North’s Post

I do cherish time off for family vacations, especially in the summer at our favorite spot in northern Michigan. Any guesses on where we are standing in this picture? In addition to time off, there are other incentives that can be powerful tools to show employees they are valued and appreciated. As we enter into the back half of 2024, start thinking about how you can reward team members for their outstanding contributions. #One10 is here to help guide you and recommend a solution that is meaningful and relevant to your organization. #rewards #employeeappreciation #holidaygifting

Every single year of my corporate career (without fail) I did 1 thing without an ounce of shame. Use every single day of PTO I had earned. Notice how I said "I had earned" instead of "I was given?" You aren't given PTO. You already earned it. It's a part of your compensation! When a manager ridicules their team for taking time off, it's like making fun of them for picking up their paycheck. We all worry so much about what everyone at the office thinks. But 20 years from now, the only people that will remember that you worked late are your kids. As we look back at our lives and careers, one thing will become clear: That no other success can compensate for failure in the home. -David McKay I don't get PTO as an entrepreneur. But time is more valuable than money. So I take more days off than I ever did when I was still being paid to take time off. Money is the thing we want so we can buy more time to do what we love with the people we love. But we can't actually buy time. Time doesn't work like that. When you sacrifice meaning for success, you get neither. How you spend your time is how you show your love. -Richie Norton

At AllSeater, we recently conducted a survey to better understand the pain points businesses face when dealing with season tickets. One surprising complaint that emerged was the frustration of "wrong person got the right seat." It's a scenario where an intern, often with more available time, snags the most sought-after tickets first, leaving high-performing employees feeling overlooked and undervalued. Instead of being a perk, poorly managed season tickets can breed resentment among your team members, undermining morale and team cohesion. We are here to fix that.

Every single year of my corporate career (without fail) I did 1 thing without an ounce of shame. Use every single day of PTO I had earned. Notice how I said "I had earned" instead of "I was given?" You aren't given PTO. You already earned it. It's a part of your compensation! When managers ridicules their team for taking time off, it's like making fun of them for picking up their paycheck. We all worry so much about what everyone at the office thinks. But 20 years from now, the only people that will remember that you worked late are your kids. As we look back at our lives and careers, one thing will become clear: That no other success can compensate for failure in the home. -David McKay I don't get PTO as an entrepreneur. But time is more valuable than money. So I take more days off than I ever did when I was still being paid to take time off. Money is the thing we want so we can buy more time to do what we love with the people we love. But we can't actually buy time. Time doesn't work like that. When you sacrifice meaning for success, you get neither. How you spend your time is how you show your love. -Richie Norton

Let me start by saying I kept the following thoughts bottled up and under wraps for a LONG TIME: NOT ANYMORE! The point of this site was to connect them with jobs and get them hired. Well, I haven't been there yet, and I need to be working. Because of a dismissal that legitimacy came out of nowhere when all I wanted to do was work, I'm now sitting here typing this, looking for work instead of being somewhere working. I've tried everything I can think of, but I am still looking for something to work. A recent example, Hallmark posted here that they wanted a merchandiser for my area. I decided to follow through with that, and there should be no issues—automatic rejection after just two days. Another. My local Kroger, a grocery store that ALWAYS (and I mean always) has a "Hiring" sign, dismissed my application. I called for clarification, but the person answering kept me from talking to HR or a manager and told me that Kroger was cutting hours on already hired employees. Now, I'm not to tell everyone I don't have faults. I enjoy working a set schedule, not the random lottery that is currently going on. I worked for five years on a schedule that was only changed when the business had to change. This random lottery scheduling has got to go. I'm also not the biggest fan of the "early to rise, late to get home" idea we seem to have of work. People have been pushing for life/work balance because it's NOT BALANCED. In a world where a boss can fire you for saying "No," we can not pretend we have balance. A 7 am-3 pm is excellent for people who can get up early and do it. Still, as much as I want to get home early, I would trade for a 9a-5p (You know what Dolly Parton herself sang was a way to make a living) so I can get my sleep in and still finish working at a reasonable hour. I promise you the work will get done when I'm there doing it. Just because it's getting done at my preferred hours does not change that. That's what a job is supposed to be: a trade. You trade money and benefits and PTO and whatever else for my time of day, and we continue this trade throughout the weeks, months, and years. We both walk away, knowing we got what we needed. But we've forgotten that over time. Let's talk weekends too. Merriam-Webster defines them as the end of the week: the period between the close of one work or school week and the start of the next, especially Saturday and Sunday. Notice that it says the close of one work week. Weekends are not "mandatory work days," but every business under the sun defines them that way today. If anyone here can make any of this make sense, or if you're looking for an employee who won't beat around the bush, could you hire me?

What have we learned this summer, folks? Most people admit they’re less productive in the summer. Working parents juggle childcare issues and camp drop-offs. Many schedule vacations for the warmest months. It's tough to focus on a computer screen when the sun is shining. Smart employers offer flexible work policies to meet summer needs. A survey by Dayforce found that more than half of people work for companies with summertime flexibility, including flexible work hours, more ability to work from home, Summer Fridays off, and seasonal work-from-anywhere options. If your company offers none of the above, it may be time to take stock. If you’re in a leadership role, consider revising your policies for next summer. If you’re disenchanted with your current company’s summer culture, reach out to us at Benskin & Hott Talent Partners to get a head start on a new HR, Accounting, or Finance role for next summer.

"Too many of us are either saddled with workweeks that never end or are working too few hours to make ends meet. Without enough say into our work hours, we juggle the demand for constant availability and work schedules that change unpredictably. Whether just scraping by hour-by-hour or hardly getting a good night's sleep, America's scheduling crisis has reached a breaking point. We are becoming a 24/7 workforce. We want jobs that build towards a prosperous future – but our employers have been taking us in the wrong direction. Rather than treating employees as a resource for success, too many businesses view their staff as a cost to be contained or as an asset to be squeezed for limitless productivity, with no regard for our home lives or our personal aspirations. Instead of using modern technology to deliver schedules that allow us to care for our families and meet business needs, corporations are playing games with working families' time, and forcing moms and students to scramble with increasingly uncertain work schedules, particularly in the growing service sector. Today's workforce has the potential to drive the long-term growth of our economy, but today's scheduling practices are getting in the way. We all need a workweek we can count on – one that allows all of us to care for our families, stay healthy, and get ahead. That's why working people across the country are coming together to restore a fair workweek in our workplaces and communities. The Fair Workweek Initiative, anchored by the Center for Popular Democracy, CPD Action and United for Respect, is driving the growing momentum to restore a workweek that enables working families to thrive. We are committed to elevating the voices of working people to ensure they can shape the solutions that work for their families – whether through improved industry practices or new workplace protections." @fairworkweek https://lnkd.in/eyHgSiP

This time last year, i was still working full time. I had my business running in the background and was working all hours of the day to keep up with the demand. What changed? 2nd year in business and consistency had been increased through setting a goal of going full time by October. This goal setting exercise gave me more laser focus and honed my skills in developing my craft. I showed up more on socials, i used my time wisely with my clients to create a rapport. I also was thinking outside the box and seeing opportunites in how i could create transformation for my clients. Was it simple? 100% it is not simple, i had a lot of self doubt from a previous business failure, could i do it? Am i capable? I have a good life, good wage, what if it goes wrong?. All these questions i asked myself on a regular basis, still do in fact but what changes is that i have walked those steps and i know that consistency and reputation will always prevail. I believe in my work ethic and my industry knowledge to get results for my clients. What is the major difference from this time last year? Time. Time to spend with the most important people, Time to help me mentally and physically, Time to grow and recover. I knew where i had to go to get to where i wanted to get to but that involved me sacrificing time. I worked 7 days a week, was engaged, had just bought our first home. Jordan my wife sacrificed a lot of not seeing me and i always said it would be worth it, you have to be obsessed with your dreams and vision. There are always sacrificies but don’t wobble, Stay on track. What has this year got in store? This year has got more of the same, i have only just started in my trajectory i am currently only scratching the surface and that ignites me to do everything i can in order to move my company and life forward. New work van with water fed system in the back and hopefully taking on a full time employee. Systems been put in place over christmas so green lights ahead for this. It is not all work, i am planning on doing another challenge this year (Last year i did a Ultra Marathon, which was a 62 mile run for Emilys Gift) so going to plan something that will challenge my mind and body. Also more time creating memories and living life with great friends & family.

Summertime is filled with vacations, the end of the 2nd quarter, the beginning of the 3rd quarter, and all of the things in between. To be successful it takes time to plan, execute, and build your pipeline. There is a delicate balance but it can be done! I am planning for vacation next week with my kids and I am working hard this week to prepare, schedule meetings, prospect, and do all of the things so that I can fully disconnect for one week with my family. Preparation is key! #outofoffice #endof2ndquarter #3rdquarter #preparation

It’s a cruel summer if you have to spend Friday afternoons at the office. 🏖️ Good thing there’s evidence that offering reduced hours on Fridays during the summer can actually boost productivity. Here’s how companies can get ahead by letting their employees get out early.  Do you have summer Fridays at your job?