Miron Construction | Newsroom

Miron Holiday Health Challenge – By the Numbers

Brenda Schanhofer — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:55:05 +0000

by Brenda Schanhofer

A weight-loss challenge over the holidays??? It doesn’t make any sense. It won’t work. We’ll just be setting people up for failure… Not quite. Members of the Miron Construction team lost a combined weight of more than 500 pounds during a holiday health challenge this past holiday season, beginning the week of Thanksgiving and finishing up shortly after the 1st of the year. So, was the challenge a success? To a great extent I think it was, but I suppose that all depends on how we measure success. Do the impressive statistics tell the whole story? Let’s have a look:

67% Percentage of Miron Construction office/yard employees (133 total) who participated in the 8-week holiday health challenge
576 Total number of pounds lost
2.28% Average percentage of weight loss per individual
8-10 pounds Average weight gain for Americans over the holidays
1,916 Total number of pounds Miron Construction employees have lost since the first holiday fitness challenge in 2009

Well, looking at the numbers, it looks as though we were successful indeed! So now what? What about the long-term effect on participants’ health? What about self-accountability and enhancing employee health beyond the competition-driven challenge? Did we create lifestyle intervention strategies for high risk employees? Will we see an increase in overall health, work productivity and better scores on our health risk assessments? We may have to wait a little longer to evaluate those results, but the impact they make is arguably more important in the long run, both on employee health and the companies’ bottom line. A competition-driven health challenge is a great way to foster workplace engagement and team spirit, especially when it parallels the existing culture of that particular workplace (just say the word "competition" around here and the start line is jam packed with people ready to heed the call). The competition unites co-workers with a common goal, provides team members to cheer on coworkers and provides accountability that goes beyond oneself. Bragging rights for members of the winning team is simply the icing on the cake. Throw in a celebration dinner and two extra vacation days for the winning team and you’ve created one highly competitive environment! But the greater goal, of course, is moving beyond the health challenge with the momentum and success, not away from it. To say that such a challenge impacts workplace wellness is only as accurate as the success of the next one. It’s more about using the challenge as part of a multi-component wellness program than a stage for showcasing weight loss and impressive stats. While those things matter, employees at Miron have a lot more to feel proud about. Imagine how good it must feel to start the New Year off with weight loss (aka health advantage!), rather than with the dreaded 8-10 pound gain most Americans experience over the holidays. A fitness challenge provides accountability and support to maintain our health at a time when it's so easy to succumb to the temptations of the holiday season. The success of our challenge puts us a step ahead of the national pace starting the New Year, but the greater goal is continuing those steps toward improving our individual and company-wide health. After all, when we cease to move forward, we don’t just stop moving…we get caught by our past and all that we have worked so hard to leave behind. So, congratulations to Miron's holiday health challenge participants. Keep up the great work! Image courtesy of Google Images

2012 Construction Trends at a Glance

Corey Brumbaugh — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:55:48 +0000

by Corey Brumbaugh

2012 is well underway, and we’re looking forward to another year filled with innovation. Below are some trends that are beginning to emerge within the construction industry:

Green Building & Construction – We’ve already had our fair share of “green” projects this year, but with the White House administration continuing to push for Better Building Initiative Investments, this type of construction is here to stay.

Stimulus Projects/Government Funded Infrastructure – this piggy backs off of the Better Building Initiative Investments mentioned above. The government has allotted billion dollar budgets to projects such as government buildings, highways, educational facilities, hospitals and transportation.

Multi-Family Rental Housing Construction Boom – There has been a recent addition to the amount of renters in the market, due to the large number of foreclosures that have occurred in the past few years. Young adults, who might not see the value in purchasing a home, as a result of the decrease in housing prices, may also be a part of the increasing volume of renters. According to the 2012 Dodge Construction Outlook, multifamily housing will rise 18% in dollars and 17% in units.

Residential/Non-residential Construction - Reed Construction Data’s chief economist, Jim Haughey, predicts a 24% jump in residential construction and a 14% increase in non-residential construction.

Manufacturing Industry – According to the 2012 Dodge Construction Outlook, manufacturing construction will increase by 4%, following the 35% gain in 2011.

While there are other sectors in the construction industry that are still experiencing a decline, we continue to stay hopeful for what lies ahead in 2012. For more information on the 2012 construction outlook, check out these videos: 2012 Dodge Construction Outlook Highlights from the 2012 Construction Outlook Executive Conference

Social Media + Construction Firms

Jen Bauer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:55:40 +0000

by Jen Bauer

A recent report in Engineering News-Record (ENR) talked about the risks and rewards of social media in construction. Here at Miron Construction, we’ve been utilizing various social media channels to connect with our community, customers, sub-contractors and potential clients. Although we embraced the concept, we understand the hesitancy that other AEC firms have with social media. Before you dive in, we suggest that you address the following: Have a plan. Determine what results your business seeks to achieve by utilizing social media. To avoid wasting valuable time and money, have a plan in place before focusing on implementation. Like the ENR article said: It’s not as simple as throwing up a blog or having a Facebook page. You have to be prepared. Find out where your audience is. There are countless social media channels out there. Research which platforms best fit your goals. It’s better to choose a few and utilize them really well as opposed to trying to conquer them all halfway. Find out where your target audience is located and start there. Start with something you know. Many people use Facebook in their personal lives. Utilizing a channel you’re comfortable with, by creating a company page, will help as you begin to dive into platforms you may have less experience with, such as Twitter or YouTube. Content is king. Promoting your business without listening or engaging is the quickest way to turn off your followers. Start conversations or jump into them when appropriate. People choose to follow you or like your company page for a reason; make sure you’re not giving them a reason to leave. Be the expert. Beyond sharing the great things your company is doing, share what others in your industry are doing. Not only is sharing construction-related news beneficial to your followers, you’re also opening the dialogue to discuss your company’s take on the article or news. Devote time. Building a social media presence takes time. This means following and sharing industry trends and interacting online with your followers. If you don’t have the time, consider waiting until you do. Claim existing profiles. Even if your business isn’t active on social media channels, you should claim all profiles that mention the company name and update any information that may already be out there. If there isn’t a profile already created (Google+, perhaps), consider creating one for the purpose of populating it in the future. Beyond this blog, Miron Construction can be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Image courtesy of Google Images.

Promoting Transparency with ‘Nutritional Labels’ for Building Materials

Theresa Lehman — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:55:21 +0000

by Theresa Lehman

Would you buy or lease a vehicle without looking at the label on the window? Is fuel-efficiency one of the things you consider when purchasing a vehicle? Or would you rather be "surprised" by the gas mileage? Let me ask you this, do you buy food without looking at the product label? Can you imagine the different choices people would make buying or leasing buildings if they had transparent labels on them? Knowing that people spend 90% of their time indoors and essentially are products of their environment, would people choose to buy or lease facilities that are unhealthy for people or harmful to the environment? How about buildings that are not properly ventilated, causing respiratory-related illnesses? What about the ones that are constructed of products made out of chemicals that off-gas carcinogens? How about those that consume a ton of energy and water and offer no control over their operational costs? That's a lot of questions. Building and product labels are an excellent way to promote transparency and educate consumers. I think we'll see critics citing these new labels as an excellent way to compare buildings and their products. These types of labels will work to enable consumers to be savvy buyers who make well-informed and educated decisions. Learn more about 'nutritional labels' for building materials.

New North Summit 2011 in Review

Miron Construction — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:55:54 +0000

by Miron Construction

On December 7^th, the New North hosted their 2011 Summit – Expect to Connect. Hosted at Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay, this year’s Summit broke records—more than 850 attendees registered for the event. These individuals included influential leaders, legislators, and business people from all over the State of Wisconsin. This year’s Summit focused on economic development strategy. Governor Scott Walker and Paul Jadin, CEO of the new Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, addressed the crowd regarding economic strategies for Wisconsin. Keynote speaker, Rebecca Bagley, CEO of NorTech, and the executive panel discussed the importance of clusters where businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies collaborate around various business sectors. As expected, many gathered for the Taste of the New North. Mouths watered as participants lined up to try dishes from 16 culinary entrepreneurs within the New North Region. Four afternoon educational sessions were also held, providing great discussion and participation from both the speakers and attendees. On behalf Miron Construction, Corey Brumbaugh and Theresa Lehman attended the Summit. As a member of New North, Inc’s Board of Directors, Corey Brumbaugh serves an influential role in connecting Miron and New North. Miron is heavily invested in Northeast Wisconsin and provides great insight and support to the New North. Overall, this year’s Summit was a successful event that proved very informative and engaging for everyone.

6 Ways to Stay Healthy on the Holiday Party Circuit

Brenda Schanhofer — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:55:22 +0000

by Brenda Schanhofer

If you’re like me, your month is already packed with holiday parties and visits from friends and family. December is the most social time of year. Even though strong social ties are beneficial to good health, unhealthy habits like stressing out or overindulging in food and drinks over the holidays can negate the health benefits of socializing. Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy on the holiday party circuit:

Pre-game with protein and fiber. Although pre-game usually refers to drinking before heading out to an event, here I'm referring to food. Try eating a light meal before heading out to a holiday party. This will ensure that you will be less likely to dig in when the dessert plate is passed around because you will arrive at the party feeling full and satisfied. Make sure that your pre-game meal is low in processed carbs and high in protein and fiber. Protein and fiber are slow to digest, meaning that they stay in your stomach longer. This will also prevent you from absorbing alcohol into your bloodstream too fast.
Choose your hors d’oeuvres wisely. Stick to hors d’oeuvres that are meat- or vegetable-based. Stay away from sweets, puff pastries, crackers and bread-based snacks.
Try to sneak in a workout before heading out to your holiday party. Doing so can help put you in the right frame of mind, one focused on health.
Only snack on your favorite treats. Skip the snacks that you can live without. Why spend the calories on something that you don't absolutely love?
Stay hydrated by forcing yourself to drink water on a schedule. Drinking water can be boring in between tasty bites of lobster and sips of champagne. But staying hydrated is critical if you want to wake up energized the next morning. Try drinking two glasses of water before the party, two during and two right before bed to ensure that you wake up feeling good.
Have a good attitude. The holidays can be very stressful. The most important thing that you can do at this time of year is to relax and have fun. So what if you are late to the party or forgot a hostess gift? Grab a lobster roll, give your coworkers a pat on the pack and let yourself unwind for once.

Happy Holidays! Image courtesy of Google Images.

From Our Elves to Yours: Thank You and Happy Holidays!

Miron Construction — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:55:13 +0000

by Miron Construction

As the holiday season and end of the year draw near, we are presented with the perfect opportunity to reflect upon 2011 and begin setting our goals for 2012. Without question, the past few years have been difficult. I’m sure everyone has felt the impact that our struggling economy continues to make. What we as an organization plan to do, though, is celebrate the fact that we have persevered. We faced numerous challenges, and as a team we overcame them. We also realize the incredible role our clients, partners and employees played in our many successes in 2011. We would like to thank them, our extended family, for their unwavering commitment to our organization. We know that the blessings bestowed upon us in 2011 would not have been possible without the support of our loyal team members, hard-working partners, and exemplary clientele. We feel so lucky to have been able to work on so many amazing projects, participate in some truly incredible community events and make so many wonderful friends over the past year! We look to the New Year as a fresh start, one we plan to embrace with both enthusiasm and hope. We sincerely wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season; may all your dreams for 2012 come true!

My Visit to Autodesk University: Technology—It’s Really About the People and Asking the Right Questions

Dan Bayer — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:55:32 +0000

by Dan Bayer

Autodesk University (AU) is a premier software technology, training, networking and innovation event attended by technology leaders representing the best organizations in the world. Ideas, innovations, tips and tricks are shared at this open forum event that raises the professional expertise of its attendees and promotes a forward-thinking approach to address challenges in our industries, communities, countries and the world. I always leave AU feeling motivated, like my batteries have been recharged. AU prepares me for the challenges that lie ahead in the next eleven months. Equally as important is that it serves as a litmus test to gauge our company’s approach relative to those in our industry worldwide. There is no limit to what can be achieved when we articulate a challenge, define solutions and put a plan into action. It’s just a matter of taking a moment to pause and look at the world around us and ask the right questions:

What are we missing?
Is accepting the status quo the order of the day?
Is it possible to step out of the daily grind and ask: “How can I make a difference in the life of one person today?”

I think it is possible to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Today is a new day, a chance to begin again, a chance to look at the world around us and see the opportunities that exist. Autodesk is a design software company serving numerous industries. What's the value proposition in investing in people to become forward thinkers/innovators? Honestly, I think they get it. They understand that it’s about the people, their lives, their industries, their communities, and the positive effect they can have on the world. Software is simply the tool.

Merry Fitness: How Miron Plans to Stay Healthy Throughout the Holidays

Brenda Schanhofer — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:55:32 +0000

by Brenda Schanhofer

From the Thanksgiving feast to the champagne toast on New Year's Eve, the holidays are a time for celebration and packing on the pounds, right? Wrong! Not if you work at Miron Construction. The health-minded employees at Miron have decided to do just the opposite by kicking off a Holiday Fitness Challenge that has people more committed than ever to keeping the elastic waistband pants in the back of the closet this holiday season. In just two short weeks, 133 participants (67% of Miron's workforce) in six different locations have lost a total of 233 pounds, and are on track to keep that trend going through the most difficult time of year to maintain weight, much less lose a few pounds. While some might think this is a task too big to tackle during the holidays, Miron employees see it differently. In a workplace culture that is always seeking to exceed expectations, they took this challenge and are running with it (literally). Participants are exercising more and eating less, all while finding it possible to enjoy the holiday season and all its festivities just the same. Many are finding it has more to do with a mindset than a specific time of year, and some are just making it look downright easy. Of course, adding a competitive element and offering incentives adds additional motivation to the mix. Employees were randomly placed on seven different teams, each one led by a member of Miron's executive team. They had the option to maintain their current weight or seek weight loss over an 8-week period, from Nov. 16^th - Jan. 6^th. Following a specific set of rules, participants in both weight categories have the opportunity to assist their team to achieving the greatest % of weight loss overall. Employees on the winning team will receive two additional days of vacation in 2012, and will be treated to a special evening out with all team members and their families. So what’s the point? You don't have to abandon your strategy to eat healthy just because it’s that time of year again. Nor do you have to give up your exercise routine or commitment to good health. In our society it seems almost impossible to think we can control our eating and still enjoy the holidays, but with a few modifications and some common sense planning, you can do exactly that. Imagine how good it will feel when the festivities have come and gone and you have maintained your health. So celebrate the holidays the Miron Way…make them festive, happy AND HEALTHY! Photo courtesy of Google Images

The Importance of Worksite Safety Solutions

Kevin Hildebrandt — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:55:03 +0000

by Kevin Hildebrandt

Construction fatalities have declined almost 40 percent during the past five years according to a recent AGC report. The 40 percent decline in fatalities out paced the decline in construction revenues. This indicates a shift in the industry that has produced extremely positive results. Many companies have made a commitment to improving workplace safety. Miron, for example, has dedicated considerable resources to safety training, which is the cornerstone of hazard identification. If a construction worker is educated on the means and methods to protect themselves and others from project site hazards, along with the steps necessary to correct those hazards, he/she is equipped to manage and eliminate unsafe practices. One of the key components to hazard correction is empowering employees to take action if they witness unsafe practices or hazards on site. Miron’s supervisors and professional trades people are instructed that not only do they have the right to take time to correct a safety-related short-coming, they have an OBLIGATION to correct it. There is a fundamental difference between the ability, or right to correct, and the obligation to correct. Miron employees understand that it is completely acceptable to shut down production operations in order to address a safety concern. The obligation to correct safety problems comes with a paradigm shift. Being that production has historically been the sole focus of most construction operations nationwide, many professional trades people have been reluctant to take a moment to correct a known unsafe practice or hazard unless directly advised by a supervisor. One of the reasons individuals were reluctant to correct problems was that the time to correct the issue was traditionally viewed as a cost. However, as you educate your workforce, it is necessary to break the myth that correcting a safety-related problem is an expense. You must educate your workforce so they understand that hazard identification and correction offers significant savings and adds value to the project and the organization’s bottom line. Most importantly though, it's the right thing to do for the safety of each and every individual on site. Most safety-hazard corrections take almost no time at all to correct, while a hazard or practice left unchanged can have a horribly negative life-altering effect. Another initiative that Miron has put in place to increase site safety is requiring a project-wide weekly stand-down meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to keep every project team member informed about site-specific issues related to safety. These meetings offer a great opportunity to communicate concerns related to quality and production as well. Furthermore, the ten minute meetings serve as forum for all individuals on site to express safety concerns. The discussion, and subsequent actions, ultimately have a positive impact on site for everyone. Miron is committed to an injury-free worksite, and to increasing safety throughout the construction industry. If each construction organization continues to put forth a little extra effort into employee education and raising expectations for all involved in the construction industry, we as an industry will continue to reduce construction-related injuries and deaths.