How Much Construction Estimators Get Paid
To be a construction estimator, it takes a lot of brain power and tedious cost counting, but it truly does pay off. This type of job is extremely high paying and is definitely for people that like to keep track of things and who want to excel at their position.
Estimators not only count the costs it will require to build a project, but they must also take into account the money that will be spent on wasted materials. For example, weather can ruin materials as well as having shipping delays that can effect when materials show up on the job site. Sometimes there are several estimators per project as some companies have their people specialize in one area. For example, in a construction job one estimator may just estimate concrete and form settings while another estimates landscaping and excavation. No matter what you do as a construction estimator, you will be paid handsomely for your work.
Most people in this job position make $50-$90k per year to start. Much more can be made depending on experience and length of time with the company. On top of the great salary pay there are also full benefit packages that are also included. Health, retirement, dental, and optical benefit packages are very normal for this type of job position.
As you can see having this type of job takes some serious work and education, but once achieved, it can blossom into an exciting career that can jump start you into a great lifestyle.
Hidden Cameras and the Cheating Spouse
In the last 50 years, the rate of infidelity has increased and this is the single most important reason that accounts for the high number of divorces. Infidelity can be an issue with either of the partners or spouses and sometimes even both of them can have extra-marital relationships. Increasing loss of trust in relationships has also increased the requirement for hidden cameras or in some cases spy cameras. It is difficult to get accurate statistics of cheating spouses because it is difficult to arrange for and manage such statistics.
Some Infidelity Statistics
There are some research and survey companies who have spent a great deal of time to find some amount of data on this issue and here’s what they found:
Cheating Spouse Statistics:
According to a research, it has been identified that one of the prime driving factors of infidelity is the Internet. Since the time internet messaging, chat forums and social communities became popular over the Internet, infidelity has been on the rise. According to a statement made by the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families, there are almost 40 million Internet users who are involved in infidelity and pornography over the Internet in the United States. In fact, according to NCPCE, “sex” is the most searched for term over the Internet.
According to different research organizations like Buss and Shackelford, in the United States the estimated percentage for infidelity among married people vary from 30 to 60%. The sad outcome is that more than half of these marriages lead to divorce.
Research also states that an average of 2%-3% children is born from infidelity. Cheating spouses never have the courage to reveal the truth to their partners. Infidelity is growing and most cheating spouses are in the age group of 25-30 years.
So what are the options? The options like counseling etc., can be possible only if you can catch your spouse cheating. The best and most discrete way to catch a cheating spouse is through hidden cameras.
Hidden Cameras and What They Can Do
Hidden cameras are easily available in the market these days and you can even pick one up from the Internet. Not only that, hidden cameras are available in different shapes and sizes like wall clock hidden camera, smoke detector hidden camera, pen hidden camera and much more. Any hidden camera fixed inside another device like a clock or a pen is movable and can be placed in any place for monitoring activity of cheating spouses.
The different types of hidden cameras available include:
Hidden cameras for peeping toms: Of course, this type of hidden camera has been developed for peeping toms and is largely used for pornography. But this camera is quite obscure and can be used even on cheating spouses. These hidden cameras can be placed just about anywhere from a hotel washroom to your bedroom.
The Nightcam: The salient feature of this hidden camera is that it can record even in low light conditions and is ideal for night use. Most nightcams have built-in infrared capabilities and hence, can see just about anything in the night. One of the popular nightcams is the 580 line resolution 48 LED Camera, which can give you sharp pictures in the daytime as well as nighttime. It has been built for both indoor and outdoor use and is weatherproof. Some of the other infrared nightcams include the invisible LED camera. This is a 940nm Infrared LED camera that is almost invisible to everyone else except you especially in the darkness. It is ideal for use in store rooms, sleep clinics, warehouses, hotels, and nursing homes and any place where you don’t want the night camera to work effectively even in pitch black conditions.
Nanny cams: Nanny Cams have been devised specifically for watching over nannies but it can be effectively used for cheating spouses as well. It is used by people for even low grade sting operations. The camera will provide you with a full video of the happening within the house and around the house or place where you have put the camera. The hidden nanny cams are available in different sizes as well as shapes like a weather alert radio, desk calculator wireless camera, cube wood clock radio, wireless wall clock, air freshener camera, air ionizer DVR camera, carbon monoxide motion detector, coffee mugs, digital camera sunglasses and much more.
Traditional Spy Camera: This is the mother of all hidden cameras – the traditional spy cameras that have been used for ages by spies as well as different people from different backgrounds. Over the years, these cameras have become more advanced and can be fixed anywhere from a shirt button to a wrist watch. The spy cameras are available in different categories like body worn cameras where the camera is built-in to an object that can be carried or worn on the body. Some of the most common body worn spy cameras include button cameras, pen cameras, etc. Then there are the plugged cameras, which are the best for cheating spouses. You can plug them to an electrical source and these are normally built-in into clock radios, music systems, radio, and any appliance that works on electricity. A body worn camera can cost you anywhere from $150-$200 while a plug in camera can cost you anywhere from $250 – $500.
Police Car Cameras: These cameras are normally used in police cars or at traffic junctions and are normally hidden cameras. You can use them to get video footage of any outdoor activity. You can hide it in the trees in your lawn and comfortably get the entire video footage sitting in your room. The only thing is that you can use this type of a camera only if there is enough places to hide it because these are bulky cameras that can stand out if they are not properly camouflaged. The police car and traffic cameras are also very expensive verses the normal spy cameras.
Surveillance cameras or systems: The surveillance cameras are mostly used for providing security to a home but they can be used for cheating spouses as well. Some of the surveillance cameras can be hidden within your home while some of them have to be in the open. If you are installing hidden cameras for cheating spouses then you need to go for discrete surveillance cameras like the color dome security camera. Some of the advantages of this camera are that it can be extremely discreet and is definitely most suitable for applications like infidelity. This is a perfect camera for using it in places and for situations without getting noticed. These dome cameras are attractive and come in a compact design, which makes them absolutely ideal for applications like monitoring home entrance, shopping malls, offices etc. You can install them on a ceiling or even on a wall.
Wireless Cameras: The wireless cameras are also useful cameras when it comes to monitoring cheating spouses. The wireless cameras are available in different categories like B&W cameras and color cameras. The only disadvantage of these cameras is that they need to be hidden behind something because they can be spotted with the naked eye with ease.
Hidden Cameras, Do they really work?
Yes! All hidden cameras work unless they have run out of battery or are not connected to the power socket. The concept of the hidden cameras is to record any unusual behavior or incident without getting noticed. Hence, most of the modern hidden cameras are so small that they can be fitted into the button of your shirt. So you can walk into a restaurant and sit in one corner without being noticed and yet record the activities of your spouse. All hidden cameras have a built-in range for recording and you need to check the range before you pick one up.
Experts believe that hidden cameras are best for infidelity because they will provide you with valid proof. The only thing to remember is the placement; the right placement can get you the right moment. It is always a better option to use a hidden camera in a radio clock or a smoke detector because they are least considered as suspicious. The type of hidden camera to buy should depend on the following factors:
What and where you want to monitor: If you want to monitor the activities of your spouse when you are not at home or do you want to monitor the activities when your spouse is in the car etc. Accordingly, you will have to place the hidden camera.
Where do you want to hide the camera: If you want to hide the camera in the garage then you can have it in a music system but if you want to monitor activities in the bedroom then you can have a radio clock? The type of camera you buy will depend on where you want to place it.
Remember, like any surveillance device, hidden cameras can catch a cheating spouse in the act, but the emotional trauma may be too much to overcome. So be prepared!
How to Become an Event Planner
Some of you may be wondering why learning How to Become a Party and Event Planner would be of interest to anyone. But, if have always dreamed of owning your own business and having the freedom that comes along with it, then you will definitely be interested in the event planning industry. Worldwide, the annual sales generated in the party, business, and event planning industry exceed $500 billion dollars (Source: International Special Events Society). Anyone entering into this industry has a wide range of options available to them and a huge market to tap into.
Estimated start up costs:
The start-up costs of becoming a party and event planner are relatively low but they will depend upon what services you intend offering. For most, the essential equipment includes: cell phone, laptop, business cards, Yellow Pages ad, and a good organizer of some sort. If you intend on offering catering as one of your event planning jobs, then clearly you will need a fully stocked kitchen but it is possible to outsource this function if you are coordinating the entire event. Bare bones start-up costs including a rough estimate for liability insurance would be less than $2500 if you did your homework and found some deals along the way.
Recommended experience, skills, and training:
Although college degrees are available for an event planner, most of the entrepreneurs within the industry do not have one. The majority of business owners started out in catering or business meeting planning and expanded into event planning. However, many owners have attended classes and attained certification. In addition to education, learning how to become a party and event planner includes experience in the following areas: marketing, accounting, management, and sales.
Marketing tips:
To obtain credibility as a competent event planner, it is imperative that you present a professional image at all times. All of your invoices, e-mails, business cards, and correspondence should bear your company logo and have continuity in visual presentation. You will probably see good results from joining networking groups and the local chamber of commerce. Word-of-mouth will be critical in the early phases while working with the public but you will need a completely professional image and marketing strategy to land the corporate accounts.
Creating a website and filling it with a lot of useful content will land you a high ranking in the search engines and provide you with a powerful marketing tool to help promote your business. Be sure to include a link to this website in all of your e-mails and correspondence as a cheap but effective way of driving traffic to your site. Finally, use direct mail campaigns to local businesses that include some kind of promotion or discount for using your services.
Financing sources:
Learning how to become a party and event planner takes years of experience and a knack for organization but it does not require a lot of start-up capital. This is very fortunate because most banks are not going to loan you the money anyway if you are a brand new business. But, if you already own a catering business and are merely seeking to diversify your services, then your local bank is definitely an option. For everyone else, consider your friends and family if you do not already own a computer or have the cash.
Income Potential:
The income potential of learning for an event planner is only limited by your ability to sell yourself and your services to the clients. With over $500 billion dollars out there up for grabs, there is no reason why you cannot see six figures within the first three years. Like any business, however, you will only be successful if you deliver unparalleled service time and time again. But, if you love planning an event and seeing people happy, then becoming a party and event planner is for you and a way towards financial independence.
Cost of Doing Laundry at a Laundromat
It’s a sad fact of life that not every household owns a washer and dryer. Those people have to rely on gathering their dirty laundry and going to the laundry mat for a day of fighting for washers and dryers. In order to figure the cost of doing laundry at a laundry mat per year, you have to take into consideration several factors:
Washer Size
Some laundry mats have several sizes of washers available for their customers. There are single, double, triple, and, in some places, an extra large washer that holds up to four loads of laundry. If available, these washers can save you a lot of money. Typically, a single is about $2.00, a double is about $3.50, a triple is about $4.00 and the extra large is $5.00 per load. As you can see, the extra large washer saves you $3.00 for every four loads over the single washer and $2.00 over every two loads in the double.
Dryers
Commercial dryers are mostly gas heated. They can be manually adjusted to run a certain number of minutes per quarter and the temperature can be adjusted so that the customer has to spend, usually, about $ .75 per washed single load of laundry to dry them. The cost of doing laundry in a laundry mat per year will depend largely on the greed of the owner. One word of caution, make sure you check the temperature of the dryers during the drying process to insure your clothes don’t burn. The temperature thermostats occasionally go bad and if there is nobody on duty, the dryer will continue to burn clothes.
Extractors
While extractors are not available in all locations they can save you money on drying heavy fabrics such as jeans, comforters, blankets, etc. Also, there are some fabrics you don’t want to dry. The extractor spins at high speeds and takes almost all the water out of the laundry. Those special clothes will hang dry much quicker after extracting.
Of course, family size will also determine the amount you have to spend doing laundry at the laundry mat per year. Large families with teenagers can spend as much as $20.00 per week at the laundry.
There is a great demand for more laundry mats. The people who would like to franchise could find themselves with a goldmine. But don’t jump right into it. There is the cost of buying washers and dryers, deciding to rent or own your own building, taking classes to learn how to work on the washers and dryers, insurance, and of course, you need to be bonded. You’ll need to find financing. You might be able to find a grant or two to help defray the cost of opening your own laundry mat. When researched properly, franchising can be a great opportunity for the person who does his homework and is willing to put in the hours to succeed.
Personal Injury Calculator – Top 5 Questions For Calculating Your Car Accident Claims
Using a personal injury calculator can help you figure out how much your car accident claims are worth. Here are the top 5 questions people ask about calculating the value of their auto insurance settlement.
1. How Does the Personal Injury Calculator Determine my Car Accident Claim?
The most basic formula that is known to be used for car accident injury claims is:
Pain Multiplier X Medical Expenses + Loss of Income
The “pain multiplier” is a number typically between 1.5 and 5. This multiplier number is chosen based on the severity of your car accident injuries; the more serious your injuries, the larger the multiplier.
For example, a minor injury like a sprained neck is more likely to get a low multiplier (1.5-3). While a more serious and painful injury, like a broken leg, would get a higher multiplier (3-5). The multiplier range may even go to higher figures (10) for more severe and long term injuries.
The next thing that is included in the claims formula is your medical expenses, also known as “special damages.” These expenses include the cost of your medical treatments, visits to the hospital, ambulance ride, X-Rays, pain medication etc.
The final thing that is added in your insurance settlement is your loss of income. This refers to the amount of income you lost as a result of your injuries. For example, if your injuries forced you to stay home from work, then your lost income would equal your daily pay rate times the number of work days you missed.
2. When Should You Use a Personal Injury Calculator?
The best time to use the injury calculator is at the end of your medical treatment. You should always have your injuries thoroughly diagnosed and examined before filing an injury claim. This gives you a more accurate estimate of your total medical expenses that should be included in your final settlement.
3. Who Should NOT Use the Personal Injury Calculator?
Most personal injury claims involve minor injuries that do not require you to immediately hire an expensive lawyer. For these types of claims, you should use the injury calculator to get a rough estimate of what your auto accident settlement might be worth.
However, there are insurance claims which cannot be handled without the help of a skilled injury lawyer. These types of car accident claims involve more serious and long term injuries like permanent disabilities, lost or severed limbs, traumatic head injuries etc. If you were severely injured, your best option is to meet with a lawyer who is familiar with claims related to your specific injuries.
4. How Accurate is the Personal Injury Calculator?
The injury calculator does not give you the exact final settlement, but an initial estimate of how much your injuries are worth to the insurance companies.
Many people would argue that the injury calculator is too simplistic. That it does not address the complexities and subtleties of an individual’s personal injury claim. Others are quick to bring up Colossus, a sophisticated software program used by the insurance companies to evaluate insurance claims.
However, the biggest benefit of using the personal injury calculator is not to tell you what will be your specific settlement amount. The biggest benefit is to help you understand how your specific settlement amount will be calculated. The settlement calculator emphasizes that the range of your final settlement amount will be primarily based on:
The seriousness of your injuries.
Your total medical costs.
Your lost income.
These are going to be a key factors in your injury settlement regardless of which specific software program you use.
5. Should I Use the Personal Injury Calculator?
You will always have the option of bringing in a lawyer further down in the claims process. The best advice is to use the settlement calculator to get a quick assessment of what your auto accident claims can be worth.
Heart Attack Cost – How Costly?
With the rising cost of medical services, is it any wonder that heart attack cost is a big winner for those medical services that work in this area. But guess who the big loser is in this heart attack cost ball game? You got it… the heart attack victim.
Even with new medical procedures and breakthroughs in the treatment and repair of a heart problem, the cost has skyrocketed beyond your wildest dreams. The cost associated with an attack is not common knowledge, and until you enter the game and get up close and personal, will you learn this is one game you should have avoided.
Your first heart attack cost, most likely will be, general ambulance service. Figure on at least $800-$1500 or more depending on your location.
Your second heart attack cost will be ambulance medical support, figure on an additional $100+.
Your third attack cost will be emergency room general services at your local hospital. Figure on at least $750, then professional fees for emergency room, another $250 or so. Then tack on miscellaneous supplies, $500 for laboratory tests, about $300 for EKG, plus X-ray drugs etc – for a grand total so far of about $2500 for your emergency room visit.
Your fourth major attack cost will most likely be your stay in the ICU of your local hospital, until they figure out what to do with you. Figure on a day at a cost of about $850.
Now that you have the basic cost out of the way, unless you live within reach of a major medical facility with a heart specialist on staff, you are going to get a ride in a plane or helicopter. Figure on an additional $5000-$6000 for this opportunity.
Now we are getting to the real meat of our heart cost. You have already spent about $10,000 or so getting to this point. The next cost will make that seem like pocket change!
You can figure on about $22,000-$25,000 for your stay in the heart medical center, while they discover your heart problem and try to repair your heart damage. And this does not include the surgeons cost, which can add additional thousands to your overall cost. So now your cost is over $40,000. If everything goes well and your heart problem can be corrected by Coronary Angioplasty, you are left with one remaining cost, the chemical or treadmill stress test. This could add as much as $5,000 more to your already growing bill.
Your minimum cost for this overall experience will be about $45,000-$50,000! If the Coronary Angioplasty procedure cannot repair your damage and open heart surgery is needed, your heart attack cost could more than double.
By choosing foods with lower fat and cholesterol content, quitting smoking… if you do smoke, keeping your blood pressure under control, and exercising regularly, you may avoid this dangerous and costly experience… and eliminate heart attack cost for good.
The Lowdown on American Standard Air Conditioning Prices
American Standard air conditioning prices are not very expensive. It even offers top-notch quality and service. American Standard manufactures the most reliable and comfortable units for its customers. Buying this brand of air conditioner offers several advantages; it lets the customer stay cool and helps save a lot of money with its efficient usage of energy.
There are several American Standard models that you can choose from in the market. They vary with respect to their SEER value or the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio value. This ratio is an important measure to the efficiency of the cooling factor of a specific heat pump or an air conditioner. It has the highest efficiency among the air conditioners available in the market.
Its efficiency factor ranges from the SEER value of 13 to the SEER value of more than 18. This is the best rating for air conditioners available in the market. Due to this factor, many customers usually buy the American Standard. It gives comfort of cooling that customers look for in their homes. It is the most effective conditioner out in the market.
One of the best models of the American Standard air conditioning system is the Allegiance unit. It has a SEER rating of 18, which is the maximum efficiency and cooling rating.
Conditioners of the American Standard have a two stage cooling system that helps you save up to 60% on your energy bills. It includes AccuLink connectivity for greater control and convenience. The AccuLink communicating system allows the cooling device to automatically communicate and coordinate with your other system components. It is very efficient and very quiet.
It also has a charge assist; charging simplifies service and improves system refrigerant charge accuracy. It has the highest efficiency among the industry; significantly surpassing government efficiency standards and helping you save on your energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It also contains two compressors that provide two stage cooling, running at an energy saving 50% capacity most of the time, which may help lower your cooling bills. It runs quietly and keeps temperature even from room to room with its variable speed fan motor.
It also comes with an environment friendly refrigerant that is ozone free. It also removes unwanted humidity from the air, leaving you feeling cooler and more comfortable. It provides more efficient and reliable cooling due to the durable woven spine fin coil and dual duration compressors. It also has a rust resistant coating, screws and base pan that protect your system from elements.
There are also deals on American Standard air conditioning prices that you can find. There are units of these models that are sold at around $1700. They even come with a strong warranty service and qualify for a rebate. American Standard offers the best product, best price, best warranty, best payment plan and the best customer service you can find. They also have independent companies that will give you the best deal and will even give you a free home estimate.
How to Build a Timber Retaining Wall
To build a timber retaining wall, begin by digging a trench along the line of where your wall will be. The trench should be approximately the depth and width of the timbers you will be using to build the wall. If you need space to work on the back side of the wall, dig that space out before you begin building the wall. Use a line level to level the ground where the timbers will lay.
Place the first row of timbers flat in the trench. After your first row of timbers is laid along the trench begin stacking your second row of timbers. Stagger the ends of the timbers to ensure a strong wall. Attach each layer of timbers to the layer below it with spikes (8 inch long 60D nails). Timber retaining walls are built straight up – not slanted like stone walls – so keep a level or plumb handy as you stack them.
Timber Tie-Backs
If your wall will be higher than about 18 inches use tie-back timbers every eight or ten feet on various levels to hold your wall upright and make sure it will not fall forward due to the constant pressure exerted upon it from behind (top failure). To add a tie-back timber, simply lay one timber perpendicular to the other timbers but with its length extending into the area that will be back filled. When the area is back filled this timber will act as an anchor to hold the wall in place and ensure your timber retaining wall will last.
Timbers United into One Structure
One aspect of my retaining wall design which is a little different from others you may see is that I prefer to unite the entire timber retaining wall structure with re-bar driven vertically through all the timbers and into the ground via a hole that is drilled through all the retaining wall timbers after they are completely stacked. The re-bar should fit tightly into the drilled hole.
This step might be an overkill but I like strong stuff that lasts a long time. An alternative but similar method is to drive re-bar through the bottom two or three layers when the wall is about half-built and then connect the bottom timbers to the top layers once the top layers are added (see pictures).
Use Properly Treated Quality Timbers
Some books and sites will recommend that you use “garden timbers” (those cheap ones with two round sides and two flat edges) to build a retaining wall but I strongly advise against that practice because “garden timbers” are typically made from the cheapest pieces of wood leftover from the production of other lumber or plywood and contain mostly heartwood which does not accept pressure treatments. They will probably be heavily rotted within a few years and will quickly fail.
Building a timber retaining wall is hard work so use timbers that will last. You might even consider using timbers with a vinyl or polymer coating. American Pole and Timber is a reputable company that ships quality timbers nationwide and offers a few types of vinyl coatings that can make wood last virtually forever.
Human Resource Information System – HRIS
Human Resource Information Systems
The purpose of this paper is to identify other companies who have faced similar human resources issues in regards to information technology. Through benchmarking different companies we can learn how other companies have handled certain human resources issues related to information technology, information systems, new technology, and data security. An overall analysis has been completed using research on IBM Europe, Ameriprise Financial, Terasen Pipelines, Shaw’s Supermarkets, CS Stars LLC, IBM, WORKSource Inc., and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. This paper also includes eight synopses of companies facing similar issue to those in the reading.
New Technology
With the changing world and constant new technology that is available, managers need to be aware of the technology that will increase effectiveness in their company. Human resource information systems (HRIS) have increasingly transformed since it was first introduced at General Electric in the 1950s. HRIS has gone from a basic process to convert manual information keeping systems into computerized systems, to the HRIS systems that are used today. Human resource professionals began to see the possibility of new applications for the computer. The idea was to integrate many of the different human resource functions. The result was the third generation of the computerized HRIS, a feature-rich, broad-based, self-contained HRIS. The third generation took systems far beyond being mere data repositories and created tools with which human resource professionals could do much more (Byars, 2004).
Many companies have seen a need to transform the way Human Resource operations are performed in order to keep up with new technology and increasing numbers of employees. Terasen Pipelines moved its headquarters from Vancouver to Calgary to be closer to the oil and realized a major growth in employees. In the past recording keeping was done on paper and with spreadsheets. Mangers at Terasen realized that there was a need to change to a more computerized system and looked into different HRIS vendors. By making the move to a HRIS system, Terasen is able to keep more accurate records as well as better prepare for future growth. Another company that saw the benefits of keeping up with new technology is WORKSource Inc. To meet the challenge of handling 100 new employees, WORKSource Inc. acquired Web-based technology programs from GHG Corp. like electronic pay stub, electronic timesheet software, time-off system, and human resource information system (“Tips,” 2006). By adapting these new programs, WORKSource was able to reduce waste and cost.
The Internet is an increasingly popular way to recruit applicants, research technologies and perform other essential functions in business. Delivering human resource services online (eHR) supports more efficient collection, storage, distribution, and exchange of data (Friesen, 2003). An intranet is a type of network used by companies to share information to people within the organization. An intranet connects people to people and people to information and knowledge within the organization; it serves as an “information hub” for the entire organization. Most organizations set up intranets primarily for employees, but they can extend to business partners and even customers with appropriate security clearance (Byars & Rue, 2004).
Applications of HRIS
The efficiency of HRIS, the systems are able to produce more effective and faster outcomes than can be done on paper. Some of the many applications of HRIS are: Clerical applications, applicant search expenditures, risk management, training management, training experiences, financial planning, turnover analysis, succession planning, flexible-benefits administration, compliance with government regulations, attendance reporting and analysis, human resource planning, accident reporting and prevention and strategic planning. With the many different applications of HRIS, it is difficult to understand how the programs benefit companies without looking at companies that have already benefited from such programs.
One such company is IBM. IBM has a paperless online enrollment plan for all of its employees. Not only has the online enrollment saved the company 1.2 million per year on printing and mailing costs, the employees enjoy working with the online plan. “Since we began offering online enrollment, we’ve learned that employees want web access,” Donnelly [Senior Communications Specialist] says, so they can log on at home rather than through the company intranet. So the company has been working to put in place a web-based enrollment system that employees and retirees can access from anywhere (Huering, 2003). By utilizing the flexible-benefits application HRIS has to offer, IBM was able to cut costs and give employees the freedom to discover their benefits on their own time and pace.
Another company that has taken advantage of HRIS applications is Shaw’s Supermarkets. In order for Shaw’s to better manage its workforce, the company decided it was time to centralize the HR operations. After looking at different options, Shaw’s decided to implement an Employee Self Service (ESS) system. The use of self-service applications creates a positive situation for HR. ESS gives HR more time to focus on strategic issues, such as workforce management, succession planning, and compensation management, while at the same time improving service to employees and managers, and ensuring that their data is accurate. With this solution, employees have online access to forms, training material, benefits information and other payroll related information (Koven, 2002). By giving employees access to their personal information and the ability to update or change their information as needed, HR was given more time to focus on other issues. Understanding the different applications HRIS has to offer will give companies the chance to increase employee efficiency and reduce costs.
Measuring the Effectiveness of HRIS
The evaluation should determine whether or not the HRIS has performed up to its expectations and if the HRIS is being used to its full advantage (Byars & Rue, 2004). One of the most significant challenges faced by public personnel executives today is measuring the performance of their human resources information system (HRIS) In order to justify the value-added contribution of the HRIS to accomplishing the organization’s mission (Hagood & Friedman, 2002). Implementing an HRIS program may seem a necessary stem for a company, but unless it will be an effective tool for HR operations, it will not help increase efficiency and may hinder it instead.
One company that implemented a HRIS system is Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (TAMS). TAMS put all employee benefits information online and created an open enrollment option when TAMS changed healthcare providers. Almost immediately upon rolling out the UltiPro portal [new HRIS technology] to employees, TAMS began seeing improvements, with an estimated 70% increase in open enrollment efficiency (Wojcik, 2004). By determining the efficiency of the new program, TAMS was able to realize the benefits of the new HRIS system.
Security of HRIS
The privacy of employee information has become a major issue in recent years. With identity theft becoming a common problem, employees are becoming more sensitive about who sees their personal information, and the security it is kept in. By making sure employee information that is kept in the HRIS is relevant to the company and making sure there is limited access (password protection) to such information, companies can make its employees more secure with the safety of their information. Whether electronic or paper, employee files deserve to be treated with great care. Establishing security and end-user privileges calls for a balance of incorporating, HR policy, system knowledge and day-to-day operations (O’Connell, 1994).
One company that faced a major security issue was CS Stars, LLC. CS Stars lost track of one of its computers that contained personal information that included names, addresses and social security numbers of workers compensation benefits. The bigger problem was that CS Stars failed to notify the affected consumers and employees about the missing computer. Though the computer was retrieved and no information seemed to have been harmed, many employees lost their sense of security with the company. New York’s Information Security Breach and Notification Law, effective in December 2005, requires businesses that maintain computerized data which includes private information to notify the owner of the information of any breach of the security of the system immediately following discovery, if the private information was, or is reasonably believed to have been, acquired by a person without valid authorization (Cadrain, 2007).
Another company that experienced a breach in security is Ameriprise Financial. In late 2005, a computer that contained personal information on clients and employees was stolen. Because many of the employees at Ameriprise take their computers between work and home, the company determined there was a need to put more security into those computers. Ameriprise made sure all employees had the new security suite installed on their computers. By responding quickly to the need for more security, Ameriprise made sure all information is being kept secure. Making sure employees information is kept as secure as possible there will be more trust in the company and the HR employees working with that information.
Conclusion
IBM, Terasen Pipeline, CS Stars LCC, and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. are good examples of companies facing issues similar to human resources information technology and human resources information systems. All of these companies know the importance of new technology, human resources information systems, and data security. The remainder of this paper provides synopses of more companies facing human resources issues, how the company responded to the issues, and the outcomes of the company’s responses.
Companies Benchmarked
IBM Europe
The Situation:
IBM is a global organization offering research, software, hardware, IT consulting, business and management consulting, ring and financing. It employs around 340,000 people, speaking 165 languages across 75 countries, and serving clients in 174 countries. In January 2007, IBM established a separate “new media” function within its corporate communication department. IBM main goal is to educate, support, and promote programs that utilize social media. IBM Europe decided to expand internal communication by blogging guidelines. The recognition was that blogging was already happening among IBMers, just in an unregulated way. In a similar way, institutionalizing a function to deal specifically with new media is not a corporate move, or establishing from scratch. It’s a response to the issues already emerging in the company. Now that those technologies are here, people are using them, they’re growing and there here to stay-we’re just going to put some structure around them so that we can try to optimize their use.” The users decide what technologies they want to use and how they want to use them. That main idea is that IBM understands that they must remember to respect the fact that social media are social. IBM had the need to connect its 340,000 global employees more effectively.
The Response:
IBM’s intent around social media has now been officially formalized. From January 22 2007, the company established a separate “new media” function within its corporate communication department. “Its remit: To act as expert consultants inside and outside IBM on issues relating to blogs, wikis, RSS and other social media applications. The main idea is to educate, support and promote programs that utilize these tools. IBM has a history of being a t the forefront of technology based corporate communication. From the multimedia brainstorming “WorldJam” that made news headlines back in 2001 in which 50,000 employees worldwide joined a real time, online idea-sharing session about the company’s direction. IMB has always prepared itself to use breakthrough technologies to establish a two-way dialogue with its employees. The need for social media was necessary and could no longer wait.
The Outcome:
In the last few years IBM has been recognized as being the vanguard of social-media use: IBM was on of the first Fortune 500 companies to get behind collaborative wikis, published internal blogging guidelines as far back as 2003, and is now moving fast beyond RSS and podcasts into videocasting and “virtual world” technologies like Second Life. The intranet search facility extends to all areas of the site, including new media aspects. When an employee logs onto their portal an executes a key word search, the results they get back not only come from the main intranet pages, but include results from IBM forums, wikis, blogs and podcast/videocasts tags. IMB has an understanding that employees are no longer staying in a company their entire lives. It’s just not like that any more. In Belgium for example over 50 percent of 2,300 employees have been there fewer than five years. The company has come to the conclusion that with an increasingly young and mobile workforce, the likelihood is that an employee population full of a younger generation, for whom these tools are part and parcel of life, is not that far away. In years to come IBM will have to deal with employee base for which blogging is just the natural way to interact over a web platform. IBM has created centralized platforms for most tools that fall under its remit, which includes wikis. For Philippe Borremans, new media lead Europe for IBM, has the potential business applications of a wiki cover two broad benefits: Collaborating and knowledge sharing. IBM has scored some notable successes on both fronts in the near 5000 wiki pages now up and running in the organization. The company has been a huge pick-up in interest in podcasting over the last 18 months writing can seem such a technical skill, whereas people feel they can talk more freely than they can write. One of the most consistently popular IBM podcasts, with over 20,000 downloads a week.
Ameriprise Financial
The Situation:
The Department of Justice survey estimates that 3.6 million U.S. households were victims of identity theft in 2004. Trafficking in personal date goes beyond U.S. borders: the New York Times reports that stolen financial information is often distributed among participants of online trading boards, and the buyers are frequently located in Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East. One reason clients are concerned about data security is the widespread publicity generated by breaches at financial services firm. In late December 2205, an Ameriprise Financial employee’s laptop that contained unencrypted data on approximately 230,000 customers and advisors was stolen from a car. Other financial services firm, including Citigroup and Bank of America, also acknowledge large-scale customer data losses in 2005. President of NCS, Rita Dew, a compliance consulting firm in Delray Beach, Florida, says that the Securities and Exchange Commission requires investment advisors to have policies and procedures that address the administrative, technical, and physical safeguards related to client records and information.
The Response:
Ameriprise Financial had to fight back and had to implement “layers of protection.” It is important for employees who their primary business computer, and employees regularly transport the computer between home, office, and meeting sites. The vulnerability of this arrangement and the need for a safety software program is much needed.
The Outcome:
Employees who are transporting lab tops should install the Steganos Security Suite on their computer. This software allows employees to create an encrypted virtual drive on the laptop that serves as data storage safe. Employees stores all client related data and tax preparation software database on the encrypted drive, which employees has set up with one gigabyte of storage space. The best thing is that when an employee turns off the computer the information is stored “safe”, the software automatically encrypts the virtual drive’s data. The software also generates encrypted backup files, which employees store on CDs in a fireproof safe. This should keep the data secure if any employee’s laptop is stolen or if the drive is removed from the laptop. Other financial advisors are relying on encryption both in and out of the office. Other programs that are being used to protect client’s information are RAID Level 1 system to store data on the drives that are encrypted with WinMagic’s SecureDocs software. Encryption ensures that anyone who steals the computer will be absolutely unable to read the data, even by connecting it to another computer as a “slave drive. This has given many financial advisors the greatest peace of mind.
Terasen Pipelines
The Situation:
Terasen Pipelines is a subsidiary of Terasen Inc. located in Vancouver, Canada and is located in several provinces and U.S. states. In 2001 the company changed its headquarters to Calgary to be closer to the oil. With the big move, the company went through a growth spurt. With the company in many different locations and the growing numbers of employees, the HR department saw a need to find a new system to keep more accurate records.
The Response:
In the past Terasen had kept records on paper and with spreadsheets and with the growth of the company, this system does not work as well as in the past. In order to compensate for future growth, Terasen began to look into HRIS companies to help with the HR operations. After researching different companies, Hewitt’s application service provider model with eCyborg was found to be the right fit.
The Outcome:
Although there was difficulty adapting to a new way of recordkeeping, Terasen was able to find a system that will help support the current and future growth of the company. Fortunately, some of the HR staff had experience working with an HRIS and were able to help their colleagues imagine new processes, as aided by a system. One theme often voiced throughout this process was: “You guys don’t know how hard we’re working when we can make it so much easier with a system that could do a lot of this for us. You don’t always have to run to the cabinet for the employee file just to get basic information. It can all be at your fingertips.” (Vu, 2005). In order to help Terasen ease the HR burden of implementing a new HR system, the management of Terasen was convinced to look for a vendor to help implement and maintain a HRIS system. This system has helped Terasen better prepare for current and future growth.
Shaw’s Supermarkets
The Situation:
Shaw’s Supermarkets is the second largest supermarket chain in New England. With a workforce of 30,000 located at 180 stores throughout six states, Shaw’s HR staff is responsible for managing employees’ personal data. Their employee mix includes approximately 70 percent part-time employees, consisting of students, senior citizens, second-job part-timers, and career part-timers. One third of the workforce is made up of union associates, and Shaw’s staff oversees the company’s involvement with three unions and six separate contracts (Koven, 2002). In order to help manage the workforce, the HR staff became interested in centralizing its HR operations.
The Response:
In order to centralize HR operations Shaw’s decided to implement an ESS (employee self-service) solution. The use of self-service applications creates a positive situation for HR. ESS gives HR more time to focus on strategic issues, such as workforce management, succession planning, and compensation management, while at the same time improving service to employees and managers, and ensuring that their data is accurate. With this solution, employees have online access to forms, training material, benefits information and other payroll related information.
The Outcome:
Shaw’s has had positive feedback since implementing the ESS solution. “The reaction from our employees has been extremely positive,” Penney, VP of Compensation and Benefits, says. “We even had a significant increase in our medical coverage costs, and it was almost a non-issue because the online enrollment featured the plan choices, the employee cost, and the company subsidy. An employee self-service application makes it very easy for them to understand their contributions and coverage options. I received several e-mails from employees saying this was a great change and how easy ESS was, which the case is not often when employees are selecting their benefit options.” (Koven, 2002). By giving the employees more access to their information they are able to see the benefit choices available to them. Employees are also able to update their information online, which helps reduce the paperwork of the past. Shaw’s has also seen improvement in productivity because employees are updating information at home, not during work hours.
CS Stars, LLC
The Situation:
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has announced that New York State has reached its first settlement with a company charged with failing to notify consumers and others that their personal data had gone missing. Cuomo’s office, which enforces the state’s 2005 Information Security Breach and Notification Law, charged CS STARS LLC, a Chicago-based claims management company, with failing to give notice that it had lost track of a computer containing data on 540,000 New Yorkers’ workers’ comp claims.
The Response:
The owner of the lost data, which had been in the custody of CS STARS, was the New York Special Funds Conservation Committee, an organization that assists in providing workers’ comp benefits under the state’s workers’ comp law. On May 9, 2006, a CS STARS employee noticed that a computer was missing that held personal information, including the names, addresses, and Social Security numbers of recipients of workers’ compensation benefits. But CS Stars waited until June 29, 2006, to notify Special Funds and the FBI of the security breach. Because the FBI declared that notice to consumers might impede its investigation, CS STARS waited until July 8, 2006, to send notices to the 540,000 New Yorkers affected by the breach. On July 25, 2006, the FBI determined an employee, of a cleaning contractor, had stolen the computer, and the missing computer was located and recovered. In addition, the FBI found that the data on the missing computer had not been improperly accessed.
The Outcome:
New York’s Information Security Breach and Notification Law, effective in December 2005, requires businesses that maintain computerized data which includes private information to notify the owner of the information of any breach of the security of the system immediately following discovery, if the private information was, or is reasonably believed to have been, acquired by a person without valid authorization. The law affects not only businesses in their dealings with their customers, but employers in their role as custodians of employees’ personal data. (Cadrain)
Without admitting to any violation of law, CS STARS agreed to comply with the law and ensure that proper notifications will be made in the event of any future breach. The company also agreed to implement more extensive practices relating to the security of private information. CS STARS will pay the Attorney General’s office $60,000 for costs related to this investigation. (Cadrain)
IBM
The Situation:
IBM’s paperless online enrollment system, introduced in 1999, has proved to be a winner for both the company’s 135,000 active U.S. employees and the company, according to Cathleen Donnelly, senior communications specialist at company headquarters in Armonk, N.Y. The company saves $1.2 million per year on printing and mailing costs alone, Donnelly says, and the employees’ can take advantage of a variety of technologies to learn about issues, research program information and access decision support tools from their desktop computers. (Heuring, 2002)
The Response:
One of those tools, a personal medical cost estimator, enables employees to calculate potential out-of-pocket health care expenses under each of the plan options available to them, Donnelly says. Employees log in personally and are greeted by name and with important information regarding their benefits enrollment, such as the deadlines and when changes take effect. They automatically get access to health plans that are available to them, and the calculator lets them compare estimated benefit amounts for each plan.
“Employees can select the health care services they expect to use in a particular year, estimate expected frequency of use, and calculate potential costs under each plan option,” Donnelly says. “The feedback that we’ve received from employees tells us that this tool has really helped them to make a comparison between plans based on how they consume medical services.” The calculator shows both IBM’s costs and the employee’s. (Heuring, 2002)
The Outcome:
“Since we began offering online enrollment, we’ve learned that employees want web access,” Donnelly says, so they can log on at home rather than through the company intranet. So the company has been working to put in place a web-based enrollment system that employees and retirees can access from anywhere.
Employees can get summary information on the plans, drill down into very specific details and follow links to the health care providers for research. Donnelly says the system has received high marks for convenience because employees can “get in and out quickly.”
WORKSource Inc.
The Situation:
To meet the challenge of handling 100 new employees, WORKSource Inc. acquired Web-based technology programs from GHG Corp. like electronic paystub, electronic timesheet software, time-off system, and human resource information system (“Tips,” 2006). These tools enabled CEO Judith Hahn to handling payroll procedures efficiently and effectively.
The Response:
WORKSource has eight workforce centers, with approximately 108 employees, located throughout a six-county region. Previously, payroll, benefits, and human resources for those employees were processed and managed by a Professional Employer Organization. The company also has 52 administrative staff in its headquarters office. When the contract with the PEO terminated on June 30, 2006, those 108 employees were immediately moved to the payroll of WORKSource, which meant Hahn’s workload more than doubled effective July 2006 (“Tips,” 2006).
Hahn, in an interview with PMR, said she relied on LEAN to help get a handle on what needed to change for her to manage the increased workload. Two years earlier, Hahn’s CEO had introduced her to LEAN, a Japanese management concept of eliminating wasteful steps and motion when completing processes. “I began to read as much as possible about LEAN and joined an HR LEAN focus group” (“Tips,” 2006).
The Outcome:
Mastering the concepts of LEAN led Hahn to develop and apply her own acronym of “REASON” to her department’s payroll and HR processes. Review the process: map payroll tasks from start to finish. Eliminate waste: determine how to complete a payroll task most efficiently without unnecessary steps. Analyze alternatives: research and evaluate the applicability of new technology. Sell innovations to management: document the return on investment of each innovation. Open the lines of communication: communicate openly—and often—with all stakeholders, including employees and top management. Never allow negativity: make change simple and fun. Give employees plenty of encouragement and time to learn (“Tips,” 2006). Judith Hahn was able to implement the right human resource functions using information systems.
Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.
The Situation:
Lynda Morvik, director of benefits and human resources information systems at Tustin, California-based Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. (TAMS), thought it would make sense to add a benefits communication component to it. By having all the benefit information online, the TAMS employee handbook would also be a living document, enabling Morvik to make changes when necessary. Such was the case halfway through the project, when TAMS changed health care plans from Aetna Inc. to United Health Group Inc (Wojcik, 2004).
The Response:
TAMS, an independent group company of Toshiba Corporation and a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, MRI, and information systems, had been using a payroll service bureau and an in-house solution for HR that didn’t include easy-to-use consolidated reporting or an employee portal. After evaluating UltiPro alongside several enterprise resource vendors, TAMS selected Ultimate Software’s offering and went live in September 2002 after an on-time and on-budget implementation. Almost immediately upon rolling out the UltiPro portal to employees, TAMS began seeing improvements, with an estimated 70% increase in open enrollment efficiency (Wojcik, 2004).
The Outcome:
In an effort to expand the usage of the Web beyond the benefits enrollment process, TAMS has posted a library of documents and forms on its HR portal, including the benefits handbook, which garnered a 2004 Apex Award for publication excellence. That same year, Business Insurance magazine also gave TAMS the Electronic Benefit Communication (EBC) award for outstanding achievement in communicating employee benefits programs over the Web. To continue elevating its use of Ultimate Software’s HRMS/payroll solution, TAMS modified the UltiPro portal to meet the imaging company’s unique needs (Wojcik, 2004). It was completely integrated with several proprietary applications created to address compensation and performance management issues so that TAMS employees have a central location for comprehensive workforce and payroll information from a Web browser that they can access with a single sign-on (Wojcik, 2004).
References
Byars, Lloyd L. & Rue, Leslie W. (2004). Human Resource Management, 7e. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Cadrain, Diane (2007). New York: Company Settles Data Breach Charges. Retrieved June 3, 2007 from [http://www.shrm.org/law/states/CMS_021505.asp#P-8_0]
Clarifying IBM’s Strategic mission for social media (2007). Strategic Communication
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Friesen, G. Bruce (2003). Is your client ready for eHR? Consulting to Management, 14(3), 27. Retrieved June 3, 2007 from ProQuest Database.
Hagood, Wesley O. & Friedman, Lee ( 2002). Using the balanced scorecard to measure the performance of your HR information system. Public Personnel Management, 31(4), 543-58. Retrieved June 3, 2007 from ProQuest Database.
Heuring, Linda (2003). IBM: Laying Outing Enrollment Options. Retrieved June 2, 2007 from [http://www.shrm.org/hrmagazine/articles/0803/0803heuring_paperless.asp]
Koven, Jeff (2002). Streamlining benefit process with employee self-service applications: A case study. Compensation & Benefits Management, 18(3), 18-23. Retrieved June 2, 2007 from ProQuest Database.
O’Connell, Sandra (1994). Security for HR records – human resources. HR Magazine. Retrieved June 3, 2007 from [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m349] 5/is_n9_v39/ai_16309018
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Tips on Using Technology to Streamline Payroll Processes – and Cut Costs (2006). Payroll Managers Report, 6(10), 1-9. Retrieved June 2, 2007 from EBSCOhost Database.
Vu, Uyen (2005). Contracting out HRIS easy call at Terasen Pipelines. Canadian HR Reporter, 18(4), 5-9. Retrieved June 2, 2007 from ProQuest Database.
Wojcik, J. (2004). Toshiba Employee Handbook Goes Online. Business Insurance, 38(49), 18.
Retrieved June 2, 2007 from EBSCOhost Database.
Cooking Instructions For Prime Rib Roast
Have you been searching for cooking instructions for prime rib roast and still can’t find a recipe that will give you the juicy and tender prime rib roast that you deserve? The reason may be that recipes only give you the basic ingredients for cooking and not the actual cooking instructions.
Let’s start with cooking instructions for prime rib roast that begins long before the day you prepare your prime rib. First, you should choose the prime rib that will give adequate portions for each guest that will be attending your dinner party. You may have to look for rib eye instead of prime rib, some local grocery stores label prime rib as rib eye. You can ask the butcher if he would remove most of the fat from the roast that you choose. This will save you time preparing the roast. If you can not get the butcher to remove the excess fat, then you will have to trim it when you get it home. You should leave just a little bit of fat on the roast for added flavor.
The next step in your cooking instructions is to create a seasoning rub or paste. You can use ingredients such as coarse salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and even honey. Slit the roast on top about ½ inch deep all over the top and sides. Rub the seasoning rub or paste on the entire roast, including the bottom and sides, anywhere the meat is exposed. Place in a roasting pan or baking dish with a lid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Most cooking instructions include using a meat thermometer and this is the best way to ensure that your prime rib is cooked to perfection and not overcooked. The internal temperature for rare prime beef should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit, for medium rare around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, medium around 150 degrees Fahrenheit and for well done between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
For prime rib roast that is boneless the basic cooking time is for medium is a 3 to 4 pound prime rib roast should be cooked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 23 to 30 minutes per pound, for a 4 to 6 pound prime rib roast you should cook it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 20 minutes per pound and for a 8 to 10 pound prime rib roast you should cook it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 13 to 15 minutes per pound. Remember, this is only an estimate and all oven do not cook the same. You should still use a meat thermometer to ensure the desired doneness.
The last cooking instructions, and maybe the most important, is to let the roast sit for around 15 minutes before carving. The roast will still cook and the internal temperature will raise another 10 degrees but this sitting time is important to hold in the juices and flavor.