Author : Angelique Give outstanding corporate executives gifts they will never forget Your executives work hard for you all year long, they deserve an appropriate gift to match their hard work

Crystal engraved nameplates will be treasured by each corporate executive The crystal engraved nameplates will add a touch of elegance to your business as well If your corporate executives already have a nameplate you may want to give the gift of a Night & Day clock This clock will look beautifully handsome on each corporate executive’s desk Your business name and/or logo will be engraved into each clock to add status to your business Or you may choose from another style of crystal clock to give to your corporate executives Each style of clock is clean and clear and will look amazing on a desk or shelf

One of the excellent corporate executive gifts to give is the card holders The card holders come in very handy for each of your employees Not only are the card holders functional, but they are engraved with your business’ name on them You are adding a touch of class to your place of business with the card holder’s sleek design and crystal added

Tired of books lying around or falling down? Bookends make outstanding corporate executive gifts The bookends are made entirely of crystal and will add class to your corporate executive’s office Corporate executive desks will look neat and organized while using the stunning crystal bookends

A dually functional ruler would make a phenomenal corporate executive gift The ruler helps to measure projects that are being worked on as well as doubles on a desk as a paperweight

Spending a lot of money each year on lost pens? You can choose to have your corporate executives use a crystal pen set for his or her desk The pen is sleek and modern looking and comes with an engraved bottom for the pen to sit in when not in use No more losing pens since the pen has its own holder Not only is the pen and holder convenient, but it is also very attractive Your executives will be proud to use the pen and it can easily be refilled when it runs out of ink

You and your corporate executives will adore all of the above products as they are made well, look exceptionally wealthy and are designed to work very well Show the helpful and busy corporate executives at your place of business how much they mean to you by giving them one of the stunning corporate executive gifts Mary assists executive shoppers find gifts and explains how to benefit from personalized corporate executives gifts. Sponsored by Wealthwood Promotional Gifts where you receive free ground shipping on every order over $50. Article Source: Outstanding Corporate Executive Gifts That Will Impress RSCEGSubmitted By ArticleUnited.com Submission Services

Read full story

Author : Ruth KustoffDo you find the workplace environment of Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y, difficult to manage or work in? It’s true, it is a diverse mix of individuals born across a span of over 50 years, whose values and experiences were shaped differently; but shouldn’t we be looking at this as another kind of diversity between us? Although there are differences in how Gen X relates to Baby Boomers and Gen Y perceives either of them, it isn’t good judgment or management skills to put parameters around groups of individuals with the premise that each of us within any of the generations is the same As individuals, we each have specific needs, strengths, and weaknesses

Let’s recognize the diversity of workplace generations as an opportunity, by accepting that the sum of all the generations is greater than each of its parts

So, how can we harness the skills, experience, and diversity of each of these demographic groups? By creating multi generational teams, we can cross the boundaries of time – in knowledge, experience, and skill – and recognize the value of each individual and what their perspective brings
Who’s Who in the Multi-generation Mix?
Let’s look at the general breakdown of the generations for a quick review
• Baby Boomers, born early 1940s to early 1960s, aged between mid 40s and 60
• Gen X’ers between 20 and 40 years old, born early 1960s to early 1980s,
• Gen Y, or the Millennials, born early 1980s to early 2000s, with the majority of them coming of working age now
The table below, published in 1999 in Canada One magazine, in an article entitled, The Wounded Healer, Generation Gaps in the New Workplace Gen-Xers and Boomers Working Together, by Michael E Rock, Ed D, shows the general beliefs of how boomers and X’ers differ in their approach to work

Take a look at the table – do you recognize yourself, your direct reports, or your co-workers? Think about how knowing and understanding the different ways in which we each respond and act, can be helpful when planning teams, or assigning tasks
The Cross-Generational Management Grid
Generation-Xers Boomers
Constantly question decisions Work long hours
Gripe about senior managers Do what they're told
Complain that Boomers
• are promoted based on tenure v performance
• are too slow in making decisions
• just can't "get on with it" Complain that Generation Xers
• are not loyal
• just "do their own thing"
• won't stick to something long enough, go into it deeply enough
Bring flexibility Want things "in order"
Bring comfort and an ease with change Struggle with change
Seize opportunities Wait for opportunities
Like immediate gratification Has learned to wait
Ask, "What's the deal?" Ask, "Who's in charge?"
See the evolving workplace as the workplace of the future, where knowing the rewards for a job well done ahead of time is a priority, where directness, boldness and cutting to the chase are integral to who they are Tend to believe that things will get back to "normal," that the current situation is a short-term problem and that the "kids" will grow up and settle down

So far, we’ve identified differences between us because of our generation, while recognizing how these differences can provide an opportunity for a dynamic team Let's now take a closer look specifically at what Gen Y does differently, how their differences can be an organizational advantage, and what steps can be taken to cohere these groups

The Millennials (Gen Y) grew up differently than either of their predecessors:
• They had more opportunities in all aspects of growing up,
• More knowledge readily available to them and their parents,
• They’ve been told their whole life they’ve done a “good job”
• Their stereotype is around entitlement and, ungratefulness and a fear of hard work
In reality though, Gen Y is poised to take on the world As a group, Gen Y:
• is motivated, and desire upward mobility,
• likes to see where they are going and know what’s available to them,
• are quick learners and want the opportunity to grow and to show what they can do,
• want to have an impact and make a difference
Actually, all good qualities, even though managing them may require some adjustment in style and use of new skills for Gen X’ers or Baby Boomers

Solutions for Working Across the Generations
Don’t waste time with a Gen Y This generation moves quickly, is accustom to multi-tasking and doesn’t get overloaded easily Capitalize on this by providing them with early opportunities that include:
1 Training programs about the company, specifically a comprehensive on-boarding course
2 Creation of work teams around Gen Ys and Boomers, to facilitate a natural rapport so they begin to coach one another in their respective areas of knowledge and expertise
3 Communication with everyone they know, in a way they are accustom — online, IM, text messaging Gen Y are accustom to sharing personal information and updating their personal pages on their network Use this extended community to your advantage - give them good things to say about their job, their work and the company
An area of appeal to both Gen Y and Boomers is a flexible or alternative work environment As Boomers age and start to think about retiring, or need to meet the demands of caring for aging parents, the availability of telecommuting, working from home or participating in a job share is huge This same flexibility appeals to the Millennial – though for different reasons Think out of the box in how to create opportunities for these groups to work together by changing the current culture and accepted norms of the work environment
Since many senior manager positions are currently filled by Boomers, it is important to identify the ways in which Gen X and Y can move into these roles
Appealing to Gen Y
With so much discourse around a talent shortage and how best to recruit and retain talent, one opportunity is to identify and recognize rising stars earlier in their career This can be accomplished by attracting young Gen Y recruits by being an employer of choice Appeal to the Gen Y mentality by providing early career growth opportunities and easy access to company information and job performance success Companies that know the value of training and know how to help staff resources be successful will be successful too in this changing work environment
Summary
Recognizing our differences as opportunities can provide new ways of working that create new ideas, increase productivity, and allow for creativity to flourish Remember the insights below as the workplace demographic changes, and you’ll encourage cohesion and a new kind of teamwork
• Recognize the differences in how we work due to generational experiences as an opportunity
• Identify what motivates each of us, as individuals, and within a generation, and capitalize on it for new ways of thinking and working
• Be open to working differently, in changing the status quo, and new ways of working side-by-side and across three generations will evolve
• And most importantly, remember that diversity between us can have creative results
With 20 years experience as a business and learning needs analyst, Ruth offers a strategic business approach to learning. Ruth’s knowledge of adult learning methodologies, and strong analytical skills, ensures she quickly understands the “big picture” of how business goals align to learning.
With 20 years experience as a business and learning needs analyst, Ruth offers a strategic business approach to learning. Ruth’s knowledge of adult learning methodologies, and strong analytical skills, ensures she quickly understands the “big picture” of how business goals align to learning.
Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Read full story

Author : Arnold HernandezRunning a business means extensive records management and recording Regardless of the what type of business you run there is a need to keep records for decision making and to comply with federal and state laws Every business is in the business of record keeping and failure to do so, can come back to bite you

Keep track of the compensation paid to employees is no exception Often employers to try to avoid having to pay taxes and having to comply with minimum wage, overtime, and meal period laws Sometimes employers keep records, but then destroy them when a claim or audit is made Some employers go as far as keeping multiple sets of records to avoid prosecution or liability Unless exempted every employer is required to keep records under federal law, so it does not matter what state you have your business, under federal law you are required to keep records The records are to be of the person employed, the wages, hours and other conditions and practices of employment and required to be preserved for a specified time

The terms of the records very depending on what information is kept Payroll records must include the employee's name, address, occupation, hours worked each day and each week; wages paid and the date of the payment, the amounts earned as straight time and the amounts earned as overtime; and the deductions These payroll records must be kept for a period of three years This does not mean you can destroy payroll records after three years, because the statute of limitations for your state may be longer than three years or your state record keeping requirements may be longer Federal law also requires that plans, trusts, collective bargaining agreements, employee notices, and sales and purchase records be kept for a period of three years

The basic time and earnings cards for employees are required to be kept for a period of two years Wage rate tables and work schedules are also required to be kept for a period of two years This is federal law and applies to all states Federal law also requires that records for order, shipping, and billing be kept for two years Lastly any records of additions to or deductions from wages be kept for a period of two years

Some employers who knowingly are not paying minimum wage, or overtime often destroy these records at the first sign of a lawsuit This does not protect the employer and can result in greater damages to the employer The employee meets the burden of proof by oral testimony The employee is not required to prove the precise hours or wages owed by the employer The burden is on the employer to prove that the employer has complied with the law The employer may be tempted to fabricate records or destroy records to protect its interests These activities can lead to sanctions, in the form of fines, or rulings in favor of the employee Intentional destruction or fabrication of these records can lead to criminal prosecution and if found guilty the actors can be sentenced to prison The crime is a felony and therefore the punishment can mean more than one year in prison

Corporations are used to avoid personal liability and in the past were effectively used to avoid all types of liability, but corporations cannot be used to avoid complying with labor laws Under federal law the federal courts have found that an employer cannot avoid liability for labor laws by incorporating The officers and primary shareholders can still be found liable, so destroying or fabricating records can lead to personal liability not only for money damages, but also for criminal prosecution

State laws vary, but impose further record keeping requirements California also requires that the ages of any minors working be recorded and kept for a period of four years Under California law an employee can claim up to four years of overtime or meal and rest period violations So it is advisable than an employer maintain records for a period of at least four years

Do employees have a right to inspect these records?

Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Go To
overtime settlement, employee attorney, legal overtime Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Read full story

Author : Arnold HernandezEmployers often hire workers and categorize them as independent contractors to avoid paying overtime, taxes, and complying with other federal and state labor and employment related laws In overtime cases the courts and the administrative agencies do not automatically accept the idea that a worker is not entitled to overtime rights by simply categorizing the worker as an independent contractor The workers are more often than not still employees and can file overtime claims

The test to determine if a worker is an independent contractor is based primarily on the principal’s right to direct and control the manner and means by which the work is performed It does not mean the employer has to exercise these rights If the principal has the right to control then the worker will be an employee, even if the employer never actually exercises the control When the principal does not have the right of direction and control over the worker, then the worker is independent contractor The question in most cases is what does the right to control mean

1 Do you instruct or supervise the worker while the worker is working ?
Independent contractors are free to jobs in any way they see fit It is the end result that matters for independent contractors If there are company procedures or if the worker is given specific instructions on how to do the work, then chances are that the worker is an employee

2 Can you fire the worker at any time or can the worker quit at any time without notice ?
If you have the right to fire the worker without notice, it
strongly shows that you have the right to control the worker Independent contractors are hired for specific jobs and cannot be fired until the job is complete Independent contractors are not free to quit with little or no notice

3 Is the work performed part of your regular business?
Work which is a necessary part of the regular trade or
business is normally done by employees and not something that would be subcontracted
Something that is done occasionally would be considered work done by independent contractor Regularly answering the phone to take orders would not be done by an independent contractor

4 Does the worker have a separately established business?
Independent contractors hold themselves out to the general public
as available to perform services similar to those performed for the principal, this is evidence that the individuals are operating separately established businesses and would normally be
independent contractor Independent contractors are also free to hire employees and assign the work to others in any way they choose and fire their employees fire their employees without your knowledge consent Independent contractors normally advertise their services and seek new customers through the use of business cards

5 Is the worker free to make business decisions which affect the worker’s ability to profit from the work?
An individual is normally an independent contractor when he or she is free to make business decisions which impact his or her ability to profit or suffer a loss This involves real
economic risk, not just the risk of not getting paid

6 Does the individual have a substantial investment which would subject him or her to a financial risk of loss?
Independent contractors furnish the tools, equipment, and supplies needed to perform the work Independent contractors normally have an investment in the items needed to complete their tasks 7 Do you have employees who do the same type of work?
If the work being done is basically the same as work that is normally done by your employees, it indicates that the worker is an employee

8 Do you furnish the tools, equipment, or supplies used to perform the work?
Independent business people furnish the tools, equipment, and supplies needed to perform the work

9 Is the work considered unskilled or semi-skilled labor?
The courts and the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board have held unskilled or semi-skilled are the type of workers the law is meant to protect and are generally employees

10 Do you provide training for the worker?
When training is required to do the task, it is an indication that the worker is an employee

11 Is the worker paid a fixed salary, an hourly wage, or based on a piece rate basis?
Independent contractors agree to do a job and get paid for the job

12 Did the worker previously perform the same or similar services for you as an employee?
If the worker previously performed the same or similar services as an employee, then the worker is probably still an employee

13 Does the worker believe that he or she is an employee?
When both the principal and the worker believe they have and agreement where the worker is an independent contractor, an argument exists to support an independent contractor relationship between the parties

Learn About Your Rigths Go to
overtime labor law, overtime law suit, overtime attorneys Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Read full story

Author : April Mims, LifeWe’ve all had to deal with difficult coworkers at one time or another Whether it’s the person that screams and shouts, the person with the negative attitude, or the person that knows it all, conflict between coworkers is natural and inevitable While we can’t change the difficult coworker, we can change how we deal with that person With commitment, practice, and patience, we can use several different strategies to effectively handle situations involving the difficult coworker

Difficult people come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments As a result, there isn’t a "one size fits all" solution to deal with these people It is important to first determine what type of difficult coworker you are dealing with and then take appropriate action to resolve the conflict Below are six difficult behaviors that we commonly encounter in the workplace and strategies that can be used to diffuse the situation while hopefully preserving and building the relationship

Bullying Much like bullies we had to deal with in elementary school, many of us encounter bullies in the workplace These are the people that are attacking, accusing, intimidating, and confrontational They think they are always right and get irritated or angry when they are met with resistance This is perhaps the most difficult behavior to deal with

To effectively deal with bullies, it is important to stand up for yourself without fighting Standing up for yourself definitely takes courage but is the only way to stop bullying from continuing Throughout any interaction with a bully, maintain eye contact and be ready to be friendly It is also helpful to have the difficult person sit down if you or others are sitting down This helps to equalize the aspect of physical dominance

Anger Dealing with an angry coworker is another workplace behavior that should be handled carefully to avoid further difficulties The angry coworker is one that yells or screams, much like an adult version of a tantrum This rage often turns into suspicion or blaming of other coworkers and is unpleasant for everyone

The best way to handle this behavior is to remain calm and give them time to run down Show them that you take them seriously but calmly inform them that this type of behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated

Know-it-all Know-it-alls are difficult to work with too because they are always right Although they are highly productive, thorough and accurate performers, they have a low tolerance for correction or contradiction, making them poor team players Because they are the experts in their area, they are often condescending and don’t wait for others to catch up to their way of thinking

To deal with a know-it-all, make sure you have done your homework Listen carefully to the speaker and acknowledge their competence Using the knowledge you gained while doing your homework, question firmly but don’t confront

Think-they-know-it-all Think-they-know-it-alls act like they are experts when they aren’t However, they don’t always know they aren’t experts These people typically want to be valued and considered important and like to learn a little about a lot of things

When dealing with a think-they-know-it-all, state the facts as an alternative version Offering an alternative version will give them a way out while still looking smart and important

Complainers Complaining is a particularly difficult behavior to cope with in the workplace It is also one of the most common Complainers find fault with everything and seem to complain constantly They feel that someone should do something but feel helpless to take action While there is usually some truth to their complaints, they don’t take action to get the complaints resolved

With complainers, it is important to listen to their complaints and acknowledge what they say There is no need to agree or apologize, simply acknowledge that you have heard what they said State the facts without comment or apology and move quickly into solving the problem

Negativists Most of us have had some exposure to working with a negative person Negativists are extremely pessimistic and more bitter than complainers They have a tendency to bring others down quickly with their continual pessimism Usually, they feel defeated or powerless in regard to the situation Because they are so caught up in the negativism of the situation, they don’t look for solutions to resolve the issue

The most important thing to remember when dealing with a negative coworker is to avoid getting drawn in to their negativity State your own realistic optimism but don’t argue with their point of view Be careful to avoid rushing into proposing solutions but be prepared to take action on your own

In addition to the behavior specific strategies already mentioned, a more general strategy can be used to cope with any type of difficult behavior If you have time to consider the behavior before dealing with it, formulate a plan to effectively handle it Describe the behavior in detail, writing down your understanding of the behavior Mentally review your previous interactions with this person and determine what worked and what didn’t work Then choose the proper coping behavior detailed above and determine if there is anything that you need to learn or practice before dealing with this person Finally, create an action plan and follow through with it Talk with the person by phone or in person Be clear about the impact and results while being careful to avoid placing blame Be sure to make the point clearly to avoid any confusion

If you are forced to deal with a difficult person on the spot, listen to the person without allowing the destructive behavior to continue Summarize what they are telling you and clarify any questions to collect further details Then state your positive intent to the person and tell your story from your point of view If possible, try to avoid damaging the relationship by placing blame but be sure to make the point clearly

When dealing with difficult coworkers, remember to not take the behavior personally and don’t try to beat them at their own game (you won’t win - they have more experience) Stand up to the person but don’t try to appease them or change them If necessary, remove the person from your life This may mean changing jobs or escalating the behavior to upper management or human resources In some cases, you may find it effective to use behavioral conditioning on the other person Other times, you may find it better to just let it go When dealing with a difficult person, assume they have good intentions And finally, remember that everybody is somebody’s difficult person at some point
April Mims is a life and career coach specializing in work/life balance issues and life and career transitions. Her coaching practice is Nexus Coaching Partners. She is passionate about empowering clients to balance the demands of a successful career and a strong family life. April invites you to a complimentary 30-minute coaching session to see if coaching could benefit you. Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Read full story

Author : Joe NiewierskiSo you are looking to recruit for new mortgage brokers When you think about doing that you probably hope that you can create enough interest in your company that you have enough hiring prospects to choose from and still be able to get the cream of the crop There are many options out there for recruiting But when looking for good mortgage brokers, it is best to look at what will get you the best Return On Investment Just like in attracting clients to your business and calculating the ROI by tracking what each of those leads spent, take a look through the same window in applying Direct Mail to recruiting brokers

Direct Mail is one of the best ways to recruit Why?

1 You can get a targeted list Because when using direct mail you can easily acquire a very targeted list of mortgage brokers You can get a list of mortgage brokers with home addresses You can get a list of brokers with a certain income You can get a list of brokers in a certain area, a certain age range This makes it easy to only attract the brokers who will fit into your business model

Pay your list close attention It could take you from the “pedestrian” approach and shoot you over into the fast lane Targeted lists are not the only benefit is using Direct Mail to target new recruits Now let’s look at the other two points and see how they all tie together

2 You can make the main “button” your headline A “button” is word, phrase, picture, etc that elicits an emotional response Your direct mail piece should show that the opportunities they will have at your company are better than the opportunities they will have at their present company - right off the bat You want an emotional response because you want them calling you

In designing many direct mail postcards for the mortgage business, I have found that there are three key buttons that brokers respond to when being recruited You can use any of these when you are using direct mail for recruiting Using them in the headline will evoke the best response

The three main points that are going to get a broker’s attention are:

a) Earn larger commissions,
b) A better selection of products to offer,
c) “Brand Recognition” - you have a great company identity to back them up

Making the headline tie in with your list is key Maybe you pick a list with their annual income a little low so that you can target this demographic by saying something like “Not Taking Enough Home? We can give you higher commissions”

If your business model is having more products to sell and consequently a higher closing percentage for that mortgage broker, then get that message across in your headline Remember, you only have a few seconds to communicate your message in a direct mail piece, so push your particular button in the headline

Let us say that your business model is such that you only offer a small portfolio of products because that is your niche and you do not plan to expand your product line You may want to push higher commission structure In essence, pick which one of the big 3 fit your company best and run with it

As a mortgage company, you give your brokers opportunities and pay them - in its simplistic form Direct Mail is one of the best forms of advertisement when recruiting because you push whichever opportunity button that directly communicates your business Make that “button” your headline Elicit that emotion, get the call The other opportunities or benefits you can put as secondary communication - for example in a bulleted form on the back of the postcard But your headline needs to pop and pull with the main button that you want to get across

3 Use a postcard The difference in sending a nice professional letter rather than a postcard is this one thing: Are they going to open it? How many “junk mail” pieces do you get in the mail and don’t even open? Plenty Get their attention in the few seconds that you have and get your point across Postcards are short, sweet and to-the-point You may never have that opportunity with a letter Then when they respond, follow up with a letter telling more about your company But make sure that the letter has your same colors and/or logo on it so they recognize it as the same company who sent them the postcard

If you have a full color dynamic postcard that says “Wish you were reaching your full potential as a mortgage broker?” Or “Are your commissions not what they were cracked up to be?” That is going to jump out at them That is exactly what you want Now you have got their attention and they will be more likely to call and see what you have to tell them

Also, you want to get your message across with two or three postcards - each slightly different than the first, but with the same look, feel and colors All you want to say is what opportunity you are offering - do not put all the details on the card, just make them want it and make them call A letter or package sent out afterwards that explains your whole business, what you can offer them, what products you offer, what your commission scale is (a lot of times your commission scale is too much to put in the postcard) is a great follow up In the postcard, just tell them that more than likely what you’re offering is better than what they are getting now

4 Finally, tell them to give you a call Your headline and graphic are the most important parts Get their attention first as the main focus - then they will turn the postcard over to read what else you want to tell them But don’t forget to command them to call you

You can be extremely effective in recruiting with direct mail postcards because with direct mail you are directing your message to a well-defined target that is more likely to respond than if you just shot off an arrow with your eyes closed Good luck and happy hunting!Joe Niewierski is the VP of Marketing & Promotion at PostcardMania, became published after graduating with a BA in Advertising from USF. Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998. By 2005 the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made the Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at www.PostcardMania.com Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Read full story