Author: Colleen McLaughlin

With the economy continuing to strengthen, entrepreneurs are taking advantage of opportunities in the marketplace through the implementation of new enterprises. In Central Virginia, we are continuing to see an increase in new businesses being established that span many industries. Being a business owner in Lynchburg brings unique opportunities as well as challenges. One of the critical questions conscientious business owners must answer is: “How will I be able to recruit, train and afford employees who are skilled and motivated?” The answer may be right outside our doors. With the numerous colleges, universities and technical schools in Central Virginia,...

We are each impacted by negativity in our day-to-day lives, but the full extent of its impact on our workplace productivity should be addressed. What does negativity look like in the workplace? What is its impact? What can be done to decrease the prevalence of negativity both displayed and experienced by your employees? Business leaders have an opportunity to change the course of their companies’ success through proactive actions that may decrease the impact of workplace negativity while increasing the overall job satisfaction experienced by employees. Negativity in Others Before a solution can be addressed, it is important to...

Is eldercare impacting your company’s bottom line? Organizations are accustomed to addressing issues related to childcare through providing flextime, financial support and onsite programs. While many companies have been proactive in providing similar accommodations and benefits, the exponentially aging population in the United States may be impacting your financial statements in both expected and unexpected ways. The Impact Currently, over 44 million individuals in the United States are caring for aging family members. Of these, approximately half are employed outside of the home. The compounding problem is that millions of these are full-time employees who are also caring for...

Continued Success in HR More Than Just Management While the country is moving forward with much change anticipated in the future of businesses, there are HR management practices that must be implemented for organizations to experience continued success. These practices will require HR managers to: • Be proactive, flexible and prepared • Be equipped to effectively, legally and accurately apply HR skills • Integrate diversity • Apply business acumen • Demonstrate ethical behavior When the typical business leader thinks of HR, the thoughts likely surround issues such as recruitment, selection, managing performance, training and development, labor relations, compensation, benefits,...