I was intrigued a few months ago when the 2011 Best Places to Work in Indiana winners came out and Horseshoe Casino in Hammond was listed. First, not enough gaming/entertainment organizations participate in this employee evaluation process. Second, the odds (no pun intended) are somewhat stacked against such a business compared to the more traditional "office settings" that make it easier to promote a strong workplace culture.

So I went to Horseshoe to find out what makes it tick. Hopefully this short story in our BizVoice magazine makes the case that management does understand the varied needs of the team members and that those employees are dedicated to both creating the best customer experience and to each other.

Sure, Horseshoe placed 36th out of 36 large companies. But just making the list was a huge honor – really. All 70 companies selected are winners, and all those who participate in the process should be congratulated for listening to their employees and doing what they can to improve their workplaces.

Here’s the rest of the BizVoice coverage; an action-packed awards night video; and program information if your organization wants to be involved in the coming year. 

I’m fortunate to sit on our Wellness Committee here at the Chamber. We develop ways to encourage staff to eat better, exercise more, and take advantage of the state’s wonderful parks. Additionally, the Chamber now houses the Wellness Council of Indiana, which is doing great things under the leadership of Chuck Gillespie. But some businesses out there may be hesitant to invest time and resources into staff wellness. This article from Media Health Leaders may help you see the benefits:

If employers entice and incentivize employees to take better care of themselves, by losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising, etc., then the healthier life style will result in lower medical costs, which will be reflected in lower health insurance premiums, and other costs associated with employer-based health plans.

It’s a remarkably simple theory. Until recently, however, it’s been just that: theory. It’s been difficult to consistently demonstrate savings generated by wellness programs. As the wellness movement matures, however, more studies prove they are a worthy return on investment.

Highmark Inc., the Pittsburgh-based health insurers, have published the findings of a four-year study which found that healthcare costs rose at a 15% slower rate among wellness participants who were offered a consistent and comprehensive wellness program over several years, when compared with employees in a control group who did not participate in wellness programs.

The study of select Highmark employer group wellness programs showed that the savings per participant was $332 a year, when compared with the control group of nonparticipants. Actually, the savings could be considerably higher, says Jennifer Grana, a director at Highmark, because the study does not factor in the cost of lost productivity and absenteeism due to health issues.

Would you rather work four 10-hour days than five eight-hour days? It’s been a topic of debate for a few years now, and MSNBC has the latest story about a private company that’s about to give it a shot:

Bert Martinez, CEO of a business-training firm in Houston, has decided to blow away the five-day workweek for himself and his staff of 28.

Starting next month the entire company is going to work for four ten-hour days instead of five eight-hour days, and the company’s workweek will stay that way if productivity and profits stay the same or increase. It’s all part of Martinez’s strategy to take back his personal life, and his general inclination to shake things up at the firm.

“I want to spend more time with my family, and I’m really curious to see if results are going to stay the same,” Martinez said. “Will we lose money or make money? We’ll see what happens.

Martinez may be onto something. While his experiment may sound unusual, it’s actually part of a growing movement to rethink the standard five-day, 40-hour workweek that has been around in this country since the New Deal.

One larger example of the phenomenon is seen in Utah. In 2008, then-Gov. Jon Huntsman launched the “Working 4 Utah” plan to shift state workers who were putting in five-day weeks to a Monday-through-Thursday, 7 a.m.-to-6 p.m. work schedule. The verdict: Employee satisfaction, energy savings and a boon for the environment.

“I don’t think we have any plans to go back to five days,” said Jeff Herring, executive director of the Utah Department of Human Resource Management. Still, he added that the state is continuing to monitor the new work system to make sure it’s saving money and working both for employees and the public that uses state services.

It’s a radical idea and not without its critics. Utah State Rep. Michael Noel called the initiative “stupid” in a New York Times article last week that said other states are considering following Utah’s lead. Some experts question whether we would ever be able to abandon the five-day grind so entrenched in corporations and society at large.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that publishes an informative update titled Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State. While much attention has been paid to the rising deficit, yearly regulatory compliance costs are estimated to be AT LEAST $1.7 TRILLION.

Freshman congressman Todd Rokita (R-4th District) and the Indiana Chamber want to do something about that. In an effort to bring to light the harm that many federal regulations do to Hoosier businesses, a new initiaitive has been launched. "Cutting Red Tape, Creating Hoosier Jobs" is a way for business owners and managers to communicate directly to Rokita on issues critical to their business success.

The congressman offers more details in this letter. The Chamber has established a dedicated web site where you can provide feedback on proposed, pending or existing federal regulations. You can also submit through mail to Cam Carter at the Indiana Chamber or via email to federalredtape@indianachamber.com.  

What kind of regulations are we talking about? The EPA trying to regulate carbon dioxide emissions through the Clean Air Act is a prominent one. But there are thousands of other "red tape" examples, rules that simply provide additional compliance headaches with little or no benefits.

Rokita needs specific cases (with impacts on business operations or new job creation) in his effort to see a return to limited, common sense government.

For those especially interested in regulatory issues, you may wish to join our D.C. Fly-in in September.

Companies striking the right balance of taking care of employees while operating a successful organization were recognized tonight at the Indiana Roof Ballroom by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. The group unveiled rankings for the 70 companies from throughout the state that made the 2011 Best Places to Work in Indiana list (which was released February 22). The awards dinner was presented by Comcast.

Two Central Indiana companies walked away with top honors. E-gineering, a technology consulting firm on the northeast side of Indianapolis that began operations in 2000, garnered first place in the small to medium-sized employer category. Among large employers it was the Microsoft Corporation, whose local office has delivered business consulting on software and technology solutions for more than 20 years. Both companies are new to the top spot; for E-gineering, this is the first year participating in the program.

Five companies — Ash Brokerage (Fort Wayne), Columbus Regional Hospital, Edward Jones (statewide), Katz, Sapper & Miller (Indianapolis) and KPMG (Indianapolis) — have made the Best Places to Work list all six years of the program’s existence.

The top companies in the state are determined through employer reports and comprehensive employee surveys. Winners were selected from two categories: small to medium-sized companies of between 15 and 249 U.S. employees, and large-sized companies consisting of 250 or more employees nationwide. Out-of-state parent companies were eligible to participate if at least 15 full-time employees are in Indiana.

The Best Companies Group, which handled the selection process, oversees similar programs in 21 other states.

"E-gineering and Microsoft embody what strong workplaces should look like – they are rooted in respect, teamwork and good communication, and, where possible, promote professional growth," states Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. "All the organizations honored tonight are exemplary employers that foster a positive and productive work environment."

See the full release here.

If you manage people at your business, you know it can be tough. You want to walk that balance of being nice and garnering respect and getting the job done. While you shouldn’t be a pushover, BNET does have some recommendations on things you shouldn’t say to your employees unless you don’t mind them taping a picture of your face to a dartboard.

Here are 8 things a good leader should never say to employees:

1.“I’m in charge, so this is what we’re going to do.” Dealing with different opinions or even open dissent is challenging for any leader and can make you feel defensive and insecure.  When that happens you might be tempted to fall back on the golden rule:  She who has the gold makes the rules.  Don’t.  Everyone knows you’re in charge; saying you are instantly destroys any feelings of collaboration, teamwork, and esprit de corps.  When you can’t back up a decision with data or logic, possibly that decision isn’t the right decision.  Don’t be afraid to back down and be wrong.  Employees respect you even more when you admit you make a mistake.

2.“I have a great opportunity for you.” No, you don’t; you just want the employee to agree to take on additional work or the project no one wants.  If you say, “Mary, next week I’m assigning you to work on a new project with our best customer,” she immediately knows it’s a great opportunity.  If you say, “Mary, I have a great opportunity for you; next week I’m assigning you to sort out the problems in our warehouse,” she knows she just got stuck with a less-than-plum assignment.  Any opportunity that really is great requires no preface or setup.  Don’t sell.

3.“Man, this has been a long day.  I’ll see you guys.  It’s time for me to get out of here.” No employee wants to feel your pain. From your perspective, running a business can be stressful, draining, and overwhelming.  From the employee’s perspective you have it made because you make all the rules.  Don’t expect employee empathy; instead talk about how today was challenging and everyone pulled together, or how you really appreciate that employee’s help. Read the rest of this entry »

A positively unscientific look at people’s names and their professions nevertheless yielded some interesting results. LinkedIn provided the information; Ragan.com offered this summary:

Want your kid to grow up to be a CEO? Name him Peter, Bob or Jack. Oh, she’s a girl? Then try Deborah, Sally or Cynthia.

At least that’s what some people are concluding from LinkedIn’s data crunch of the names of 100 million professionals on its network.

Anyone who has sat staring bleakly at the potbelly of a patrolman writing a speeding ticket may be interested to hear the top three names for cops are Rodney, Pete and Darrell.

If you’re grooming an athlete, you may wish to try Ryan, Matt or Jessica—although gender may matter: Nobody wants nose tackle named Jessica, even if there is a coach named Lovie.

As for HR, the top names are Emma, Katie, Claire and Jennifer (but then you already knew that).

As for the nicknamed male CEOs—the Bobs and Jacks—vs. the more formally named Deborahs and Cynthias, LinkedIn has this observation:

“Onomastics specialist Dr. Frank Nuessel suggests that shortened versions of given names are often used to denote a sense of friendliness and openness. Female CEOs, on the other hand, use their full name to project a more professional image.”