Workforce planning necessary to running a business well
POSTED: Friday, June 10, 2011 at 08:22 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
Does your organization know what kind of talent it needs to be successful? Do you understand the skill sets of your current workforce and where your people need development? Do you have a clear understanding of when to recruit and hire more talent? Many organizations are struggling to understand just these issues. It’s a discipline [...]
Fewer 401(k) loans may be coming
POSTED: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 03:14 PM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
A new bill in Congress is designed to reduce the number of loans Americans can take from their 401(k) savings plans. The bill, introduced by Senators Herb Kohl, D-Wisconsin and Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming, seeks to make it tougher for employees to treat their 401(k) like a piggy bank. During the recession, more Americans turned to [...]
Promoting alternative transportation for workers
POSTED: Monday, May 23, 2011 at 07:38 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
The average price of regular unleaded gasoline in Idaho is nearing $4 a gallon – providing an overwhelming hit to the average household’s monthly budget. Not only do higher gas prices increase the cost of an employee’s daily commute to work, it also impacts the cost of her food and other necessities. While cost-of-living raises [...]
How much did that meeting just cost?
POSTED: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 06:56 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
In the average-size business office, meetings cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year when you calculate the hourly rate of each individual sitting around the table. Meetings also contribute to poor morale when they’re not run well. If one meeting bully is allowed to dominate the discussion, others will not feel valued. If the [...]
Gains by women in workforce not enough
POSTED: Monday, April 18, 2011 at 06:46 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
A recent report by the White House shows women are making great strides in the workforce, yet they still have a long way to go before their salaries and leadership roles are equal to that of their male counterparts. The report released last month is called, “Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being.” [...]
Gas tank wins over retirement savings
POSTED: Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 06:22 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks, Retirement Savings
Idaho gas prices were up another $0.06 gallon the last week of March, according to AAA of Idaho. “Investors have been reacting to volatility including war, natural disasters, Japan’s nuclear problems, and the European debt crisis,” said AAA Idaho spokesman Dave Carlson. When considering whether to put extra dollars into their gas tank or into [...]
‘Electronic onboard’ your new hires 
POSTED: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 07:30 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
Unemployment numbers are showing positive recovery signs across the country – considerably better in this first quarter of 2011 than was expected last fall. Some economists predicted unemployment could jump to 10.1 percent. Instead, it registered at 8.9 percent in February, its lowest level in nearly two years. And, the economy gained 192,000 jobs – [...]
Promote employee alternative transportation methods
POSTED: Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 10:27 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
With spring break just around the corner and troubles continuing to stir in the Middle East, consumers are holding their breath to see if gas prices continue to climb. This first week of March in Idaho, the average price of unleaded gasoline is well-above $3 a gallon – up 5 cents in the Gem State [...]
Refine your website as a recruitment tool
POSTED: Friday, February 25, 2011 at 10:04 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
As the economy begins to warm up, so does the need for a talented workforce. The resourcefulness, innovative thinking, and productivity that high performers bring to an organization are needed now more than ever in all industries. The question is: How can your organization find the most talented people and lure them to work for [...]
Communication within companies helps lead to success
POSTED: Friday, February 18, 2011 at 07:23 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Tags: Line of Communication, Michelle Hicks
Growing business is the top priority of companies, whether large or small. Just as important, but often overlooked, is preparing a workforce for that growth. As smaller companies increase in workforce size they face issues aligning their teams to their business priorities. The greatest contributor to overcoming growth barriers are strategic communication plans to keep [...]
