FEI’s Manager Exchange

A Stress-Free Tax Season

published by Amber Alles on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 10:06

Research has shown that financial stress has a direct effect on a person’s physical wellbeing. This can also cause a significant impact on an employee’s work performance, as a financially stressed employee spends about 20 hours of work time per month dealing with personal financial problems. That being said, tax season often creates another level of anxiety and stress for workers. Many employees are struggling with the financial burden of having their taxes prepared, as this can cost up to hundreds of dollars when taken to major tax service corporations or to an accountant. Additionally, many of these same workers are missing out on substantial tax credits because they are unaware that they are eligible for them.

Caring for the Caregivers

published by Amber Alles on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 09:14

According to this week’s article, “Aging America Creates Demand for Health Care Workers,” the health care and social assistance fields are projected to make up about ¼ of the total 20.2 million new jobs likely to be created in the US by the year 2020. This may be to be due to the fact that about 33.8 million baby boomers will have retired by 2020. Although increasing numbers of retired workers means more job openings for the economy, a quarter of the US workforce is still expected to be made up of older, baby boomer-aged workers.

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Retirement Benefits Prove Important For Employee Retention

published by Amber Alles on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 10:42

It’s no surprise that retirement has become a significant issue for workers everywhere. In fact, beginning in 2011, the first baby boomers will turn 65 years old at a rate of 10,000 people per day. According to this week’s article, “The Rising Price of a Cheap Retirement Plan,” employees are now taking a prospective employer’s retirement benefits into deep consideration before making a final decision. Employees want retirement stability and many companies have begun to recognize this.

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Coping with Loss in the Workplace

published by Amber Alles on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 16:43

This week’s article, “Am I Legally Required To Give Bereavement Leave?” suggests that although there is no federal law that requires employers to offer bereavement leave for their employees, the details of a company’s bereavement policy should be made clear. Organizations should outline for their employees specifics of the policy such as the number of days they are allowed, whether the time is paid or unpaid, and whether it is allowed for strictly family members or for friends as well.

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Distress or De-Stress

published by ehinz on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 09:13

We’ve all heard about the adverse effects that stress can have on our bodies. It can trigger a range of symptoms including increased blood pressure, memory lapses, anxiety, or depression. We’ve also heard that long term effects can lead to ulcers, heart attack, or even stroke. Recent studies have now also shown us that stress can even lead to changes within the brain. This week’s article from TIME Healthland reveals that according to a study conducted by Dr. Rajita Sinha, long term effects of stress can actually shrink certain parts of the brain that regulate our emotions and metabolism.

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How to Ensure Employee Retention

published by ehinz on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 09:53

This week’s blog, “The True Cost of Turnover Revealed!” by Tim Sackett explains that that there is no true equation for determining how much employee turnover costs an organization. Sackett believes that companies should spend less time attempting to calculate the exact number that turnover costs and instead remember why this issue affects your organization in the first place. Plainly stated, by reducing turnover you save your organization money that could be better spent to reinvest into your business and increase your bottom line.

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The Importance of Financial Wellness

published by ehinz on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 08:46

This week’s article, “Wealth After an IPO Can Cause Employees to Go” by Susan Hauser details the problems companies such as Google and Croupon have been experiencing due to recently launching an initial public offering. Employees of these companies who have consequently acquired a great deal of wealth in a short period of time can experience what is called, “Sudden Wealth Syndrome.” These employees have serious problems dealing with their abrupt, increased levels of income.

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Building Relationships in the Workplace

published by ehinz on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 08:50

This week’s article, “Candidate Experience Broken Down Real Simply” by Jessica Lee offers insight into the job recruiting process and choosing the right candidate for an organization. Lee explains that although candidate experience may seem like the most important aspect to consider when recruiting a candidate for your organization, a person’s ability to build relationships with others is really the key.

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Veterans Returning to the Workforce

published by ehinz on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 11:11

Though the current economic climate has brought about many challenges for workers across the country, it has been particularly difficult for veterans returning to the workforce. According to this week’s article, “When Johnny or Janey Comes Marching Home” by Samuel Greengard, a recent survey revealed that nearly 70 percent of employers will not hire veterans, specifically from the National Guard or Reserves. Many employers see a risk in hiring these employees due to the fact that they could be deployed at any time, leaving them with the challenge of finding a replacement.

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How Satisfied Are Your Employees?

published by ehinz on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 09:50

This week’s article, “Global Employee Satisfaction Remains Low” by Andrea Davis is concerning. According to a recent report, Davis explains that employee engagement in the workplace is the lowest it’s been since 2008, and that many workers believe that their organization poorly manages its employees’ performance. These reports also suggest that many employees are unmotivated due to this lack of management and this has even been shown to affect a company’s overall financial performance.

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