November 2023 | 41st EDITION NEWSLETTER

How to Battle the Burnout During the Holiday Hustle

HR Today | Essium | October 25, 2023

Let’s face facts: the holiday season is often hectic. On the personal side of the equation, many people spend time buying gifts, planning travel, hosting get-togethers, and caring for children once school breaks begin. On the professional side, wrapping up year-end activities happens right alongside regular duties, putting a lot of people’s plates. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to battle burnout during the holiday hustle. Here are some tips that can help you recharge and reclaim the joy of the season.

Report: Half The Workforce Is Uncomfortable Discussing Their Mental Health at Work

HR Brew | Kristen Parisi | October 31, 2023

Lululemon’s SVP of people and culture says it’s important to talk openly about mental health at work to reduce stigma. With high levels of financial stress, record rates of depression, and a loneliness epidemic in the US, new research indicates that not only are many employees feeling down, it could be impacting work performance.

While there’s no single definition of well-being, it can be determined by several factors, including emotional and physical health, social wellness, financial security, and career. 

5 Ways to Support the Wellness of Remote Workers

HR Exchange Network | Francesca Di Meglio | October 10, 2023

Remote work brings with it a unique set of mental health and wellness concerns. For starters, many may feel isolated, especially if they work from their home for hours on end without other people around them. In addition, they may feel disconnected with their colleagues and those "water cooler" opportunities. Because many of them work from home, they have a hard time turning off and shutting down devices, so they end up working more hours, which can lead to stress or even burnout.

I just wanted to thank you both so much for including me in the IEC and MEC this year. The incredible amount of time and energy you put into the conferences in unbelievable, but the love you have shines through and I think brings a collaborative spirit for everyone to learn and share. So THANK YOU for all you do!

MEC Speaker Lindsey K. Niemeier | Head of Strategy TCare

Workplace Boundaries: Examples To Create a Healthier Work Environment

HR Today | Business Management Daily

Beth Braccio Hering | October 25, 2023

Do not equate the act of setting boundaries at work with selfishness. Rather, understand how work boundaries assist with performance and job satisfaction. They allow you to maintain focus and stay on track. They promote better mental health and work-life balance. They offer fellow team members guidelines on what makes you uncomfortable, leading to healthier work relationships.

This Is Employers’ Top Financial Wellness Concern Today

HR Executive | Dawn Kawamoto

October 31, 2023

Thanks to record-high inflation last year, rising interest rates, flat wage growth and other economic factors, employers now say their top concern about employee financial wellness is the high cost of living, according to a recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. It’s the first time cost-of-living has landed in the top spot—up from No. 4 last year—on the Financial Wellbeing Employer Survey, bumping retirement preparedness from its six-year run as employers’ greatest concern. 

When Your Coworker Does That Inexplicable Thing

MEC Sponsor BecomeMore Group | Karman Hotchkiss | October 23, 2023

“What were they thinking?!” As a career coach, I hear that a lot when people describe to me an incident in their workplace. Someone has done something that my client finds absolutely baffling. And generally, it turns out that the perpetrator did indeed have a Very Good reason for doing that thing—at least in his or her or their mind. And that Very Good reason was something that my client never would have seen, considered, or prioritized.

Why? Because people are different. I know, that’s a “duh” statement. Of course people are different. We just tend to forget that—especially when they are acting in a way that we would never act, for reasons we might never have considered.

Is there a tool for understanding other people?

Memorandum of Understanding Between Governmental Labor and Employment Agencies Creates Increased Exposure for Businesses

MEC Sponsor Husch Blackwell | By Jenna Brofsky, Courtney Steelman & Delia Berrigan | October 11, 2023

As of September 13th, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL-WHD) is partnering with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to focus on “enhanced law enforcement” through information sharing, joint investigations, training, and outreach. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is considered voluntary and is not legally binding, but may have an impact on organizations nationwide.

In The Hybrid Era, Are You Overlooking Your ‘Mismatched’ Employees?

HR executive | Livia Martini | October 30, 2023

Over the last few years, organizations have come to see clearly that workplace wellness is table stakes. But even with the best intentions, many people leaders are struggling to improve the state of wellbeing in their workforce. In a new survey, my team at Gympass has discovered a major, unresolved problem behind this trend.

As the world of work has transformed, making remote and hybrid options far more available, one group of people in particular has been suffering. 

7 Keys to Navigating the Big Stay Within Your HR Department

HR Morning | Matt Thomas | October 2, 2023

Navigating The Big Stay — where employees choose to remain at their place of employment longer than before — will continue to be a powerful force in the post-pandemic labor market.

However, we’ve yet to see the trend’s lasting impact on the labor market, and it may provide only temporary relief for talent shortages. Consequently, HR experts caution against becoming too comfortable with improved retention stats.

10 Ways to Prove You’re a Strategic Thinker

Harvard Business Review | Brenda Steinberg and Michael D. Watkins | October 31, 2023

Are you a strategic thinker? Do key people in your organization — such as your boss and senior leadership — think so? To get ahead in your career, it’s critically important to ensure that the people around you perceive you as leadership material. One key to achieving that is communicating in ways that demonstrate your strategic mind. You can’t just think strategically. You need to speak strategically, too. 

5 Types of Stories Leaders Need to Tell

Harvard Business Review | Nick Westergaard | September 22, 2023

The historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was once asked what questions she would put to Abraham Lincoln if given the chance. “I feel like a bad historian,” she answered, “but I’d probably ask him to tell me a story.” As she herself has documented, the 16th U.S. president was not just a great political leader but also a masterful raconteur, who used stories to entertain, educate, and inspire.

Keep Your Team Motivated When a Project Goes Off the Rails

Harvard Business Review | Rebecca Zucker | October 31, 2023

According to a report by TeamStage, 70% of projects globally fail. And big projects, with greater complexity and more moving parts, fail at significant rates. This can be for a variety of reasons, ranging from passive project sponsors and inadequate resources to a shifting organizational context or lack of internal alignment and stakeholder buy-in.

Poorly performing projects not only impact the bottom line, they also, understandably, impact morale and engagement. If one of your projects is going sideways or south, here are some ways to motivate your team to help get things back on track.

Training Requirements and Resources

OSHA provides information on employers' training requirements and offers resources such as free publications, videos, and other assistance to help employers protect workers against injuries and illnesses.

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A Long Overdue Update for Retirement Savings Protections

Lisa M. Gomez | October 31, 2023

When you're saving for retirement, there are lots of important decisions you need to make. It can feel overwhelming to think about your financial future and navigate the world of complex financial products. There's an entire industry of investment professionals who advertise themselves as trusted experts who can help you prepare to retire. They offer personalized recommendations, based on your individual interests. These include registered investment advisers, brokers, insurance agents, financial planners, and other investment professionals. 

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The new version of Form I‑9, Employment Eligibility Verification is now available for use. This version contains changes to the form and instructions, including shortening the Form I‑9 to one page and reducing the instructions to eight pages.

What Form I‑9 versions may be used

·       Employers may begin using the new Form I‑9 today, Aug. 1, 2023.

·       The Form I‑9 dated "10/19/2019” may continue to be used through Oct. 31, 2023. The version date can be found at the lower left corner of the form.

·       Beginning Nov. 1, 2023, only the new Form I‑9 dated "08/01/23” may be used.

·       A revised Spanish Form I‑9 dated “08/01/23” is available for use in Puerto Rico only.

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Laws Enforced by EEOC

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THANK YOU to all 2023 Conference Sponsors!

Sponsor support is integral in continuing the growth, quality & integrity of the continuing education unique to this conference year after year. You are appreciated!

PRESENTING SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Without a game plan, you’ll likely forfeit any savings opportunities within your employee benefit plan. Why gamble? Bukaty Companies combines technology, data, consumer engagement tools and good old-fashioned ingenuity to develop a winning hand for our clients.

2023 conference was a huge success! Two full days of learning, networking and tons of laughs.

Nan Boland & Sue Kmet - the forces behind the best conference of its kind in Missouri!

MEC Team - Nan Boland, Lisa Bunkers, Sarah Towns & Sue Kmet

Nan & Lisa

Sue & Nan

Lisa & Michelle

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

By definition, Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. If you are in a place where your talent and skills will help others, by all means, use them. We are proud of the work our leaders have done and hope that if you are in a place to serve, you choose to step up.

JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

Together, we can raise awareness, educate and work towards bringing an end to human trafficking.

So many events, so little time!

Check out Nov. events around the Lake of the Ozarks!!

If you know who this person is send an email to Sue@MissouriEmploymentConference.com to enter for a chance to win a FREE registration to the Missouri Employment Conference next spring!

Wildly Delicious Weeknight Dinners for November

delish.com | Camille Lowder | Oct 2023

November might be known for Thanksgiving, but you've gotta get dinner on the table the rest of the month too! Now that Halloween is over, is it just us, or does it feel like it’s pretty much go-time from now until January? There’s so little time and SO much to do to gear up for a wonderful holiday season, but November is the last month that really feels like fall, so we’re not letting it get away without celebrating all it has to offer. Join us this November as we say goodbye to autumn produce and hello to the winter holiday season (Christmas music has already started playing 😫) through cozy, comforting meals for both weeknights and special occasions. We’ve got 40 recipes to help inspire you to make dinner this November—one for every day of the month, and then some.

Every conference takes months and months of meticulous planning. It takes multiple people working behind the scenes to research and secure the expert panelists and speakers to train the attendees on the most relevant topics affecting the workplace. Finding sponsors who support the efforts and provide value to the conference takes thoughtful purpose. Working with the venue to come up with the layout, services offered and estimates for food and beverages is budgeted in a series of several meetings, emails and calls. Daily audits of information, applying for accreditations, organizing and finalizing a specific schedule that maximizes time and efficiency is nothing short of miraculous. Add in the social media marketing, association marketing, managing registrations, website daily / hourly updates as well as making sure the conference is fully staffed on the day of the event... you could say we have a lot on our hands!

Why do we do it? For YOU!! Thank you for showing up, year after year to further your career, fulfill your continuing education aspirations, train with the experts and especially for putting a smile on our faces as you walk into the conference! YOU make it all worthwhile!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and we will see you this spring,

Nan, Sue and the Conference Team

Nan, Lisa, Sarah & Sue

Nan & Sue