Astronology - 2011 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition Recap

Astronology Volume XII Issue 9 July 26, 2011 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software.   Astron Solutions Awarded Contract with Premier, Inc. Last month, Premier, Inc. awarded Astron Solutions a three-year contract to provide our consulting services and Flare™ modules at discounted rates to Premier members.  Premier is the leading purchasing group for healthcare organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico.  "The entire Astron team is excited and honored by this development.  Partnering with Premier confirms our commitment to the healthcare market," stated National Director Michael Maciekowich.    We will be sending out more information regarding the Premier arrangement shortly.  Please stay tuned to learn how you may benefit from this new arrangement!....more      Astron Solutions Wins 2011 Apex Awards Astron Solutions was recently honored with three Apex Awards for Publication Excellence.  Our blog, Welcome to the World of HR, and our corporate website, www.astronsolutions.net, received honors for 2011.  In addition, our recruitment website, www.astronsolutions.jobs, won a Grand Award, the highest level of recognition, in the for profit small office website category.  Congratulations to Director Brendan Williams and Blogmaster Andrew Katz for their hard work and creativity!     Employee Promotions Astron Solutions team members Brendan Williams and John Sazaklis were recently promoted to Director.  "We are thrilled to have both John and Brendan as long-standing members of our team, and are glad to recognize their hard work and efforts with these promotions," stated National Director Jennifer Loftus.  Congratulations, Brendan and John!     2011 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition Recap It was hot hot hot in Las Vegas last month, as thousands of HR professionals from around the globe gathered for the SHRM 2011 Annual Conference and Exposition. Although temperatures were at or above 100 degrees each day, the weather wasn't the only hot topic of conversation.  The conference provided four outstanding days of continuous learning experiences and good times.... more     Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com.   The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us   World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More

 

Maybe You Should Quit Your Job

I hope you had a great weekend. We start you off on this Monday with an article from the Ottawa Citizen which says that you should probably quit your job. Once in a while, frustrated people at their jobs finally boil over the edge and decide they need to quit to do something else. According to the article "This happened to Kai Nagata [two weeks ago]. Kai was a Canadian TV reporter who suddenly resigned because he realized he could be doing more if he was doing something else. In his words: 'I quit my job because the idea burrowed into my mind that, on the long list of things I could be doing, television news is not the best use of my short life.'" Kai's story resonated with many people and this was picked up by media outlets outside of Canada.

Sometimes, though, it is better to find ways to make the job you are currently in better, or more fulfilling. Doing charity work outside of the work day (or with your fellow co-workers), can make you feel like you're giving back a bit more. Speak to your manager or your human resources representative and see if you can find something that works with your work schedule whether that is tutoring or mentoring local kids, doing Habitat for Humanities, or just helping clean up a neighborhood area which has gotten overrun. Sometimes the things you most want to do with your life, you can fit into your work-life as well. Then you don't have to be like Kai and quit.

Beat the Heat and Don't Take a Counter-Offer

If you live in in the Northeast and haven't yet been outside today, I'm going to preempt the weatherman and tell you it's hot...like REALLY hot. Like "wow" hot. And the stock market isn't even open yet. That's how you know it's going to be a hot day. If you are at work today, try some things to stay away from going outside such as getting a group of co-workers together and ordering food delivered or maybe waiting until the end of the day to run all your outdoor errands if they can wait. You need to find ways to beat this heat.

Today's article is a really interesting one from Forbes which says that if you receive a counter-offer from a company you're about to leave, turn it down. Of course, not every counter-offer is a bad one (although the author seems to have a lot of bad experiences with them), but the premise is correct: don't try to overreach in your job and if you already planned to leave a company, it's probably a sign that you should continue to do so. Playing one company against another can really harm your reputation and even get you blacklisted from some hiring firms. Not worth the trouble. Instead, the author suggestions, have a conversation with your boss and express your frustrations--before you accept another offer. As he says:

"Down the road, such a conversation will be far more valuable if you choose not to force your boss into a buyback offer. You will retain your reputation for honesty, and, in my experience, this will serves you far better than a single raise or promotion ever could."

That's some good advice on a very, very hot day here in New York

Astronology - The Role of Self-Awareness

Astronology Volume XII Issue 8 July 12, 2011 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software.   The Role of Self-Awareness By Stacey Jerrold We are fortunate to live in a world that offers unlimited opportunities and where dreams can be achieved at every turn.  So, why is it that many people feel frustrated, unable to accomplish much?  Usually the reason is that these individuals have vested little time in reflecting within themselves to find and develop their own potential.....more     Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com.   The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us   World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More

 

NYTimes: Somehow, the Unemployed Became Invisible

Once in a while, it's good to see things from the other side so today, on a beautiful Sunday in New York as many Americans dread the upcoming work week, it's important to remember that a lot of our neighbors (an amazing 14+ million) are out of work. From The New York Times a very interesting article about the unemployed becoming the invisible.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/business/the-unemployed-somehow-became-invisible.html

It's important to remember that as you weight the effects that laying off a worker can have on their life. Although it shouldn't preventing you from making the right decision, know that it's taking an average of 9 months to find a job in this market
-Andrew

Summer Perks in NYC: Central Park SummerStage

If Bryant Park movie nights aren't your thing, maybe you want to head uptown to a much bigger and more famous park for some free concerts they have during the summer at the Central Park SummerStage:

About.com has a great description of what goes on at the SummerStage including talking about 30 of the free events that will go on during the summer of 2011. The SummerStage website has a list of all the specific events and an outline of who will be performing and what type of music. Much like the Bryant Park movie nights, SummerStage is a great opportunity to get out for a night with your company and enjoy a free event together.

The key in picking a movie or a musical performance, though, is to make sure you have something that everyone can enjoy without anyone getting offended. Pick something light and fun and always make the event attendance optional. Encourage employees to bring their families or significant others and get to know your fellow-co-workers. And make sure that employees know they can leave a little early to get in line--as long as they get their work done on time.

Done right, free perks like these can make the summer months seem a lot less dull for your fellow co-workers.

Guest Post: The Workplace Farewell

I hope everyone had a very happy Fourth of July. As everyone is getting back to the workplace over the next few days and going back into work mode, we have a guest post about the opposite: the workplace farewell. This one is submitted to us by Maria Rainier. Maria is a freelance writer and blogger for First in Education where she’s recently written about online landscape architecture programs along with a piece on tax examiner jobs. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, playing piano, and working with origami. Without further ado, here is Maria's guest post:
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It has become more and more common for employees to send out a mass e-mail to their co-workers announcing their departure. The e-mail usually offers some words of appreciation for co-workers, provides some details about future plans, and invites everyone to keep in touch. For most of us, the e-mails are forgettable, if not groan-inducing. But in a few rare cases, some disgruntled employees have become Internet legends for their memorable send-offs. Your writing skill and your ability to inspire or inflame aside, should you send out a mass e-mail bidding farewell to your co-workers when you’ve decided to move on to greener pastures? Or is it unprofessional not to send such a note?

To Send or Not to Send

There are many reasons to send out the farewell e-mail. If you work in a large company, it gives you the opportunity to notify those in other departments of your departure and the impending change in procedure. No matter the size of your company, the farewell e-mail also gives you the opportunity to express appreciation for your co-workers and to lay the ground work for maintaining those relationships after you’re gone.

There is no rule of thumb for whether you should or should not send the e-mail. The best barometer is your own company culture. If workplace farewells are common at your company, your co-workers may think you cold or aloof if you don’t send out a note. On the other hand, if no one sends out such notes, you may seem inappropriate if you do.

Follow precedent for constructing your note, but be sure to always keep it positive and end on a high note. If company e-mails tend to be long and reflective, don’t be too terse in yours. You don’t have to match previous examples sentiment for sentiment, but do try to convey the same overall tone (i.e., adding a few more sentences if you’re usually brief, or learning to pare it back if you tend to go on and on). Try to fit in, but always be sincere and do what feels comfortable.

Some Guidelines

Astronology - Making the Most Out of Social Media for Your Organization

Astronology Volume XII Issue 7 July 1, 2011 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software.   The Astron Road Show With July almost upon us, additional stops on the Astron Road Show are here!   It's off to Saratoga Springs, NY, July 10 - 12, for the annual New York State SHRM Conference and Exposition.  Astron Solutions will have an exhibit booth there.  Please stop by and say hello to National Directors Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich, and Technology Supervisor Brendan Williams!   We look forward to seeing you on the road!       FACT or FICTION $1 Billion will be spent on Social Media Marketing globally in 2011. FICTION! According to emarketer.com, approximately $4.26 billion will be spent on social media marketing globally in 2011.  How much is your organization spending?  Are you a "SoMe" superstar, or a newcomer to the field?       Making the Most Out of Social Media for Your Organization In terms of marketing, digital marketing can help tremendously...if done right.  For instance, page activity doesn't always equate to new sales or qualified candidates for position openings. For organizations just testing out the waters of social media, this can be very frustrating.  How does one use Social Media to his / her organization's advantage in this digital age?.....more     Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com.   The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us   World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More