Filed under: Eileen Hess,PHR, Human Resources, Landrum | Tags: cardio, exercise, good health habits, health, muscle, stress, WEb MD, workout, World Health Organization, Zone Away
This Job Is Killing Me!
By Eileen Hess, PHR, on February 14, 2013
You may be right. According to research from The World Health Organization and reported by Forbes, stress costs American businesses $300 billion per year due to rising insurance and health care costs. Workplace stress isn’t just hurting employees. It is hurting companies in health care cost, attendance, morale, customer service and more.
Let’s face it, stress and anxiety has become a part of our daily lives and many of us have learned to manage it to an acceptable level. While the list of stress and anxiety triggers is long and varies from person to person, one thing is universal, it must be managed. The following tips will not totally alleviate stress or anxiety in your workday but they may be of some help to you or encourage some ideas of your own.
Drink Up (water) 13 cups for men, nine for women
I am talking about water my friends, not the afternoon cocktail at lunch that’s likely to cause additional anxiety and loss of employment. Keep in mind that the body is made up of 90% water, so drinking water is important for replenishing your system throughout the day. If you wait until you feel thirsty to replenish, you are already dehydrated.
Take a Walk
To counter the effects of sedentary work, take regular walks around the office or just stand at your desk. Don’t get me wrong, this does not replace your daily cardio work out but it will help get your blood flowing and allow you to refocus on the task at hand.
Get your Z’s
Yes sleep (at home). Sleep is our bodies time to repair itself from all the abuse we put it through in a regular day. To offset the stress and anxiety to your day, those hours of sleep are vital to your being at the top of your game.
Deskercise
Exercise at your desk a few times during the day. Sitting in a chair is a prime spot to practice stretching and flexibility moves. Try head rolls to loosen that tight neck muscle, cross body arm stretches and overhead stretch. In fact, I feel more relaxed just thinking about it! Check out Web MD Exercise at your desk for some easy to follow mini workouts.
Zone Away
This may be the toughest step of all but it is an excellent method to quiet the mind. Meditation, as defined by Wikipedia, is “a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or as an end in itself”. The point is to clear the mind of thoughts. It takes time to perfect this practice but is well worth it. Here are the 
recommended steps:
1) Sit or stand in a quiet place
2) Close eyes
3) Take slow deep breaths
4) And picture a clear blue sky or calm lake, whatever you envision as peaceful
5) Take a few moments to enjoy
If you are like most people it will be difficult at first to keep your Zone Away place uncluttered. In fact, after a few moments, you will likely find that the quiet place is interrupted by the very thoughts you are trying to clear. Don’t give up. With a little patience and practice, this can be a very rejuvenating habit. Take time to care for yourself and you will see the greatest rewards.
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As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Eileen is certified as a Professional in Human Resources Management (PHR) and has over 20 years of human resources experience in the corporate, healthcare, and manufacturing environment. She is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Society for Human Resources Management and has served on chapter committees.
Filed under: Health Reform, Human Resources, Landrum, Uncategorized, Video Blog | Tags: employees, employer, Florida, Health Care Reform, Health Reform, Human Resources, Landrum Human Resources, PEO, PPACA, President Obama, Supreme Court
June 29, 2012
U.S. Supreme Court Announced Ruling on Health Care
The long-awaited US Supreme Court’s ruling on health care reform was announced on June 28, 2012. The Court’s decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act has generated many questions from business owners and employers.
Landrum Human Resources has prepared a short video highlighting the potential impact the ruling will have on employers and employees. You can view the video below.
You can also join our Live Webinar on Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 3:00 PM CDT.
THE SUPREME COURT RULING ON HEALTHCARE REFORM
”What Business Owners & Employers Need to Know ”
Register for the webinar here.
Filed under: Bill Cleary, Book Reviews, Human Resources, Landrum, Motivational | Tags: best-selling business book, employees, Getting Naked-a business fable, Human Resources, Patrick Lencioni, Trust
May 10, 2012
Have you read a good book lately? Today we begin featuring a monthly “book review” post on our blog. In today’s world, we are fortunate to have a variety of platforms available that allows us to engage in a good book: digital readers, audio books, smart phone apps, and lets not forget the actual paper or hard back book. We will share reviews written by our Landrum leaders and managers about books that made an impact on them professionally or personally, and that is of interest to the business community. We hope our reviews help you with your next Kindle, iBook, or library book selection.
Landrum’s Vice-President of Client Relations, Bill Cleary, kicks off our book review series by sharing his thoughts and assessment of: “Getting NAKED”: a business fable about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty.
Book Title: Getting NAKED, a business fable about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty Author (s): Patrick Lencioni Copyright date: 2010
Brief summary of the book: Like Patrick Lencioni’s other best-selling business books I have enjoyed, (Death by Meeting and Overcoming The Five Dysfunctions of a Team) this book is written as a “business fable.” In the business fable format, Mr. Lencioni has found a way to tell a story and teach a lesson at the same time. If you are like me and really don’t enjoy reading the average business book, you know the ones with titles like “12 Ways to Improve in Business” and “What You are doing Wrong Today” then fear not! Mr. Lencioni’s books introduce you to a character, someone who just happens to be in business and may be facing a situation similar to one you have faced (or imagine you will sooner or later). The books walk you through a period of time in the character’s life and you get to see how they deal with a situation or approach a challenge in a methodical manner.
Along the main character’s journey, there are other interesting folks who have an influence on the situation. Another useful technique this author uses is to illustrate the books with examples of handwritten notes, sometimes as though they would appear on a flip-chart, other time just like you might write down in a note pad. Pay attention to those illustrations, because they are the “cliff notes” that you can take away and apply in your own business life!
This book exposes the Three Fears we all have that get in the way of building a trusting relationship with a client. The three fears are: 1 – Fear of Losing the Business, 2 – Fear of Being embarrassed, 3 – Fear of Feeling Inferior.
Share a quote or two from the book: “At its core, naked service boils down to the ability of a service provider to be vulnerable – to embrace uncommon levels of humility, selflessness, and transparency for the good of the client.”
To illustrate the business fable, here is a quote from the main character early in the book. “Just like that, my world had been turned upside down, and for the rest of the day I couldn’t decide how to digest it all.”
Have you used something you learned from this book at work? A strong undercurrent of this book’s message is about having the courage to face difficult situations. Mr. Lencioni reminds us that clients want more than anything else to know we are more interested in helping them than anything else. I use that main point and several other pieces of wisdom in the book to help me take care of our clients every day!
Have you read Lencioni’s, “Getting NAKED”, or another good book lately? Let us know. We would love to hear your comments and review.
Filed under: Human Resources, Jim Guttmann, SPHR, Landrum, Notes from Jim | Tags: Human Resources, Landrum Human Resources, NLRB, PEO, Staffing
April 25, 2012
NLRB Posting Rule Blocked by Federal Court - But NLRB Election Procedures Are Effective April 30th
Last November, we informed you that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule that would require most private-sector employers to notify workers of their rights guaranteed under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by having to post a special notice to employees. Click here for our previous blog on this subject.
In December, we informed you of delays in the effective date of this posting requirement with the new scheduled deadline being April 30, 2012. According to the NLRB’s press release at the time, the further postponement gives the Board the opportunity to “facilitate the resolution of legal challenges.”
As an update on the legal challenges, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina ruled on April 13, 2012 that the NLRB lacked the authority to issue a notice-posting rule. Subsequently, on April 17, 2012, the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia granted an emergency injunction pending an appeal of a prior D.C. district court ruling that the NLRB had the authority to issue the rule. Based on this ruling, the regulation’s effective date of April 30, 2012, has been indefinitely postponed, and employers will not be required to abide by the notice posting regulation by that date.
The legal battle surrounding the validity of the rule is likely far from over. Jonathan Segal, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia, noted that a District of Columbia district court has decided that the board did not exceed its statutory authority in requiring the posting of a union rights notice, so the district courts in D.C. and South Carolina are in conflict. Mr. Segal said the posting issue eventually might go to the Supreme Court.
Oral argument before the D.C. Circuit is slated for September, 2012. A new deadline for the notice-posting requirement is unlikely until at least fall 2012, if at all.
However, while employers no longer have to post the NLRA employees’ rights poster by the end of this month, the amendments to the NLRB election procedures will go into effect April 30th. Efforts in the United States Senate by some senators to overturn the NLRB election procedures were not successful. Click here for our previous blog on this issue and here for a summary of the new NLRB election procedures.
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Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Jim is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has over 20 years of HR generalist experience for a large government contractor and Fortune 500 Company. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University and is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (GPCSHRM), previously serving as their Vice President of Information Services and Chairman of the Workplace Diversity Committee. Jim is also certified as a County Mediator and in the administration of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Filed under: Human Resources, Jim Guttmann, SPHR, Landrum, Notes from Jim | Tags: NLRB, professional human resources
March 8, 2012
Update on Dispute Regarding
National Labor Relations Board Election Process
As reported in our December 30, 2011 blog, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued final rules that would significantly shorten the campaign period prior to an election for union representation. You can access our previous blog post here.
At the present time, Congressional Republicans are working to repeal these new rules before it takes effect on April 30, 2012. Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Phil Gingrey (R-GA) have introduced a joint resolution that, if passed, would nullify the NLRB’s quick election rule.
Senate supporters of the Enzi/Gingrey joint resolution are likely to force a vote on the resolution in late March or April. The joint resolution needs only a simple majority (51 votes) to pass the Senate, not the 60 votes it usually takes to defeat a Senate filibuster. If the resolution passes both the House and Senate and is not vetoed by President Obama, the quick election rule would be repealed.
We will continue to update you as we approach the planned effective date of April 30th.
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Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Jim is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has over 20 years of HR generalist experience for a large government contractor and Fortune 500 Company. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University and is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (GPCSHRM), previously serving as their Vice President of Information Services and Chairman of the Workplace Diversity Committee. Jim is also certified as a County Mediator and in the administration of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
December 30, 2011
National Labor Relations Board Amends Election Process
by Jim Guttmann, SPHR
Although Unions were not successful in getting Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently stepped forward to issue final rules that may have a significant bearing on union organizing efforts. The final rule, effective April 30, 2012, amends the Board’s election procedures. The NLRB’s stated purpose for this change in election procedures is to reduce unnecessary litigation and delays in the representation election process. For an overview of these procedural changes, click here
Why are these procedural changes significant? Under the old procedures, the median period of time from when a union filed a petition for representation at a given worksite to the subsequent election by employees took 38 days. Under the new procedures, most directed elections will occur within 15-20 days of the date of the petition.
Some employers (and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) are opposed to this significant shortening of the “campaign period” because they believe that it doesn’t afford companies enough time to tell their side of the story to employees as to why they don’t need a union to represent them. They are disturbed by this NLRB initiative and have referred to this new ruling as the “ambush election rule”. Efforts are already underway by some organizations to block the new regulation from going into effect on April 30th.
We will keep you apprised as to how this situation plays out in the months ahead.
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- Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Jim is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has over 20 years of HR generalist experience for a large government contractor and Fortune 500 Company. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University and is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (GPCSHRM), previously serving as their Vice President of Information Services and Chairman of the Workplace Diversity Committee. Jim is also certified as a County Mediator and in the administration of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Filed under: Human Resources, Landrum | Tags: employees, employment, Human Resources, interview, Jobs, Landrum Staffing, Resume Writing
October 13, 2011
How to Get Your Resume Noticed – A Job Seeker’s Guide
Did you know that a very important part of your job search is the ability to sell? Remember from our recent blog post Feel Confident about Your Next Interview – A Job Seeker’s Guide; you most likely will be competing for the same job with several other candidates. The ability to sell yourself, your skills and your experience will play a big role in where your resume ends up in the growing stack of applications on an HR Manager’s desk.
Clear, Concise, and Comprehensive
One of the best tools to help you secure an interview – and ultimately “the job” – is a well written resume. As the saying goes, “You have one chance to make a good first impression.” The following guidelines will help you create an effective resume that will get noticed and could put you on top of the stack.
One Page
Your resume should be concise and comprehensive. No more than one page unless you have more than 10 years of experience.
Clearly Stated Job Objective
This should be adapted depending upon the particular job you are applying for. It needs to be well thought out and not just a standard line.
Include Your Accomplishments
This is what will make you stand out from the crowd. Include a listing of your major work accomplishments and place emphasis on the most recent ones. Quantify your accomplishments in goals met, dollars saved for the company, fewer accidents, award-winning attendance, etc.
Sell Yourself
You are a one-person sales team and the product you are selling is YOU. Your resume may be the only chance you have to make a lasting first impression. Remember, your resume is really a snap shot of you.
Error Free
Your resume reflects you and the quality of your work. Make it perfect.
Employment Lapses
It is not a good practice to list reasons for lapses in employment or terminations on your resume. You are better off explaining these items in person during the interview.
References
Always have your references listed on a separate and single sheet of paper and available to present if/when asked by the interviewer. It is acceptable to include “References Available upon Request” on your resume although not always necessary. Prospective employers will expect that you have a reference list available at all times. A good reference contact would be a past employer or supervisor, school teacher or college professor, counselor, or community service leader. You want your references to be professional individuals who can speak of your work ethic, character, and accomplishments. Include the name of your reference, place of business, title, address and phone number. With permission from your reference you could also include an email address and/or cell phone number. Most importantly, confirm with your contact that you have listed them as a reference and that they may be contacted.
Why a Cover Letter?
You need to do every positive thing you can do to set yourself apart from the crowd. Unfortunately, the crowd is getting bigger and more competitive. A cover letter is designed to personalize your resume. You should use it to emphasize your assets and strengths in a way that will make the employer want to interview you.
Easy to Read
Try to limit your cover letter to a single page and make sure it is grammatically correct. Make sure spelling, punctuation, paragraph length and margins are correct. Remember, this is also an example of the quality of your work.
Address to a Particular Person
Personalize your letter to the person making the hiring decision if you can. No one wants to receive a “form” cover letter.
Formal Letter
Remember, this is a business letter – not a text message.
Delivery
When you’re ready to submit your resume to a prospective employer it is always beneficial to know the delivery method in which the employer prefers. If you are answering an advertisement for a job and the ad specifies exactly how and where to send your resume, by all means do as the ad states. In many cases, employers use this as a way to test your ability to follow directions. Of course you won’t always know a company’s preference, so making a quick phone call to ask is acceptable. Other means of acceptable resume delivery are: email, postal service, or hand delivery. AVOID faxing a resume whenever possible.
Extra Copies
When you go on a scheduled interview always take extra copies of your resume with you even if you previously sent one to the company or interviewer. In some cases, employers will ask that you speak with more than one person in the company and having extra copies of your resume will demonstrate preparedness.
Does your resume meet the 3 C’s rule? Is it Clear, Concise and Comprehensive? Have a comment or question? We are glad to help and would like to hear from you.
Next in our Job Seeker’s Guide series, learn the importance of being prepared for your interview and steps to help you plan.
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This article was authored by Joni K. Humphreys, Director of Marketing and Communications and Denise T. McLeod, SPHR; Edited by Holly McLeod, PHR, Human Resources Manager
Filed under: Human Resources, Landrum | Tags: Fort Walton Beach, Landrum Human Resources, Landrum Staffing
September 30, 2011
A Beautiful Day for a Ribbon Cutting
The Landrum Team is excited to share a few pictures from the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of our new Fort Walton Beach, FL location. The event was held Thursday, September 29, 2011. We were blessed with a perfect morning filled with sunshine, friends and fellowship.
“The Landrum Team is honored and grateful for the support and warm welcome received from the Chambers of Commerce and the Okaloosa/Walton business communities,” said Britt Landrum III, vice president and chief technology officer of Landrum Companies.
Landrum’s Fort Walton Beach office is located in Uptown Station – 73 Eglin Parkway NE, Suite 110. We look forward to helping businesses with their HR needs and candidates seeking employment.
We appreciate the support of the Chambers of Commerce, clients, and friends who helped make it a beautiful day for a ribbon cutting.
Filed under: Human Resources, Landrum, Notes from Jim, Uncategorized | Tags: employees, Human Resources, Job Performance, relationships, Sexual Harassment, Trust
May 18, 2011
Falling “In Love” With Your Boss
By Jim Guttmann, SPHR
Let your imagination run rampant for a moment as we have a little fun. As an employee of Good Grief, Inc., you have fallen madly “in love” with your boss and you’re living together in a romantic relationship. I realize that it may be hard to believe, but your co-workers are not exactly enthralled with this idea. As an employee, you do only what’s minimally required – just enough to get by. After all, what boss is going to fire his/her sweetheart? On the other hand, your co-workers are a highly self-motivated and dedicated group of professionals. As time goes on there is a promotional opportunity within the department. Get this… Even though you are clearly the least qualified of those that apply from within the department, you get the job! This really aggravates your co-workers of both genders, who head out en masse to file charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for “sexual harassment” or “hostile work environment” against Good Grief.
You can relax, now. Remember this is only a hypothetical scenario, but let’s keep imagining about what happens next. EEOC listens to their complaints about unacceptable favoritism afforded to you merely because of your romantic relationship with the boss. The employees, however, are not going to be very happy about what the EEOC may have to say. The group hears that EEOC and the federal and state courts have pretty uniformly held that an employer is not liable under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, if an employee receives preferential treatment because of a consensual office romance with a supervisor. Under the circumstances described, the relationship is voluntary; consensual; there is no submission to sexual advances or sexual favors in return for employment benefits; and no evidence exists that a relationship between employee and supervisor is a term and condition of employment. The EEOC has declared that Title VII does not prohibit isolated instances of preferential treatment based on consensual romantic relationships. To the contrary they have said, “An isolated instance of favoritism to a ‘paramour’ (or a spouse, or a friend) may be unfair, but it does not discriminate against women or men in violation of Title VII, since both are disadvantaged for reasons other than their genders”.
So, can we conclude that office romance between employee and supervisor is “no big deal?” Well, it may certainly be a big deal to the staff who resent the favoritism shown by the supervisor. It would be difficult to measure the degree of disruption the relationship causes in the workplace.
Beyond that, however, what if the nature of the romantic relationship changes? It may become an entirely different matter with EEOC if one party or the other breaks off the relationship. If the employee becomes the “jilted” party, will he or she possibly then maintain that the relationship was never consensual and that sexual advances or sexual favors were expected in return for employment benefits? Or if the supervisor is the jilted one, will he or she take some kind of retaliatory action in the future that will put the company at risk? Under either of these two scenarios, there is a distinct possibility of a claim of “quid pro quo” (a Latin term meaning “this for that”) sexual harassment. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when employment decisions or expectations (hiring, promotions, salary increases, shift or work assignments, performance standards, termination, etc.) are based on an employee’s submission to or rejection of sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other behavior of a sexual nature.
This whole situation can get even worse. What if Good Grief’s culture develops such that multiple romantic relationships of this kind occur in the workplace and employees suspect that entering into a romantic relationship with the boss becomes a way to get ahead? This creates a potential for employees not involved in a workplace romance to establish that there is hostile work environment discrimination based upon gender-based favoritism bestowed on those who were romantically linked with a supervisor.
In summary, today’s “fling” can be tomorrow’s “filing” and the evil cousin of office romance has the potential to develop into a sexual harassment lawsuit. Office romances can represent a slippery slope. If they should occur in your workplace, it is highly recommended that you seek the advice of a human resources professional or legal counsel to reduce the likelihood of litigation arising from workplace relationships. Doing so will in all likelihood prevent your company from experiencing the grief of Good Grief!
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Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Jim is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has over 20 years of HR generalist experience for a large government contractor and Fortune 500 Company. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University and is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (GPCSHRM), previously serving as their Vice President of Information Services and Chairman of the Workplace Diversity Committee. Jim is also certified as a County Mediator and in the administration of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Filed under: Human Resources, Landrum, Training | Tags: "human resources consulting", Communication, Human Resources, PEO, Sexual Harassment
May 3, 2011
EEOC Victorious in Court: Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
by: Yvonne C. Nellums, PHR
On March 28, 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) won its third trial victory in 2011 by representing employees who complained of sexual harassment in the workplace. In the most recent case, EEOC vs. Boh Bros. Construction, a federal jury in New Orleans awarded a former employee $451,000. Earlier this year, a Memphis jury return a verdict of $1.5 million, and in Syracuse, N.Y., a jury awarded $1.25 million to 10 female employees.
One of the defining aspects of the Boh Bros. Construction case is that the employer had no policy regarding sexual harassment. The supervisor admitted he had received no training on the subject. The claimant charged that he was verbally abused and taunted by his supervisor. When he reported this to the company, it retaliated by moving him to another job which paid less and was then “laid off.”
Sexual harassment and retaliation violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“The jury’s verdict signals to employers the importance of having robust sexual harassment policies and training in place, including in predominantly male workplaces,” stated EEOC General Counsel David Lopez.
For all of our Landrum Professional clients, we ensure that each new employee receives these policies. Inside each new hire packet, employees receive an Open Door and Discrimination and Harassment Policy to review and sign. Also, this information is contained in the Employee Handbook. These policies explain of what constitutes harassment and the steps to report a complaint if the employee believes they have been subjected to harassment.
It is important to ensure that all of your supervisors and management staff understand the importance of the open-door policy and reporting complaints of discrimination immediately. Our HR managers assist clients with these matters to help resolve any conflicts in the workplace.
Does your organization have a Sexual Harassment Policy in place?
Landrum offers Sexual Harassment Training for Managers as one of the professional seminars presented at our corporate office. The next one is scheduled for November 15, 2011. For more information about our seminars or to register, click here.
Yvonne C. Nellums is Director of Human Resources for Landrum Professional Employer Services. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 30 years of human resources experience in the corporate world, manufacturing environments, and the offshore industry.
