Apr 2024 | 46th EDITION NEWSLETTER | |
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IT'S HERE! WELCOME TO IOWA EMPLOYMENT CONFERENCE MONTH!!!
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HR 101: The History of Happy Hour
HR Brew | Amanda Schiavo | December 20, 2023
Welcome to HR 101. Class is now in session. Today’s discussion will focus on the history of happy hour. The tradition of meeting up for drinks and entertainment after work dates back to WWI. The history. The first happy hour was in 1914, when the US Navy, in an attempt to entertain on-duty sailors, hosted an evening of food, music, and dancing. An April 1914 newspaper article described the sailors at one such happy hour as enjoying themselves “with as much abandon as though no war were in the air.”
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Why HR’s Work to Improve Employee Mental Health Is Failing
HR Executive | Dawn Kawamoto | February 21, 2024
Employers are noticing a troubling disconnect when it comes to employee wellbeing: Despite their increased investments in mental wellness since 2020, the mental health of the workforce continues to deteriorate.
Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic began, employers rushed in to help struggling employees by expanding their behavioral health offerings in a variety of ways. And they’ve kept it up.
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How to Measure Employee Engagement Well in 8 Simple Steps
Paylocity | March 14, 2024
Learn how to measure employee engagement to boost productivity and organizational success. Maximizing your workforce’s capabilities begins with navigating the labyrinth of employee engagement. At its center lies a pivotal question: Are your employees as invested in your organization's success as you are?
Yet, charting a course through the intricate maze of surveys and metrics to unearth this truth can be a complex endeavor. This guide serves as your compass, offering clear directions to traverse the twists and turns, allowing you to not only measure but also elevate the spirit of your workforce.
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"This conference is absolutely game and perspective-changing! The wide variety of sessions to grow and learn from are incredibly engaging, packed with powerful approaches that resonate and dig deep. It is rare to find a conference where you come out feeling entirely energized and ready to try new tactics to what is currently in play. Better yet, for those of us where we've made changes in our careers, we can see the evolution of where things were, and where they could go (or even didn't). Not only can I look back on my prior experiences and apply these newfound thoughts and ideologies, I am able to do the same in the current day and provide a future outlook for where we are and where we want to go. Life is about the journey and learning every step of the way. This conference has been an absolutely amazing experience, and I'm incredibly grateful to share this experience with my company. Just as life changes, so does everything around us. Being open to new approaches and ideas, we then open ourselves up to growth and opportunity. And being able to take this back and share it with others - you gain the great satisfaction of paying it forward. Such a profound and rewarding experience! Thank you for taking the time and dedication to making the most out of this event, and for bringing it to so many to share in the wonders."
IEC Spring 2023 Attendee
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Breaking Stereotypes: Women Over 50 Shine Brighter Than Ever
Resources.workable.com | Suzanne Lucas | March 2024
Women over 50 are defying age stereotypes, showcasing exceptional accomplishments across various fields. From keynote addresses to founding tech startups, these women prove age is but a number. Their stories highlight the importance of visibility, purpose, and breaking barriers in every aspect of life, inspiring others to embrace their potential fully.
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Bed Sharing on Business Trips Is a Nightmare Waiting to Happen
Inc. | Suzanne Lucas | February 29, 2024
Sure, saving money sounds great. But do you want your employees rested and ready, or stressed out and exhausted?
You may want to save money on business travel, but please, do not ask your employees to share beds under any circumstances other than a major natural disaster that severely limits available hotel rooms. A TikToker recently reported that her company gave employees the option to share beds with co-workers on a trip.
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How Older Generations Can Revamp Their Leadership Style for Younger Workers
HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | March 7, 2024
“We need to learn to…understand the people that are in our charge from their point of view.”
The world of work has seen many changes in the last few years and is poised to undergo many more, especially as Gen Z is on track to outnumber Baby Boomers in the workforce this year, according to Glassdoor’s 2024 Workplace Trends report.
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Helping Gen Z Learn to Fail - Well
Forbes | Dr. Talia Varley | February 25, 2024
Fail fast. It’s a mantra burned into the brains of every tech startup entrepreneur and employee. But, in reality, most people prefer to fail safely or not at all. This may be especially true for Gen Z. The first members of this cohort, born after 1997, recently entered the workforce. They experienced milestones from high school graduation to college firsts in a mode of permanent crisis with daily social media reminders that others may be more successful or having more fun than they are.
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Examining the Impact of the ACA 10 Years Later
IEC Titanium Sponsor Holmes Murphy | Marc Pinney | March 2024
As the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called Obamacare, celebrates the 10th anniversary of its go-live date, many in the industry are considering how the ACA impacted healthcare for the majority of Americans. For this blog, I’ll be exploring the ACA’s impact on people with employer-sponsored plans, which is how more than half of working-aged Americans and their families get health insurance coverage.
Some would say Obamacare saved healthcare, while others wouldn’t speak so highly of it. Most wouldn’t argue that those receiving Medicaid as a result of expanded coverage or getting a subsidy to buy reduced cost coverage in the Marketplace/Exchanges have not been helped.
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"The Ignite Change Iowa Employment Conference was one of the best conferences I have ever attended. I had a difficult time choosing which breakouts to attend because they were all relevant. The information shared by the speakers and applicable concepts I walked away with will be valuable to our organization. I was wowed over and over throughout the day. Thank you for bringing these amazing speakers together to ignite us to be change makers. I am truly grateful."
IEC Fall 2023 Attendee
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How Linkedin’s Chief People Officer Uses the Popular Professional Social Network
HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | March 6, 2024
LinkedIn can finally put away the fake ID. The professional social network turns 21 on May 5. “I use it every day, and I probably feel a little bit of FOMO if I’m not using it every day,” Teuila Hanson, LinkedIn’s chief people officer, tells HR Brew. Since its co-founders Reid Hoffman and Eric Ly ushered it into the world more than two decades ago, the platform has garnered one million users, according to its site, and billions in revenue: In its latest quarterly earnings, the company reported $15 billion in revenue in Q4 FY23.
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How to Identify Your Most Productive Work Environment
HR Bartender | Sharlyn Lauby | March 19, 2024
There’s still a lot of talk about remote, hybrid, and onsite work. On some level, that’s great because it’s encouraging a conversation about the best way to get things done. But where an employee works is only one aspect of overall performance. Today, I want to share an activity that could be helpful in identifying an employee’s most productive work environment. If you’re a manager, you might want to encourage employees to do this exercise. If you’re an employee, you should do it and evaluate your results.
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Gen Z is struggling with in-person interactions. How HR can help
HR Executive | Dawn Kawamoto | March 20, 2024
As employers increasingly ask employees to return to the office to build culture and foster innovation, Gen Z employees may get their first taste of a workplace environment—since many entered the workforce at the height of the pandemic. But that experience is not going well, according to a recent survey by ResumeBuilder.com. A stunning 46% of Gen Z workers say they have had uncomfortable in-person interactions with colleagues after returning to the office, some of which they describe as “creepy,” saying such encounters have even made them fearful.
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Learn How to Use Silence in Your Communication
HR Bartender | Sharlyn Lauby | February 25, 2024
I saw a posting on LinkedIn recently that said, “Don’t be the person at the meeting with nothing to say.” In thinking about it, I thought the comment should be “Don’t be the person at the meeting with nothing valuable to say.” There are a lot of people who go to meetings and spend incredible amounts of time talking and don’t say anything of value. Personally, I think it’s okay to have nothing to say. The key is using silence to your advantage. Being able to communicate well is important. When it comes to communication, we often talk about being able to communicate succinctly and clearly.
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Educate Employees to Practice Better Cybersecurity
HR Bartender | Sharlyn Lauby | March 12, 2024
As you may know, Mr. Bartender and I are fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Lately, we’ve been getting caught up on older episodes of the show Jessica Jones. One of the episodes we watched recently showed private-investigator Jessica breaking into a morgue to gather information about someone and she needed to access the computer. At first, she starts cursing that she can’t get the information she needs because the computer is password-protected.
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16 Employee Appreciation Ideas to Show Gratitude
Paylocity | February 27, 2024
Looking for fresh ways to say 'thank you' to your team? Explore our creative employee appreciation ideas that will make your staff feel valued every day.
In the tapestry of a thriving workplace, employee appreciation is the golden thread that weaves through the fabric of a company's culture. Much like the skilled hands of an artisan who knows the importance of every stitch, leaders must recognize and appreciate the unique contributions of each employee.
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AI And Humans: Not A Competition, But A Collaboration
HR Executive | Maria Goyer | March 16, 2024
The impact of AI on business and its potential for displacing jobs has been perpetrating a new cycle of fear, similar to the one experienced in the ’80s when advances in robotics left workers believing that their days were numbered. While some “technological unemployment” did occur and will likely occur again with AI, it would be a mistake to view the current environment through a lens of AI vs. human.
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"Huge THANK YOU to #iec2023 and Nan Boland for having us speak at the Iowa Employment Conference today! It was so much fun helping folks become self-aware and living by the Platinum Rule!"
IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Milan Batinich
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"Thank you for including me. What an inspiring way to start the day!"
IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Emily Abbas
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What You Need to Know About the Gender Wage Gap
Erin George, Gretchen Livingston | March 12, 2024
March 12 was Equal Pay Day – which represents the date into the year women must work in order to earn the same amount as the average man the previous year. But what does that mean? And what can we say about the gender wage gap today?
Here are five fast facts:
- Overall, women are paid less than men. On average, women working full-time, year-round are paid 84% of what men are paid. In other words, the typical woman working full-time would need to work from January 1, 2023, until March 12, 2024, to make what the typical man working full-time made in 2023. This wage gap also persists within all major race and ethnic groups. For instance, Hispanic women ($41,137 median annual salary) make 13% less than Hispanic men ($47,420 median annual salary). This inequity is even greater for Black and Hispanic women when compared to white, non-Hispanic men.
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Employer Resources
When you hire a new employee, you must verify their identity and employment eligibility using Form I-9. You may be among the nearly 3 million proactive worksites that also use E-Verify to electronically verify Form I-9 information. The checklists, videos, and other English resources on this page will help you understand your responsibilities and make the hiring process easy.
Check out the resources customized for employers like you.
READ MORE
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"I very much enjoyed all of the topics and am happy to say that I used what I learned already in the work field I am in."
"The session was enlightening and educational. It is great to know that different types of career fields are focusing on similar topics to enhance. All of these topics are people focused."
"Very good speakers!"
"I loved the variety of speakers you had from all walks of life and topics."
"I love the topics covered and the people who were on the panel were very insightful!"
IEC Fall 2023 Attendees
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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.
READ MORE
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OSHA provides safety and health resources specifically designed for small businesses. Find information on complying with OSHA standards and receive advice you can trust through OSHA's no-cost and confidential On-Site Consultation Program.
READ MORE
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"Great well-rounded panel and moderator!"
"The moderator was very well-prepared, asked excellent questions, and was engaged with the panelists. This made for a more meaningful session."
"I liked having a panel and the variety in the conversation."
"I loved the panel format."
IEC Fall 2023 Attendees
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Employers
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect employees and job applicants against employment discrimination when it involves:
- Unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
- Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in the workplace, because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
- Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that the employee needs because of religious beliefs, disability, or pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
- Retaliation because the employee complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
READ MORE
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CONFERENCE ON THE BRAIN... | |
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"The panelists were inspiring and it was interesting to hear from their different perspectives. I also appreciated the format via moderator guiding the conversation. The moderator did a fantastic job and I appreciated the depth of her questions she was willing to ask rather than go the "safe and superficial" route."
IEC Fall 2023 Attendee
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"Thank you for your work in coordinating this great event Nan Boland. Lisa Walston and I had a wonderful time learning at each session."
IEC Fall 2023 Attendee Josey Van Weelden
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DON'T FORGET TO JOIN US AT THE NETWORKING / BINGO EVENT ON WEDNESDAY AT 3:45 PM! GREAT PRIZES AND LOTS OF FUN! | |
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Since 2006, the Iowa Employment Conference has been THE source for classroom instruction covering topics in the areas of employment, training, benefits & wellness education.
The mission of the Iowa Employment Conference is to deliver affordable conferences that provide the opportunity to develop professionally as well as receive continuing education credits through multiple professional associations such as:
- American Payroll Recertification Credit Hours
- American Society of Association Executives CAE Credits
- Continuing Legal Education Credits
- Continuing Professional Education Credits
- Human Resource Certification Institute Credits
- Iowa Licensed Insurance Producers Continuing Education
- Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association Certification
- Society for Human Resource Management Professional Development Credits
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"It was a wonderful day at the Iowa Employment Conference. I enjoyed getting to meet new people and getting to connect with Nan Boland and M. Ramona Wink today! Thank you for a wonderful day of learning!"
IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Molly Mackey
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The IEC article library is growing monthly with valuable information relevant to the ever-changing work environment. Check the website frequently for updates. If you have something important for our readers to benefit from, reach out to us to be included in the next newsletter or article library! | |
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"Had a great time presenting at the Iowa Employment Conference! Nan Boland, Sarah Towns, Sue Kmet and all the other top-notch folks who make this fantastic conference happen - Thank You for allowing me to partner with you again! I'm already looking forward to the Spring conference!"
IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Ramona Wink
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"Yeeeeeeee love everything about this conference!!! Great conference Nan Boland!!! Thank you for everything!! Loved being a part of this panel!!! The Ignite Change conference was very empowering and I learned a lot!! Thank you, Nan Boland!!! You and your team are amazing!!!"
IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Will Keeps
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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS... | |
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"Ready to represent EFR Employee & Family Resources, a proud sponsor of the Iowa Employment Conference."
IEC Fall 2023 Sponsor Renee Neppl
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THANK YOU to all 2024 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!
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"Thanks for the invite to join such an inspiring group of folks for such a great discussion!"
IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Nola Cartmill
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SPRING 2024 PRESENTING SPONSOR | |
Embracing the Transformative Impact of AI in Insurance
IEC 2024 Presenting Sponsor Holmes Murphy | Christopher DiDonato
March 21, 2024
The influence of artificial intelligence has been widely debated in recent years with proponents and critics pointing to everything from utopian economic and societal benefits to the possible extinction of the human race as possible outcomes of widespread and unfettered development of AI technologies. What is undeniable is that many sectors of our economy are undergoing profound changes based on the implementation of AI, and the insurance sector is no different.
READ MORE
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"It was a powerhouse panel! Inspiring and full of great ideas!"
IEC Fall 2023 Panel Moderator Terri Hale
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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Looking to move forward with your career? Check out the amazing opportunities our sponsors have to offer within their organizations.
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"Buena Vista University's Strategic Partnerships division is honored to help sponsor the 2023 Iowa Employment Conference."
IEC Fall 2023 Sponsor
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STRONG MINDS | STRONG HEARTS | |
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.
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HELP AN HR HERO WIN A $50 VISA GIFT CARD!
Do you know someone in your HR department (or company-wide) who deserves to be recognized for making a positive impact in your company from day to day??
Whether personal or professional, in a big or a small way, we all know those people who go above & beyond for the greater good.
We want to help these everyday (H)eroes be (R)ecognized! Send your nominations to us & one deserving person each month leading up to the current conference will be selected to receive a $50 VISA gift card! We will announce the winner in the following month's newsletters.
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What’s New in Des Moines this Spring 2024
Des Moines Mom | Nicole O'Banion | February 29, 2024
Spring into a new business in Des Moines! Enjoy the nicer weather by exploring what’s new in Des Moines and beyond.
Plus, if you haven’t already, check out what opened this Winter!
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Sweets for Spring - 3 Adorable Flower Cakes Anyone Can Make
Food Network Kitchen | Photo: Renee Comet
With just a few slices (and some cleverly placed cupcakes) you can easily turn a cake round into a blooming beauty.
It's certainly a nice gesture to show up to a party with flowers for the host — but a flower cake? Now that will earn you repeat invites for years to come. These adorable blooms are super easy to make (you already have all the cake pans you need!) and they will quickly become your signature dessert that always pleases the crowd.
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With Easter behind us now, we can shift our focus to the exciting conference ahead! This week, we are thrilled to be hosting the event and eagerly anticipate seeing your happy face among the attendees. Get ready for an enriching experience as we bring together the best speakers on the planet, all set to share their valuable content with you.
If you haven't registered yet, time is running out! Make sure to secure your spot by the end of the day today. We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming you all on Wednesday and Thursday!
Nan & the team of Iowa Employment Conference
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