There are global forces of change that are and will affect businesses and the resulting job market over the next 40 years including: a global balance of power shift from West to East and North to South; resources and practices are protected (not open to all); increased connectedness due to tech with instant global communities; earth with changing climate/fewer natural resources; move to transparency (social media where your business is everybody’s business); and a shift and focus on values with the decline of blind consumerism.

The Hot List  

What’s key to sustained employment? People skills that machines can’t copy (e.g. during the second week in February 2014, it was reported that Facebook had more than 170 sales related positions open, which was almost twice as many openings as software engineers). Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) updated a report where it expects the most job growth by 2022 (see Tables 1.3). Top 10 areas for expansion include two that are customer facing: retail sales and customer service, as well as four health-care sectors in which basic people skills such as empathy are critical.

People with skills that are in demand will be appreciated by the market. The rub is that many of these skilled positions are in areas where companies are already experiencing a shortage of qualified labor: technology, health care and other key sectors. Locally, we have observed increases in hiring for the following: sales, logistics, and staffing part-time positions, call centers, manufacturing, construction, biomedical engineer, pharmacy, long-term care, and home care.

The Not List

The U.S. job market will not be better for everyone, with labor-market disruptions brought on by new technologies; self-driving cars, robotics, online commerce, and transfer of jobs overseas. The BLS also updated its report for the fields where it expects the most decline by 2022 (see Table 1.5). Nationally, for tree-fellers, shoemakers, and postal clerks, 30 percent of these jobs may disappear. Locally, the gaming jobs that were lost during the recession have not returned, and although construction growth has been strong, we are not at the numbers of jobs represented before 2009.

Employers, take a look at your strategic planning including flexibility in your vision given global trends and how you will leverage them to your advantage, and be willing to train, mentor, and create the learning environment needed for the skills sets you require.

Employees, be flexible about your career choices and assumptions given the global trends; be willing to have training; be open to a mentor so you can always be “teachable”; and embrace the learning environment needed for the skills sets your desired job requires.

Written by Jim Annis, President/CEO of The Applied Companies, which provide HR solutions for today’s workplace. Celeste Johnson, Tom Miller, and Suzanne Chennault, Applied’s division directors, contributed to this article.

Brain Teaser Courtesy of EPLI Pro™

Let it snow...

The news reports all predict yet another winter storm. You know from past experience that the roads will be hazardous, people will likely stay home and that, therefore, you won't have a lot of customers at your business today.

Now you need to make a decision: do you have all your previously scheduled employees report to work? Do you stay open? What can you do?

Which of the following statements are correct?

A.  A business can close during natural disasters, including bad weather. You don't have to pay hourly employees when the business is closed due to inclement weather.

B.  If a business has already scheduled employees to work prior to the natural disaster, then those employees should be paid regardless of whether those employees show up to work or not.

C.  A business can close during natural disasters, including bad weather. You don't have to pay hourly employees when the business is closed due to inclement weather. If, however, you're unable to reach employees who were previously scheduled to work, and they report to work, you may be subject to "reporting" or "show-up" pay, depending on your particular state laws.

Answer:   A and C are the correct answers

Applied Staffing Solutions & Applied Business Solutions
Divisions of The Applied Companies
We Have All Your Employment Answers

“I am a people person; therefore I am not a numbers person.” We hear this all the time in the Human Resources (HR) world and encourage overcoming the “fear” of numbers to achieve career growth. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says it the best, “If you can read a nutrition label or a baseball box score, you can learn to read basic financial statements. If you can follow a recipe or apply for a loan, you can learn basic accounting. The basics aren’t difficult and they aren’t rocket science” (basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Here are some hints at gaining financial insight to help you become an “asset” to any company (pun intended):

Job Seekers 

Look for financial information prior to accepting an interview. For public companies, review financials posted on SEC.gov or Edgar, which include quarterly and annual filings and the variances. Not-for-profit organizations are required to file 990s with similar information. For private companies, look on About, press or news sections of their websites and social media. Use the information to develop interview questions: Have you maintained your workforce? Do you foresee layoffs? Do you have appropriate cash flow? Are you forecasting growth?

Employees

If you are subject to a bonus, and you have made plans for that money, it would be prudent to review your company’s financials to see if they are on track profitability-wise. Ask questions. Think beyond the job in front of you.

Managers

Schedule time with the in-house accountant to explain your department’s status individually and in relationship to the company as a whole including; annual expenses, industry benchmarks; budget forecasts (is it realistic and do you have control?); budget and cost assumptions; variances and fluxes; period to period reporting; current internal controls; and how goals are set. Keep your financial partners accountable and ask questions until you feel comfortable. Ask what you can do to make accounting’s job easier, it’s a great way to build a partnership.

Business Owners Keep Your Eyes Open

Can you determine what is reasonable and explainable? Understanding the relationship between profit and loss statement, cash flow and the balance sheet is key. If items are not moving on and off the balance sheet, that’s a red flag. Hire an independent (not related to anyone at the company) CPA firm do an independent review to keep everyone honest. If you suspect criminal activity, engaging a forensic accountant is an option.

Why should you care?

Financial knowledge is power that can help you be more marketable, valuable, and integral. For the SEC’s basic brochure on how to read financial statements, go to “The Beginner’s Guide to Reading Financial Statements” at www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begfinstmtguide.htm .

Written by Jim Annis President/CEO of The Applied Companies, which provide HR solutions for today’s workplace. Celeste Johnson, Tom Miller, and Suzanne Chennault, Applied’s division directors, contributed to this article.