So here we are in mid-January and most likely your new benefits plan year began January 1st. This cartoon conjures up memories of the myriad of phone calls an HR department receives as soon as the new plan year begins. Questions such as “what is my co-pay?” and “do I need a referral for services other than preventive care?” And how about the dreaded call from an employee at the doctor’s office telling you that the carrier says he is not covered! Ugh! While these questions are not uncommon, there are things you can do (and must do in some instances) to ensure all bases are covered.

For Immediate Release

Are you are on the job market and need to find a new job? Maybe you have recently been let go, a contract ended, or you are ready to move onto bigger and better things. One of the first things that you may do is to update your resume. Consider your resume as your ticket to your next interview. Before you get that request for an interview, though, your resume is likely going to go through the hands of a recruiter. Most recruiters will tell you that they spend about 15 to 30 seconds reviewing a resume. This means you really need to make sure that your resume is well-organized and easy to read. As a recruiter, if I find myself spending too much time trying to decipher a resume, I will probably just move on to the next resume.

As a consultant, I often go to organizations and provide advice and counsel to leaders at varying levels in the organization. For a good number of clients, that advice is at the management level and higher, and I don’t have regular communication with non-supervisory employees. So while visiting a client site a few days ago, I was in the break room getting something to drink, and happened to strike up a conversation with an [non-supervisory] employee about the political primary. We held a pretty robust conversation for a few minutes, and near the end, he looked at me and said, “Who ARE you”? It caught me off guard, and frankly I found it quite amusing. But in thinking back about the conversation, I realized that this is a question that people struggle with all of the time. So it got me thinking about human communication, and what we are REALLY saying when we communicate.

If you live anywhere in the region you may have noticed the Girl Scouts cookie booths at the entrance to every grocery store taking place now. If by some small chance you haven’t seen one at your local supermarket, I am sure someone in your office has the cookie form and is helping out with orders on behalf of their daughter, granddaughter, or their niece. Other similar types of fundraisers or sales that may be occurring in your office include popcorn sales for Boy Scouts, jewelry such as Silpada, and/or beauty products like Mary Kay or Avon. While we all love the opportunity to support our colleagues and communities, the larger your business grows, the more frequent these "in-office solicitations" can occur. If you are concerned about this becoming a disruption to your business, you may want to consider setting a precedent before the flood gates open.