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Workforce Development News & Information: October 2011 (PDF, 147 KB)

Workforce Development News & Information

Volume 2, Issue 3
October 2011
Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry

In This Issue...

Help local students learn more about a career at your business by checking out Future Fair 2011 "The Future Is In Your Hands". Tips are also included on required poster updates and hiring a young workforce. Information on the Chamber's Lunch & Learn program and how you can get involved is also provided.

Reminder... Resumes Available Online

Chamber members can download complete resumes of local jobseekers through the Members Only section of the Chamber's website:

www.effinghamchamber.org

A user name and password are needed to utilize this membership benefit.

Local job seekers can go to our website and complete the online form or upload their resume to the site.

For assistance in obtaining Members Only access, contact Becky Brown at 217-342-4147 or email her at bbrown@effinghamchamber.org.

Future Fair 2011 – "The Future is in Your Hands"

Future Fair 2011 will be held Thursday, November 3rd from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Building. This event is co-sponsored by The Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, City of Effingham, Effingham Noon Rotary Club, Effingham Sunrise Rotary Club, Bonutti Orthopedic, Effingham County Farm Bureau, Stevens Industries, Effingham Daily News, and Lake Land College.

Future Fair 2011 is a career expo designed to inform students of Effingham County about careers and occupations available throughout the area. It gives them the opportunity to talk one-on-one with over 100 career representatives in a wide variety of occupations about job descriptions, training, wages, educational requirements, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement. Careers in culinary arts, finance, manufacturing, engineering, hospitality, and healthcare will be represented A military representative and financial aid information will also be available for interested students.

Future Fair also appeals to career changers and first-time job seekers who have the chance to check out future career choices. A feature of this year's Future Fair is to show how today's technology can help students get involved with career planning and searching simply in the palm of their hand. Students will be encouraged to "check in" to the Future Fair via smart phone on Facebook and other social media websites.

Admission to Future Fair is FREE. Counselors, parents and employers are urged to encourage their students to attend this event and explore career directions for their future. If you have any questions or are interested in being a Future Fair career representative, please contact Katie Koester at 217/342.4147 or kkoester@effinghamchamber.org.

Salaries on the Rise in 2012

An average of 2.9% is the projected increase in salaries for next year reported by Aon Hewitt's annual Salary Increase Survey. This is a slight increase from last year's 2.6% raise. Industries that expect to see the highest salary raises in 2012 included energy/oil/gas, real estate, construction/engineering, telecommunications, and not-for-profit.

A decrease in companies freezing salaries is another trend expected to continue in 2012, with only 5% of organizations freezing pay in 2011 compared to 21% in 2010 and 48% in 2009. According to the survey, workers who receive the highest performance ratings will be in store for median salary increase of 4.5% this year.

Compensation Benefits & Benefits Survey Results Released

The 2011 Effingham County Compensation & Benefits Survey has been delivered. Information from 54 area businesses representing over 6,500 employees is included in this year's survey. The survey data is comprehensive and also includes a wage and benefit section for private sector employers.

More information about the survey can be obtained by contacting the Chamber office at 217/342.4147 or Bushue Human Resources at 217/342.3042.

Lunch & Learn Series

A new benefit to our members is the addition of the Chamber's Lunch and Learn series. The intent of this series is to showcase local resources available to the business community by using local talent to facilitate the workshops. This is an opportunity for business people to learn about different topics while enjoying lunch with other business professionals. Each workshop has provided a facilitator who works locally in the business community, handouts for participants to take with them and refer to again and again, and a lunch that is provided by Arby's.

The August workshop about customer service was facilitated by Stan Thurman, Business Counselor at Eastern Illinois University and the B.E.S.T. Center's counselor at the Chamber. The presentation included ideas on how to determine whether or not your customers will come back and how to instill confidence in your team. Celebrating success was also discussed as a vital part of keeping your team motivated.

The September workshop on credit card fraud was presented by Kelly Roepke of the Y-Yard, and Patrick Peach with Approval Payment Solutions and sponsored by Crossroads Bank. Advice on how to make credit card transactions over the phone was the main focus of the take away handout. Lots of knowledge came from the presentation leaving several guests wanting more information on how to keep their business safe!

October's workshop featured Social Media and was presented by Deb Beasley, New Media Manager at Mid America Motorworks. Ideas of how to get involved with the social media world were given as well as tips on how to stay involved with other businesses in social media platforms. Networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube were discussed. The class was full with over 28 attending. Because of its popularity, another program on social media will be offered in our 2012 Lunch & Learn program.

The next Lunch & Learn workshop is scheduled for Thursday, November 17th from 12 to 1 p.m. at Hampton Inn. The subject of energy tips will be presented by Craig Pals, Vice President of Tick Tock Energy Company.

Lunch & Learn series facilitators are needed for the 2012 year. Surveys from each workshop have shown attendees are interested in a variety of topics including time management, collection on accounts, employee fraud, health insurance, business basics, and dealing with difficult employees. If you are interested in being a 2012 facilitator or signing up for a future workshop, please contact Katie Koester at the Chamber Office at 217/342.4147 or kkoester@effinghamchamber.org.

Labor Law Posters – Are you in Compliance?

Businesses are required to post a variety of federal and state labor laws that must be visible to employees and in some cases applicants. New laws are continually being enacted that require employers to update their postings.

OSHA has changed the size requirements for its required poster, from a 6" by 10" to 8 1/2" by 14". If you do not have the current regulation size, the Illinois Chamber website will allow you to download a copy of the updated poster for display. The National Labor Relations Board has also approved a new mandatory posting for private employers.

If you have purchased a poster from either the Effingham Chamber office or the Illinois State Chamber since Fall of 2009, you will receive a FREE poster that includes all updated Illinois and federal required postings. If a new set is needed, it can be ordered from the Effingham Chamber office for only $45 per set. For additional information, feel free to contact Becky Brown at the Effingham Chamber office, 217/342.4147, or Gloria Guy at the Illinois Chamber Office, 217/522.5512, extension 234. The posters will take about 2 weeks to be delivered, and are required to be posted by January 31, 2012. Remember, it’s the law.

How to Appeal to the Millenial Workforce

What does it take to keep your young workforce happy? For the group called Generation Y, Generation Next, and the Echo Boomers, being happy on the job means working for a company that champions volunteerism, employee engagement, and a positive organizational culture, according to the eighth annual Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey.

If you work with the group long enough, you will discern that this population has grown up with video games, cellphones, and computers and strives to maintain relationships via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. They have a passion for new information and reaching up the corporate ladder which often allows them to choose work for less money but at companies where promotions can be fulfilled.

The real key to engaging the young workforce is philanthropy. The Deloitte survey reveals that those who frequently participate in their company's employee volunteer activities are:

How can you make your company more attractive to this young workforce group or "millennials"? Studies show that company culture not only draws talented boomers as employees, but consumers as well. Things to look at include volunteer opportunities, creative environment, flexible work schedules, continuing education, and mentorships.

Special Thanks to Our Newsletter Sponsor!