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From 'Up in the Air' to a Smooth Landing:
A Non-Hollywood Take on Outplacement
By Ali Meisburg, Align HR (a division of Find Great People)
 Red carpet, beautiful dresses, suspense--it's the Oscars! This year's list of nominees was extremely reflective of the times ranging from topics such as Iraq, alien invasion, and most importantly to HR minds, layoffs. Up in the Air brought the concept of layoffs to a whole new level by introducing outplacement companies to the general public. As a young professional, I had never heard of outplacement before joining Align HR. Come to find out, the reputation outplacement holds isn't the best.
The general plot of Up in the Air follows seasoned outplacement professional Ryan Bingham and recent graduate Natalie Keener on an extended business trip across the country as Bingham attempts to show the naïve Keener that layoffs need to be handled in person, as opposed to via web conference. The two work together to lay off numerous employees for a variety of companies, all in person. At the end of the trip, they deliver the news Natalie's way, via web conference. The young woman is shocked by the lack of compassion her high tech message carries. I won't spoil the ending for you, but you have a grasp of the general idea the movie communicates.
As someone who has participated in multiple outplacement projects, I was surprised to see how outplacement was portrayed. The concept of a company coming in simply for the layoff, handing a packet of information to the employee, and then never speaking to them again was horrifying, because the way Align HR outplacement happens is much different.
Read More...
Is a Worker Shortage Coming to the U.S.?
According to MarketWatch (part of WSJ's Digital Community), a worker shortage is coming our way. Hard to believe? We thought so, too. But take a look:
A worker shortage could develop within 10 years as baby boomers reach traditional retirement age and there are too few replacement workers, according to the report published Monday by the MetLife Foundation and San Francisco-based Civic Ventures, a think tank focusing on baby boomers, work and social purpose.
When the nation comes out of the current jobs recession--and this may take two to three years--we will begin to see spot shortages in labor markets,' according to the report. 'If the economy continues to improve, the spot shortages will become more general, and we will experience the shortages our research projects.'"
You can read more of the article here.
In our minds, one of the more pertinent issues facing employers today is knowing if your employees are happy. Will they leave when the economy starts to turn up? The Employee Opinion Survey that Align HR offers is an easy way to "take the temperature" of your organization.
What are your thoughts on a worker shortage hitting America? Let us know here!
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Our Values
We firmly believe that our values comprise the core of who we are as a company. These values grounded us during the recession of the early 90s—and the economic struggles so many companies and people are going through now, in 2010. They are what determine how great we can be and the degree to which we can help you build a great company.
As a company, we commit to:
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Demonstrate a dedicated client focus by always exceeding expectations.
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Be entrepreneurial in spirit by taking risks and embracing change.
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Live with a passion for winning and never, ever give up.
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Build authentic relationships through respect for and honest communication with each other.
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Create opportunity and financial wealth through FGP profitability and growth.
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Consistently show integrity in all business dealings, building the unconditional trust of our clients.
Contact Us
We'd love to help you build a great company. If you have any questions or if we can help you in any way, please contact your account manager or Steve Hall, VP of Business Development, at 864-297-0000 or steve@fgp.com.
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HIRE (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act) & Your Company
On March 18, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE), an act to encourage the creation of jobs in the United States. The act contains two hiring incentives for employers:
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Exemption from paying the employer share of Social Security tax (6.2 percent on first $106,800 of wages) for 2010 wages of employees hired after Feb. 3, 2010, and before Jan. 1, 2011, and who were unemployed for at least 60 days before being hired;
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A $1,000 tax credit for each new employee hired after Feb. 3 and before 2011 and retained for at least 52 weeks.
This is a great opportunity for companies to get some great people on board. If you'd like FGP to help you build a great team, check out our website, call your account manager, or call Steve Hall, VP of Business Development at 864-297-0000.
If you already have hired some great people and would like help onboarding them and acclimating them to your culture, Align HR (a division of FGP) would be more than happy to help. Please contact Vicki Peek at 864-553-7244 or vicki@alignhr.com. We also partner with outstanding employment attorneys in the Upstate and Midlands who can offer sound employment advice.
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