Tips

Getting Organized is as Easy as 1, 2, 3 – A, B, C

Ashley Paramoure
August 15, 2019
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There are two types of people this time of year – those who love buying school supplies and those who don’t! No matter what camp you fall into the start of the school year is a great time of year to get organized. How can you get organized and free up more time? School is in session with these tips:

  1. Manage Your Calendar. There are multiple ways to manage your calendar but start the school year by implementing a color-coded system. You can color code your calendar based on importance (red, yellow, green) or by areas of your life work, family, fitness or even some people suggest organizing your calendar based on your chakras. Start out with a minimum of three categories and code all your activities. Don’t be afraid to break out that new box of Crayola crayons and use all the colors of the rainbow if needed. You can then see what is monopolizing your time and you can work throughout the year to better balance your efforts.
  2. Tackle Your To-Do List. Even if you do not write it down, we all have a to-do list. In order to tackle your list, try writing it down at the end of every day. When you write it, think about tackling your tough tasks first instead of saving them for later in the day.  Every office has a silent saboteur that can derail your list in mere minutes – email.  Email is a to-do list that anyone can add to, so think about not checking your email first thing in the morning and start on your to-do list instead.  Your newly color-coded calendar will tell you when it’s time for email. At the end of every day, throw out your list and start anew. This will keep you feeling fresh and moving forward.
  3. Declutter Your Work Space. Whether you have a cube at work or an entire office, chances are your space could stand to be cleaned up a bit. Use the deals on school supplies to pick up some new folders and storage boxes to tidy up your space.  Next, organize your workspace in zones.  For example, put work that you need to complete to the left of your computer and put completed items to the right.  And once you have your work space neat and tidy, take a moment to run a disinfecting wipe over your desk to wipe out any germs.

Try some of these tips this fall and by spring break you’ll feel like you are ready to go to the head of the class. Let us know what works for you – we love to learn!

About TGHR

National Volunteer Month: TGHR Cares

April 24, 2019
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April is National Volunteer Month and our staff celebrates by helping not just this month, but all year long.

Multiple TGHR team members volunteer through ministries at their place of worship.  You’ll find Payroll and Operations Manager Kirstia Cropper coaching CYO volleyball and serving on the Parish Council for St. Mark’s Church and helping at St. Vincent De Paul.  Senior Accountant Meaghan Smith gets her whole family involved by packing a “care bag” each month and bringing it to Eastern Star Church and adopting a family at the holidays. Marketing Director Susie McKenna and CFO Greta Cline have taught Sunday School at St. Alphonsus and Staffing Specialist Ashley Paramore spends her time with the children’s ministry at Brookside Community Church.  Ashley has also volunteered through Northview, most recently at the Hope Center. You’ll find Account Executive Amber Graves welcoming you to Traders Point Church.  Amber also volunteers at Wheeler Mission and has been known to hand out bags with hotel toiletries to the homeless.

Other TGHR staff members volunteer right where they live. Division Manager of Temporary Services Kate Stephens is a proud Broad Ripple Village Association Board Member.  She champions the Beautification Committee and organizes groups to keep the Village clean and vibrant! You also can find her behind-the-scenes at most Board Ripple fairs and festivals.

Greta Cline, CFO and Co-owner, is currently serving as vice president and treasurer of the Boone County Dairy Promoter Board.  Greta also has taught Zionsville history through the Sullivan Munce Cultural Center and organizes a Toys for Tots toy drive gala annually. Marketing Director Susie McKenna also hails from Boone County and works as a Board Member for the Boys & Girls Club of Boone County and elevates her soccer mom status as a Board Member for the Zionsville Youth Soccer Association.

Other staff members find joy in giving back to organizations where they have a personal connection.  Division Manager of Temporary Services Lindsey Curtis used to work at Make-A-Wish Foundation, and she’s stayed involved with the organization through volunteering.  Staffing Specialist Madison Schacht benefited from being a part of Delta Zeta while she was in college and now heads back to her alma mater, Ball State, to serve as Alumni Relations and Academics Advisor for Delta Zeta at Ball State.

We’d love to hear what organizations you are involved with and where you volunteer to make Indy a better place!

 

 

 

Staffing

Are You Taking a Spring Break?

Mary Springer headshot
Mary Springer
Partner
March 27, 2019
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Many employees across the U.S. are getting ready for Spring Break. Did you know that this time off from work may actually extend your tenure at your job? A recent IBJ infographic noted for every week that employees took off, it extended their stay at their company by eight months.  We at TGHR know how important tenure is since our entire client services staff has been with the company for 10 years or more!  In addition, as a result of every 10 vacation hours an employee took, their performance review was 8 percent higher.

Vacation is good for the soul as reported by the American Psychological Association in their annual Work and Well-Being Study. Sixty-eight percent of workers claimed they were more positive after returning from taking vacation time and 66 percent claimed to have more energy.  This translated to 57 percent of employees feeling more motivated and 58 percent of workers saying they were more productive.

But does everyone use all their vacation time?  In 2018 there were 212 million unused vacation days and only 41 percent of US workers said they felt encouraged by their companies to take their vacation.  But companies who encouraged their employees to go on a vacation like Spring Break had employees that felt more valued and who were satisfied with their job.  One of the most important statistics?  The employees who worked at places who encouraged taking vacation said they were likely to recommend their employer as a good place to work, 81 percent versus 39 percent.

But having workers out on vacation can cause added stress on a company, but there’s no need to fret.  That’s Good HR places people on temporary assignments for as short as one day.  If you have someone headed out on Spring Break or if you are prepping for a summer vacation give us a call. We are ready to help so vacation can be stress-free for you and your employees!

Seasonal

Our Intent

January 10, 2019
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Annually as the new year approaches, many folks take time set their intentions for the next year. Making a new year’s resolution is common place on January 1, but 80 percent of resolutions fail by February. One thing you can do to help your resolution – or resolutions – stick is to share them with others who can help keep you accountable.

To prepare for the new year, the TGHR team engaged in a fun, crafty activity one day during a staff lunch. Using a kit bought online, each TGHR staff member came up with a word that sums up what they want out of the new year. We took the words and hammered them on to bracelets that can be worn as a reminder of our intention. It was great to share these words and the meaning behind them with the co-workers we see daily. We also documented our intentions on our office white board (well in our case our board is, of course, orange – our signature color), so we can help keep each other accountable.

What’s your word for 2019? Here are ours:
Mary – Breathe & Patience
Tiffany – Let Go
Amber – Grace & Serve
Lindsey – Cici & Sully
Kate – Be Present
Lana – Trust
Ashley – Thrive
Madison – Be Bold
Staci – Breathe
Greta – Patience
Kirstia – Strength
Susie – Grace
Meaghan – Faith over Fear
Emma – Rooted

We’re excited to get the new year underway. If getting a new job is one of your 2019 resolutions, give us a call – we’re ready to help you achieve that goal!

Seasonal

Attitude of Gratitude

November 7, 2018
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November is upon us, which means Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  A customary practice around the turkey table is to say what you are thankful for, but what happens if this was extended to a year-round practice?  Practicing gratitude can make you a happier person this month and beyond.

Fifty-two percent of women and 44 percent of men express gratitude on a regular basis according to an infographic on The Muse.  People who are grateful tend to be more satisfied and have more self-control – which could be key as holiday treats start to roll into the office this time of year.

Speaking of the office, according to a study done by Harvard Medical School, managers who remember to say “thanks” may find that employees feel motivated to work harder.  It has also been shown that gratitude is more motivating than money.  Gratitude is contagious, so practicing gratitude at work will help create a corporate culture of thanks.

Thanks can be given in a multitude of ways.  You can stop by a coworker’s desk and say thanks for help on a project or send a friendly email. If you want to go old school, drop a handwritten note on someone’s desk.

To become more grateful yourself, keep a gratitude journal starting now.  Write down three things every night that you were thankful for during the day.  The key to this practice is two things: be specific and keep writing for more than 5 days. When journaling, do not just say “I’m thankful for my family or my job”, get down to the nitty-gritty and cite specific people or things that you appreciated that day.

If writing is not your thing, try a gratitude meditation.  Never meditated before?  Not to worry, take 10 minutes and try this guided gratitude meditation.  It will lead you through every step of the way.

Need more ideas on how you can become more grateful at work or home?  Here’s 10 ways to become more grateful. We are grateful for our clients and candidates not just this season but all year long!

Tips

Not a Morning Person?  Here’s How to Become One in 5 Easy Steps

Ashley Paramoure
October 24, 2018
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When you wake up, what are the consistent things you do every morning before work?  Wake up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth and other simple tasks, right?  Adding a less than 15-minute routine, can help you be more productive during the day and give you an added boost to make you into a morning person in no time.  Here are five suggestions for you to create your new morning routine from:

  1. Breathe. Start simple by adding a breathing technique. Inhale while counting to four then exhale while counting to three. This will help you feel energized and is also a good trick to use if you feel stressed later in the day. You can also up your game with this 1-minute breathing routine once you get the hang of it.
  2. Drink Water. Continuing with the “start simple” trend, here’s another easy idea to begin with. Drink a glass of cold water first thing in the morning. It will help wake you up and hydrate your body for the day ahead.
  3. Get Moving! Starting your day with a quick round of exercises can lead to increased productivity later in the day. Just 2 minutes of simple push-ups, sit-ups or a wall sit can do the trick. Research has shown that substituting exercise for caffeine makes a significant daily difference. Try it!
  4. Practice Gratitude. A daily practice of gratitude, whether you do it in the morning or before bed, has been known to improve your physical and mental health. Just writing down three to five things you are thankful for does the trick. Jot them down in a notebook or on the notes app on your phone – establish whatever method works best for you.
  5. Generate Ideas. Author James Altucher (he’s written 18 successful books) claims that if you generate 10 ideas a day for six months, you will be able to offer ideas on any subject at any time. The ideas can be for anything – ideas for work, ideas for businesses, ideas for your family, ideas for things to do – the sky is the limit! Ten ideas may seem like a lot at first, but you’ll be humming along in no time.

So, what will you start doing tomorrow?

Seasonal

Did You Take a Summer Vacation?

Mary Springer headshot
Mary Springer
Partner
August 16, 2018
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As the dog days of summer begin to wrap up, more and more vacation days will go unused.  According to a study conducted by Glassdoor, the average employee has only taken about half of their eligible vacation in the past 12 months.  This could be because more Americans (66 percent) report working on vacation more than three years ago.

The average number of vacation days employees take has been steadily declining over the years.  Thirty years ago, the average was around 20 days, but that has dwindled to just 16 days in recent years.  The study also indicated that in 2016, 662 million vacation days went unused and if those had been taken, it would have contributed $236 billion in spending for our economy.

The study also revealed that forfeiting vacation time can have an impact on an employee’s performance, proving that a little R&R benefits both the employee and company.  In addition, 47 percent felt shame at work for taking their vacation.  There’s a simple solution to combat this shame. Book a temporary employee to cover during your worker’s vacation time.  That’s Good HR has temps ready to go at a moment’s notice.  You keep productivity up, your employee returns refreshed and guilt free – it’s a win-win.

So how do you get started?  Easy – call us and describe your employee’s responsibilities.  We’ll send you resumes to review of available temporary employees and you’ll be meeting them in no time.  Then everyone can sit back, relax and take a well-deserved vacation without worrying about the company’s bottom line.   Take advantage of summer before it’s too late!

About TGHR

What Do Employees Value?

Mary Springer headshot
Mary Springer
Partner
May 10, 2018
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Recently, That’s Good HR was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana.  In fact, in the small business category That’s Good HR took home the fourth-place spot.  To say we were thrilled to be in the Top 5 the first time we applied for the award is an understatement.  But we don’t share our accolade to brag, but rather to share how to build a corporate culture that matters to your employees.

That’s where it starts – with your employees.  And the number one thing you can do to make a difference in your corporate culture is to ask your employees what matters to them.  Multiple industry studies cite better health/dental/vision insurance as the number one benefit an employee looks at when choosing a job.  Can you make changes to your health benefit package that would help your employees?

Or perhaps your employees would rather a benefit that helps them achieve a better work-life balance like flexible hours or the ability to work remotely.  Once again, you won’t know until you ask them.  Is unlimited vacation time the answer?  According to the Society of Human Resources (SHRM) only 1 – 2% of companies offer unlimited vacation time, therefore this may be a way to stand out from other companies in your industry.

Other benefits that employees value include tuition assistance, free/paid gym membership, employee outings such as lunches and team building events.  For us at That’s Good HR, there’s a combination of benefits that our employees value – the key is finding out what works for your company.  One of the advantages of participating in a program like the Best Places to Work, is participating companies, no matter what their rank, get a detailed report of what their employees value and what areas need some work.  This can provide company leadership with a road map for future policies and updates.

Want to know more about our company culture and how we can help you find great employees who will love working for you?  Contact us today, we are happy to share our experience with you.

Seasonal

Hidden Talents

April 9, 2018
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The TGHR team is not just talented at finding great jobs for great candidates, but also have some hidden talents as well.

When you walk through our front door, you are greeted by our friendly HR Coordinator, Emma Chandler.  Emma puts our candidates at ease before their interview with her sweet, southern demeanor.  Did you know that Emma is an award-winning dancer? She “officially” danced from kindergarten to 6th grade, mostly jazz and tap, at a studio where she grew up in Huntsville, AL.  Fast forward to college where she used that experience to choreograph (and dance in) two main competitions held annually.  She placed in the top three in every single one, and won first place in four competitions.

Our VP of Client Services, Tiffany Moore is best known for providing top-notch service to TGHR clients.  She’s been doing so for more than a decade.  But Tiffany’s hidden talent?  She’s an amateur meteorologist.  Yes, it’s official – Tiffany is obsessed with the weather.  If it’s storm season, you’ll find her glued to the television, or monitoring her phone when she’s at work.  Her passion for weather started when she got stuck overnight at her first job.  She ended up sleeping on the floor of her office all night (see why she is so dedicated to her clients?).  If she wasn’t in staffing, you’d find Tiffany on a local weather channel giving you the scoop!

You may know Greta Cline, our Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Office, as one of the finalists for CFO of the Year.  Greta excels in more than just crunching numbers and creating the perfect pivot table.  Did you know she can also halter a dairy cow, not to mention milk them too?  She has been active in Boone County 4H for years and now shares her talent with her daughters.

The rest of the staff is just as talented. Staffing Specialist Staci Upmeyer can French braid like a champ and Madison Schacht can write with her toes – but do you want to know where the team’s real talent lies? It is the ability to listen to candidates describe what they want in their careers and their experience, all while keeping an ear out for what soft skills employees may not even know they possess.  Mary, Tiffany and Amber are talented in listening to our clients describe their needs and then communicating with the recruiters to find the perfect person for the role.  Go ahead, give us a call and we will be happy to share our talents with you!

Seasonal

Celebrating International Women’s Day

March 8, 2018
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Today, March 8, marks International Women’s Day.  But for us at TGHR, every day is women’s day as we come into the office and do our best to propel both men and women forward in their careers.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated since the early 1900s and is observed globally, not just in the United States.  Some say it started in 1908 when 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding equal pay and shorter working hours. Other say it began in 1913 stemming from a declaration from the Socialist Party.  Either way, it’s been around for more than 100 years and it’s here to stay.  The United Nations officially recognized International Women’s Day in 1975.

The day was created to bring awareness to the gender pay gap – a gap that is still prevalent today.  According to the 2017 Global Gender Gap Report, published by the World Economic Forum, the global gender gap will take 100 years to close.  Countries that have the smallest gap, in order, are Iceland, Norway, Finland, Rwanda and Sweden.  The United States ranks 49th, while our North America neighbor, Canada ranks 16th. Iceland has been the world’s most gender equal country for nine years running.  The country recently made headlines for passing a law that went into effect on January 1, 2018 that makes it mandatory for companies to demonstrate that they pay men and women fairly.

International Women’s Day is celebrated with talks, lectures, conferences, performances, and demonstrations occurring world-wide.  Here’s some suggestions on how you can mark the occasion, regardless of gender:

  • Be informed. Use part of your day to become informed.  Research gender equality issues, health issues or other issues that create this inequity.
  • Thank the women in your life. Take a moment today and write a thank you note to a woman who has helped you, encouraged you, or influenced your life in a positive way.  This is an activity that you can do no matter what gender you identify with and will only take moments out of your day.
  • Read or Watch. Take time to read a great book by a female author.  Plan a brown bag book discussion over lunch with friends or co-workers.  No time to read?  Take in a movie with a strong female lead or director.  Better yet – make it documentary on women’s issues.  Another option – take in a TED Talk.
  • Show your support. Post on social media why International Women’s Day matters to you.  There are selfie cards online that echo this year’s theme, #PressforProgress, to help you. Want to make your own?  There’s an option for that too.

We are proud to be a women-owned business every day – but especially today. And we’ll keep working to advance our fellow females (and all our other candidates too)!

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