NWLA Business Monthly - October 2012

How To Find

Published By Specht Newspapers, Inc

The Heartbeat of Northwest Louisiana Growth

October 2012

(And Keep)

Super Employees

2 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY

PERSPECTIVE THE FIRST WORD

Are You A Fireman or a Gardener?

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

— Matthew 23:24, NIV

balance between being a gardener and a fireman that really can see positive, long-term progress in business.

Like the gardener, a good manager will keep a watchful eye on the details of the business, helping others without meddling.

Like the fireman, a good leader will spring into action when neces-

While I am not one to regularly quote scripture in a business column, these strong words uttered by Jesus ring very true in today’s business climate.

To put this verse in context, Jesus was reading the riot act DAVID SPECHT JR. to the religious leaders of the day. He was pointing out the ridiculous nature of some of their rules and laws, while ignoring the important things in their lives and the ministry in general.

In business, we can fall victim to the same attitudes as the Pharisees that Jesus was rebuking. We focus so much on the problem or situation in front of us at that very moment we sary, making swift and just decisions often miss the “big picture” or the that preserve and protect the compaunderlying cause or causes of our ny.

Getting back to the scripture, we troubles.

In business, there are usually two need to recognize what things rank kinds of managers — gardeners and highest in importance for our business. These would be the guiding firemen.

Gardeners tend to constantly principles which are not negotiable.

However, we also need to recogtweak, check and adjust their businesses. They love the idea of taking nize that items which are not part of the core principles may not be worth on a project and helping it to grow.

Firemen, on the other hand, only getting “fired up” over. If all we do is jump into action when there is a fire create rules, policies and regulations, to extinguish. They are very compe- then we are not growing our busitent at swooping in during an emer- nesses. We are merely micromanaggency, moving fast, and saving the ing them.

Jesus saw how much damage the day.

Both types of managers have their religious leaders of the day were strengths, but neither fully grasp the doing to the Jewish faith. They were entirety of their positions. And each so wrapped up in the regulations, could learn something from the they forgot the core values behind them. other.

As leaders in our own businesses, Gardeners do not get rattled very often, but their need to “work on the we need to identify and keep our core garden” constantly can cause others values and principles at the forefront to feel “meddled with” or “not trusted of every decision we make. It is amazing how many things we thought to do the job.”

Firemen are often slow to move. were “camels” turn out to be just Without smoke or flames, the fire- “gnats.” man does not even notice the potential problem before it erupts. Then, when things ignite, the fireman tends DAVID SPECHT JR. is vice president of Specht to break whatever is necessary to put Newspapers, Inc. Read his blog about leadership out the fire, including camaraderie, at www.DavidASpecht.com He may be reached via loyalty and morale. email at dspecht@bossierpress.com.

It is the leader who can strike a

Opinion

BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 3

Heroes Needed

ON THE COVER

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Apply Within ATTRACTING THE BEST

CONTENTS

Are We Truly Losing Our “Best” and “Brightest” to Neighboring States?

Learn What Today’s Top Notch Employee Seeks From Their Job

...Starting on Page 5

FEATURES

11

14

Tourism Meet the New Executive Director of the Bossier Arts Council New Additions Business Monthly Publisher Adds to Marketing Team

PERSPECTIVE

3

6 7 12 12

Find More Online at www.nwlabusiness.com 4 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY

The First Word Are You A Gardener or a Fireman?

On the Economic Development Front Unraveling the Mystery of Economic Growth Marketing B-S Funding Your Marketing Plan Win-Win Powertools Wanted to Be Wanted

Insurance Matters Retirement Planning When Changing Jobs

Volume 3, Number 8

©Copyright 2012 by Specht Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. Business Monthly is published each month by Specht Newspapers, Inc. at 4250 Viking Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111. Telephone (318) 747-7900. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

Attracting Super Employees

FEATURE

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

It Takes More Than A Competitive Salary, Studies Show

BY SEAN GREEN

When Google rose to the top of the software boom in the late 90s, they instituted several employee benefits that raised traditionalists’ eyebrows. Free hair cuts? Free food? A ball pit for grown ups? It can be very jolting in the world where health care and sick leave are the norm.

But in the highly competitive and lucrative world of Silicon Valley, offering inventive perks not only attracts the best and brightest, it suits the non-traditional workforce.

In other words, it comes with the territory.

So what can be learned 2,000 miles away? Well, for one, thinking outside the box when it comes to benefits can attract certain employees. But it can also keep your bottom line lower.

With the rising cost of health insurance and other benefits, many organizations are looking for ways to offer alternative benefits.

There are some types of employee benefits that are mandated by law, including minimum wage, overtime, the Family Medical Leave Act, unemployment, and workers compensation and disability. But there are other types of employee benefits that employers are not required to offer, but choose to provide to their employees.

The most common form of benefits is incentive-based pay — an increase in salary of base pay due to achievement of goals set by an employer — and it is the most effective way to increase employee performance.

A study published in Performance Improvement Quarterly found monetary incentives increased productivity by 27

percent compared to 13 percent with other tangible incentives — gifts, vacations, meals.

However, if your budget is tight, there are other benefits that attract and keep employees.

These include traditional employer benefits such as: n Health care — A company pays for all or part of the health insurance premiums for their employees. n Maternity/paternity/adoption leave — Paid time off from work after the birth or adoption of a child. n Paid holidays/vacations — Compensation for recognized holidays or other time not worked when a business may be closed or the employee is permitted to take time off from work. n Sick leave — Pay for time off work due to an illness. n Retirement options — A sav-

ings program (such as a 401K) where employees can contribute a certain amount of their paychecks on a monthly basis throughout their term of employment, or allowing the employee to buy shares of company stocks.

These benefits are still very prevalent in the small and large business workplace.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in March 2012 the majority of private industry workers had access to retirement, medical care, paid holidays, paid vacations, and paid sick leave benefits.

Access, or availability of a benefit, was 57 percent for medical care benefits in small establishments, compared with 89 percent in large establishments. In private industry, retirement benefits were avail-

See, Benefits, Page 14

BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 5

PERSPECTIVE

FROM THE BOSSIER CHAMBER

Let the Chamber Connect You to the Military Community

As the Bossier Chamber winds down from September’s Patriot Awards, the military relations committee is already looking ahead to the plethora of events in October. The month known to most as a time to dress up as ghouls LISA JOHNSON and goblins, trick friends, and get treats from neighbors is also a month dedicated to Barksdale Air Force Base and admiringly called “Celebrate Barksdale.” The Bossier Chamber has several events on the horizon to honor and serve those that serve this community.

The Celebrate Barksdale Reception on October 2nd at the Cyber Innovation Center honors and recognizes the outstanding leaders of Barksdale Air Force Base. The room is filled with the chatter from top brass and senior officials, mixed with buzz from major community leaders and business professionals. The reception provides a relaxing and casual atmosphere to network and show appreciation for the leaders of the local military force. This year’s event is sponsored by Barksdale Federal Credit Union, Cyber Innovation Center, Chesapeake Energy, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Willis-Knighton Health System. Ralph & Kacoo’s and the Port City Big Band will provide food and entertainment.

October 5th will be a day of service, as the Chamber teams up with the Military Affairs Council for the Celebrate Barksdale Picnic. Team Barksdale will be treated to a cook out on base grounds and served by volunteers from the community.

Last year, the volunteers served hundreds of service members and their families and this year is expected to be the same.

The following Friday, October 12th, is a great chance to meet some of the fighting force on the lanes. The Members & Military Bowling Tournament at Holiday Lanes from noon to 3pm pairs civilians with service members in a friendly competition of strikes and gutter balls. All

Bossier Chamber members and Barksdale personnel are invited to participate, and businesses can sponsor a military team or one of their own.

Opinion

6 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY

Bowling Teams of Four are $250, which includes two games with shoes, lunch and networking! The top six teams will compete in a third game for bragging rights and awards.

The 2012 Lane Sponsor is Barksdale Federal Credit Union. For more information, contact jana@bossierchamber.com.

The Bossier Chamber will end the month with a free job fair on October 23rd at the Bossier Civic Center from 9am to 12pm. The Chamber has partnered with the US Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill Industries and the City of Bossier City for a Hiring Our Heroes event. Less than 15 months after Hiring Our Heroes’ inception in March 2011, the initiative has helped more than 10,000 veterans and family members find meaningful employment. Businesses and Military Job Seekers can register for free at www.bossierchamber.com or hoh.greatjob.net.

The Bossier Chamber is dedicated to serving the military and their families. Their sacrifices are not ignored, and we hope you’ll join us in saying Thank You this October. For businesses with marquees and display signs, please consider changing your message to “Celebrate Barksdale” with a note of support for those who serve us every day.

LISA JOHNSON is President/CEO of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce.

PERSPECTIVE

ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRONT

Unraveling the Mystery of Economic Growth

It is often a mystery what attracts Investments GBEDF has made in different corporations to the area ver- local talent development programs sus other areas that seemingly have that have been offered at BPCC and similar offerings. The GBEDF has other investments we have made in been intimately involved in multiple facilities like CoHab are made with conversations trying to lure companies and talent to this market David Rockett to help grow the tax base and the overall community value and what they look for most is the employee base they can select from.

Louisiana has produced some of the best and brightest in worldwide business for years with names today that count Northwest Louisiana has home.

Starting about 7 or 8 years ago, the intention of growing the talent Louisiana was looking for ways to stop base needed to attract business to this the “brain drain” out of our state and market. GBEDF has been proud to be ease populating the best and brightest the initial investors in many of these from Louisiana into other states, programs, recognizing that dividends hence, target markets where this tal- pay off in these investments when we ent were going were identified such as, can talk about what this area offers to digital industries, software, entertain- business, particularly when we get in ment. This was the genesis of the front of them for the pitch about Louisiana media incentive. These Northwest Louisiana. incentives arguably have slowed Not all of these stories however greatly that drain, created hundreds have a happy ending. One of the of thousands of jobs statewide and in strangest losses I encountered was a northwest Louisiana alone over the project that we had worked on for sevlast 5 years, show over a Billion eral months that dealt with the manuDollars impact. This out of the box facture of juicers. The foreign (South thinking in attracting and keeping our American) owned company was very talent, along with new talent and has diligent in their research of incentives allowed the state of Louisiana to lead and logistics to get their product made in several of these sectors nationally in and out to the consumers but lesson growth. learned, we neglected one personal Recently announced projects that element that I haven’t encountered in looked at Louisiana and the talent 20 years of work in this market. When base were initially skeptical on what the choice was made to locate the facilwe as a northwest region could accom- ity in Virginia they were kind enough plish in a labor pool. Ronpak’s recent to offer what the deciding factor announcement occurred after a period was…..our areas lack of polo fields and of research to determine what talent polo ponies was the deciding factor. this market can sustain within their You win some, you lose some! industry. After meeting with like minded local CEO’s and through the Louisiana Economic Development pro- DAVID “ROCKY” ROCKETT is Executive Director of the gram FastStart, this new company Greater Bossier Economic Development Corporation. investing in the Port knows it can hire and sustain the human capital needed to be successful.

Opinion

PERSPECTIVE MARKETING B-S (BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT)

How Do You Fund a Marketing Plan?

In my last two monthly columns cost you money in the revenue section for NWLA Business Monthly, we dis- of your Income Statement in terms of cussed the essential elements of a the lost revenues/sales you will expemarketing plan and the importance rience as a result of failing to both thereof. This is a vitally important properly and adequately market and topic for any business. A marketing promote your business. As the saying plan should never be overlooked. The goes “you have to spend money to absence of such a plan could possibly make money.” The key then becomes spell doom for your business, espe- spending your marketing/promotioncially if you are a brand new business trying to get off of the RANDY E. BROWN ground. Like I mentioned in these columns, if you fail to plan, you can plan to fail.

That being said, we must now look at funding your marketing plan. To do this, you need to create a marketing budget. Pardon the analogy, but creating a marketing plan without a marketing budget is kind of like buying a vehicle without tires or without the neces- al dollars wisely. To once again refer sary fuel needed to make the vehicle’s back to my previous columns for the engine run. You have to have your last couple of months, you have to marketing plan funded as a part of develop a marketing plan. This maryour overall budget. It does not mat- keting plan should incorporate all of ter what the budget number is, but the essentials of marketing that we come up with a number (percentage) have previously discussed. and stick to it! If you are a new busi- Furthermore, your marketing plan ness trying to get established, you should also incorporate how the propmay want to dedicate a higher per- er marketing and promotion of your centage of your overall budget to company will help to fulfill your commarketing. For the small or medium pany’s goals and vision for the future. sized business, this percentage will All of these efforts will most definitevary depending upon which business ly pay off for your company as they or industry that you are a part of and will have a direct impact upon your also by the size of your business. It future sales and revenue. If you fail will also depend upon how much you in these efforts, no one will know that want to grow your business and how your business exists! fast you want to achieve this growth.

Next month, we will discuss marResearch statistics from both the keting planning for 2013. We are fast Service Corps of Retired Executives approaching the time to plan and (SCORE) and the U.S. Small budget your 2013 marketing plan.

Business Administration (SBA), You should start by assessing both show that the variable for your mar- your marketing successes and failketing budget should range some- ures for 2012. What worked well, where between 2% and 10% of sales. what did not work??

In certain industries, this percentage More on this next month. can even be higher (sometimes up to 20%) during the all-important “brand building” years.

In reality, almost all companies RANDY BROWN. is Advertising Manager of the under-spend in terms of their mar- Bossier Press-Tribune and a 11-year veteran of marketing budget. This move may save keting and media in Northwest Louisiana. He may you money in the expense section of be reached via email at rbrown@bossierpress.com. your Income Statement, but it will

Opinion

BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 7

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BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 9

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New Director New Direction PERSPECTIVE TOURISM

New Bossier Arts Council Director Aims to Engage Community

When the Bossier Arts DONECIA PEA Council hosted DigiFest South, the area’s first digital arts festival and career fair, it not only shined a spotlight on the fastgrowing technology industry.

DigiFest South, held in September, also offered the community a glimpse of what’s in store for the 32-year-old organization under the leadership of its new Executive Director, tour of their studios as well as the Leigh Chambers. gallery. Finally, the series will conChambers, who was named to the clude for the year with a Kids-Only post in June and began in August, has Drop Off Party, Dec. 1, where chillined up a series of exciting events and dren, ages 5 and older, can enjoy arts, educational programming designed to crafts, movies, snacks and more. appeal to people of all ages.

Starting in October, the BAC will “My primary goal is to serve the host Artist One Stop, a business (Bossier Arts Council) mission state- resource center that will provide ment – to promote, support and pro- artists with important entrepreneurvide cultural activities to enhance the ial tools through a series of free classquality of life for Bossier Parish,” said es. “They’ll be able to get tips on how Chambers. “I’m one of those people to do their resumes, write a budget, who tries to live up to make presentations for gallery showthat and do what I can ings… And it’s not just for visual to find ways to engage artists, but for all artists, including people on multiple levactors, writers, etc.,” Chambers said. els.”

The BAC will also team up with the Some of the new proRobinson Film Center to host four grams include StopMovies and Moonbeams events, which Over Saturday, a Chambers include a children’s movie, fun activimonthly series that will ties and more. offer a variety of classes, tours and In addition, they’ve established an activities to connect with the commu- internship program for high school nity and showcase the facility. The and college students. The program series will kick off with The Art of has begun with four interns, so far, Improv, Oct. 13, a lesson in improvisa- who assist with everything from coortional acting featuring a class for chil- dinating volunteers for DigiFest dren and a separate one for adults. South and running the BAC gift shop Then, there’s the Studio Spotlight, to designing graphics for marketing Nov. 3, which will include an introduc- materials and managing grants. tion of featured artists and a guided “Everything we do is about empower-

Opinion

Courtesy Photo/Nancy Larned

The Bossier Arts Council hosted DigiFest South at the Bossier Civic Center in September.

The event highlighted the ever-growing digital arts industry in the area. ing the community and showing this as a place for the arts,” she said.

Chambers is no stranger to the arts world. The Broken Arrow, Okla. native earned her undergraduate degree in theater at Northeastern State University before obtaining her Master of Arts degree in non-profit administration at Louisiana Tech University. Prior to coming to Shreveport-Bossier, she served for three years as Executive Director of the North Central Louisiana Arts Council in Ruston.

Though she’s hit the ground running, the 29-year-old said she’s enjoying the ride. “I’m moving and grooving and loving it,” she said.

Chambers said she’s especially encouraged with how the community has welcomed her. “I’ve been so pleased with the connection we have with BPCC and LSUS. And so many from the private sector helped with

DigiFest South,” she said. “It’s just nice to know I live and work in a place where people not only recognize the arts, but recognize the part it plays in our culture and economy.”

The Bossier Arts Council is located at 630 Barksdale Blvd. in Bossier City. Call them at (318) 741-8310, visit their blog at www.bossierarts.blogspot.com/ or find them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more details about their upcoming events and programs. Visit the Shreveport-Bossier Fun Guide at www.shreveportbossierfunguide.com to learn more about other ShreveportBossier events.

DONECIA PEA works with media relations at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.

BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 11

PERSPECTIVE

WIN WIN POWER TOOLS

Wanted to be Wanted

Listen Years ago I was interviewing a top Show interest in me and my work flight candidate for a sales position I Observe what I do had open. I knew her well and thought Appreciate what I do I had answers for all of her questions.

Recognize what I do well in front of At one pause in the conversation, she leaned forward, looked me directly in others the eyes and asked me… “Do you want me to work for you JERRY FRENTRESS and your company?” There had to have been a surprised look on my face. She maintained the eye contact. So did I. “Yes” I said. “I want you to work for me.”

It was a teachable moment for Jerry. She already knew about the money. Her decision was being based on if she was truly wanted. We worked sucAllow me to contribute cessfully together for many years. It Allow me to make mistakes and was profitable for both of us.

I should have known better. I learn Help me grow should have remembered my experiEncourage me to share ideas ence in the business school at the Share your ideas with me University of Texas in Austin. My proAsk for my opinion fessor asked the class to review Learn about my goals research on what motivates people. I Help me reach my goals thought that I already knew. Money!

If these seem like good ideas to you, As I stared at the list, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Money didn’t show share them and implement. Share up on the list of motivators until num- with candidates. Implement for your team so they can do two ber five. to stay with As I grew my career and faced the things….Want challenge of finding, hiring and you….Want to share them with potenretaining good employees, I reminded tial future employees. myself that it is not all about the paycheck. Employees want and need more. That brings me to you. What else do you or your company offer that JERRY FRENTRESS, AKA: "The Power Tools Guy," is a will attract the good, if not great, Speaker and Trainer for Sales, Service and Life. Visit his employees? website at www.WinWinPowerTools.com, or on As you read, see what you might Facebook: www.facebook.com/winwinpowertools. add that is cost free and meaningful:

Opinion

PERSPECTIVE INSURANCE MATTERS

Looking to Change Jobs?

Don’t Forget Your Retirement

Changing jobs can be stressful, between from your former employer’s plan directly wrapping up tasks with your former employ- into your new employer’s plan. This direct er and adjusting to your new position and rollover allows your money to remain investresponsibilities. But when you pack up your ed in a tax-deferred plan, and you incur no personal belongings to move on to your new taxes or penalties for the move. (Transfer is place of employment, don’t forget about your retirement plan.

KARY LANDRY While these funds are valuable now, they’re invaluable for your future, so making an informed decision about what to do with them is important. Thankfully, you have several options, although some may be more financially advantageous than others.

Rollover To A Traditional IRA

Opinion

You can take control of your funds with a rollover to a Traditional IRA. This is a lump-sum distribution from your previous employer’s 401(k) that is deposited directly into a Traditional IRA. The amount you rollover to a Traditional IRA isn’t subject to income taxes, nor does it trigger a 10 percent penalty tax for an early withdrawal. Plus, with a Traditional IRA, your assets remain in a tax-deferred plan.

You may opt for a Traditional IRA if you like greater control over your retirement assets. After all, employer plans are designed to meet the needs of many people, not just yours, and you may have different investing ideals. In addition, you may want to simplify your retirement planning by having all of your investments with one financial provider.

Leave Your Money With Your Previous Employer

Quite possibly, you can do nothing. The easiest action may be leaving your assets in your previous employer’s retirement plan, but keep in mind that you’ll remain limited to that plan’s investment choices and payout options. If you do this, be sure to keep your contact information up-to-date so you’ll continue to receive statements and other pertinent information.

Generally, you’re only able to leave your money in your previous employer’s plan if your account balance is over $5,000. Review your current plan carefully for its specific conditions.

Rollover To New Employer’s Plan

You may be able to move your assets

12 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY

a different process and that term causes confusion in this context.)

You’ll want to review the investment choices and flexibility in your new employer’s plan. Investment choices and withdrawals may be more limited than your previous employer’s plan. In addition, you may have to wait a year or more to be eligible to participate.

Cash Out Of Your Old Plan

You don’t have to wait until you retire to access the money in your retirement plan.

It’s yours, and cashing out will provide you with a lump-sum cash distribution in the form of a check payable directly to you.

Be forewarned: There are many caveats to this option, mainly that you’ll have depleted your retirement savings account and will need to start over again. Also, you won’t receive the balance of your account ? that amount will be taxed significantly. Not only will you pay income tax on the distribution, your employer will be required to withhold 20 percent for federal income tax purposes.

You may also be assessed a 10 percent penalty tax for making a withdrawal from a 401(k) before age 59½.

Keep An Eye On The Future

Remember, saving and planning is key to a comfortable retirement. Whatever you choose to do with your 401(k) when you change jobs, be sure your decision is in line with your retirement goals.

KARY LANDRY is a State Farm® agent in Bossier City.

PERSPECTIVE

ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRONT

Let Job Opportunities See the Light of Day

You have certainly heard it before – per, or on highly visible job sites like if a job opening exists but a job seeker Monster.

Let’s look at this situation from the never sees it, does it really exist at all?

Well, you’ve heard something along job seeker’s perspective. You have just graduated from a university, commuthose lines anyway.

What you have definitely heard, and likely experienced ANGIE WHITE in your own life as a parent, aunt, brother or friend, is that loved-one is moving away from North Louisiana to one of those big shiny cities where they say jobs are plentiful, opportunities for a career are better.

At the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, we regularly visit with existing employers in nity college or technical school, or our region, sometimes just to check in maybe are a few years into your first and see how business is holding up, real job and are thinking about trying and other times because there is a spe- to grow your experience portfolio so cific opportunity or challenge they are you can move up the career ladder. facing. In many of these meetings, You get on the Internet and search for employers are stressed because they what is available in the local market, are having trouble finding the employ- but you find little out there for people ees they need to keep business run- with your skill set. So you naturally assume there are no jobs for you here ning smoothly.

Upon further questioning, we often in North Louisiana and decide to move discover that the employer prefers to to a city where you hear jobs are plenuse word of mouth from existing tiful.

This is a very real scenario. It hapemployees as their primary recruitment tool, because it has worked for pens every day. You’ve heard it them in the past. For many small referred to as “brain drain,” the loss of businesses, the business owner serves our most skilled and educated resias the HR manager and recruiter. dents to other communities.

To employers in North Louisiana They often argue that if they post a job opening out there in the world – in the that struggle to find qualified candinewspaper, on Monster or another job dates, I offer a few suggestions. First, listing site – they receive a barrage of consider using a staffing agency. resumes from people clearly not quali- There are many well-regarded staffing fied based on the job description, and agencies in our region that will be Visit they have to spend lots of time weed- eager to work with you. ing through all of them to find maybe www.workthisway.org/job-seekerone or two worth calling. That is valu- links/ to view a list of them and links able time they are not spending oper- to their websites.

Another inexpensive solution is to ating their business, and for them it’s establish relationships with Career not worth it.

Another common complaint from Services offices at regional colleges employers is that in addition to not and universities. Most often it is free having the time to screen the resumes to post your job openings with them, of inappropriate candidates, they do and it is rare to find a college student not market job openings because it is today that is not required to have an expensive to list them in the newspa-

Opinion

See, WORKTHISWAY, Page 14

BUSINESS MONTHLY| October 2012 | 13

Benefits: It’s Not Just Business Monthly Publisher Health Insurance Anymore Continued from Page 5 Expands Advertising Team NEWS BUSINESS PEOPLE

The Bossier Press-Tribune has announced the addition of Denise Ogletree and Cyndi Crocker to its advertising and marketing team.

“This is a big step forward for the BPT. We are very excited to have both Denise and Cyndi with us as a part of our sales team and our team at large here at the BPT,” said Advertising Manager Randy Brown. “I look forward to working Ogletree with them and to us becoming Bossier's marketing team.”

Crocker, a Wisconsin native, married her husband, Todd, in March and the pair now calls Bossier City home.

Mother of two daughters and one son — Chrystine, 19; Emily, five; and Johnathan, 17.

Her hobbies include photography, computers, meeting new people, seeing new sights, and spending time with her husband and families.

“I am very excited to make Bossier City my new home and to start my career at the Bossier PressTribune,” exclaimed Crocker.

Born in Freehold, NJ and raised in San Diego, Calif., Ogletree moved to Haughton in 1997.

14 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY

She met her husband and Haughton native, of 17 years while he was stationed on a ship in the Navy in San Diego. They have a beautiful daughter named Miranda that is a junior at Haughton High School and three dogs — two labs and a “goofy” great dane named Lilie.

A 2005 graduate of Bossier Parish Community College, Denise said she was “in Crocker the company of some of the greatest educators (she'd) ever met.”

Her hobbies include watching her daughter play softball, making recipes she has discovered on Pinterest, and dabbling in crafts such as sewing and scrapbooking.

She recently began playing tennis and is also an active member of Quota of Shreveport, serving as the vice president.

“I am excited to see our team at the BPT grow and meet the needs of the community,” said Publisher David Specht, Jr. The Bossier Press-Tribune publishes NWLA Business Monthly.

— BUSINESS MONTHLY

able to 50 percent of workers in small establishments, 79 percent of workers in medium size establishments and 86 percent of workers in large establishments.

But the idea of incentives has changed over time. Now, especially younger employees, are cherishing Alternative Benefits — options offered to employees outside the scope of traditional benefits such as a vacation savings program, pet insurance, or even paid “nap time.”

Alternative Benefits trends include: n Cafeteria plans — Employees typically receive a certain dollar amount from the company for benefits each year and the employee then has the choice of the benefits and program levels in which they wish to participate. n Supplemental insurance — Employees can group different insurance needs such as disability, hospital indemnity, accident, or cancer with their other benefits through the employer. n Pet insurance — A policy that covers medical problems for dogs, cats, birds, and other exotic pets. n Vacation savings programs — Payroll deductions that allow

employees to save up for their vacations. n Health savings accounts — Paying for any medical expenses not covered by regular health insurance with the option to withdraw the saved money when time for retirement or to move on. n Wellness programs — Plans that cover gym memberships, massages, stress relief products, or healthy lifestyle education courses. n Breaks/entertainment options — A regular option for employees to partake in company-sponsored teambuilding or educational trips (such as camping trips or visiting conferences out of town), free lunches, or built-in break time (naps, free snacks in the break room, an office pool table, a video game system in a pre-determined lounge).

In these troubling economic times, it is proven that money doesn’t always speak the loudest. There are ways to keep morale high among staff without spending a lot of money in the process.

SEAN GREEN is managing editor of the Bossier PressTribune and a contributor to Business Monthly. He may be reached via email at sean@bossierpress.com.

WORKTHISWAY: Companies need to be be active in search for employees

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internship as a requirement for graduation, so you know they have acquired some experience in a work setting. And most all career services offices market their services to alumni as well as current students, so you may be able to find candidates with significant experience.

At a minimum, if your company has a website you should be posting job openings there (it’s free), so that when a qualified candidate is looking for jobs online there is a higher chance they will find you. If your business has a Facebook page, that is another excellent way to let job seekers know you have an opening.

This will seem like a lot of work to

small businesses. And it is. But what is the risk to your business if you continue to struggle to find talent? What is the risk to our region if we don’t halt the brain drain? In order to address these very real concerns, jobs that offer family-sustaining wages and opportunity for career growth will have to come out of hiding.

ANGIE WHITE is Vice President of Workforce Marketing at the North Louisiana Economic Partnership. She oversees the North Louisiana Employment Opportunities Network, or NEON, which uses online tools to market North Louisiana and its employers to job seekers. Learn more at www.workthisway.org.

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16 | October 2012 | BUSINESS MONTHLY