Astronology - Addressing the Needs of Seasonal Employees

Astronology Volume XII Issue 18 November 29, 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 in the Press Two publications recently featured articles authored by National Director Jennifer Loftus.  CPA Practice Management Forum published Jennifer's article on the Fair Labor Standards Act.  HR West, the publication of the Northern California Human Resources Association (San Francisco, CA), published Jennifer's piece on politics in the workplace.    Fact or Fiction?  The staffing industry isn't growing.   FICTION!   Staffing Industry Analysts predicts that staffing industry revenue will grow 7% in 2012. This will make the total revenue for staffing industries a whopping $121.9 billion in 2012.  That's good news, and hopefully a sign that the US economy with strengthen in 2012.    Addressing the Needs of Seasonal Employees 'Tis the season...for more workers! In many places, especially retail locations, the fall season signifies a flurry of seasonal, temporary workers to help make the holiday rush activity function smoothly. How can workers become quickly acclimated to the organization's culture, in order to yield the desired levels of productivity and efficiency? Furthermore, the season itself carries stress. How can an organization and all its employees survive the pressure? In this issue of Astronology, we take a look at these challenges.....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

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Hopefully you all are enjoying your Black Friday shopping. I know I'm a day late, but while you all are still digesting turkey (and probably eating turkey leftovers), we want to take the time to say we hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. We are certainly thankful for you, our readers, and we look forward to some great blogging in the weeks ahead. Hope you had a great time with your loved ones.

Telecommuting and Productivity

In my new job, I've had the opportunity to work from home (or elsewhere) quite a bit. Everyone always tells me that they could never work from home and be productive but I always retort that I'm actually really productive working from home--sometimes even more productive. The Smithsonian via their Surprising Science blog took a look at telecommuting the scientific way, and has some results that may support my own findings:

After a few weeks of the experiment, it was clear that the telecommuters were performing better than their counterparts in the office. They took more calls (it was quieter and there were fewer distractions at home) and worked more hours (they lost less time to late arrivals and sick breaks) and more days (fewer sick days). This translated into greater profits for the company because more calls equaled more sales. The telecommuters were also less likely to quit their jobs, which meant less turnover for the company.

Of course, as the article states, working from a place other than the office is not for everyone and most would like it to be a temporary condition. I like working from home for the flexibility, the lack of commute, and the ability to work in my PJs. But I miss the resources of an office including co-workers, technology, and the ability to have meetings in person. So for as much as I like staying at home while I work with my dog at my feet, I also need a break from that every once in a while.