GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

The initials “RV” usually mean Recreational Vehicle, and while that may be an apt description of the RV line of kit aircraft, in this case they are also the initials of designer and founder of Van’s Aircraft, Richard VanGrunsven. 

Recent studies have shown that quality of life can outshine a big pay raise when it comes to job seeking. Many people are giving up extra money to work for a company that allows a flexible workweek and/or the ability to work from home.

You hit it … the maximum of a pay range! Now what? When I get this question, I have a few questions that I need answered.

Essentially, unless the business is exempt, or qualifies for a limited-duration hardship waiver, employees in manufacturing environments are only allowed to work up to 55 hours a week, with a maximum of 60 if they sign a voluntary waiver, which can be rescinded at any time.

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I’m pleased to introduce Sheryl Kelsh as Cascade’s new Membership Development Manager. Sheryl is the person behind the Cascade membership curtain, helping members fully engage in the programs and services that will generate the most value for their membership investment and identifying the greatest needs of prospective members who haven’t yet discovered why nearly 450 employers rely on our expertise.

Paid time off is one of the most important ‘checklist items’ when looking for a job. One of the first questions people will ask their friends when they start a new job is, “How much PTO do you get each year?”

You are not required to change your W-4 withholdings, but it is highly encouraged by the IRS to take a look and use the online tool as early as possible so you do not have any surprises at the end of the year.  If changes are needed, the calculator will give you the information needed to fill out a new W-4.

Electrical Geodesics, Inc. (EGI) is one of the most scientifically advanced businesses in Cascade membership. This 25-year old company has been recognized globally as a leading neurodiagnostic medical technology company and has recently been acquired by the Royal Philips company, based in The Netherlands.

This January, The Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) announced it is making changes to the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification exams beginning August 1, 2018.

Engaged leaders are the key drivers of initiatives that ensure the “people programs” in a company support and contribute to the mission and strategic objectives of the organization.

Have you ever driven along the Columbia River and wondered how such large shipping vessels could safely navigate so far up river from its mouth at Astoria? After all, many of these ships come from international ports, and chances are their captains have never experienced the Columbia until now. 

Determining a starting salary for a new hire can be difficult. Offering a starting salary too low may exclude good candidates or may attract someone unqualified for the position. A starting salary too high may prove unsustainable.

Can you measure a work team’s awesomeness? Or do you just know it when you see it?

There has never been a more important time (and it still is!) to evaluate how you communicate your pay programs to employees. Ensuring that your employees clearly understand your overall pay strategy and philosophy is critical.

Handbooks are so long and tedious and “no one ever reads them.” Well, the truth of the matter is, an Employee Handbook is your first line of defense in many situations.

If you’re from the Eugene area, you grew up with the playful TV ads and the quirky billboards that make you smile—and you probably know the jingle by heart. When it’s time to remodel your kitchen or repair a leaky faucet, you know there’s only one place to go: “Better Head for Jerry’s.”

It’s hard enough for many of us to summon the nerve to provide someone with constructive feedback. Ideally we’ve done some work preparing for the conversation: we’ve thought about a way to convey that we mean well from the start, we’ve identified the specific issue in question (rather than focusing on someone’s personality), and we know how to articulate our expectation for that person moving forward.

So much to do . . . so little time. Between holiday baking, canned food drives, Secret Santa gifts, school holiday programs, gift-giving, family parties, friend parties, recovering from all the parties . . . what is a person to do?

This nonprofit member works with children, youth and their families to overcome the crisis of abuse and neglect. 

In the many years of working in the payroll field in the Salem area, there is one comment I hear from a lot of companies: they didn’t realize they may be subject to transit taxes since their business is not located in that district.

In a world where it seems like we’re always “connected” why do employers have so much trouble connecting with remote employees? Rather than focus on the reasons it happens, let’s talk about what we can do about it.

From design engineers to skilled machinists, Benchmade’s team is filled with hard-working, passionate individuals committed to producing some of the highest quality knives in the world. 

Executives in Oregon and Southwest Washington recently provided their business projections for 2018 in the National Business Trends Survey. The preliminary results show a mixture of confidence and anticipated business challenges, with the majority of executives reporting optimism for the New Year.

After doing a recent training on Performance Management, I’m beginning to understand why: not enough people know about it! So many of our members are still using up precious time and energy with pen and paper forms or Word docs that are outdated and ineffective. 

According to the research explored by the Harvard Business Review, men tend to apply for a job when they meet only 60 percent of a job’s qualifications, but women tend to apply only if they meet 100 percent of them. Further research shows that traditional “in groups” are judged based on their potential while traditional “out groups” are judged by their proven accomplishments.

In my experience as a coach, a consultant, and a trainer, the number one saboteur of workplace relationships is that we make assumptions as to why someone is acting a particular way and those assumptions are almost always negative – and incorrect.

For more than 30 years, the Oregon School of Massage has provided the most holistic, integrated approach to massage education in Oregon. This integrated approach is a core value that drives the whole program.