Spectrum HR Solutions | Official Newsletter
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    2. Human Resources Wizard
    3. The HR Legal Eagle
    4. Employee Benefits News
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Our mission is to help organizations connect the dots between people and profit by bringing together human resource support systems and people for sustaining viable economic growth.

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Welcome to the first e-newsletter from Spectrum HR Solutions. Our quarterly newsletter will feature practical human resources tips and legal updates. We hope that you'll choose to continue to receive quarterly e-newsletters like these featuring highlights of helpful ‘tricks of the trade’ in the world of human resources development.

Also, we like to share tips and success stories. If you have an HR story or HR tip to share with other HR colleagues of what your organization is doing, please send a brief description (2 paragraphs maximum) to info@spectrumhrsolutions.com

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Human Resources For Wizards
This column is dedicated to all those in HR who love the profession and wants to boldly overcome challenges and make a lasting difference for improving the workplace.
by Brenda J. McChriston, Principal, Spectrum HR Solutions
brenda.mcchriston@spectrumhrsolutions.com

Wizard: (def. 1. magician; 2. extremely skillful or clever; 3. a sage (wise; sensible)

HR Branding

Wondering how to favorably capture and hold the attention of internal and external customers? Try ‘branding’ all human resource functions, programs and initiatives with your organization’s logo, mission and vision. What will this do? It can subliminally send and reinforce the organization message of unity, cohesiveness, and direction to prospective applicants and clients, alike. Internally, the message is clear—support, clarity, business-savvy and purpose.

First ‘wizard’ challenge; get buy-in from senior leadership. Second ‘wizard’ challenge, talk to whoever is responsible for marketing and/or public relations. This is an opportunity to develop relationships and/or get special pricing on design/printer costs. Third ‘wizard’ challenge, get ideas on what to ‘brand’ from other employees in different departments. You can brand employment applications, business cards-with mission/vision, training brochures, interview folders, benefits brochures, screen savers, web pages, recruitment materials, on-boarding and new hire orientation programs. It’s amazing how quickly you’ll be seen as a ‘Champion’ for your organization. The quality of applicant pools and internal morale has been known to improve rapidly once the word gets around about the organization’s positive outlook. You don’t have to do it all at once. Start small and build. Soon employees will come to you with their ideas for ‘branding’. Go HR Wizards!

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Supreme Court Permits Lawsuits By Individual Participants in 401(k) and Other Defined Contribution Plans
by Stephen B. Stern, Esq., Ross, Dixon & Bell, LLP
sstern@rdblaw.com

In LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc., No. 06-856 (Feb. 20, 2008), the United States Supreme Court held that an individual participant in a 401(k) plan has standing to pursue a cause of action against a plan fiduciary for allegedly failing to follow the participant’s investment instructions. While this ruling is unlikely to affect the recent wave of lawsuits against retirement plans for failing to control plan costs, the Court’s decision in LaRue creates the potential for additional litigation against defined contribution plan fiduciaries.

 
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Maximizing the Value of Your Employee Benefits Program
by Mary Ford, Productivity Partner, Spectrum HR Solutions

mary@spectrumhrsolutions.com

Employee compensation is about a lot more than what you pay your employees. Utilizing personalized employee benefit statements can help you to communicate the total value of your employee benefits program to your employees and open their eyes to their "hidden paycheck". Industry studies show that while employers spend an average of up to 40% over payroll on benefits, most employees have no idea what benefits they have or how much those benefits are worth. Generally over 50% of your workforce does not understand all the benefits offered and the value of their total compensation. This statistic is astonishing when you consider the low cost of providing each employee with a personalized benefit statement in the grand scheme of employee communication.

 
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