Things Competing For My Share of Mind...

So excited for a 3 day weekend!  (Hope you have one too!)

• Got to love 90210 fashion
• Check out this site for the best of New England Fall Foliage

How Do You Spot an 'HR Amateur'?

I often love Metafilter...and this thread was particularly interesting-click here to read how various professions spot an amateur.
There are a few about new bosses and business in general, but it made me curious-how do those of you that have been in HR for awhile spot a 'newbie'?

Presidential Time

Now that the programming season has picked back up again here at NEHRA, many of us have quickly forgotten those laid back days of summer…sunny vacations, getting out early on Fridays, flip flops in the office-the ‘down-time’…I am sure many of you can relate! 

In the midst of our busy schedule, I came across this website.  It allows you to sign up and receive an overview of the Presidents schedule each day.  How accurate it is, I am not sure of, (I am sure there are many things he does each day that this website is not privy to).  Regardless, it seems a good place to go when you are feeling overwhelmed with your own workload and remind yourself, it could be crazier!!  If you were the President, early Fridays and flip flops not be happening even in the summer…although it does look like he gets a pretty sizable lunch break!

Today's Schedule

10:15 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

11:15 AM: Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney 

11:30 AM: The Vice President delivers remarks at a campaign event

1:10 PM: The President welcomes WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx to the White House

2:00 PM: The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews

2:15 PM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route New York City

3:00 PM: The Vice President delivers remarks at a campaign event

3:10 PM: The President arrives New York City

4:40 PM: The President sits for an interview on the “Late Show with David Letterman”

7:40 PM: The President delivers remarks at a campaign event

9:45 PM: The President delivers remarks at a campaign event

11:05 PM: The President departs New York City en route Joint Base Andrew

Things Competing for My Share of Mind...

• Emmy Picks and Predictions (but in the interest of full disclosure, I will pay more attention to the red carpet!)
• I am so excited for Mindy Kaling's new show, which debuts next Tuesday night-  This suprisingly moving article sums up exactly why I think she is so savvy. 
• 30 classic Sesame Street guest appearances!  (which one is your fav?) 
•  This is FASCINATING-a real psychaitrist diagnoses some of TV's favorite headcases.

NEHRA's Annual Awards Breakfast

This morning NEHRA members, guests and staff celebrated the best of HR in New England at our Annual Awards of Excellence Breakfast at the Newton Marriott Hotel.  Members of our Board, Past Presidents, Faculty, Sponsors and even NEHRA co-founder, Barry Bograd all joined us in congratulating our 2012 Award and Scholarship Winners.  We were so excited to honor such great contributors to the HR industry.  We were also lucky to have Bob Kelleher, Founder and CEO of The Employee Engagement Group inspire us all to innovate, find a way to say YES and think globally. 

For those who could not join us, we have posted a couple pictures from the breakfast, as well as an inspiring speech by Marilyn Hausammann, this year’s John D. Erdlen Founder’s Award winner.  Congratulations once again to all of our winners, and thank you to those who came out in support!!

 

 

John D. Erdlen Founder’s Award: Marilyn Hausammann, VP, HR, Harvard University

Volunteer of the Year Award: Robin Lucier, HR Manager, Injured Workers Pharmacy

Volunteer of the Year Award: Deanna White, Senior HR Consultant, Northeast Utilities

Social Responsibility and Community Involvement

Large Organization: Staples, Inc.

Small Organization: Professional Staffing Group (PSG)

Emerging Leadership: Kate O’Leary, Manager, Compensation & HRIS, Babson College

John D. Erdlen Scholarship: Frank S. Macri, Jr., Boston Unviersity 2013

Future Stars in HR Scholarship: Theresa Holland, Emmanuel College, 2013

Things Competing For My Share of Mind...

All Awards, all the time at NEHRA this week.
Back to regular posting after September 20th!

True Colors

Pantone, the New Jersey based “global authority on color”, has just recently released its list of the Top Ten Colors for the Women’s Spring 2013 Runway.  I know, I know, we have barely started Fall and haven’t even gotten into Winter yet (yikes!), but in New England, we need something bright and exciting to get us through the cold.  What do you think about these choices?  I’m really liking Nectarine and Grayed Jade myself!  Nectarine, described as “a bright, effervescent citrus orange with coral undertones, provides a tangy burst of flavor while cheerful” sounds more like a delicious drink than the color of a shirt.  Either way, it makes me think of sandy beaches and sunny skies…which, in a couple of months when all we see is white, will be a really nice thought!  Do you plan on incorporating any of these colors into your Spring Work Wardrobe?  

Things Competing For My Share of Mind

NY Fashion Week and the Toronto Film Festival-I'm in Heaven!

• Check out a bit of Fashion Week Street Style here
• This post links to the trailers of the movies debuting at the festival that I am most excited to see (Bill Murray as FDR!)  What looks good to you?

Hard to believe the first week of September has already come and gone...have a great weekend!

Another Peek into Apple's Culture

Take a look at the training manual for Apple store Genius Bar employees-it is fascinating:
banned words and phrases, 'fearless feedback' and the focus on empathy are of particular note-How does your organization's training manual measure up?

Inspiration

Check this out for some AM inspiration!  11 Ways Successful People Start Their Mornings (unfortuantely hitting the snooze button 15 times is not included on this list!)

Things Competing for My Share of Mind...

Happy Labor Day (and 3 day weekend!!!)

• 34 people you may or may not remember that were on Seinfeld
• The most bizarre waterparks in the world (NEHRA roadtrip next summer?)
• Who knew Lisa Simpson was so well read?

NEHRA Staff Goes to the Red Sox Game!

On Wellness...

Wellness Programs Reduce Medical Costs

Employers using wellness programs are seeing a 6.1 percent average annual medical cost trend reduction and a 13.5 percent average annual medical cost trend reduction among members with core conditions, according to a new study.

The study was conducted by Zoe Consulting Inc. on behalf of Interactive Health Solutions Inc, a provider of performance-based health management solutions for employers.

Asthma, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes and hypertension are examples of core conditions, and many of the health effects from core conditions can be managed through early detection as well as compliance with prescribed therapies.

The study also finds a 7.7 percent reduction in per member per month during the survey’s final year, and 85 percent of members maintained or lessen their health risk levels.

Additionally, respondents spent fewer days out of the workplace because of workers’ compensation and short-term disability claims, the study reveals. In fact, respondents returned to their jobs up to nine days sooner while under workers’ compensation and 17 days sooner for those one short-term disability.

"Employers are continuously searching for responsible ways to reduce health care spending, which has grown to over 25 percent of total labor expense," says Joseph O'Brien, president and CEO of Interactive Health Solutions. "We have a long history of pioneering game-changing wellness programs. The analysis conducted by Zoe Consulting confirms our wellness programs deliver meaningful results for individuals and their employers."

This independent analysis is based on multiple years of medical claim data from two comparable population groups. 

http://www.benefitspro.com/2012/08/24/wellness-programs-reduce-medical-costs-by-6-percen?utm_source=BenefitsProDaily&utm_medium=eNL&utm_campaign=BenefitsPro_eNLs

Currently...

Get to know Kate O’Leary, NEHRA’s 2012 Emerging Leader Award Winner!

She is currently…

 Listening…To the rain against my office window (and classical 99.5 streaming live on my computer)

Eating…Just finished breakfast – an English muffin

Feeling…Ready to tackle the day!

Stressing…because I was out yesterday and I have lots of meetings today which will make it hard to catch up!

Wanting…an extended vacation with my 20 month old son, husband, and dog

Thinking…about how many things I can cross off my to-do list today!

Enjoying…the time at work because I can sit for extended time (as opposed to chasing my son around and around!)

Kate has worked at Babson College since 1999 in the Human Resources Department.  She started in Employment and after less than a year moved to Compensation, and took over HRIS as well in 2009.  In the fall of 2009, she started a wellness program, BeWell@Babson.

Kate has a Bachelor's in Mathematics from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Education from Boston College. She also has her CCP and CBP from World@Work.  She is currently at Northeastern pursuing her Doctorate in Education, concentrating in Higher Education Administration. 
She is a NEHRA Faculty Member teaching the Compensation and Benefits portoin of HR Basics.

Join us on September 20th at the Newton Marriott Hotel to celebrate Robin and other outstanding HR community members at our Annual Awards Breakfast. Click here to register!

Looking for a Way to Give Back?

2012 Day of Remembrance">

Things Competing For My Share of Mind

The end of summer has got me feeling down...but these links are helping improve my mood:

• I dare you not to smile after watching this Bob Ross remix
• Inside the Actor's Studio, '10 Questions' remixed 
• The questions, so you can ask you and yours:
• What is your favorite word?
• What is your least favorite word?
• What turns you on?
• What turns you off?
• What sound or noise do you love?
• What sound or noise do you hate?
• What is your favorite curse word?
• What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? (NO one said Human Resources!)
• What profession would you not like to do? 
• If heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Is your company on this list??

You’ve got your most professional outfit on, copies of your resume in a portfolio, shiny shoes, sweaty hands, and you’re imaging everyone in their underwear…you are on your way to an interview!  As if these encounters aren’t stressful enough, some are truly worse than others.  Glassdoor has just recently put out their annual list of the 25 HardestCompanies to Interview For.  Not surprisingly, Amazon, Facebook and Google are on the list, but there are others that might be surprising!

One sample question from an interview for a Software Engineer at Amazon asks “Write the code to read in characters from a file and print out the top 10 most used. What if they are 32 bit characters? What if it’s a 4GB file and you only have 1GB of ram?”  Anyone want to take a stab at that one??? 

What is the toughest question you’ve ever been asked on an interview?

Seats are Filling Up!!

Join us for the Fall HR Basics Course beginning Wednesday, September 5^th.  The class is held every other Wednesday morning for 12 weeks, a total of 6 classes.  The cost is $499 for Non-Members, and includes a one-year NEHRA Membership, or $349 for current NEHRA Members.  The program covers the following topics:

Module #1 - Introduction to the HR Profession

Module #2 - Employment Law Basics

Module #3 - Hiring Basics

Module #4 - Compensation and Benefits/Total Rewards

Module #5 - Employee Relations Basics

Module #6 – Talent  Management Basics

Recent feedback from HR Basics sessions include:

“I really liked how each session was taught by someone who was considered an expert in the field. It was great to hear about the topics in such depth.”

“I think this was one of the best classes I have ever taken in terms of content, flow, presenters, etc.”

“Being able to listen to others talk about their own experiences while learning the theory on each matter was very interesting and useful.”

We hope to see you in September!  Click here to register, or for more information.

On Wellness...

In this post, we learned that walking is the single best thing we can do for our overall physical health...but it turns out it walking is great for creativity too!

Currently...

Get to know Robin Lucier, one of NEHRA’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award Winners!

She is currently…

Listening…for signs on contentment

Eating…peanut butter pretzels (my favorite afternoon snack)
Feeling…appreciated
Stressing…Not
Wanting…for nothing, but would take a chocolate gelato ice cream cone
Thinking…that I have the best job in the world
Enjoying…my new screen porch

Robin Lucier is currently the Human Resources Manager at the Injured Workers Pharmacy.  She is an active and involved member of the Northeast Human Resources Association. She Co-Chaired the Training SIG, the Small Business SIG, and the Advanced HR Committee, and she was a member of the Professional Development Committee. Robin believes that by having an open mind and heart opportunities to learn and grow present themselves daily.

Robin has a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Psychology and a Master's in Learning and Development.  She is a currently a NEHRA Faculty Member teaching Employee Relations for both HR Basics and Beyond the Basics.

Join us on September 20th at the Newton Marriott Hotel to celebrate Robin and other outstanding HR community members at our Annual Awards Breakfast. Click here to register!

Things Competing for My Share of Mind

Anyone else missing the Olympics?

• The Thrill of Victory
• The Agony of Defeat
•  Mckayla Is Not Impressed cracks me up
• What Olympic Divers Really Look Like While Diving
• And the 33 best GIFs of the London Olympics

On Wellness...

According to an employee wellness report released by ComPsych Corp., employees are experiencing the effects of significant life changes as well as work-life stress:

• 52% said they had experienced major life or work changes (e.g., move, death of a loved one, change in job responsibilities) in the past year.
• 38% reported being unable to stop thinking about problems.
• 35% said minor problems throw them for a loop.
• 31% reported feeling anxious or tense much of the time.
• 15% had trouble coping with stress load.

In addition, employees’ current health habits leave much room for improvement:

• 29% have high blood pressure.
• 25% have high cholesterol.
• 17% of employees get no exercise; another 31% only exercise one or two days per week.

The annual wellness report compiled health risk assessment results across ComPsych’s book of business, providing a snapshot of employee physical/emotional health as well as current lifestyle and habits.

"Employees' lives continue to be disrupted by such things as problems with housing and changes in job status, all as a result of a slow-growth economy and lingering effects of the recession," said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "There is a need for corporate wellness strategies that focus on stress as part of overall health improvement. Programs that address both emotional and physical health, such as EAPs combined with integrated programs, will have the best outcomes for employers."

Employee Stress & Life Changes Call for Wellness Strategies—Learn How to Create One For Your Organization at NEHRA’s Fall Conference

Early Bird Rates through August 31^st!!!

July 30, 2012 — Contents © 2012 WorldatWork. For more information, contact the Copyright Department

Currently...

Get to know Deanna White, one of NEHRA’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award Winners!

She is currently…

Listening…to lots of things rattling around my mind!

Eating…healthy stuff - yogurt & nuts

Feeling…like I need a nap - at 8:00 am! 

Stressing…that I don't get to spend enough quality time with my family & friends J

Wanting…a month long vacation 

Thinking…about my daughter heading back to college soon 

Enjoying…my new Nook 

Deanna is a Senior HR Consultant for Northeast Utilities, formerly NSTAR.  Originally from Michigan, she received her undergrad from the Central Michigan University, and her Masters Degree from Lesley University.  Deanna has volunteered on NEHRA’s annual spring conference committee for many years, and has been a speaker for NEHRA programming.

Join us on September 20th at the Newton Marriott Hotel to celebrate Deanna and other outstanding HR community members at our Annual Awards Breakfast. Click here to register!

Only 3 Weeks Left!

Want to save $100?!?!? (who doesn't?) Register for NEHRA's Fall Wellness Conference ASAP!  Only 3 weeks remain for Early Bird Pricing.  Interested in bringing your team?  Contact us for special group rates. 

Click here for an updated conference schedule, including Session Topics, Speakers and more!

Going for the Gold in Flex Work, what HR can learn from the Olympics…

Practically the whole city of London has been running a giant "working-from-home experiment" during these past few weeks of the 2012 Olympics, according to this recent article by Steve Ranger of ZDNet.  As he summaries, "Office workers have abandones London to escape the Olympic queues-but the decision to embrace flexible working shouldn't be temporary.  It's time to rethink the way we work." 

For more traditional employees, this really is a radical way of thinking—the idea of working outside of the office, away from the watchful eyes of supervisors seems crazy.  Won’t employees take advantage of this freedom, seeing it as a chance to run errands, save money on daycare, or catch up on their DVR?  Ranger argues that while technology has evolved significantly over the past century, the way we work has stayed the same.  “The modern office is a strange relic, an invention of the 19th and 20th centuries designed to allow managers to keep an eye on indolent staff.  For many, the working day starts with checking email over breakfast and continues into the evening: the 9 to 5 is an anachronism, so the office has to change too.”

 

Studies are continuing to prove that working remotely actually develops more productive and effective employees.  The 2011 Telework Association Productivity Survey revealed that people working from home are less stressed, have fewer interruptions and have a stronger sense of loyalty to their company than those that work every day in the office.  Not only can employees be more productive in a quiet space away from the office, but they can also be more innovative and creative with a little change of scenery.  The benefits of people working from home extend beyond just the business.  With the average commute to work in the Boston area running just under 60 minutes round trip*, we owe it to the ozone to lay off a bit.  We also owe it to our health.  Turns out commuting for as little as 10 miles a day can increase your blood pressure and put you at risk for diabetes and heart disease.  Check out this video highlighting the health effects—both physical and mental—of commuting (the guy on the hood?!? yikes…).

While the author agrees that it will take a while for many companies to shift their way of thinking, it is a good time to at least “jump-start a conversation around how we organize our working lives.”  What do you think about working remotely?  Is this a benefit currently offered by your employer?

*Boston Daily, 10/19/2011, No Wonder Commuting is Such a Bloodsport

Things Competing for My Share of Mind

This has been around forever but it never gets old.  
Prepare to laugh.  
Hard.

On Wellness...

What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

Bon Voyage!

Today was Milton Pires' last day here at NEHRA.  Milton started here about 4 years ago and has helped Linda out as our Accounting Intern during his time in school. 

He is now graduated from Bentley College and off to work at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston as an Auditor.  We wish him the very best, and will really miss him! 

The Importance of Employee Engagment

It’s just another manic Monday, I wish it were Sunday, ‘cause that’s my funday! 

Do you find yourself humming this Bangles tune come 8am every Monday morning?  According to a recent Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index Report, you are not alone!  This study states that employees “who are either not engaged, or actively disengaged, are significantly less likely to report experiencing positive emotions and more likely to experience anger during the workweek than they are on the weekends.”   The Index also reports that “Fifty-two percent [of employees] were "not engaged" and 18% "actively disengaged," meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive.”  This leaves only 30% of an entire workforce that is engaged.

We know this extends beyond just this Gallup Index and affects a large portion of our membership.  According to NEHRA web poll, 43% of members stated that Employee Engagement is their single biggest business challenge. 

What can you do to transform your organization and engage your employees? 
Register for Bob Kelleher’s 10 Steps to Employee Engagement hosted by NEHRA on September 11^th at the Conference Center at Waltham Woods.  Attendees will take away over 30 practical tools and proven best practices to immediately help their business increase engagement levels.

TESTIMONIALS FROM ATTENDEES OF THIS PROGRAM...

"The ideas generated can be readily applied on a large and small scale. Your leadership program covered more topics and provided more tools than any practicum I have ever experienced ..."

Michelle Okimoto, AVP, TJX

"This is the best workshop in which I have participated."

Andrea K., Director of HR, Envirotrac

Things Competing for My Share of Mind

This one's for Pat:

• Share it maybe
• Farm it maybe
• 'Classical' instruments maybe (my fav)

Now it's stuck in your head too-Enjoy!!

On Wellness...

Excercise is something we do for our brains, that the whole body benefits from.

NEHRA's Spring Conference: A Recap

A LOT of planning goes into our Spring and Fall Conferences and by the time one is over, I am already on to planning the next...However, there are always a few really good ideas that stick, rattling around my brain changing the way I think...

Here are the things that are still sticking with me 2 months after the Spring Conference:

• Gmail was an idea that employees at Google came up with over lunch...Not in a meeting or brainstorming session...but over lunch. Work and collaboration happen everywhere and anywhere.
• Get Sh@* Done! (GSD) at Diesel is a Project Managment program in a new wrapper.  I was *so* curious about this program-I talked Stuart Jackson many times prior to the conference.  I saw his slides and read his description, but I was still not sure what GSD was all about...I was suprised at its simplicity-A project management program with very deliberate messaging to appeal to the Gen Y employees at Diesel.  Simply brilliant.  We hear all the time that if are messages are not delivered in a way that the audience is going to listen; they are not going to hear them.   

What about you?  Did you go to the Spring Conference?  What still sticks?

Currently...

Get to know Frank S. Macri, Jr., NEHRA's 2012 John D. Erdlen Scholarship Award Winner.

He is currently...
Listening… to 90's music (always)
Eating… frozen blueberries and grapes
Feeling… fine, fresh, fierce
Stressing… about the thought of "9-to-5 World"
Wanting… to travel all over the world
Thinking… about making a vision board
Enjoying… life's adventures as a 21-year-old :)

Frank is currently an undergraduate student at Boston University.  He plans to graduate in 2013 with a double major in both Arts in Psychology and Science in Communication.  He has worked with WGBH as an HR Intern since 2011.  Frank is incredibly passionate about the Human Resources profession, and states "As a Human Resources professional, it is not my mission to make employees happy.  It is to align individuals with jobs that best fit their desires and empower them to then find meaning and value in their work."
 

Join us on September 20th at the Newton Marriott Hotel to celebrate Frank and other outstanding HR community members at our Annual Awards Breakfast.  Click here to register!

Things Competing for My Share of Mind

• These unintenially inappropriate test answers from young children are very funny.
• This is on the menu for the weekend (and maybe forever...)
• And now that the heat wave has broken--time to play outdoors!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! See you Monday...

Lunchtime Chatter...

Today at lunch we decided to start a NEHRA Staff TV Club (kind of like a book club, but lazier J).  The first order of business was to come up with a show that we could all agree on watching…it was surprisingly easy, given our interests range from Law and Order to One Tree Hill to American Stuffers and even to The Bachelorette (reminder that NEHRA is a judge-free zone!). 

Once we came up with our chosen show, we had to develop the timing for our discussions.  We decided we will watch one episode a week, and that Tuesdays during lunch would be the perfect time to have our chat.  We have staff meetings just before then on Tuesdays, so typically everyone is around.

So far, we don’t have much to report, as the ‘club’ is just newly formed, but we are looking forward to watching our first episode and dissecting it next Tuesday.  Oh yes, the show we chose is The Killing on AMC-if you’ve already watched it, don’t give anything away!! 

Here is a picture that depicts the show—looks thrilling, right?!?

Do you have any types of clubs (book, sewing, soccer, etc.) at your company?  If so, what are the secrets to success?