense account must be clearly documented? While it may seem annoying to begin with expense accounts immediately, professional relocation company will treat all information. On the other hand, the family can not use a valuable executive have with such a case-by-step account, or perhaps fear ofuse. After everything that happened in the case where a legitimate cost of moving is not covered. Of course, these relocation costs to the workers to discuss crucial.

It would definitely be a wise decision to talk to the employees in question and find out what his or her personal circumstances before making your company to cover all the offers of generous employee relocation costs. If your employee is single, also a very nice apartment in the city center can be much less costlyas a 3-room house in the suburbs. By localizing your staff preferably in the vicinity of the construction site, only your company, you could reduce the costs for the payment and assumption of a company car.

Finding the right amount is spent on moving expenses for employees certainly a delicate balance. But if there is any kind of art, it is offering too little and too much to vote. You do not want no problems there on the way that the relationship right from the tip might ruin. Always optfor quality rather than quantity, if the choice to offer fewer benefits, and monitor the use of a higher recommended relocation service companies to the process. Your company and your employees will benefit greatly from the attention to detail that makes moving smoothly.

diyhomessecurity.wordpress.com

Author: Tim Knox
Source: isnare.com

Q: One of my key employees is giving me trouble. He has started showing up late for work and has developed a bad attitude in general. The rest of my employees are complaining since they are having to take up his slack. I’ve tried talking to him, but he doesn’t seem to listen. To make matters worse, he has become one of my best friends since I hired him five years ago, so firing him is out of the question. What can I do?
– Allen B.

A: One reason I am so qualified to dispense sage business advice every week, Allen, is that I have made just about every business blunder you can imagine. I am like the Evel Knievel of the small business world, if Evel Knievel wrote, matching key chain
, a weekly column on motorcycle safety.

One of the more unpleasant things I’ve had to do is fire a good friend who was not doing the job I hired him to do. He needed a job, I needed an employee, so I thought, matching key chain
, I would give him a shot. It turned out to be a match made in business hell. He took advantage of our friendship by showing up late, matching key chain
, for work, spending time goofing off instead of working, and making a joke out of my complaints, matching key chain
, about his behavior. Because of our friendship I defended his actions to my other employees, but after a few weeks I knew I had to show him the door. We’re still friends, but certainly not like we were before.

The blunder I made was hiring a friend in the first place. I let emotion, i.e. the desire to help my friend, matching key chain
, gain employment, get in the way of my business sense. That’s what you are doing now, Allen, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you, matching key chain
, are going to have to deal with this situation soon or your entire operation may be affected by the actions of this one person.

The blunder, matching key chain
, you have made, matching key chain
, is that you have befriended an employee, which is something you should never do. I’m not saying you can’t be friendly with your employees, but you have attached a considerable amount of emotional baggage to the employer/employee relationship and the result is the situation you are faced with today.

Friends expect preferential treatment simply because they are your friends. The workplace, however, must be a level playing field for all your employees, friends or not. While employees deserve your respect (if it is earned), giving one employee preferential treatment over another is never a good idea. This is a problem experienced by many business owners and managers who allow themselves to become too close to their employees.

I understand that he has become your friend over the years and you’d, matching key chain
, rather eat rocks than fire him, but you have to consider how his behavior is impacting your business over all. What effect is he having on employee morale, on work schedules, on customer relations, on time spent fixing his mistakes, and most importantly, the bottom line?

You have two options: get him back on track or get him off the payroll, period. That may sound cold and politically incorrect, but those are your only choices. Either way, you must be his employer first and friend second. He may have personal reasons for his performance, but as his employer you are legally limited as to how much prying you can do into his home life. As his friend, however, I expect, matching key chain
, that you already have a good idea what the problem is. If you can help him return to being a productive member of the team, then do so. If not, wish, matching key chain
, him well, let him go, and move on.

Here are a few suggestions to help you establish and enforce the boundaries of the employer/employee relationship.

Define the relationship. Keep your seat, Dr. Phil, this won’t take long. The employer/employee relationship should be well-defined from the outset and the parameters understood by all parties. Some call it “defining the pecking order” or “establishing the food chain.” Whatever colorful term you use it all boils down to this:, matching key chain
, You can be their boss or you can be their buddy. You can not be both.

Don’t hire friends or relatives. This rule is certainly bendable if you are the owner of the business and you hire your children to work for you. Chances are your offspring already accept you as the ultimate authority figure and managing them in a business environment is second nature. However, even this situation could have a negative impact on your business as non-related employees often expect the boss’ son, daughter, or best buddy to work less, make more money, and be treated, matching key chain
, better than everyone else. Whether that’s true or not, nepotism and cronyism can create an underlying tension among the ranks.

Establish and adhere to company policies. It’s a good idea to have published policies concerning every aspect of your business, including employee behavior and performance expectations. By it’s very nature the employer/employee relationship is prone to favoritism. Managers can’t help but favor those employees who work harder, longer, and faster, but when it comes to adhering to company policies, there should be no preferential treatment of favored employees. Every employee should receive a copy of your published company policies and sign a form stating that, matching key chain
, they have read, understand, and agree with the same.

The Bottom Line: treat everyone the same. It does not matter if the employee is a vice president or a janitor; everyone in your company should be treated the same when it comes to adhering to published company policies, matching key chain
, and performance expectations.

While it is true that a vice president may be of more value to the company than a janitor, it is also true, matching key chain
, that a vice president who is running amok, matching key chain
, can do far more damage to your company than a janitor, matching key chain
, who lets a toilet back up every once in awhile (there’s an analogy there that I will let you figure out on your own).

It’s not personal, it’s just business. This is what the movie, matching key chain
, bad guys say to one another right before the shooting starts. “Hey, Paulie, it’s not personal, matching key chain
, , matching key chain
, . It’s just business.” BLAM! BLAM! This is the dating equivalent of saying, “It’s not you, it’s me.” These kinds of statements, matching key chain
, are not going to make anyone feel better when they are getting dumped or fired. Just ask any former employee or old girlfriend you’ve used this line on.

If you have to fire an employee – even a friend – do it by the book in a professional manner.

It won’t be easy, but you have to remove the emotion and do what’s best for your business.

Here’s to your success.

I just listen to Nabucco – chorus of hebrew slaves.. and when music is indeed an indication for mood it might be the case: After being the whole day on the run coming home knowing that still one has not even touched the office work lying and waiting – one feels like one of those slaves yearning for a bit of relaxation and freedom. Meetings and a talk to our HOPE Cape Town staff was part of the days work. We published for the first time an internal employee’s handbook. After being so long in business as an NGO and having 27 employees it is time to bring together all the legal stuff and ethics for a work in this field. What are the do’s and don’ts? What means to be honest? How do I handle situation of danger? What means fraud? How do I handle donations?

There are so many challenges an NGO like HOPE Cape Town is facing up the question how we go about working place problems, what are the right channel of communications and so on and so on. HOPE Cape Town is meanwhile also a place for training. People are trained here, work for some years but then also moving on. So the “family structure” of HOPE Cape Town is also changing eventually with new people coming in. This makes it more important than ever to have a booklet to give guidance .
But todays talk was not only about the rules and regulations – we also talked about being proud to be part of such an organisation. What does it mean to identify with the organisation you are working for? How do we present ourselves to show our bond with the goals and achievements of HOPE Cape Town. Important topics and for me the possibility to touch base again with most HOPE Community Health Workers at the same time. I promised to get to all working places in the 17 township communities in the first half-year of 2010 again to visit them all in their daily environment. And I must say  I am looking forward to it. I guess, I learn a lot in doing so.

What would you do if someone told you for the purposes of taxation, you were not an employee when you went to work as a private-sector worker? Would you believe them?

26 USC § 3401(c) defines an “employee” as follows:

Employee For purposes of this chapter, the term “employee” includes an officer, employee, or elected official of the United States, a State, or any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing. The term “employee” also includes an officer of a corporation.

Admittedly, at first glance you read the word “employee” and go, oh yeah, I’m an employee. But let’s break out some old school grammar and get down to what this says.

The first part of the sentence are the people eligible – “officer, employee, or elected official.” The second part of the sentence are the location limiters – “United States, a State, or any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing”

So what we have is…
Officer, employee, or elected official of… the United States
Officer, employee, or elected official of… a State
Officer, employee, or elected official of… any political subdivision thereof
Officer, employee, or elected official of… District of Columbia
Officer, employee, or elected official of… any agency or instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing

Are you any of those?

You may be going, “well, it says that the definition ‘includes’!” Of course. In laymen’s thought, why would congress name “Employees of… whatever” if the term “employee” includes all these employees already. If you are an employee of the United States (think, FBI agent or something), then aren’t you already an “employee” by common definition. Of course you are. So why define it again?

The answer is simple, because when words are defined in law, they ignore all common definitions. For instance if Congress decided to say “for the purpose of this chapter, ‘gas’ is to be defined as natural gas” then whenever you read the word “gas” then you would know that the law was not referring to gas that you pump at BP or QuickTrip, but rather natural gas.

Likewise, for Title 26 (tax law) the word “includes” is specifically defined. So, we can conclude that the word “includes” no longer means “in addition to” but rather whatever they defined it to be. In this case, in horrible wording, they defined it to mean inclusive of things within the same scope. Confusing right?

Let’s try to make an example. “For the purposes of this chapter ‘gas’ includes natural gas and bio gas.” So for this, we would conclude that natural gas and bio gas are “gasses” but we could also conclude that gas from landfills is included as well because landfill gasses are a type of bio gas. We could also say that town gas is included because it is a sub-type of natural gas. However, we could not conclude that gas put in your car to be a “gas” under this law.

So, who cares if you are or are not an employee? Well, everyone should! Only these select “employees” are the ones that make “wages” (also a custom term) and wages are taxable. Title 26 does not specify how to handle your money if you are not making “wages.” So if you are not an “employee” and you don’t make “wages” then you are probably paying more taxes then you should, permitting that you read and know the law.

Check it out. You might be surprised.

KULLMANN, KLEIN & DIONEDA,  ATTORNEYS AT LAW

Worker’s Compensation Claims – Missouri and Illinois

Free Initial Consultation

St. Louis Office:  (314) 772-0000

St. Charles Office:  (636) 946-1033

Granite City Office:  (618) 931-3000

For a free online case evaluation, log on to:  www.kkdpc.com

Heh. This is an older amusing one that wasn’t covered in my post about past W(aL)D insanity.

This one isn’t really completely in the W(aL)D category, as it’s a legitimate complaint… but still, it’s ridiculous enough to share. Below is the my initial email regarding the incident, and I actually broke my “no calls” rule to talk to a regional manager who was not amused.

You can see what she had to say as it all played out in a thread at PittsburghBeat.com.

At any rate, it pays to make problems like this known.

Enjoy!

-mE.
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI

Forwarded Message —-
From: Eric Carroll <me@myaddre.ss>
To: dnstech@wendys.com; dnsadmin@wendys.com
Sent: Mon, January 26, 2009 11:45:04 AM
Subject: Wendy’s in Dormont (Pittsburgh, PA) – W. LIBERTY #5

Hello,

I’d like to share with you a review of my experience at a local Wendy’s (W. LIBERTY #5 according to the Wendy’s store locator), also posted on UrbanSpoon.com. I don’t have very many “bad” reviews up, but this Wendy’s location has gone slow and messed up my order countless times.

I’d like to know how Wendy’s as a corporation feels about restaurants like this, and what (if any) measures are taken by corporate to see that this kind of thing doesn’t go on.

The full text of my review can be viewed here: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/23/1346715/restaurant/Far-South-South-Hills/Wendys-Old-Fashioned-Hamburgers-Dormont-Pittsburgh

But I will also post it here for your consideration:

“Dave Thomas would be ashamed…” by ERiC AiXeLsyD (63 reviews)

January 26, 2009 – Doesn’t like it – Seriously. I know I”ve said these words before about McDonald’s… I get that it’s only fast food, it’s cheap, and that I shouldn’t expect much… but holy cow, is this consistently one of the slowest “fast food” restaurants that I’ve ever been to. Of course, like an idiot, I keep going back hoping that it might someday be an actual convenience. Let me share with you my latest adventure…

Sunday morning, my wife & I were on our way out to my Mom’s house in the ‘Burbs… so we thought we’d get a quick bite to eat. It was nearing the 11:00am mark, so I knew we were going to hit the breakfast/lunch changeover. We skipped the McDormontonald’s because the drive-thru line looked like rush hour in the Liberty tubes. Thankfully, Wendy’s appeared to be a ghost town. There was hardly anyone inside, and there was one car ahead of us in the drive-thru but they were all the way up at the window.

As we pulled up to the speaker to place our order, I asked if they were serving breakfast or lunch, & was informed that they were serving both. So, I ordered the breakfast chicken sandwich combo, and the wife ordered the #2 bacon panini combo.

After receiving the order in what would be considered a long wait in a normal fast food environment but translated to remarkably quick at this location, I pulled into a nearby spot to inspect the goods. (Sadly, a must any more.)We discovered that my order was fine, but the wife had received a sausage panini instead of the ordered bacon panini. I checked the receipt to see if I had mis-ordered the # of the combo. Nope. The receipt clearly stated BACON in that nifty dot-matrix receipt font.

My wife’s not a big fan of sausage patties, and she was reluctantly leaning toward just eating it because time was of the essence. I know I like to eat what I ordered & paid for, so I went inside to get what I thought would be a simple swap-out.

Oh my, was I wrong.

My first encounter was with the young girl at the cash register. I politely stated that we had just gone through the drive-thru and that I wanted to exchange the sausage panini that we had received for the bacon one that we ordered.

I was told that breakfast was over & that hey couldn’t make a bacon one. After a slight pause of disbelief and bewilderment, I told her that I had just been handed the sandwich less that a minute ago through the drive-thru window… and it had been made just seconds before that.

She then yelled for her manager, and I stepped aside so she could help the next customer.

Now, while never working at a fast food establishment, I do understand that changeover time is changeover time… something to do with eggs on the cooking surface and kitchen setup and all sorts of things that are surely beyond my comprehension as the average fast food consumer.

After a wait the manager (coincidentally the very same person who handed me the order through the drive-thru window) came over and I again explained my situation… and he looked at me. Yes. Just stared blankly at me. For an awkwardly long time. I actually started to wonder if he understood English & was capable of hearing. Compelled to break the silence, I even showed him the receipt that clearly said BACON. All caps. No confusion!

Again, I was met with “we’re serving lunch now, we can’t make that”. OK. I understand. I get that. The point now is what can you do for me?

I asked if I could get something else as compensation, and/or get my money back. (I think I was growing visibly frustrated by this point.)

I called the wife, explained to her the complexity of the situation, and she decided upon a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger. So, I asked for one of those… and waited… and waited… While a guy who had gone in line in front of me had ordered during my exchange with the manager was waiting too.

After a while he exclaimed with multiple expletives that it was a ridiculously long wait, and how it was un-f’n-believable that a fast food restaurant with 3 people in it and a packed kitchen could go so slow.

I could hardly contain my laughter as I was also driven to the limits of my patience.

After what was surely sufficient time to cook & assemble 20 Jr. Bacon cheeseburgers, I received that, AND my money back for the sausage panini (which was now in the trash right behind the counter). So, I guess I got a free cheeseburger, hash browns & a drink.

I never did get any kind of apology, or admittance that they had messed up the order. (Which bewilders me that one can read bacon off of a screen and put down sausage… but I’m certainly not above making mistakes… so I can’t fault anyone for that.)

I just find it amazing that they weren’t apologizing from the start and presenting a solution instead of waiting for me to come up with one.

You’d think they’d have a “keep the customer happy” policy in place. Don’t they teach you any of this when you go to school to be a manager at Wendy’s?Take mom n’ pop shops… if they screw up an order or take too long, they’d give you a discount or a free drink or a coupon for next time… and they’re certainly taking more of a profit hit than a chain that would do the same thing.

At any rate, don’t go to Wendy’s in Dormont if you’re in a hurry, or if you actually want what you ordered.

I like Wendy’s. I grew up eating at the one in Murrysville, I frequent the one in Canonsburg for lunch. You have decent food for a cheap price, and I generally feel that the quality is better than that of other fast food chains.

I’d love to be able to eat peacefully and grab a quick bite to eat at the Wendy’s closest to where I live.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on my experience, and I look forward to your reply.

Thank you for your time, and listening to my story.

-Eric Carroll

me@myaddre.ss

Employees have been fired when their employer construed their blog posts as sharing confidential information, making inappropriate comments about the company, or both. Posting company news, pictures, and even making positive comments about a company have cost bloggers their jobs.

Job Search Blogging

How about job seekers? Can having a blog, a personal web site, or an account on a social networking site impact your job search, for better or for worse? It could. One blogger posted recently that he lies in interviews. That wouldn’t thrill a prospective employer if they knew about it. Another job seeker’s blog mentions that she loves to party all night, drinks to excess on a regular basis, and steals on occasion. Again, not a profile that would thrill most employers.

MySpace, Facebook, Web Site, LinkedIn and Blog Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t include a link on your CV to any site which includes inappropriate content that is not appropriate for a business audience.

Be very careful what you put online. If you have a MySpace or Facebook account, people you won’t want to be reading your profile may be able to access it, even if you think nobody will read it. Make your account private, so only your friends can access it. Be extra careful, and don’t post anything that you don’t want a prospective employer (or your mom!) to read.
Facebook Privacy Settings
MySpace Privacy Settings

Do consider creating a personal web site, if you’re unemployed, specifically related to your job search including your CV, samples, your portfolio, and certifications. Include only professional and academic information. Or use your profile on sites like LinkedIn or JobFox to promote your experience.

Don’t list your blog on your CV unless it’s relevant to the career field / position that you are interviewing for. For example, if you are seeking employment as a financial planner and you have a personal finance blog, include it. If you have a blog about your dog, don’t.

Consider starting a blog related to your career interests. If you, for example, are interested in a career in recruitment, consider blogging about industry trends, news and related topics.

Write a job search blog. There’s a trend toward job seekers blogging to track their job search and market their skills. A job search blog can help with your job search and give you exposure, but, again, consider who else might read it before you start blogging.

Post in haste, repent in leisure. Remember that a hastily written blog post critical of your job or detailing your wild night with a hot date can be read today, regardless of when it was posted. You may not even remember posting it, but, a potential employer will certainly keep it mind.

Do be careful what you write. Keep in mind that just about anything that is online can be read by someone – or everyone. If you don’t want the world to read what you’ve posted, make sure they can’t. Don’t put it online or post it anonymously.

If a barber makes a mistake,
It’s a Hair Style!

If a driver makes a mistake,
It’s a New Way!

If   an   engineer makes a mistake,
It’s a new Venture!

If child make a mistake,
It’s a New Generation!

If a politician makes a mistake,
It’s a New Law!

If a scientist makes a mistake,
It’s an Invention!

If a tailor makes a mistake,
It’s a New Fashion!

If a teacher makes a mistake ,
It’s a New Theory!

If our boss makes a mistake,
It’s a  New Idea!

If an employee makes a mistake,
It’s a “MISTAKE“!

I experienced this incident first-hand about a month ago. I think it illustrates how even small gestures can have large (and sometimes negative) consequences.

I was interested in registering for two events that were being run by a nonprofit organization.  I checked the website but was only able to find details about one of the events.  I emailed the organization (at the email address provided) to register for the  events and to check if the second event was even taking place:

…I am also interested in the event taking place on [such and such date] but do not see it on the website.  Is that still happening? What time will that be?

The response I got was:

…The second event is still happening and can be found on the Events Calendar.

Needless to say, this answer was nowhere close to being helpful; the employee neither provided me with an exact time nor did she provide a link.  Instead, the staff person took about 0.3 seconds from his day to advise me to check the Events Calendar — which I had already done at the beginning, but to no avail.

Frustrated and flabbergasted by the seemingly lack of caring, I rewrote my email three times until I was able to send the employee something free of sarcasm and that didn’t sound patronizing (it’s never a good idea to email when annoyed, emails always come out harsher than you intend).  If I was a donor, I definitely would have been less inclined to support the organization.  I know I’ve seen donors abandon great causes for less.

This story brought into focus a blog post I read a few months ago entitled “Whose Responsibility is Fundraising Anyway?” by Stephen Donshik.

In the non-profit organization who is responsible for raising funds? The real answer is everyone affiliated with the organization…Every staff person has a role in fundraising for the organization and this includes all administrative staff as well as the professionals who deliver the services to the clients…When someone responds in a friendly, “how can I help you” way, this says a great deal. When someone answers the phone and tries to direct the call to the appropriate person with patience this makes a lasting impression. These are the kinds of responses that encourage people to want to support an organization.

With regards to customer relations, it is critical that every employee is on the same (and correct) page.  A little training and a smile can go a long way.

Tizku LeMitzvot [May you continue to merit doing good deeds],

Shuey

In the world of work, you will always be paid in direct proportion to three things, says Brian Tracy in ‘Something for Nothing’ (www.jaicobooks.com ). “First, the work you do; second, how well you do it; and third, the difficulty of replacing you.”

The key to your future, therefore, is to choose the right job for your special talents and skills, become very good at doing that job, and then make yourself indispensable, he explains. To earn in the current, continually changing marketplace, each person is responsible for regularly upgrading the skill-set, the author advises.

We create our own jobs, no one can make another person more productive, he avers. “A company can only create an environment where a productive person can utilise more of his potential to contribute value. But the individual is always personally responsible for his level of production and the amount he earns or fails to earn.”

From the day you take your first job until the day you retire, no matter who signs your paycheque, you are the president of your own entrepreneurial business, selling your services into a competitive market, urges Tracy. “As the president of your own personal services corporation, you are totally responsible for training and development, productivity and quality control, personal promotion, and financial management.”

The book looks at the common craving of ‘something for nothing’ as an obsession with free money, a virus that can destroy the economy. When people strive to get rewards without working, riches without contribution, recognition without achievement, or power without service, they are manifesting the dark side of greed, the author rues.

On the other hand, “when the entrepreneurial and creative energies of people motivated by greed are directed and channelled into productive activities, greed becomes a powerful and positive social good. It drives people to innovate and create newer, better, faster, and cheaper ways to provide products and services for others.”

A blunt point from Tracy is that people at work generally like to take it easy. He bemoans the fact that once a person has a job and feels relatively secure in that job, what happens is a movement up the hierarchy of needs to comfort and leisure, with the employee doing everything possible to enjoy more comfort and leisure at work.

The book cites an alarming finding of Robert Half International, that fully 50 per cent of working time today is wasted, mostly in idle chitchat with co-workers, personal business, and extended coffee and lunch breaks.

“The average workweek in America today is 32 hours, even though most people are paid for 40 hours. Not only is much of that time wasted, but the time when the employee is actually working is often spent on low-priority tasks that contribute limited value to the employer.”

In a chapter titled ‘welfare, entitlements, and society’ the author differentiates between short- and long-term approaches to benevolence. The former is about taking money away from people who have earned it and giving it immediately to people who need it at the moment, whether or not this robs them of their self-esteem and makes them dependent on government in the long-term, explains Tracy.

In contrast, the long-term approach to benevolence believes that the best welfare programme is a good job. “The best citizen is a proud, independent, self-reliant person who is in control of his own life. People who think long-term do everything possible to encourage a vibrant business system that creates jobs, growth, hope, and opportunity for more people.”

The term “indentured” comes from the type of legal contract that the employer and employee would sign (an indenture), obligating the employer to pay the cost of passage across the Atlantic and provide room and board while the servant was obligated to work for up to seven years.  Today’s Indentured Servant will be the educated!  A Doctor who has worked for 8 years of college, finished a residency and is now forced to work at the will of the government to cover people who don’t feel they should have to pay for this service!

Yes some will argue that the poor couldn’t pay.  Ever notice what the choices were?  Few choose Heath Care, or the need to save money for a rainy day.

The United States Senate has created a new breed of “Indentured Servants” without the permission of those who are about to become indentured.  I know Harry Read is happy, but what about a student of medicine who owes upwards of half a million for an education?  Now forced to service a group who let others pay their way.  Who will be paying the Doctor who owes real money to get that education that the Senate just “indentured”?

Who ever said hard work pay’s, never saw the future according to Harry and Nancy!

At only 20 years, employees leasing, alias SP (Professional Employer Organization of work), the industry continues its success steamroller strong growth of nearly 30% per year. Approximately 2.5 million Americans are currently co-employed by one of over 400 rental companies, operating in 50 states.

The reason for this trend is the need to outsource the "frustrating work activities" tasks, such as recruitment, training human resources,payroll, benefits and regulatory compliance. Between 1980 and 2000 the number of laws and regulations of work rose by almost two thirds, according to the Federal Small Business. The same study estimated the owners of small and medium businesses have spent up to one quarter of their time in employment related paperwork.

Leasing companies employees take over this great responsibility and help companies comply with all regulations. The employer can then focus onincome-producing areas of the company, in which he / she is the expert.

Another advantage of using a company employee leasing and their ability to organize a company to cover workers' compensation with major insurance companies, and handle requests. They also provide human resources services offered by certified professionals. Most services, such as employee handbooks tailored recruitment, employment screening, salary planning and compensation and assistancejob descriptions.

Employees from the leasing company will help tens of thousands of companies offer benefits such as plans for health care, 401 (k) tax free savings accounts and other incentives to their employees. Benefit programs offered may include health care choices and extra wide, including vision and dental care, programs to assist workers and even adoption assistance. It is estimated that 95 percent of workers under a lease agreement for the employees have access to a pensionfloor.

Almost all companies may find value in a proportion of PEO-clients, ranging from accounting firms and construction manufacturers and government agencies. The average customer is a small company with an average of 19 employees, but some customers have fewer than three employees. Increasingly, large companies are the application form, too.

The leasing company allows each employee of the client company to lower labor costs and increase their business bottom line. The client maymaintain a simple infrastructure HR home or not at all, relying on the leasing company employees. His professional can provide valuable assistance to employer compliance, which helps protect the client against liability. In fact, employees of the leasing company has a rate of 88 percent customer retention due to high customer satisfaction.

Bahan kuliah dari Buku International Bussiness ; The Challenges of globalization. Pearson International Edition.4th Ed…

Chapter 1:  Globalization

Chapter 2: Cross-Cultural Business

Chapter 3: Politics, Law, and Business Ethics

Chapter 4: Economic Systems and Development

Chapter 5: International Trade

Chapter 6: Business-Government Trade Relations

Chapter 7: Foreign Direct Investment

Chapter 8: Regional Economic Integration

Chapter 9: International Financial Markets

Chapter 10: International Monetary System

Chapter 11: International Strategy and Organization

Chapter 12: Analyzing International Opportunities

Chapter 13: Selecting and Managing Entry Modes

Chapter 14: Developing and Marketing Products

Chapter 15: Managing International Operations

Chapter 16: Hiring and Managing Employees

With few great jobs on the market, your firm has the advantage of attracting some top notch talent.  Offering Employee Benefits is one of the top ways to separate your firm from competitors.

Employee Benefits are given as a supplement to an employee’s salary or regular wages.  They cover dental or health insurance but can also cover the expenses of paid leave or short term disability.  Wages are better controlled and open positions are more appealing if the job carries some perspective perks.  Many people find that having a stable source for their health and dental insurance is more enticing than monetary incentives or bonuses alone.

No scrambling for funds or new sources of income if an emergency strikes.  Your employer has you covered!!  Think of the job security.

SBH Insurance recently hired John Foley, an expert in Employee Benefits coverage, to head their new Employee Benefits department.  Principal Chris Sheppard is excited to finally expand the firm to cover Employee Benefits.  He says John brings, “experience on both the carrier and broker side. Now, we truly are a one stop shop for all of our clients.”

Smith Buckley and Hunt Insurance understands the importance of a comprehensive Employee Benefits package and offers the best coverages at the most competitive prices for any of their insurance packages.

For more information on Employee Benefits, contact John Foley at the SBH office in Brockton, MA.  Call 888-637-8579

What the Bok!

Here’s the thing would-be jewelery thief, stuffing gold into a cooked chicken’s backside ain’t going to make it any easier getting stolen goods through those new metal detectors. An employee at Browns Jewellers in Johannesburg has been busted big time for trying to get gold passed the newly installed detectors. Geez, he must have been away the day the staff got the “poultry pilfering” memo. Anywho, now thanks to this wise guy, women are no longer allowed to wear underwire bras because the metal detectors are too friggin sensitive and security don’t want to have their hands that full!

Psst I wonder how much has been stolen prior to the new security?

Disclaimer: This photo has been staged in order to make a point.

I’m over the age of 21, which means I’m legal to consume alcoholic beverages. And I take advantage of my legality: I like to kick back with a nice Bell’s microbrew or a glass of Shiraz once in a while.

However, I’m hesitant to leave pictures of me with a drink in my hand on social networking sites, such as Facebook, because “Big Brother” (aka employers) are watching.

This is what I find difficult to swallow: I’ve seen pictures of professors, employers, and professionals with a drink in their hands (I’m facebook friends with many of them and even have enjoyed an adult beverage with a few of them). So, let me get this straight: I’m not supposed have photos of me drinking, but you can (directed at a general “you,” not anyone specific)?

And to what extent does this “censorship” go? Am I allowed to have a photo where I have a drink on the table? Am I allowed to be in a photo with someone who has a solo cup in his or her hand? I think there’s a certain point where you have to draw the line.

Much like News Editor Dan Hamilton, who recently wrote on a similar topic in our school newspaper, I drink because I enjoy what I’m drinking; not because I want to get “slammed” and make a fool of myself.

The amount of drinks necessary to be considered “binge drinking” is four or more drinks consumed within two hours for women and five or more drinks for men. Many times, my amount of drinking will not go beyond two or three in a night. And even that isn’t very often, most times I’ll have one beverage after a stressful day of work, classes, homework, job hunting, and other anomalies that are relevant to the life of a college senior.

Though college students typically carry the stigmata of binge drinking, not all college students, such as myself, fit the norm. I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never binged on alcohol before, but then again, not many adults can claim they never have either.

When consumed in moderation, I think drinking adult beverages can prove a sense of responsibility and maturity.

What do you think? Should students of legal drinking age hide or censor the fact that they enjoy drinking in moderation now and again? *Should they have to remove every photo that has an alcoholic beverage within the vicinity?

*This question was initially one that went unanswered at this week’s #PRStudChat.

I’ve just completed reading an article about the Men’s Wearhouse and all aspects of their business.  Purpose was an idea that stood out to me as I read the article.  Purpose is a very important concept that many companies fail to successfully capture.  Men’s Wearhouse has a clearly defined purpose and knows why they are in business.  They are in the people business and exist to improve the quality of life for men through exceptional customer service.  The Men’s Wearhouse focuses on customer service and selling, unlike merchandising and marketing like most retailers.  This well-defined purpose provides a direction for both management and employees.  It has enabled the company to grow a company culture that is based around employee and customer satisfaction, enabling the company to profit greatly.  Top level executives truly believe in the untapped human potential and strive to bring that potential out, establishing the employee base as a very important asset.  This top down customer-centric culture, derived from a clearly defined purpose, is the root of Men’s Wearhouse’s success.  I love how they focus more on their employees than their merchandise.  I personally think this is a recipe for success for any company.