Organizations have fire starters: those who escalate issues causing havoc and drama in the process.  They also have fire fighters: people who scurry to find a way to pacify, implement or solve emergencies.  Regardless of the position, it costs the company and everyone involved lots of time and money.

My issue with many businesses, especially large ones fraught with multiple layers of management is that a simple dictate from a high ranking exec may start out as a “when you get a chance” kind of comment, but later turns into a “fire drill” as it’s passed down the chain of command.  Sure there are honest critical crunches when all hands on deck is imperative to meet deadlines. But in the corporate telephone game, since these directives are rarely formalized or written down, confusion or others’ interpretations often drive a normal delivery time into needing it yesterday.  It can also happen through some self-serving manager along the way trying to look important by claiming the item is “hot” and needed ASAP by the executive who casually mentioned the detail in the first place.  In the meantime schedules are juggled, meetings and tasks are postponed in order to attend to the now frantic issue.  Gaining momentum as it circulates through the organization, very few people push back or even consider going to the original leader for clarification.

As a leader, communicating and yes, even formalizing requests with clear due dates can make a huge difference regarding time, energy and profits.  It keeps everyone on the same page and gives realistic priorities to the work at hand.  Using this process, if a situation arises that truly is needed STAT, it will get the necessary immediate attention.  An executive’s awareness of the requests put forth and how they are implemented  is essential to keep an organization running efficiently.  Although you can’t keep your finger on the pulse of all the issues, at least know the ones you’ve initiated have been clearly communicated with realistic deliverables, directions and expectations.

Those in an organization who regularly spiral assignments  to frenzied levels, are just fanning the flames.  The world will not end if every project does not have priority status.  Don’t cry wolf, save those matches for a real crisis when you’ll need to light a big fire.

Becky Arrington, founder and President of Arrington & Associates, guides individuals and businesses to discover their purpose and live authentically. Whether you’re a company looking for innovative ways to lead and engage employees or an individual trying to prioritize, reduce stress or decide what you want to be when you grow up, learning to accept and thrive in change is key.

When you have a toothache, having comprehensive dental coverage becomes vital.  The Surgeon General reports that more than 64 million work hours are lost each year because of untreated dental problems.  Treatment of dental issues can help reduce the risk of more severe, and costly, medical conditions.  Routine dental visits are the key to prevention.

Dental benefits are worth more than you may think.

Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between your oral health and medical health and dental care helps lower your organization’s medical costs.

An oral infection such as a cavity, or gum disease can put employees at risk for serious medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Periodontal disease in pregnant women is linked to low birth weight and premature births.

Here’s the cost for common dental procedures with and without insurance.  The costs are based on average out-of-pocket payments.*

Procedure                    Insured (average cost)                Uninsured (average cost)
Filling                                $141                                                  $288
Filling repair                       $149                                                  $265
Extraction                          $317                                                  $501
Crown                                $563                                                $1,018
Root canal                          $593                                                $1,201
Gum treatment                   $598                                                   $972
Bridge                               $1,479                                              $2,698
Implant                              $2,825                                              $3,938

*Source: Consumer Reports National Research Center

A periodic oral exam, series of x-rays, and a routine cleaning will cost an average of $250.  Most plans cover this at 100%, with $0 out-of-pocket costs.

How much of your organization’s budget is allocated to medical premiums today?

Your employees are less likely to seek preventive care and treatment when they don’t have dental benefits.  Which means, if they have an issue, it gets worse, and the treatment gets more invasive and more expensive.  This not only impacts employee sick days, but poor oral health can lead to, and exacerbate, a number of health issues including heart disease, stroke, increased issues for diabetics and premature birth.

Without insurance, Americans will not go to the dentist unless they are in pain, putting them at risk for dental-driven health conditions. According to an Empirica survey of 1,000 adults in May 2010, 74% of Americans without dental insurance only go to the dentist when they believe there is a problem. Of those without insurance, they attributed two main factors for failing to go to the dentist: Cost (77%) and not knowing what the cost would be (73%).[1]

What About The Kids?

According to the American Dental Association, in 2008, 4.6 million children went without needed dental care because their families lacked the financial means to pay for it.[2] Scheduling a regular exam not only helps keep teeth picture perfect, but also reduces student sick days.

Did you know: Approximately 51,679,100 million school hours are missed annually by school-aged children due to a dental problem or visit, according to the Surgeon General. Tooth pain keeps many children home from school or distracted from learning. Despite recent improvements in dental care in the United States, tooth decay is still the most common childhood disease, reports the ADA. It is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.

All Dental Plans are Not Created Equal

Each carrier has their own DNA. Important things to consider when searching for dental benefits:

• Network:  Will your employees have access to a large number of quality dental practices in the areas in which they work and live?
• Network Discounts:  It is important that your employees are saving when utilizing a participating provider.  Otherwise, where is the value?
• Plan Design:  Most dental plans cover regular check-ups, x-rays, and routine cleanings at 100%.  There are a couple of other common scenarios that should be reviewed to determine an employee’s out-of-pocket costs.
  • How much would it cost if an employee needed a filling?  What if they would like a resin (white) filling on a posterior tooth?
  • How would an emergency visit, root canal, and crown be covered under the plan?

• Account Retention Rate: It is not unheard of that a carrier will “buy” business, only to make up revenue at the next renewal.  Switching carriers frequently can disrupt treatment plans, doctor/patient relationships, and be a headache for HR at open enrollment.

Keeping your company ahead in the race for talent.

The latest National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) statistics show less than 40% of Georgians have private plan dental coverage. Comprehensive dental benefits will be a key component in recruiting and retaining satisfied employees.

First Question: Do you have a formal written policy for your company?  If yes, when was the last time you had it reviewed?  If no, this is the first step in getting your company on the path to a Drug Free Workplace, congratulations!

Financial Impact: Did you know Georgia is 1 of a handful of states that has a voluntary drug testing law?  Why is this important?  For companies that wish to qualify for a 7.5% discount on their workers’ compensation premiums they must comply with this law.  It’s not hard to get certified but your written policy must meet all the statutory requirements.  Research shows that a full 8% of the working population has admitted to doing drugs!  The US Coast Guard did a study stating each drug user cost them, on average, $6,600/year.   The Dept. of Labor did a similar study and states it costs them $7,000/year.  Let’s do the math:

1,000 employees – assuming 8% average drug use = 80 employees effected

80 x $6,600 = $528,000

That is over half a million dollars a year that you are wasting on workers’ comp claims, injuries, lost productivity, absenteeism and poor morale.

Testing Reasons: Pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, random, follow up, return-to-duty and job site screening.  Fun facts: 50% of workers’ comp claims are abandoned when confronted with a drug test.  Today 1 of the key reasons for drug testing is to defend a workers’ comp claim.  And of course having a strong policy will also prevent you from paying an unemployment claim for an abuser.

Types of Samples: Hair, Urine, Saliva, Blood, Breath Alcohol and Oral Fluid.

Are you required to comply with Dept. of Transportation (DOT) Testing?  If yes, has your company distributed DOT compliant policies to all covered drivers?  Is your company conducting inquiries for alcohol and controlled substances information from previous employers?  Are you meeting the 2012 DOT Random Testing Rates for your specific DOT agency?  Do you know who your DER is?

What is screened in a standard 5 panel test? Amphetamines including Methamphetamine (AMP), Cocaine Metabolites (COC), Marijuana Metabolites (THC), Opiates including Codeine, Morphine and Heroin (OPI), Phencyclidine (PCP). What are some additional panels? Barbiturates (BAR), Benzodiazepines (BZO), Methadone (MTD), Propoxyphene (PPX), Methaqualone (MTQ), Methamphetamine (mAMP), Ecstasy (MDMA), Oxycodone (OXY).

What is Random Testing: Random testing is performed on an unannounced, unpredictable basis on employees whose identifying information (social or employee #) has been placed in a testing pool from which a scientifically arbitrary selection is made.  This selection is normally computer generated to ensure that it is indeed random and that each person of the workforce population has an equal chance of being selected for testing regardless of whether that person was recently tested or not.

Why do drug screenings at a job fair? It makes business sense if you are offering a candidate a position, to have them tested on the spot (in accordance with your company policy).  If the candidate is a user, they will most likely walk out and not waste your time or theirs. Before incurring additional expenses to clear this person for work, why not get their test results without delay to make sure they are qualified.  This also sets the tone for you the employer, showing the candidate what type of people you want in the workplace.  Onsite testing is very popular amongst large and small organizations with Drug Free Policies.

Be sure to visit USA Mobile Drug Testing of NE Georgia in the Resource Partner Showcase at SHRM-Atlanta’s Annual Conference March 13 &14 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA!

This blog is written by Karen Tinker, CPC of USA Mobile Drug Testing of NE Georgia (USAMDT).  Karen is a DATIA Certified Professional Collector (CPC) and Territory Manager for USAMDT.  You can connect with Karen at Karen.tinker@usamdt.com.

The HR organization is often one of the last to enthusiastically embrace new technology in any enterprise.  The adoption of many technologies is often predicated on improved efficiency (normally read as “doing more with less”), and is often perceived as corporate code for downsizing.  With a bit of planning and strategic thinking, however, the enthusiastic adoption of technology could mean that HR in general, and recruiting specifically, can play much more valuable and strategic role in the organization.

While some HR technologies, such as those that improve record-keeping and benefits administration – long considered millstones around the collective necks of HR professionals – are earnestly adopted; others are viewed a bit more suspiciously.  Many technologies that are sold to increase efficiency of the HR organization are viewed as a means for technology to take the place of valuable – and wage-earning – humans.  By understanding what technology can, and equally important can’t do, users can position themselves as being indispensable in the face of such change.

By way of illustration, a large, well-known telecommunications company recently decided to try a virtual interviewing technology as a way to increase the number of the candidates in the hiring funnel and to decrease the time-to-fill.  When the recruiting staff was first introduced to the application, there was some natural resistance.  Their thinking was “any technology that helps improve efficiency means that one or more of us will be deemed surplus and will be let go.”  But, instead of digging in their heels, the recruiting staff decided to find out as much as they could about this technology and how it could help them increase their importance and value to the organization.

They soon found that the new virtual interview application recorded each applicant’s interview, allowed the recruiters to assign scores to each recording and add their own notes directly in-line with the interview itself.  They also discovered that they could send these to hiring managers and other stakeholders for their review and feedback.  Pretty soon, the recruiters discovered that this technology could be used to enhance their jobs and make them more valuable to the organization.  After all, the virtual interviewing technology couldn’t make decisions about candidates – it could only capture interviews more quickly and present them in an organized, consistent fashion so the recruiters could add their value more efficiently.

The introduction of this new technology merely acted as a catalyst that enabled the recruiters to become more trusted strategic partners to their stakeholders – the hiring managers in the company.  Recruiters were able to collaborate on a level that was not possible with their previous methods.  They now proactively share candidate interviews, and the recruiters’ evaluation of them, with hiring managers to help ensure they are on the same page.  As a result, hiring managers, spend less time on marginal candidates, thereby improving their effectiveness.  The bond between recruiters and their stakeholders has grown stronger as well.

The recruiters have even taken it upon themselves to review a small subset of interviews together to ensure each of them evaluate candidates in a consistent, predictable manner.  The hiring managers who count on the recruiters to send them high-quality, well-qualified candidates have enthusiastically endorsed these “calibration” sessions.

While many view the adoption of new technology with fear, uncertainty and dread, others enthusiastically embrace it as a means to increase their personal and professional value to the organizations they serve.  Those who do often find themselves to be indispensible and well-positioned for increased responsibility and recognition.

Be sure to visit HireIQ Solutions in the Resource Partner Showcase at SHRM-Atlanta’s Annual Conference March 13 &14 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA!

Kevin Hegebarth is Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for HireIQ Solutions, Inc.  He is a frequent contributor to industry publications and has spoken at numerous industry events on the topics of workforce acquisition and optimization, the role of social media in customer service, and innovative human capital management strategies. He is an AIPMM certified product manager and is a co-inventor on two U.S. patents.

Employers face dynamic and ever increasing challenges in this economy.  A global economy of discriminating consumers has placed demands on employers never before seen.  Employers face the challenges of maintaining productivity, profitability as well as keeping their workforce engaged and satisfied with their jobs.  Environmental pressures, rising health care costs, and the needs of the workforce have placed management in a complicated and tenuous situation.  The answer lies with creating a work environment that maintains employee job satisfaction as well as motivates people toward exceptional performance.  A survey conducted by the Conference Board showed only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their work.  This is the lowest level ever recorded by the Conference Board in more than 22 years of research.  Those that fail to improve job satisfaction are at risk of losing their top talented people to the competition.  Supervisors and managers who maximize the potential, creative abilities, and talents of the entire workforce have a greater competitive advantage than those who don’t.  Employees that are engaged in their work have a higher level of job satisfaction.  Motivated workers provide the health insurance businesses desperately needed in these chaotic times.

HOW TO INCREASE JOB SATISFACTION AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT–THE PRIDE SYSTEM

The leaders of the organization have the responsibility for creating a high level of job satisfaction.  Dr. Edwards Deming said, “The aim of leadership should be to improve the performance of man and machine, to improve quality, to increase output, and simultaneously to bring pride of workmanship to people.”  A motivating environment is one that gives workers a sense of pride in what they do.  To show supervisors and managers how to build a more productive work environment, I’ve created a five-step process called the PRIDE system.  Leaders can improve employee motivation and employee engagement within their organizations by following this process:

STEP 1–PROVIDE A POSITIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Job satisfaction begins by first providing a positive work environment. Fran Tarkenton says,to find what motivates people,“you have to find what turns people on.” This is the most important factor in the process. A motivating working environment requires going over and beyond the call of duty and providing for the needs of the worker. Walt Disney World Company provides an excellent work environment for their employees or “cast members.” Employee assistance centers are spread strategically across the theme park. Some of the services included employee discount programs,childcare information,money orders,postage stamps,check cashing,and bus passes. The Walt Disney Company realizes that taking care of their employee’s needs keep them motivated, on the job and loyal to the company.

STEP 2–REWARD,REINFORCEMENT AND RECOGNITION

Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”  Personal recognition is a powerful tool in building morale and motivation.  A pat on the back, a personal note from a peer or a supervisor does wonders.  Small, informal celebrations are many times more effective than a once a quarter or once a year formal event.  Graham Weston, co-founder and CEO of Rackspace Managed Hosting, gives the keys to his BMW M3 convertible for a week to his top performing employees.  This creative way to reward employees has a bigger impact than cash.  He says,“If you gave somebody a $200 bonus, it wouldn’t mean very much.  When someone gets to drive my car for a week, they never forget it.”

STEP 3–INVOLVE AND ENGAGE THE WORKFORCE

People may show up for work, but are they engaged and productive?  People are more committed and have higher levels of employee engagement when there is a process for them to contribute their ideas and employee suggestions.  This gives them a sense of ownership and pride in their work.  The Sony Corporation fosters the exchange of ideas within departments by sponsoring an annual Idea Exposition.  During the exposition, scientists and engineers display projects and ideas they are working on.  Open only to Sony’s employees, this process creates a healthy climate of innovation and engages all those who participate.  Capturing employee suggestions and ideas engages and improves employee motivation, creating a more productive and satisfying work environment.  Yet many ignore the untapped resource of their employees who know their jobs better than any expert.  Idea Campaigns are different than typical employee suggestion programs.  The Campaign is a proven way to capture hundreds of ideas to improve productivity, cut costs and drive improvements from the bottom up in a short time period.

STEP 4–DEVELOP WORKER’S SKILLS AND POTENTIAL

Training and education motivates people and makes them more productive and innovative.  At Federal Express, all customer contact people are given six weeks of training before they ever answer the first phone call.  Learning never stops and testing continues throughout their employment tenure.  Every six months customer service people are tested using an on-line computer system.  Pass/fail results are sent to each employee within 24 hours.  They receive a personalized “prescription” on areas that need reviewing with a list of resources and lessons that will help.  Federal Express’ intensive training and development program has resulted in higher motivation and lower turnover.  There are many reasons training and development makes sense.  Well-trained employees are more capable and willing to assume more control over their jobs.  They need less supervision, which frees management for other tasks.  Employees are more capable to answer the questions of customers which builds better customer loyalty.  Employees who understand the business, complain less, are more satisfied, and are more motivated.  All this leads to better management-employee relationships.

STEP 5–EVALUATE AND MEASURE JOB SATISFACTION

Continuous evaluation and never ending improvement is the final step of the PRIDE system.  Evaluation is a nonstop activity that includes a specific cycle of steps focusing on job satisfaction and employee engagement.  The primary purpose of evaluation is to measure progress and determine what needs improving.  Continuous evaluation includes, but is not limited to, the measurement of attitudes, morale, and motivation of the workforce.  It includes the identification of problem areas needing improvement and the design and implementation of an improvement plan.  Good organizations conduct a job satisfaction survey at least once a year.  Businesses have searched far and wide for the competitive advantage, the best equipment, technology, or the latest business fad.  These provide only temporary solutions.  The true competitive advantage is trained and motivated people proudly working together for a common purpose, contributing their vitality and energy toward the goals of the enterprise.

Be sure to Greg’s session, Employee Engagement Strategies for Breakthrough Performance. at the 22nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GAi n Atlanta, March 14, 2012, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm.

As President and founder of Chart Your Course International, Greg Smith has implemented professional development programs for thousands of organizations globally resulting in lower employee turnover and  improved employee engagement.  He has authored nine informative books including his forthcoming book, Fired Up! Leading Your Organization to Achieve Exceptional Results.

I am going to share a blog that a friend of mine, Chip Bell, wrote for my blog. His book (co-authored with John Patterson) has been a raging success. It’s great with lessons for us.

Wired and dangerous is the picture of today’s new normal customer. We refer to customers as wired and dangerous because they are edgy as well as connected with the Internet-enabled capacity to rapidly gain insight on a particular product or service and to quickly do great harm to the reputation of service providers.   A power blogger with over a million followers, Heather Armstrong (http://dooce.com), cut a sizeable dent into Maytag’s reputation (and likely their bottom line) simply by advising her followers to “boycott Maytag.”  

That’s not to say that all customers are technologically wired. Neither of our 86 and 94-year-old mothers is computer savvy––but they are still wired and potentially dangerous. How’s that? Our mothers are personally connected with many who are wired. An unpleasant experience at the grocery store can trigger a disparaging comment to a neighbor who has a social network and a proclivity for pinging Internet-savvy friends. Overnight, a casual comment like “Their meat made me kinda sick” can trigger a social media­–driven boycott that makes a sizable dent in the grocery store’s profits. So, even the technologically unskilled customer is dangerous.

Now don’t get us wrong!  We love customers. We truly believe most customers are without malice and possess a keen sense of fairness. However, with more and more companies taking the relationship out of the service transaction through boxed-in self-service and no-back-door automation, far too many customers have been left with a sense of mistrust, disappointment and, given the right circumstances, even anger.  Peter Drucker wrote years ago, “The purpose of an organization is to create and retain a customer.”  The bottom line metrics are simply how we keep score.  Are you playing the game on behalf of your customers are you just watching the scoreboard?

 Chip R. Bell is a customer loyalty consultant and the author of several best-selling books.  His newest book (with John R. Patterson) of Wired and Dangerous:  How Your Customers Have Changed and What to do about it. 

 Dr. Jane Goldner, president of The Goldner Group, is one of the nation’s leading authorities on talent retention and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 Companies, government and military organizations, and to mid-sized businesses. She is the author of Driven to Success: A 10-Point Checkup for Achieving High Performance in Business, a step-by-step business guide for leaders. Dr. Goldner is a highly rated adjunct professor at Kennesaw State University Coles College of Business. She is a recovering “Everything to Everybody Woman” who focuses on helping other women leaders recognize and address their Type E behaviors. Her new book, Women Driven to Success: Integrating Multiple Roles and Defining Leadership Success will be out in 2012.

Research confirms what HR Professionals already knew:  employees that are in the divorce process are often less productive, stressed, and more prone to distractions and increased absenteeism.

Integrated Organizational Development estimated the cost per worker going through a divorce at about $8,300, an amount that not only quantifies the decrease in productivity of the affected employee, but also incorporates a supervisor’s involvement and co-workers who absorb the “employee’s slack”.

What can HR professionals do about divorce’s costs?  Happily, these strategies – Train, Inform, and Protect – not only guard the bottom line, but also serve the interests of an employee who may be in crisis.

1. Train Supervisors to Handle Subordinate’s Personal Disclosures Appropriately.  Maintaining professional distance when an employee is facing a personal crisis can be difficult.  Accommodating the employee’s need for a sympathetic ear or advice, however, may deter the employee from getting the professional advice or other resources that are needed or contribute to performance issues.  Provide supervisors with strategies that promote appropriate boundaries.
2. Maintain Information About Divorce Resources within the HR Office.  Every HR office should have a “Divorce Packet” that includes information about divorce and COBRA coverage, QDRO Information, and any employee benefits that relate to legal, financial, or mental health services.  Other information that an HR Office may choose to provide includes contact information for attorney referrals, Divorce Professional directories (such as Mediators and Certified Divorce Financial Analysts), mental health practitioners’ professional associations or a licensing agencies (such as the Secretary of State for Marriage and Family Therapists), and other divorce services (such as Visions Anew Institute and Divorce Recovery programs).
3. Address Workplace Safety Issues.  Unfortunately, many domestic relationships involve violence.  In instances of divorce, domestic violence can be a real concern that can infiltrate the workplace.  Take steps to make it easy for employees to share concerns about violence with the Company through supervisor training and an informational policy that can be found in the Handbook.  Such policies can be specific with regard to how to report threats and to whom in the Human Resources office a court issued Protective Order should be delivered.

HR Professionals have an opportunity to make a difference in their organizations by being prepared to proactively address divorce, a recurring issue, in the workplace and quantify the impact.

Be sure to catch Jennifer’s session, When It Isn’t All Left Behind:  When Family Issues Come To Work, at SHRM-Atlanta’s Annual Conference March 13 &14 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA.

Jennifer Keaton is an attorney who has focused her practice on conflict communication, workplace investigations, training, and mediation/arbitration services with One Mediation in Buckhead.   With over a decade of experience litigating employment matters, Ms. Keaton promotes internal dispute resolution processes that provide employees another option, other than court, to address disagreements and problems in a manner that often is faster and more cost efficient.  Contact Ms. Keaton with questions or comments at jkeaton@onemediation.com .

Just a little teaser for our members and readers…our SHRM-Atlanta Social Media team thought it would be fun to use our blog to showcase some of our fantastic Speakers and Sponsors of SHRM-Atlanta’s 22nd Annual Conference on March 13th & 14th.

Over the next several weeks leading up to the conference, we hope to see many share content and their expertise around our conference tracks, HR, or topics pertinent to our members and readers.

For any posts from our Speakers, Sponsors, or Exhibitors, we will be sure to include information on where or how you can connect with them if you are in attendance at this year’s annual conference.  We look forward to seeing everyone at the Cobb Galleria Centre on March 13th & 14th for a fantastic conference!

Did you know that there are over 1 billion (with a “B”) smart phone users globally?  By 2015 smart phone usage will overtake desktops.  Do you think this mobile explosion will have an impact on talent acquisition?  Consider this scenario…

The year is 2015, the war for top talent continues (yes, it is still happening).  You are at a dinner party and strike up conversation with someone, realizing they are the perfect VP of HR for that long, exhausting search you have been conducting for 5 months!  Here is how it would play out, past, present and future;

In 2004 you hand them a business card, request a resume and wait a few days to receive via email, hoping it does not get caught up in your spam filter.

2012:  You may hand them a business card and then look them up on LinkedIn, sending a connect request (hoping they remember and liked you).

2015:  Snap a picture of them with your mobile device and instantly go to their web profile.  Your device recognizes their image and returns web results instantly via something called augmented reality!

Now granted, snapping a picture of someone to search their image may sound creepy, but so did “following” someone just a few short years ago.  How realistic is the above scenario?  Want to learn more about what the future of talent acquisition holds in terms of mobile and social recruiting?  Then join me at the 22^nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta Conference where I will discuss the future strategies, tools and practices of talent acquisition.

Session Date and Time:                  Wednesday, March 14, 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Session Title:                                   The Future of Talent Acquisition
Content Area:                                   HR and Technology

Alex Putman has led successful teams in global talent acquisition for high growth companies encompassing five continents. In his role as Director of Global Talent Acquisition with Case-Mate he is responsible for talent acquisition, recruitment branding and building talent communities on a global scale. You can connect with Alex via most social networks including LinkedIN & Twitter and follow his blog Social T-Rex.

Media Contact:
Mary Lynn Miller
SHRM-Atlanta
mmiller@shrmatlanta.org
404.869.2568

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHRM-Atlanta Announces Keynote Speaker for 22nd  Annual Conference:  Mark Toth, Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Manpower, To Speak

ATLANTA (January 11, 2012) – Mark Toth has just been announced as the keynote speaker for the upcoming annual conference for the Atlanta Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, (SHRM-Atlanta), March 13-14 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Toth’s session, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Employment Law (But Didn’t Want to Pay a Lawyer to Ask,” will educate attendees about workplace law and how it affects their jobs as human resource professionals.

“We are delighted that Mark has agreed to serve as our keynote speaker,” said Rachel Krause, 2012 SHRM-Atlanta president. “Our annual conference is a great opportunity for HR professionals in the greater Atlanta area to get real-world answers to the challenges they face in their work each day, and workplace law is a critical topic.”

Toth has served as Manpower North America’s Chief Legal Officer since 2000, and has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Business Week, 60 Minutes and his award-winning blog has several thousand visitors each week. He also publishes an Employment Law Alert for more than 5,000 subscribers, and hosts a quarterly webinar that regularly attracts more than 2,000 attendees.

In addition to the keynote session, attendees of the conference will gain valuable networking time with other area HR professionals, exhibitors and sponsors, and the opportunity to earn recertification credits from HRCI through more than 50 educational sessions in eight major content areas:

•    Business Acumen
•    Employee Relations
•    Talent Acquisition & Management
•    Law & Legislation
•    Total Rewards
•    Diversity & Inclusion
•    HR and Technology
•    Global

For more information, or to register, please visit the SHRM-Atlanta 22nd Annual Conference website today.

About SHRM-Atlanta
SHRM-Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, was founded in 1965, and has a current membership of over 2200 individuals. SHRM-Atlanta seeks to promote the professionalism of the Human Resources Management field by offering members a wide variety of professional development opportunities and a common forum in which to share ideas and experiences. Serving the Atlanta HR professional, SHRM-Atlanta provides opportunities for career development and community involvement both inside and outside of the Chapter.  More information is available at www.shrmatlanta.org.