Pay Plus Benefits

Is Overtime Expansion On the Horizon?

In big news to employers, President Obama is directing the Department of Labor (DOL) to issue proposed regulations that would expand the number of employees who are eligible for overtime.  

To address the changing nature of today’s workplace, the DOL is to consider how the regulations could be revised to update existing protections consistent with the intent of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Current regulations are difficult for both workers and businesses to understand and apply. The directive is aimed at the regulations regarding exemptions from the FLSA’s overtime requirement, particularly for executive, administrative, and professional employees (often referred to as "white collar" exemptions).

Workers who are paid hourly wages or who earn below a certain salary are generally protected by overtime regulations, while those above the threshold who perform executive, professional or administrative duties are not. Currently, many businesses aren't required to pay overtime to certain salaried workers if they earn more than $455 a week, a level that was set in 2004 and comes to roughly $24,000 a year. For example, a convenience store manager, a fast-food shift supervisor, a loan officer or an office worker may be expected to work 50 or 60 hours a week or more and not receive a dime of overtime pay.

New regulations also could tighten up the executive exemption as well. According to White House officials, the rules might mandate that employees do a specified percentage of “executive”-type work before being exempted.

While it’s not clear what a new proposed salary threshold would be, some speculate that it could more than double. One recent proposal would raise the limit to $984 per week (about $50,000 a year). Under this scenario, experts estimate that more than 5 million employees would be entitled to overtime pay who currently are not.

Many states have their own wage and hour laws with salary thresholds above what current federal law requires. For example, in California an employer cannot deny overtime pay to a salaried worker who makes less than $640 a week. In New York, the threshold is $600 a week. Under recently passed laws, the California threshold is set to rise to $800 per week in 2016, and the New York threshold to $675.

The overtime expansion is part of a multi-pronged administration effort to increase wages for low- and middle-income Americans which have largely stagnated in recent years. Employers and others will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed rules before they go into effect.

Promoting Workplace Unity

This February brings one of my favorite things, the Olympics. Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics - it doesn't matter. I love them all. Every two years when the Olympic Games begin, my family has a party. We eat bagels, donuts, pineapple rings, anything we can think of in a ring shape to represent the Olympic Rings symbol. According to the International Olympic Committee, "The five rings represent the five continents. They are interlaced to show the universality of Olympism and the meeting of the athletes of the world during the Olympic Games. On the Olympic flag, the rings appear on a white background. Combined in this way, the six colors of the flag (blue, yellow, black, green, red and white) represent all nations." 

Part of the reason I love the Olympics so much is the unity that they bring. For two weeks, athletes across the globe meet and compete. Cultural differences, political differences, social differences, they are all laid aside as the athletes focus on the Olympic motto, "Faster, Higher, Stronger".

The founder of the modern day Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin hoped the Olympics could encourage world unity. So, with the Olympics happening this winter, now is a great time to focus on unity in our workplace. Perhaps the spirit of the Olympics can make its way into our workplaces.

Jon Gordon, a bestselling author and keynote speaker, has the following to say about unity. "Unity happens when leaders are committed to and engaged in the process of building a united, winning team. It requires focus, time, and energy. Unity occurs when team members care more about the vision, purpose and health of the organization than they do their own personal agenda."

An important part of unity is having a vision for your company that everyone can get behind and support. A vision statement should be very concise and clear. It should include a list of goals and/or ideals that are important to your company. It can be one sentence long or several paragraphs. At Pay Plus Benefits, a few years ago, all the employees met at an offsite location and spent the day working on our goals and visions. We came up with the following vision statement. "We believe that the application of information is the most important factor to ensure the success of businesses today. Our passion is turning time consuming and inefficient business challenges into simple, accessible solutions. We do this by providing innovative data management software applications to deliver and administer human resource services." As an employee, I really like having a vision statement and it means all that much more, that I was an active participant in the creating of it. This leads to another important aspect of workplace unity, employee involvement.

Several years ago, I was asked to help come up with a new method of communication at our workplace. We had been toying with the idea of a "Stand Up" meeting for some time. I was asked to lead a group of three or four employees with the goal of researching Stand Up meetings, coming up with a plan, and then presenting our plan to the company. Rather than asking people I worked closely with in payroll and human resources, I asked people to join my team from other areas of our company. They came from Marketing, IT, and Finance. Each person was able to provide a different perspective to the problem we were asked to solve. They were also able to go back to their team members and explain what we were trying to accomplish and get feedback from them. By the time we presented our plan to the whole company, our likelihood of success was high because we had listened to everyone's feedback and comments and made sure to address all of them. Employee involvement is so important to workplace unity. When employees feel that their opinions matter and that, more importantly, they are heard, it has the power to change a workplace into a "united, winning team," like Jon Gordon described.

There are many other ways to help promote workplace unity. They can involve communication, understanding, and my favorite - company outings outside of work. Each year, Pay Plus Benefits hosts a company picnic in the summer and a dinner in December to celebrate the holidays. These social events are some of my favorite memories of my co-workers. We love reminiscing about the sing-along's we have participated in, the crazy white elephant parties, and more importantly, attending life events like weddings and seeing newborn babies. These life events can change co-workers into friends. And perhaps that is the key. Once co-workers are no longer thought of as co-workers, but instead teammates and friends, then unity in the workplace has a real chance.

In conclusion, I would like to end with a quote by Wilma Rudolph, a gold medalist in track and field from the USA. “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”

Welcome to the Year 2014

Welcome to the year 2014! According to the Chinese calendar, this is the year of the Horse. And since this year already seems to be galloping past, in my mind, it is an appropriate name. Much of my time in January is spent following the adage, "Out with the old and in with the new." This is also a great time to review how 2013 went and also to become familiar with what is coming in 2014. Since this is the Year of the Horse, I thought it would be fun to review some things for employers to consider in 2014 while learning a little more about horses and their gaits (speeds).

Walk = according to Wikipedia, a horse's slowest gait is the walk. In 2014, employers should walk slowly and carefully before considering some of the following...

    - Unpaid internships. This is getting riskier and riskier as regulators continue to monitor and crackdown on employers who abuse unpaid internships. Before you decide to have an unpaid intern, discuss this with your HR department. There are several precautions you need to take before signing on an unpaid intern.

    - Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). BYOD is when employers allow workers to use their own personal smart phones to access professional networks and emails. Employers need to be careful and walk slowly when considering if they should allow BYODs at their workplace. There have already been several lawsuits, stolen trade secrets, data breaches, and much more involving BYODs. If you do decide to allow it, consult with your HR department about updating policies and procedures to protect yourself.

Trot = the second slowest horse gait is the trot. The growing trend in 2014 is to have more temporary and contract workers, and less permanent full-time employees. Temporary and contract workers allow employers the flexibility to increase and decrease their workforce quickly but there are some risks involved. Employers should do some research and not trot too quickly into a decision to use temporary or contract workers. There are many rules and regulations governing the use of temporary and contract workers and if employers are not careful, they can quickly get into trouble. A safer, less risky choice for employers would be to consider hiring part-time employees. This allows for more flexibility than full-time workers, but doesn't have all the rules and regulations that govern temporary and contract workers.

Canter = this is the second fastest speed a horse can go. Employers need to canter toward reviewing and updating their job descriptions and reviewing employees' exempt and non-exempt status. This is a good idea to do every year but especially this year. Government agencies are going to be looking very carefully at exempt and nonexempt employees as the overtime rates continue to increase. FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) lawsuits and state wage and hour lawsuits are going to become more and more expensive with the 2014 trend of rising minimum wage rates. Some areas now have a minimum wage rate as high as $15.00. If you consider the cost involved with back pay of overtime, along with all the taxes and penalties, lawsuits can quickly add up. The best defense for an employer is to have accurate job descriptions that reflect the duties of each position at the workplace. Once the job descriptions have been reviewed and potentially updated for 2014, make sure any exempt employees that you might have in your workforce qualify to continue to be exempt. To get a list of essential functions that qualify as exempt, visit www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm, and if your state has a department of labor, visit that website as well or talk to your HR Department.

Gallop = the fastest a horse can go. In 2014, the year of the Horse, employers need to gallop toward becoming familiar and complying with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To view all the rules and regulations that go with the ACA, go to www.healthcare.gov or http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions-Home . These websites can be a bit daunting, so hopefully your HR Department is on top of the ACA and you don't have to read too many pages of the 11,000+ pages that make up the ACA. At Pay Plus Benefits, we have been studying and monitoring the ACA for years now. If you are in a panic about the ACA and not sure if you can gallop fast enough to keep up with all the regulations associated with it, Pay Plus Benefits is the answer for you. As a PEO (Professional Employer Organization), we pride ourselves in being a Complete HR Management Solution. You can learn more about us at www.payplusbenefits.com. We would love to help guide your company from the stables to the racetrack.

As a famous person once said, "A horse gallops with its lungs, perseveres with its heart, and wins with its character." My hope for this year, is that we all might have a fast-paced, heartfelt, and successful 2014.

Healthcare Reform and you… as of Today!

The dust is beginning to settle a bit around the latest changes to the reporting requirements related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA.)  This made me think that I would write a simple follow-up article giving you an overview of the ACA requirements as they currently stand.  I decided to do this nearly four weeks ago and every time I began to write the article with the idea of capturing the “real” requirements employers now face, something else changed.  Soon I realized that that will be the case for the foreseeable future!   And, I realized, that if I wait until everything related to the ACA is totally in place you might never see another article from me!

As with so many business people I have spoken with, my levity is only a light cover for the pure frustration that has come as a result of trying to keep up with the vast obligations now being faced by employers.  I am not even going to try to cover them all.  However, I did come across some information that I think worthy of sharing. 

October 1, 2013 FLSA exchange notice requirement

The FLSA exchange notice must include a description of the existence of, and services provided by, public exchanges. That Act further requires that the notice:

• Explain how the employee may be eligible for a premium tax credit or a cost-sharing reduction if the employer's plan does not meet certain requirements;
• Inform employees that if they purchase a qualified health plan through the exchange, then they may lose any employer contribution toward the cost of employer-provided coverage, and that all or a portion of the employer contribution to employer-provided coverage may be excludable for federal income tax purposes;
• Include contact information for customer service resources within the exchange, and an explanation of appeal rights;
• Meet certain accessibility and readability requirements; and
• Be in writing.

Our company relies on the guidance from our legal counsel and the knowledge of industry professionals to ensure we understand the regulations and the potential impact they have on our clients. Feel free to contact us or your other trusted advisers for assistance in dealing with items such as I have mentioned. 

Here are a couple of links I hope you will find helpful:

The DOL has provided employers with two model notices: one version for employers that offer health coverage to some or all employees, which is available at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithplans.pdf, and another version for employers that do not offer health care coverage, which is available at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithoutplans.pdf.

Healthcare Reform and You

Our phone has been ringing more and more with calls about the new Affordable Care Act.  Businesses are finally gearing up to deal with the regulations that will be in place beginning January 1, 2014.  Our clients tell us that they appreciate the many resources our experts provide them and experience a great deal of peace of mind knowing we will continue to help them to understand and keep compliant with all the new requirements. With this in mind, I thought I would share a few of the important considerations from some of our trusted sources for you to look at and some of the new regulations that businesses will be facing. 

According to a recent HR Webadvisor article, by 2014 the changes will include:

• Health insurance exchanges are scheduled to be up and running;
• Employers with at least 50 full-time employees will have to choose whether to offer affordable health coverage that covers at least 60% of medical costs for essential health benefits or be subject to the shared responsibility penalties (sometimes referred to as pay-or-play);
• New fees and reporting requirements will be in place;
• Health plans will not be permitted to impose pre-existing condition limits, waiting periods longer than 90 days, dollar limits on certain benefits, or excessive cost-sharing requirements;
• Health plans that are fully insured may become subject to nondiscrimination requirements;
• New challenges will face account-based health coverage, such as HRAs and HSAs.

It is overwhelming to employers to figure out how to comply with the future implementation of the non-discrimination rules and another article from Employee Benefits News describes the proposed high penalties for noncompliance:

“What’s even worse than the current test provided under the law is that fully insured plan sponsors that violate the nondiscrimination rules will be subject to a $100 per day per failure penalty, which will likely apply to each non-highly compensated employee who is impermissibly excluded under the plan. The employer could also be subject to a civil lawsuit to compel it to provide nondiscriminatory benefits.”

To put this in perspective, the penalty for non-compliance: $100 per day per non-highly compensated individual discriminated against would mean that providing a “discriminatory benefit” to even one highly compensated employee could trigger a penalty of $100 per day times 75% of the total number of employees in the employer’s workforce (because the top 25% are considered highly compensated under the current rules). For an employer with 500 employees, this means a penalty of up to $37,500 per day!”

A tool that is available to take advantage of is the ACA Timeline which details important dates businesses need to know about.  Knowing What’s Changing and When is vital for businesses.  On the government healthcare site, by clicking on the appropriate time frame, your employees can see what the law will require of businesses.  It might benefit you to take a look for yourselves!

It is our job at Pay Plus Benefits to help business people like you understand healthcare reform, as well as its implementation.  We are trained to help you navigate through the maze of rules and regulations.  We also manage all the employee communications and reporting for our clients, who tell us that they have great confidence that their employee health coverage is compliant.

We would love to hear from you if you have questions about the ACA and how it may impact your company.  Perhaps we can help you as well so you can relax, knowing it’s taken care of.

Some ways Business Intelligence is used at Pay Plus Benefits

In our company, Pay Plus Benefits, business intelligence (BI) is used on a daily basis.  I thought it would be interesting to share how we use it.

Pay Plus Benefits (PPB) is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) located in Kennewick, WA and offers “a complete HR infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of hiring even one HR-employee. Companies instantly get the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to provide their employees human resources, benefits, and paychecks. And they don’t need to worry about getting workers’ compensation coverage, keeping track of the ever-changing HR laws, or reporting employer taxes, because we take care of all of it! That’s why companies all over the U.S. are choosing to rent their HR department rather than doing it in-house – to get a complete HR package plus the peace of mind knowing it’s done right.” (Pay Plus Benefits - What We Do)

Amongst the many services offered is custom reporting related to the payroll data we house for our clients.  This is where BI comes into play.  The solution is detailed on our website – “Keeping Track of Labor Costs” and the process is as such:

• Payroll data is automatically uploaded after each pay cycle
• Advanced payroll reports are automatically generated for proactive tracking &  analysis
• Reports include hours reported by location, job, or department

Each step of the PPB process requires data processing in order to produce on-demand reports for our clients so that they can utilize the data in making decisions related to their resource allocation and profitability.

Additionally, PPB clients often request customized reports.  Another area where BI is utilized is in determining whether each customized report is worthy of development as an additional product to release to the entire market.  The process of collecting the data begins with researching the specific market the report will be focused on.  As an example, I recently spearheaded one such project directed at non-profit agencies.  I used a company called Manta to begin locating the potential agencies in my area.  (Manta.com) Manta is an excellent example of a company housing an immense amount of BI on companies of all sizes, types and locations. Being able to tap into that resource saved me immense time and effort.

Once I had the list of target agencies to approach I was able to make contact with them and arrange for interviews with their directors.  I had developed a list of specific questions related to the potential report under evaluation by PPB.  When the interviews were complete a report was generated detailing the responses to the questions.  We were able to glean that there was sufficient interest in the report to move forward with its development.

Pay Plus Benefits utilizes BI exactly the way Mr. Sadovy stated it should be utilized in his article To BI and Beyond: A BI Primer, “What BI does very, very well is in delivering the foundation for consistent, enterprise-wide information management and reporting, and in providing a platform for the integration of advanced analytics for insight and action.”

Works Cited

"Company Profiles & Company Information on Manta." Company Profiles & Company Information on Manta. Manta Media Inc., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013. http://www.manta.com/

"Pay Plus Benefits - Keeping Track of Labor Costs." Pay Plus Benefits - Keeping Track of Labor Costs. Pay Plus Benefits, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.   http://www.payplusbenefits.com/labor%20cost%20analysis.htm

"Pay Plus Benefits - What We Do." Pay Plus Benefits - What We Do. Pay Plus Benefits, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.  http://www.payplusbenefits.com/services.htm

Sadovy, Leo. "To BI and Beyond: A BI Primer." Value Alley. SAS Institute, Inc., 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.  http://blogs.sas.com/content/valuealley/2012/09/11/to-bi-and-beyond-a-bi-primer/

Basic Cyber Security

When I decided to write this article on what companies can do to protect themselves in relation to cyber security, I had no idea that there would be so much information and methods to consider.  With that in mind I decided to focus on three main areas: education of employees, system administrators’ duties, and security technologies.  Even with that said, I am in no means implying that I will cover every option available to every company.  I can only hope to cover an overview of the most common suggestions for prudent business people to consider implementing for their cyber security needs.

Education of Employees

I started my research by going to the network administrator of the company I work for and having a discussion about what he believed were the most important actions a company could take to ensure their cyber security. Without missing a beat he said, “Educate their employees!”  Elaborating, he mentioned that there are so many employees that do not understand certain threats such as “spoofing” emails. He explained that these are emails that look like they come from someone that you know and trust but in reality are sent from unknown sources.  Then the sender tries to trick the user into divulging his or her password or other company secrets. He said that many of the challenges he has run into throughout his career, and has found solutions for, are directly related to links embedded in those emails which then result in downloaded materials which interfere with the employees computers.  “Simple education sessions demonstrating these threats and how to avoid them would make all the difference in the world,” he said.

Following up on this conversation, I found that others in the technology world agree and there are numerous resources available online to assist companies with developing an educational program for their employees. The Federal Communications Commission agrees and stated in their article “Cyber Security for Small Business” that companies should “Establish basic security practices and policies for employees, such as requiring strong passwords, and establish appropriate Internet use guidelines that detail penalties for violating company cyber security policies. Establish rules of behavior describing how to handle and protect customer information and other vital data.”  Informing employees seems to be high on the list of protection methods and easily implemented by any company.

System Administrators’ Duties

When it comes to system administrators’ duties the list of responsibilities is long.  One of the main points for any company to consider is whether they need a system administrator and if so what should be the top priorities of that person’s role.  Assuming that the company comes to the conclusion that they will employ a system administrator, computer system administrators should be involved in developing and implementing security policies and procedures.  They should also be keeping servers in a locked room with limited access. In addition, they should be responsible for separating system files from data files on the computer network. Finally, installing virus scanning software on all company computers and prohibiting employees from copying outside programs or files onto the network are vital tasks for them to implement and continually monitor.

Security Technologies

As for the software available for protection, companies have no shortage of choices available to them.  A firewall is essential to keep unauthorized users off the company network.  Another technology very valuable to companies is a virtual private network (VPN), to give employees, customers, and partners secure access to the company network.  Intrusion prevention system (IPS) should also be implemented to detect and stop threats before they harm your network.  According to Webopedia, “It provides policies and rules for network traffic along with an intrusion detection system for alerting system or network administrators to suspicious traffic, but allows the administrator to provide the action upon being alerted.”

Additional technologies for companies to consider are content security, secure wireless network, identity management, and compliance validation, to make sure that any device accessing the network meets your company’s security requirements.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, these suggestions are by no means comprehensive. I believe that they do give a broad look at the three points of education of employees, system administrators’ duties, and security technologies.  As we know technology will continue to advance at lightning speed and staying abreast of the latest tools available is the best advice to any company.

Here are a few websites with additional information:

Cybersecurity for Small Business

Internet Security

Network Security Checklist

Simply Extraordinary Communication

I came across a great article recently which focused on simple things that extraordinary people say every day.  It was so moving and simple.  It reminded me that the real mark of the extraordinary person's development is an inside job and accomplished through simple methods.  Reflecting on those whom I believe are above normal in both their business and personal lives, I found many of the exact traits mentioned in the article, and a few more that come to mind.

Here's what I'm thinking.

Collaboration with others is the driving force here.  While there may be a great deal of difference in the formal education between them and their subordinates, these extraordinary people are “right-sized” in their approach.  They are not dictators and do not abuse their position of authority to always be “right.”  These people know how to gain cooperation and build an environment of open communication.

Can you help me?

This is one of the best ways to actually get the help needed… a simple request rather than a demand for assistance.  The people I know who use this approach make themselves open to actually learn more from those around them.  They can make themselves vulnerable while letting others know how much their experience and knowledge is appreciated.  This is a true sign of respect for others as well.

Don’t Give “Bullets”

A long time ago I was asked this: “If you give someone a bullet and they use it on you, whose fault is it?”  I had been discussing the pain I felt from sharing something with someone which was then used against me later.  Ultimately, I learned the fault was mine for sharing the information in the first place.  My mentor’s response was a great reminder that extraordinary people are prudent in what they choose to share with others.  One of the measurements he suggested in determining who to share sensitive information was in listening to those you interact with.  Notice if they are spreading the business of others.  Notice if they are talking about others who are not present.  Notice if they are coming to you to “share” when really they are just practicing character assassination.  Then remind yourself:  if they are doing that to others, what makes you think they will not do it to you?  The solution suggested to me has been very effective in minimalizing the amount of ammunition I give others.

You May be Right

Another example that comes to mind is a friend who used the saying “You may be right!” almost every time there was a difference of opinion.  I was beginning to believe that she had no backbone at all.  I recall hearing her say this so many times that I questioned her about it.  She explained that she really did not have to spend her energy in a conversation tract that would surely lead to conflict.  She also said that there were many times using that phrase gave her the time to consider their position in order to learn the other really WAS right and to learn invaluable insight.

Saying Nothing

Probably one of the hardest things on the list is to say absolutely nothing.  I have watched amazing people use restraint with others when no one would have blamed them for responding.  These extraordinary people have learned that you can never take back the words once they are out of your mouth and know that outbursts based on strong emotions are never going to be forgotten.  One moment of criticism, fueled with frustration or anger, especially in front of others, can change a relationship forever.  It is better to wait until you are able to get those emotions under control and then meet individually with the other person.

 

I would love to hear your ideas on communication that helps make people extraordinary in their dealings with others.

 

Here are a few links for more examples of extraordinary communication examples:

10 Things Extraordinary People Say Every Day- Inc.com

My Top 25 Inspiring Entrepreneur Quotes Of Time - imgrind.com

Perseverance Tools That Pay Off

There are times in everyone’s career when they simply “have had enough,” or “just cannot take this anymore,” or say “what’s the use?”  There are also many people who have been terminated from positions early in their careers that went on to become very successful. As a matter of fact, I read an interesting article about several of those people who were fired yet today are household names.  This got me to thinking about the value of perseverance, which is defined on Merriam-Webster.com as “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”  So, let’s take a look at some examples of how it can pay off to continue to believe in you in spite of great obstacles.

Many of our readers know that a couple of years ago, at the age where many of my peers were thinking about retirement, I decided to go to college.  It had been a lifelong dream for me and when the opportunity presented itself I jumped at it.  I can tell you from personal experience, there were many times in the beginning I asked myself, “WHAT were you thinking?”  I was very overwhelmed at times and was certain that I had made a mistake, especially during a quarter which was filled with exceptionally difficult classes.  When those moments of doubt and insecurity hit me I would do several different things which put me back on track.

Strong, Supportive Networks

One of the best tools I have been graced with is a very strong, supportive network of friends, family and business associates that really believe in what I am trying to do with the education goal.  Building that network was the result of taking the time to lay out what I was working toward and asking for a commitment from those people to be available to me for advising me, encouraging me and reminding me of the real benefits of persevering in my goal.  It was easy to do that with family and friends.  I used several methods to build the business network including going to long-time associates, asking professors at the college I attend and making new associates through the LinkedIn program.  I made a point of making appointments with many of these people to have discussions throughout the process when things were going well.  That made it so much easier to reach out to them when times were difficult!  All who are a part of my network seem to be eager to assist and very willing to offer their time.

Milestone Calendar

Another exceptionally successful tool I use is a milestone calendar.  I use my Outlook calendar and actually broke the four years into their specific quarters related to the college schedule.  I then broke the quarters into smaller sections with milestones listed that included small achievements.  With each passing milestone I am energized and look toward the next with the real desire to succeed.  When the doubts creep in I have an easy and practical tool to turn to that helps me remind myself of just how far I have already come.

Simple Reminders

Some of my favorite tools are the simple reminders that are all around us.  All it takes is a moment to search online for great perseverance quotes.  Here are a few of mine:

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” ― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ― Dale Carnegie

“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't.” ― Henry Ward Beecher

“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” ― Julie Andrews Edwards

And a final thought to make you smile:

“A large oak tree is just a little nut that refused to give up.” ― David McGee

I would love to hear about your favorite perseverance motivators are.

Here are some links you may find helpful:

Fired and Still Made It - Businessinsider.com

BrainyQuote: Perseverance

Perseverance- Goodreads.com

 

Business Approaches That Inspire: Sir Richard Branson

I am a huge fan of Sir Richard Branson, both for his incredible success as a business person and for his willingness to share his wisdom with all who aspire to become better at what they do.  In October of 2012, he shared a few of his inspirational business approaches which I thought you would enjoy.

Give over control. 

″We are an unusual brand in that most big businesses focus in one area, while Virgin has become a way of life brand.″ Branson explained. He said that he looks for an area of life that needs to be improved, (citing trains and airlines as examples) and then looks for the right people to run it. 

I totally agree that when you find and go through the effort to hire the right people you need to let them do what you hired them to do. I often hear well-established professionals state that they are frustrated by boss’s who constantly and consistently micro-manage their efforts.  There are many who would be much more effective and efficient if they were given the authority and autonomy to actually do their work.  Those people will be the first to come to you and ask for help when they really need it.

Put your employees' happiness first. 

To work for his Virgin Group, you have to have the same fun-loving spirit as its founder, who mentioned that he prefers to promote from within.  His belief that a happy team makes for a successful business starts with paying attention to all of the details that affect an employee’s work. ″Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader, ″ he explained, ″you have to listen to the people who are on the front line.″

Paying attention to the wellbeing of your employees can really make or break a company.  The ability to actually hear what your people mean, not just hear the words they use, often marks the dividing line between a task master and a great leader.  I am fortunate to work in a culture where our needs are heard in the manner where we know we matter to our leader.  What about your company? What would your company culture be like if you simply took a single day per month to focus on only the needs of your people?  Would those eight hours of time be worth it if your productivity increased significantly as a result of that small investment of time?

Keep your sense of humor when dealing with competition. 

When Virgin Airlines was starting out, rival British Airways was intent on putting its startup competitor out of business. ″If you are a small company taking on a big company, you need to have a sense of humor, ″ Branson explained.

I am a true believer that being competitive can be a great deal of fun.  While we may not go as far as Sir Richard did in his early days, there are many ways to have good natured fun and successful competition without being totally ruthless.  Remember that everything changes and make certain you do not resort to tactics which will make your own company lose face.

 

What are some of your favorite business approaches that you turn to for inspiration?  I would love to hear from you!

The full article can be found here: Inside Richard Branson's Unconventional Business Approach