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Photo courtesy of Lena Atkinson
What is Montessori?
Rather than explaining what Montessori is, I am offering an excerpt from an article that does a beautiful job of describing what Montessorians do. Maria Montessori's Decalogue is a set of 10 rules for adults working in a Montessori classroom. It is relevant to parents, grandparents, and caregivers of all types who strive to relate to children peacefully and respectfully in any environment.
I hope you will enjoy this expanded version of the Montessori Decalogue as written by The Mammolina Children's Home Montessori Kindergarten in Beijing, China.
The Montessori Decalogue
1. Never touch the child unless invited by him (in some way or another).
Unless there is a very strong reason to (like avoiding an accident, for example), one should never touch a child unless a child requests it. Picking up a child without the child's consent, even if in a playful manner, or grabbing her hand, pushing her, etc., should always be avoided. If children are engaged, looking at a book, working, playing, resting, the same principle applies. Children invite contact in many ways, and parents and adults in general, who work with children, know how to interpret the signs they send. It is important also to respect a child when she is angry and does not want to be touched or picked up.
2. Never speak ill of the child in his presence or absence.
Speaking ill of a child, or making negative comments about a child, either in the child's presence or absence, denotes lack of respect for the child. It also sets a frame of mind and denotes an attitude that is negative and conducive to confrontation—and not always open! Preconceived ideas often linger as negative thoughts and breed reactive behavior. If an adult falls into this trap, it is very easy for a lack of patience and negative attitudes to creep in and damage the relationship with the child.
3. Concentrate on strengthening and helping the development of what is good in the child, so that its presence may leave less and less space for what is negative.
If adults focus on negative behavior, children will feel inadequate. This will result in low self-esteem, and a self-fulfilling prophecy like behavioral patterns will take over. Negativity will become second nature. Instead, by focusing on what is positive, the child will feel safe and confident. Children are learning what is and is not acceptable behavior can and cannot be done, etc. They do not need punishments or rewards. Simply to be shown what is and is not acceptable, by adults that model appropriate behavior.
4. Be proactive in preparing the environment, take meticulous and constant care of it. Help the child establish constructive relations with it. Show the proper place where the means of development are kept and demonstrate their proper use.
If the child is presented with a prepared environment, there is little need for much more. Again, modeling appropriate behavior is essential. A child that is shown an orderly environment will likewise feel encouraged to keep it orderly. If a child has available manipulatives she can handle, play and work with, rather than things she cannot touch, she will feel at ease to explore the world around her. If objects are at reach, that the child may break or hurt herself with, she should be shown how to handle them, rather than told "don't touch!" A kitchen is a world full of wonder for a child! Cutting, cooking, stirring, pouring, etc., are all activities the child will want—and need!—to master in order to become independent. Include the child in as many activities as possible at home, from cleaning to cooking; there is enough to keep any child busy and engaged all day long.
5. Be ever ready to answer the call of the child who stands in need of you, and always listen and respond to the child who appeals to you.
There is nothing worse for a child than to feel insecure and ignored. Abandonment is a feeling no child should have to live with. "If a child asks for attention, then that child needs attention," stressed Montessorian Margaret Homfray. When people brush a child aside and say, "she just wants attention," that person is missing the point: a child only wants attention when she needs attention. Children who feel cared for and do not have to worry about being abandoned, even if for a short time, are far more likely to care for others and show concern for and trust others, than those who experience this sort of "cold shoulder" treatment. Also, "timeout" and "go to your room and stay there" approaches are also expressions of abandonment.
6. Respect the child who makes a mistake and can then or later correct it herself, but stop firmly and immediately any misuse of the environment and any action which endangers the child, its own development or that of others.
Avoid rushing to correct mistakes a child has committed. Children are learning to cope and function. They will persist and practice to their heart's content whatever skill they need to acquire, until they master it. If a child starts throwing things around and disrespecting the environment, by all means, stop her. Yet, explain why you had to stop her. Reason and listen to what the child may have to say. Maria Montessori said that "a child's first tantrums are the first ills of her soul." There is always a reason for everything. Try to bring the reason to light. Punishing, isolating the child, etc., will only feed her pain, and burry deep those reasons—she will learn to hide rather than communicate.
7. Respect the child who takes a rest or watches others working or ponders over what she herself has done or will do. Neither call her nor force her to other forms of activity.
A child that is idle is often not idle at all… Children need to be given space to find what it is they are interested in and want to do. Once they do, they pursue their interests with unrestrained passion and perseverance! A child that is observing other children or adults is also learning. If the child is resting, she is not being lazy and doing nothing just lying there—she is most probably processing information, observing, reflecting on something she did, or saw, or is planning on doing.
8. Help those who are in search of activity and cannot find it.
Be sensitive to the needs of the child including differentiating when apparent inactivity is inner activity, or in contrast, a child is simply lost. A child in search of activity and unable to find it is usually restless. If sitting or lying down, it can be noticed that she is not "engaged;" she is not resting, but simply lost and prostrated. There is a thin line that separates these two worlds. It is the adult's responsibility to observe carefully and find out the signs—often very different from child to child—that can reveal what the child is experiencing. Abandonment differs from rest and contemplation.
9. Be untiring in repeating presentations to the child who refused them earlier, in helping the child to acquire what is not yet her own and to overcome imperfections. Do this by animating the environment, with care, with purposive restraint and silence, with mild words and loving presence. Make your ready presence felt to the child who searches and hide from the child who has found.
A child may need to be shown the right way to do something, say a word, express her feelings or acquire any sort of new skill, many, many times. One should never grow tired of repeating it, such as reading the same bedtime story or singing the same jingle. Children seek perfection in all they do until they reach a level which meets their needs (not what the adult may think "perfect" is, or means.) To be always available but not intrusive is an art. When a child needs help, she will ask for it. When a skill has been acquired and the child no longer needs assistance, adults should respect the child's new acquired or reached level of independence.
10. Always treat the child with the best of good manners and offer her the best you have in yourself and at your disposal.
Children who are respected will learn to respect others. Giving the child the best one has to give helps the child learn that you are someone she can count on, and teaches her to also give others the best she has to give. It is important the way Montessori puts it, "the best you have in yourself," as if to say, always reach higher, but do not feel dismayed if you fall short, and "the best" that you can give is not the best you think or know you should give. If your best manners are not always what they should be—a common feeling parents harbor when children seem to be pushing their patience beyond the limits, do not lose heart. The way Dr. Montessori put it, is basically this: have realistic expectations towards the child, and yourself too. Give the best you have to give, but don't feel guilty if you fall short. Simply keep striving to improve and always do your best. If you commit a mistake, giving the child your best may well be recognizing it and apologizing. "Amy, Mommy got upset and shouted. That was not nice of me. I am sorry." Children also need to recognize mistakes, learn to apologize, and that parents are not always perfect.
These are basic principles. What Montessori strives for is to protect the child from all sorts of negative influences that can create deviations in the child's spirit and psyche. To preserve the natural curiosity of the child, help her find her interests, protect her passion for learning, foster it and let it grow in a healthy way. In this way, the child can contribute her best to society. This is conducive to world peace, as Dr. Montessori envisioned it, and Montessorians believe is possible. It takes passion, it takes commitment, and it takes working together.
- Excerpted from Montessori: Committed People with a Passion for Children by the Mammolina Children's Home Montessori Kindergarten in Beijing, China.
The s-word is in our forecast this week. I don't know anyone who is happy about the October SNOW except for my allergy-suffering friends. With the snow come cold temperatures and at MSGL we play outside year-round, so it's important for children to have warm and practical clothing to wear every day. For the past 12 years I greeted the children on the playground at 8:30 am, snow or shine. To help you prepare for this week and the next six months (it hurts me to say that), I have compiled for you:
Miss Heather's Top 10 List for Child Comfort and Parent Happiness: Winter Edition
1. Check the forecast. Every class - Toddler through Elementary - goes outside when the temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Check the weather forecast each day before leaving the house to make sure your child will have the appropriate cold-weather gear for that day.
2. Go with the low. Consider the time of day your child will be outside. The forecast may call for a high temp. of 63 degrees, but the temperature at 8:30 am might only be in the 40's. Some classes start outside, some go out at 10:15, some at 11:00. The afternoon and Elementary classes go out at varying times throughout the week. Provide clothing for the day's low temperature and your child should be well-prepared.
3. Layer, layer, layer. Imagine your child as a cute, rosy-cheeked onion and help her dress in layers. Being hot and sweaty outside in the cold is just as uncomfortable as shivering. If your child can take off a sweater or push back her hood and unzip her coat, she will be able to regulate her body temperature and still enjoy the time outside.
4. Listen to your child. Trust your child to make decisions about his comfort. The only way we can learn if we are too cold is if we are allowed to feel the cold. If your child doesn't want to wear his gloves, don't sweat it. Make sure he knows his gloves are in his locker and that he can go get them if he gets cold. The same goes for his snow pants and his bulky winter coat. An active child dressed in layers with warm shoes and a hat can generally enjoy himself outside without danger of getting too cold, even in winter. If your child is listening to his body instead of chafing under a "mitten mandate" he is more likely to develop a true sense of how to dress for the weather. My friend "Z" always told his dad he didn't want to wear his coat or his snow pants or his gloves, but 10 minutes after dad left, Z would ask to go get them.
5. Start a discussion. Talk with your child about the day's weather and how to dress. Remember that the ultimate goals are safety and independence. You might say something like, "It's 30 degrees Fahrenheit. You definitely need to wear something on your hands, but you can choose if you wear your Spiderman gloves or the mittens Grandma made for you." Or try, "It's going to be 45 degrees when you go outside today. What should you pack for school?" Young children can learn to speak three languages at once. They can also learn to make clothing choices based on the outdoor temperature.
6. Get a move-on. Remember that your child is most likely playing actively outside. We might feel very cold walking from the car to the school door in a suit or a skirt and heels, but a child riding a balance bike for 10 minutes heats up very quickly.
7. Consider cold pants. Snow pants or snow suits are essential when there is snow on the ground, but some children (and some preschool teachers) like to wear them as soon as they can see their breath outside. Think of them as "cold pants" and let your child keep them in his locker from October through April.
8. Label everything. Speaking of lockers, our lockers are small. When two children share a locker it's nearly impossible to fit snow pants, coats, book bags and lunch boxes inside. PLEASE make sure every article of clothing you send to school has your child's name or your family's last name written on it where it's easy to read. All black snow pants and all Spiderman gloves look the same when there are 24 children getting dressed in the hallway. If you forget, your child's teacher will be happy to loan you a Sharpie and some masking tape.
9. Embrace the terrific outdoors. Spending time outdoors is important for everyone's health and well-being. We do not have a gym and children may not stay inside by themselves. If your child is recovering from an illness and you don't want her to be outside, please make arrangements to drop her off late or pick her up early, depending on the class schedule.
10. Stock up. Have extra winter clothing on hand, if possible. The first Snow Day of the year is much less fun when your child has left her snow pants at school. And plan to lose at least one set of gloves. If you buy three identical sets of gloves, odds are you will have at least one matching set at the end of the year. Just in case, the Lost and Found box is in the office.
If you recently moved to West Lafayette from somewhere warm and lovely, I am so sorry! But seriously, you can stock up on all the clothing your family needs to get through your first Indiana winter at J.C. Penney, Sears, Target, KMart, or Walmart. You can purchase gently-used childrens' outerwear at Once Upon a Child in Lafayette.
Below are some examples of items your child will need.
Thanks for reading and bring on the snow!
It is important to say that you are your child's most important and influential teacher. You set the tone for your child's love of learning from the very start and it is you who bridges the gap between school and home. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming.
So please join us for "Bringing Montessori Home," a Parent Development Opportunity on Wednesday, October 9th from 6:30-8:00 pm. Kelly Sallee will be presenting ideas you can use and materials you can make to prepare a home environment that will nurture your child's independence. We hope you might also share how you use the Montessori philosophy to help your child be successful in your home. Register in the office or call or email email@example.com today!
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9th
Time: 6:30-8:00 pm
Location: MSGL
Classroom: To Be Decided
Childcare available - call,
sign up in office or email Lena at email@example.com.
We hope to see you there!
Families are drawn to Montessori schools for many different reasons. Sometimes parents are looking to continue in preschool the child-centered environment they have established at home. Others wish to see their children thrive in the our enriched classrooms. Still, other families choose Montessori preschools because they want their children to learn and socialize in a non-competitive environment. Whatever the reason parents choose Montessori, they often have many questions during their child's first year.
To help answer these questions, MSGL offers a 1 ½-hour Montessori Basics class each Fall and all new families are expected to attend. Preprimary teacher Kelly Sallee presented this year's class on September 25th to a packed house of over 40 parents and grandparents. Kelly focused her presentation on the Prepared Environment, the Sensitive Periods of a child's development, and the Role of the Teacher. If you were unable to attend this year's Basics, follow this link to read more about Kelly's presentation. Below are a few tips for new parents.
Kelly's Tips for New Montessori Parents
Do your best to control the environment, not the child. Organize the child's belongings to help him be independent and successful.
Don't worry if your child is unable to sit still or to focus for long periods. "Even when we feel they're not listening, they are learning."
What's in your child's cubby does not necessarily reflect their work because many activities have no "paper" component. Look at classroom photos and videos on SmugMug to see what the children are working on in class. Your child's teacher will also have this information available for you at parent/teacher conferences.
Give your child the gift of time. Try not to rush her through tasks. When a child is allowed to dress herself in the morning it may take longer but she will develop the skills necessary for independence.
Allow your child to work without interruption, when possible. Periods of uninterrupted work strengthen a child's ability to concentrate for longer periods of time.
Allow your child to complete tasks without correction. "I don't know any adults who walk around with their shoes on the wrong feet. They will figure it out with time."
Give your child the opportunity to be a third-year student. Our mixed-age classrooms allow children to move from being the youngest who look up to role models to being the role models themselves. "Children who are the youngest in their families need the third year to be the leader that they don't get to be at home."


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Savant is all about the iPod, so it makes sense that the company would incorporate some of that love into its new Savant Select remote control.
The newly announced controller blends a fourth generation iPod touch into a slim handheld, which has all of the traditional remote features you've come to know and love, such as traditional backlit buttons and navigation keys (31 of them!).
Using Savant's TrueContol II app, this remote has touchpanel functionality inside a slimmer package. It can control everything in your AV setup, as well as lighting, climate control, security, cameras, and anything else you've got connected to a Savant Smart System.
It also allows you to switch from that control to a quick game of Angry Birds, or one of the thousands of other apps available from the iTunes Store.
Savant Select is also compatible with TrueCommand, Savant's On-TV menu, which users to browse and select multimedia content and other services easily and efficiently. Other features include the built-in Wi-Fi and a 3.5-inch Multi-Touch Retina display, which has a 960-by-640-pixel resolution.
The Savant Select is now available via authorized Savant dealers.
Follow Electronic House on Facebook and Twitter.
Sony is serious about high-resolution audio, but not necessarily at high prices.
Elan g! smart home system combines home theater and control for free-agent offensive lineman.
One of these outdoor subwoofers help put the boom into your backyard music.

subset: commoncrawl


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Florida home prices could lose another 10% this year, TD Bank forecast saysby Jeff Ostrowski
Florida home prices still haven't hit bottom, according to a dreary forecast released today by TD Bank Financial Group. Prices here "could fall by as much as 10 percent as excess inventory comes into the market," the company predicted.
"Florida's housing market still has a long way to go before it recovers," said Alistair Bentley, a TD economist.
In 2012, Florida's housing market should bounce back, thanks to affordable prices, Bentley said.
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Sport-Tek® Tech Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt. F246
Double-knit construction is the secret to this high-performance sweatshirt. Designed to keep you warm, this sweatshirt also wicks moisture for maximum comfort. A full athletic cut keeps you free to move.
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Nixstaller 0.5: Installation Assistant for Linux and Co.
Nixstaller is conceived as an installation kit for Unix systems and conducts dependency tests and supports UTF-8.
The new dependency manager establishes the installation configuration and installs said configurations according to the user's wish. With the new UTF-8 support, the project has expanded software localization. At the user's specification, Nixstaller is capable of incorporating the user's given application software language. Among the new additions is the current option to incorporate an autonomous installation process that does not require user interaction.
Software developers are able to control and view installations or to allow installation to proceed automatically with the use of Nixstaller. For controlled installation, Nixstaller enables three separate interfaces: the text-based Ncurses, the X11 based FLTK, and a GTK+2 based interface. When a user activates the controlled, diagramed installation a series of screens are displayed which can be configured using text boxes and prompts according to preference. In contrast, the automatic installation option is executed via paramaters the programmer sets on the command line. Further information is available on the project website, in addition to Tarball, the version available for download (with Nixstaller installation script included, of course). The installer works with the MIT licensed script Lua, which first appeared in 1993.
The name Nixstaller refers to the project goal of making Nixstaller compatible with as many Unix systems as possible. As a further technical goal, the project seeks to increase efficiency by making the compressed version as close to the original version as possible. In addition, the installer requires few other packets. On the project website, Opensuse 11.1 and Fedora 10, Debian Lenny, or Ubuntu 8.10 are listed as being supported by Nixstaller.
Issue 163/2014
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KDE Announces Software Compilation 4.13
New release comes with better semantic search and improvements to Kontact.
Coverity: Open Source Code has Fewer Defects
Annual code quality report shows FOSS is more secure at all project size levels.
An Even Smaller Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced an even smaller version of the tiny computer that will fit into a DIMM slot.
Freaky Privilege Escalation Attack
A new class of problems lets a malicious app pre-configure an invisible privilege update.
Facebook Rolls Out New PHP-like Programming Language
New Hack language adds static typing and other conveniences.
Fedora Announces Innovative Crytography Policy System
New crypto policy system will offer easier configuration and more uniform security.
Shuttleworth Calls for Declarative Firmware
Ubuntu founder denounces insecurity in proprietary, close-source software blobs.
New TLS Attack Takes the S out of HTTPS
Vulnerability affects many Linux web servers
Munich Adopts Kolab
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open source groupware solution.
Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.


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Manchester Pride
The Highlight of our Summer
Grab your £18 Big Weekend Spring Release Tickets here and enjoy 4 days of Pride partying at its best!
Join us for a First Class, charity evening under the iconic Concorde, book your tickets now!
Treat yourself to a Platinum Pass, giving you access to the exclusive VIP area. Available from mid March 2014!
Friday 11 April 2014
Join us for an exclusive night of fine dining, drinks and dancing under the iconic airliner Concorde...
Friday 22 - Monday 25 August 2014
The next Big Weekend takes place over the August Bank Holiday 2014. Come and join Manchester Pride for one of the biggest parties in the UK...
Saturday 23 August 2014, 1pm
Over 100 floats marching with LGBT Pride through the streets of Manchester...
Monday 25 August 2014, 9pm
Share in the spiritual heart of Manchester Pride...
Throughout August
A great range of art, sport, theatre, cinema, music wonderful LGBT events to enjoy...
SATURDAY 17 - SUNDAY 18 May
From the Great Manchester Run to dare-devil fundraising events, join Team Pride this IDAHO weekend...
The Big Weekend Spring Release Tickets are now on sale! Snap one up for £18!
Join us for an exclusive night under the iconic airline Concorde. Buy your tickets now...
Buy yours now!
Treat yourself to a Platinum Pass this Big Weekend for that VIP festival experience! On sale now.
We're Launching a number of new initiatives over the coming weeks to encourage our community to help shape the future of Manchester Pride..
We're excited to be launching a series of Listening Groups, to share ideas, starting in January...
We need you! Register your interest to volunteer with us and be the first to find out about our new Volunteer Programme...
Provide us with a soundboard, help us plan, implement and deliver...
Manchester Pride is the only UK LGBT Pride event to consistently raise money for the community each year.
Find out what we do with your money...
See how to make a donation... Become a Friend of Pride...
Each year, we operate several different funds and grant schemes to help support a wide range of people.
Fast Track Support Grants Fringe Events Fund LGF Condom & Lube Scheme GHT HIV Welfare Fund
Who we have funded
Manchester is fortunate to have a great range of supportive community groups and organisations we work with.
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The French lefties were the main pushers of the fiction that 9.11 was an American conspiracy and a set up.
They were widely dismissed at the time but now comes another incident where a French schoolteacher asked for a minute's silence for the Al Qaida killer who shot dead a young eight old Jewish kid and was later killed himself.
The teacher called for a minute's silence from her class in the city of Rouen and stated that the serial killer Mohamed Merah was a victim.
She "clearly said that Mohamed Merah was a victim, that the link with Al-Qaeda had been invented by the media and 'Sarko'," said the letter that schoolchildren in her class circulated, a copy of which was published by the Paris Normandie newspaper.
Yeah and so was Hitler.
She has been suspended though the principal stated it did not necessarily mean she was fired.
The pictures of the beautiful little eight-year-old Jewish girl the killer shot in the head are heartrending.
Not only did he kill her but also he filmed himself and later put the video on jihad sites.
This teacher should be fired immediately if not jailed for incitement. There is no excise whatever for what she did,
Why Ohio is going to vote for Barack ObamaWhich state in the union has featured the following employment developmen ... [more]
Joe DonnellyWhen Congressman Joe Donnelly declared for the Indiana Senate race he seemed to have two chances, slim ... [more]
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Orlando hotels
Orlando Hotels
Orlando hotels invite families from around the world to experience their best rooms at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resorts. Hotels in Orlando reside near aquariums and water parks, like SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild. Some hotels in Orlando offer budget accommodations, like the Clarion Inn & Suites, while Sheraton Vistana Villages boasts rooms in an all-villa hotel. Booking an Orlando hotel on International Drive insures easy access to the area's theme parks.
Orlando Quick Picks and Tips
Event planners at Orlando hotels consult the Orange County Convention Center, a nationally prominent facility, for major events, like the Orlando RV Show.
Couples staying at hotels in Orlando can indulge in Old World decadence at Victoria & Albert's, while families with children will enjoy Earl of Sandwich for its affordable dining.
Major Point of Interest
The young, young at heart and the romantic never miss a chance to see the Wishes Fireworks cascading across Magic Kingdom theme park, which surpass any hometown production.
Shopping enthusiasts staying in Orlando hotels take their business to Orlando Premium Outlet for serious savings and the Mall at Millenia for elite labels.
Any Orlando hotel is convenient for sports-minded visitors, who can attain diving certificates in about two days. Similarly, nearby Disney World helps horseback riders of all levels get in the saddle. Trails are easily accessible for jogging, hiking and walking, while Orlando's three golf clubs offer tee-times for pros and duffers alike. Guests can also see the Orlando Magic basketball team in action, as well as MLB Spring Training.
Explore other Orlando hotels by:
Orlando hotels by star rating
- 5 star hotels (7 hotels)
- 4 star hotels (53 hotels)
- 3 star hotels (114 hotels)
- 2 star hotels (64 hotels)
- 1 star hotels (4 hotels)
Travel to Orlando
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Portland >Food & Dining >
Bakeries >Crema Coffee + Bakery
2728 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR | Directions 9721445.522039 -122.637497
7 AM - 6 PM M - Sat
7:30 AM - 5 PM Sun
Neighborhoods: Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program, Buckman
One of the most universally liked coffeehouses in Portland, big airy Crema is a delightful spot for a cappuccino and fresh homemade pastry. Wifi is free and fast enough, making it a good spot to work, but it isn't uncomfortably quiet, so feel free to chat away with a friend.
It may be a 3-way tie for favorite bakery/coffee shop, but Crema's solidly on the podium with their delicious sweet or savory yummies like bacon-cheddar-apple galette or ever changing scones, cookies, and bundt cakes (chocolate-banana!)
A cavernous, noisy space, which feels cold much of the year, but the coffee and pastries are very good. Service can be hit and miss.
Customer Service @ Crema is DEAD! – I went to Crema with 4 friends to have some coffee and a snack around 5:30 on the Saturday before Halloween. I thought the place was pretty and they serve Stumptown, (love). I did not realize they were about to close, but got that info in the form of my party's food and beverages coming in to-go containers. We took a table and had just started to enjoy when the Mad Hatter (barista) came out on the floor and started to clear empty tables, slamming the chairs into place loudly. This was followed by increased volume on the music, scream rock, to levels that basically drove us out of the cafe. I can handle being told the place is about to close, that's cool. But being treated like an unwelcome guest...not appreciated. Especially when I pay for the privileged. I wont be back, and only recommend Crema to those of you who want to learn how not to treat your customers.
nickle and dime a good customer – Most of the time my experience at Crema is spot on even with the occassional wait in line. However, I feel I just got nickled and dimed for a half cup of coffee from the self service station. On occassion after spending the typical $5 - $7 on an espresso drink and pastry or quiche I grabbed a quick squirt of coffee in an espresso cup. I do realize a coffee refill runs $0.50 which is fair if you're refilling your mug, especially if all you purchased was a cup of coffee in the first place. I was told by a server what the policy is and that the owner would get them in trouble for allowing me to do this. If that's truly the case then I think the owner should take a course in customer retention 101. For what essentially costs maybe $0.20 per half cup of coffee I would be more than willing to give that away to make a 3-year, 3+ a week customer happy. In a recession customer retention is king and with a social media savvy audience which frequents this establishment I would suggest you give your servers a little flexibility in making a good business decision on the floor.
Good pastries, ok coffee, bad service – This place is very hip with good food and ok coffee. Just because you are hip with ok coffee does not mean that you can sacrifice customer service. I hope they are working on providing us with a better customer experience.
excellent pastries and coffee – Wow! coffee that doesn't taste like turpentine? how do they do it? discovered this place by accident, and bought a Red Velvet cupcake for a friend that needed cheering up. Excellent food.
i'm probably guilty of hanging out too long on the internet, but hey, there are outlets under just about every table, and to me that screams out "please plug in your laptop here". hello? ever heard of an internet cafe?
Thanks a lot! – I am very picky when it comes to my Latte. Victor was totally cool about it and it was if he could read my mind. A friend of mine and I went in looking very dodgy on 05/18/2009. We decided to get some coffee after a long day of work before we took our evening stroll.
Victor took our order. He pulled some very lovely shots which he showed us. He was fun, friendly and fantastic!
If you want to have a quality drink then come to Crema. The staff is awesome, treats are yummy and they have awesome windows for babe watching!
Love the pastries – The food is great whether you're in the mood for pastries, a sandwich or soup. Coffee lovers paradise, good orange juice, tea and hot chocolate too. Nice variety. Have found everyone there to be friendly, love the open atmosphere with the wifi.
The best – Crema is my favorite favorite place to go to meet up with friends for coffee, read a book, do homework, relax with the paper, etc. It's the best of southeast
Crema is (mostly) terrible – Crema's coffee is good but not the best. Their pastries are better than most. I've had some bad coffee and pastries though. Some girl who really needed to brush her teeth put like half a cup of cream (?!) in my Vietnamese coffee. I really didn't like seeing her crusty yellow teeth while she was making my coffee. And there's this real pretentious hipster (who wears really tight shirts though he is fat. It's not becoming, guy...) who always screws up the orders. Once, I saw him get rude to a pregnant girl because she needed her Americano iced. Um, look guy, she's pregnant and can't have a 150 degree beverage-- so don't roll your eyes. I also saw him at a bar one night calling some girl some really nasty things, for which there might be an excuse, except they weren't arguing. I think he just talks to her that way. Sad.
Look I don't really mind hipsters, but this place is filled with juvenile nastiness from the staff. One time this guy was supposed to bring me an iced Americano, but it was made wrong. For some reason he walked around the whole shop looking for me though I was sitting next to the espresso machine the whole time. When he found me he nearly shoved the drink in my hands and rolled his eyes, then waved up his arms as if I had run into his car or something. It really angered me and that piping hot drink spilled a little on my hands. I almost went over and beat the tar out of him, but instead calmed myself down and emailed the manager. Mr. Fortune was very nice and apologetic and gave me a couple gift certificates. Cool. But guess who was there when I returned! You guessed right. I can't believe that guy wasn't fired! Pretentious hipster *%&*$#@&*^.
Sometimes, the place is fairly dirty and it's hard to find a clean table. They often grab a pastry for you after handling money. Dirty! It's a cool space but it's being ruined by a bad staff, lack of cleanliness and mishandled orders. Get a new staff! Clean up a little! Do this and they will come...back.
thank you for the comments.
Perfect cappuccinos! – The first time I came in here was for a quick coffee stop and just had a cup of their house coffee, which was good stumptown but just as good as any other place. The next time I came I had a cappuccino and I've gone back every time I'm in the mood for one since. They're the best I've had anywhere, and I've had a lot of cappuccinos. The espresso is rich and smooth and the foam is thick and delicious. Their toddy and iced lattes, and iced mochas are delicious too, but the cappuccino remains my favorite. And if you're looking for dessert be sure to try the red velvet cupcakes, the frosting is delicious!
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Being a yankee transplant living in the South is an adventure. Many a redneck has given me grief over my New England-ish ways. I take flak for not pronouncing the word "aunt" as "ant." I had never heard of tornado season and I didn't know what a "fraidy hole" was until I was ready to dig my way under a house during a violent thunderstorm. For years people told me to speak slower because they couldn't understand what..I..was..saying. Huh. My northern friends have no problem understanding me because they also speak fast. I have many wonderful friends here and I'm not insulting anyone's intelligence, just sharing my own experiences.
After twenty three years of exposure, I've made a few observations and more than a few adjustments. One thing I won't adjust to is the size of the bugs. I must be living by a leaking nuclear reactor, seeing as how some of the bugs are big enough to talk back to me. It's like they marinate in a nuclear waste cocktail until they quadruple in size. I figure the government knows something I don't. Wouldn't be the first time.
The bugs in question go by several aliases, such as water bugs or sometimes wood roaches. The names depend on geography. I think in Florida they're called palmetto bugs, probably because they are the size of a small palm frond. I first encountered one of these bugs in Texas. Having lived in New England, it scared me to death. I think it had a dog in its mouth. I was a teenager at the time and found my first gray hair shortly after.
Not only are the mutant bugs plus-sized pests, they attend training camps where they become marathon runners. They always seem to know where to run for shelter, as if they've studied the floor plans ahead of time. Every once in a while I'll see one fly from a curtain rod. Touting a four inch wingspan enables them to glide in for a landing anywhere in the house. The shock of seeing this renders the homeowner temporarily paralyzed, thus affording the bug a few more precious moments of life. At this point, it's easier just to shoot them.
For years I suffered anxiety attacks if I had to kill one. It never failed. Every time a mutant bug showed itself, inevitably I was home alone. I hated the chase, which ultimately ended with a crunch. Sometimes I just dropped heavy books on them and ran away until help arrived. All that changed after I became a mother.
One night I heard my daughter yelling from the other end of the house.
Daughter: Mom! Quick! Come here! There's one of those big bugs in here! It's climbing up the wall! Hurry!
Me: Just pick up a shoe and smash it! I know you're not asking me to come kill it! Whose room is it in?
Daughter: Yours!
Me: (Darn)
Armed with a broom and a can of industrial strength bug killing spray, I made my way down the hall. My daughter and oldest son stood whimpering in my room. Useless. I requested the exact location of the offending creature. The master bathroom. Great. I couldn't see it on the wall and I wasn't about to poke my naked head through the doorway only to have this beast fall in my hair, or worse, on my face.
I decided to go around to the other doorway to gain a better vantage point. And there it was. The thing was as big as a hummingbird and it was laughing at me. I think I saw it give me the finger. Taking aim with my can of killer spray, I imagined the bug in the crosshairs. I sprayed. This stuff has a 20 foot knockdown range. He dropped like a stone. Mustering bravado, I smacked him one with the broom for good measure. You can never be sure. Ha! Who's laughing now? I swept the remains into a dustpan then tossed the carcass outside.
I am the Bug Slayer.
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I died (laughing) :)
Story of My Life by Eravita® 2014


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Making the business case for diversity
True diversity is not found in numbers. It is found in people with varying backgrounds using their experience to everyone's benefit, says Lizabeth Ardisana, CEO, ASG Renaissance.
"What we're trying to achieve is not actually diversity, although that's the buzzword for all of this, it's really inclusion," Ardisana says. "It is one thing to say you have employees who are minorities, old, young, African-American, Latino or Asian, but you have to value those differences and use them to your advantage, not just tolerate them. That's what it takes to be successful with diversity."
She says inclusion adds value to companies by providing diversity of thought, access to understanding other markets and a more interesting workplace.
"If no one told me I should do this, I would still seek out people who are different than I am because it would add significant value to me and my company. Until we get to that level of understanding and position, we have not truly experienced the value of diversity," Ardisana says.
Smart Business spoke with Ardisana about diversity and its value in the workplace.
You hear a lot of talk about diversity, but do companies follow through by taking action?
Counting the number of people you have who come from different backgrounds or putting a diversity section on your website isn't enough. It doesn't give you the value. You have to follow the talk with action. You have to move past diversity to a level of value in order to truly have inclusion.
Does that mean you need diversity in promotions as well?
Absolutely. You can't just talk about it; you have to do it from the bottom up. If you're going to embrace diversity of thought and diversity of ideas, you must also embrace it at the senior management level. Otherwise, you are not valuing it. If you've never promoted someone of a different background, you would be sending the wrong message to the rest of your company.
How do diversity and inclusion benefit companies?
First, you have to accept that an innovative and creative business is going to be a more profitable business and that new ideas, new capabilities and new markets all add profitability. Diversity of thinking comes from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures and that creates more new ideas and more innovation.
Additionally, if you have a reputation for being an interesting and creative place to work, it attracts better overall talent. We're all in a race to get the best talent and you have to make yourself attractive. Look at the companies that post one job and get hundreds of applications. These companies have a reputation for innovation, for being fun and interesting. If you look at really successful companies today, they have a significant amount of diversity, or inclusion, in what they do.
Are workplaces becoming more inclusive?
It is improving. One thing that's dramatically improved is companies are valuing age and experience, combining older employees with employees who are young and aggressive. This creates unique opportunities when they are blended together.
Diversity has to be looked at as broadly as possible and some of it is simply awareness. When I started my company, I looked around and thought about how all the people in this department look alike and all the people in this other department look alike but they don't look like each other. We hire people we're most comfortable with and don't think about it. We weren't getting the benefits of diversity and inclusion so we consciously started to think about it and took actions to practice it, and it has made a huge difference in our success as a company.
Lizabeth Ardisana is CEO at ASG Renaissance. Reach her at (313) 565-4700 or email@example.com.
To view more about ASG Renaissance's Diversity Services, visit http://asgren.com/diversityServices/diversityServices.asp.
How to develop programs that will benefit employees and your business
Healthy employees are happier and more productive employees, says Lisa Speaks, director of Human Resources at ASG Renaissance. A wellness program instituted three years ago has helped ASG Renaissance control health care costs, but the biggest benefits have been in increased productivity and employee retention.
"We hope we can see a decrease in insurance rates if our employees are healthier. But the other two pieces are more critical in terms of having an immediate impact on our bottom line," Speaks says.
A 2012 report from the U.S. Department of Health showed wellness programs reduced health care costs by 20 percent to 55 percent, cut short-time sick leave by 6 percent to 32 percent and increased productivity by 2 percent to 52 percent.
"Employees spend a good portion of their waking hours at work, so the work environment can have a powerful influence on behavior," Speaks says.
Smart Business spoke with Speaks about employee wellness programs and their benefits.
What are examples of employee wellness programs?
A wellness plan can be anything from a small health seminar held on-site for your employees to a yearlong initiative focusing on different health topics each month. For example, you might want to offer blood pressure screenings at the work site in February in recognition of Heart Health Month. The most important point is to make it convenient for your employees, so they can get the information and health screening they need without missing a lot of time away from work.
Another way to positively affect employee health is to schedule a day for a masseuse to visit the workplace. Stress can have a huge effect on your health, and relieving that stress may help your employees avoid catching a cold or flu that's circulating in your area.
One popular program in our office has been healthy cooking classes, where we've brought in an outside professional to educate our employees about healthy eating and talk to them about what they eat and how it affects their body.
Once you have taken your first step in offering a wellness program, it's important to continue to develop the program each year by adding new components. You always have to be looking for a new approach.
How do your determine what to offer?
Start by conducting an analysis of where your employees might have issues related to illness and disease. For example, asthma, weight management and diabetes are common areas of concern. There are many resources available through advocacy organizations focused on these health issues that can help you provide information to your employees explaining the risks and what they can do to alleviate the situation.
You also can work with a benefit broker, which works with firms that create wellness programs. For some programs, you might work directly with a wellness company.
ASG Renaissance has been recognized as one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies and is invited to symposiums where managers hear what other companies are doing. Likewise, you can collect information from other firms that are interested in engaging employees and keeping them happy.
Are employees offered a participation incentive?
There are several insurance programs centered on wellness that offer incentives for participation. We offer the Healthy Blue Living Program. As part of enrollment in Healthy Blue Living, employees are encouraged to visit their primary care physician in the first 90 days of the plan year for a thorough health evaluation. Following the evaluation, their physician will develop a plan to help them improve their health. Because of their participation, employees are eligible for lower copays than if they do not participate. This doesn't mean that employees have to meet their goals to be eligible for the plan incentive, they just need to take steps to improve their health.
How does encouraging employees to stay home when they are sick reduce absenteeism?
For a number of reasons, it's better to stay home when you are sick than come into work and risk getting everyone else sick, too. You're not as productive when you're sick, and co-workers are not as productive because they are concerned that they might get sick, too. If loss of work time is an issue for your employees, telecommuting — the ability to work from home — may be a benefit to add to your wellness program.
How do you measure results?
Key measurements are absenteeism and work force productivity, which could be measured in performance reviews, retention rates and the overall wellness of employee population as measured by your insurance carriers.
ASG Renaissance has not seen direct savings yet in terms of health care costs. However, the rates haven't increased as much as they were previously, and employees are getting better benefits out of their health care insurance for the same cost. The goal is to encourage prevention to avoid bigger issues down the line.
What steps should a company take to develop a program?
The key is to get feedback from your employees. There is no benefit gained by spending thousands of dollars on a workout facility that no one will use. The other thing is to take small steps. If you jump in and implement a full-blown wellness program from day one, it can be intimidating to employees. Develop a three-year plan and introduce one new initiative per quarter in year one, every other month in two year and then by year three have a different wellness initiative once a month. Have a strategy behind what you're trying to accomplish.
Lisa Speaks is director of Human Resources at ASG Renaissance. Reach her at (248) 477-5046 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Staffing is brought to you by ASG Renaissance
How to prepare for physical threats at your business
Years ago, conversations about keeping employees safe meant providing them with technical advice about the use of hard hats, goggles and other safety equipment, or training in safe lifting techniques, parking lot safety and sexual harassment policies.
"Today, physical safety ranks at the top the list of required training in most companies as our workplaces become ever more dangerous," says Laurie Bradley, president of ASG Renaissance and Blue Force Services.
Recent active shooter events in Colorado, Wisconsin and Alabama, for example, bring attention to the complexities of physical safety.
"This leads us to the question of whether or not we are doing all that is possible to mitigate unwanted physical intrusion into our workspace," she says.
Smart Business spoke with Bradley about how a company can protect itself against physical threats.
How does a company establish a physical safety program?
Safety programs are not one size fits all. They need to be tailored to reflect the presumed risks of a business in a given industry. For example, banks and financial institutions need a different safety program than a car rental business. However, generically, the process is typically initiated by performing a risk assessment. This entails mapping the physical facility and identifying the areas and entry points that may need different rules of access.
As you map your facility, determine and highlight the exit and escape routes, and define areas that would be sensitive to catastrophes such as fires, floods, earthquakes, bombings and utility failure. Review your procedure for the identification of authorized personnel and critique the systems used to do so, such as key card readers, biometric devices and cameras, to determine the possible vulnerabilities.
Consider the environment around your business, local crime rates, the interior and exterior of your building, and the perimeter of your space where public access is permitted. Develop a checklist as you examine poorly lit areas, trash areas that may present arson opportunities, the condition of walls and fences, and what tools or supplies that, left unattended, could be used to access the facility.
Who should be involved in the assessment?
Internal personnel, such as your security staff, may be utilized to determine and detail a current state report. Third-party security experts are often used to identify weakness or vulnerability to your operation and may be engaged to attempt to breach the security to illuminate risk areas.
Generally, annual third-party audits with corresponding training programs help ensure physical safety programs reflect the risks brought on because of current business and political environments. Security consultants can also make certain you are aware of the latest technology developments that may enhance physical security.
Companies wanting to launch and monitor a more robust program can access information through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Additionally, the Private Sector Preparedness Council has select program standards leading to certification. The process provides a framework for businesses to assess whether they comply with voluntary preparedness standards. Many of the program's components align with the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act, which mitigates legal and liability concerns for users of anti-terrorist technologies and products.
Can we ever really be safe?
No system or security program can guarantee absolute safety. Consider that HVAC systems are not normally equipped with detection devices and can be easily accessed — a fast way to hinder a worksite would be through the air ventilation system. Preparedness is the best defense and mitigation tactic. Focus on removing the temptation to commit a crime and monitor, enforce, educate and train your staff in the procedures necessary to reduce the possibility of a physical threat.
What if a business doesn't have a robust physical safety program already in place?
Begin the discussion on safety during general staff meetings to help raise awareness within your employee population. Walk your employees through situations and the best responses to them, such as what to do when gunshots are fired, who should call 911, what the alternate routes out of the office are, etc.
Establish a crisis management team to involve key business leaders in evaluating risk, designing and conducting on-site training, coordinating public communications, assuming command roles in an emergency and providing assistance post incident. Security programs need to be holistic and embedded in all operations of a company, not assigned to a security department.
Safety and security should begin in an employee onboarding process and carry through the lifecycle of employment as part of the corporate identity. When safety and security are closely aligned with your corporate identity, it removes some of the anxiety that can be associated with safety training. Your goal is to have informed, alert and confident employees who willingly participate in the program.
What liability might a company face for not having procedures to deal with a physical threat?
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, property managers, security firms and security and safety device manufacturers all faced lawsuits. However, there are no defining standards to evaluate disaster recovery and business continuity programs.
In a litigious environment, we create an economic disincentive to expand safety- and security-focused services. The SAFETY Act was passed to give some protection and guidelines to mitigate these concerns for providers of products or services that are used to detect, identify and defend against terrorism. Companies developing security programs should consider adopting products that follow these voluntary guidelines, demonstrating 'best efforts' to implement a safety program that represents 'best in class' as defined by the act.
Laurie Bradley is president of ASG Renaissance and Blue Force Services. Reach her at (248) 477-5321 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Staffing is brought to you by ASG Renaissance
How to tap into the growing labor pool of service members to benefit your business
A projected 175,000 service members will be exiting the military in the next year. When they return to civilian life, these young veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will face an unemployment rate of 23 percent, contributing greatly to the Department of Defense's annual unemployment compensation payments of more than $900 million. However, at the same time, there are 1.7 million high-wage, high-demand jobs open in the U.S. today that match the skills of service members, representing more than $136 billion in gross wages.
"Many service members do not fully grasp the value of their training and experience in the work force and end up underemployed or unemployed as they struggle to find work," says Laurie Bradley, president of ASG Renaissance.
Smart Business spoke with Bradley about how hiring veterans can benefit your business.
Why are veterans seemingly being overlooked in the marketplace?
Part of the reason is because it's very difficult to translate military experience into a civilian resume. For example, an infantryman with 20 years of experience in the Army might state on his resume that he 'operated weapons and tanks and dug ditches.' He needs to convey these skills in terminology recognized in the civilian world of work, such as 'supervised, trained and evaluated 35 personnel, and supported more than 2,500 troops in four countries. Core competencies include personnel management, logistics and operations.' This will help the reviewer match these skills to possible employment opportunities that may include logistics or personnel management.
Once you overcome the language barrier, you can recognize some of the softer skills people have learned in the military, for example, being entrepreneurial, which is crucial today. Service members understand how to be part of a team and have respect for a team, which can translate to any job. They also have cross-cultural work experience and have worked in very diverse environments, traits that many employers seek. The stereotype of service members just following orders and not thinking is outdated. It's a new military today that operates in ever-changing environments.
What are some industries that would benefit from veterans and their skills?
The skills of service members translate well into any industry. You want people who are not only able to learn a product or a service but also who have good communication skills and are adept at skills transfer. Our military really demands that people think on their feet and react very quickly, making the right choices in a very short timeframe. In the fast-paced business environment we all compete in today, that is a great attribute to have.
What are the benefits of hiring veterans from a marketing perspective?
The message of being a veteran-friendly environment is significant. Having a veteran-friendly message in your hiring materials helps improve a company's image, because you don't have to look far to find someone who is or who knows a soldier. It really supports a message of inclusion and speaks to the fact that a company has been thoughtful in its hiring process as it looks to source talent across a broad spectrum of potential candidates.
From a tax perspective, new rules provide for an expanded tax credit for employers that hire eligible unemployed veterans. The credit can be as high as $9,600 per veteran for for-profit employers or up to $6,240 per veteran for tax-exempt organizations.
To qualify, the employer must file a request with the local state agency for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. This applies for veterans hired on or after May 22, 2012, and before Jan. 1, 2013.
How can companies better integrate veterans into their businesses?
Start with a great outreach program. Be clear in your hiring message and have the ability to translate military resumes to determine if you have a fit. Companies should consider installing a customized onboarding program that includes a partner or coach to help the new hire navigate the civilian employment world.
The program should be sensitive to the varying needs of veterans, including those who have only been out of the service for a few months, or ones who have been back in the market for a year or more. In general, it's important to make sure your onboarding process includes cultural acclimatization to the civilian work force. Civilian corporate culture is not as black and white as the military and language and communication styles differ. Former military personnel can be formal and direct, whereas civilian communication styles can be much more nuanced. The U.S. military has a top-down system for making decisions, while many civilian companies have a more bureaucratic process.
Where can companies find veterans?
There are job boards and employment services that cater to military personnel in transition, such as Hire A Hero, careeronestop.org, or contact your State's Director for Veterans' Employment and Training (DVET).
Are there reasons a company might not hire a veteran?
Concerns range from post-traumatic stress syndrome to skills transfer and the gap between military and civilian work styles. Some employers are uncertain how to provide work site accommodations for those with physical injuries, but there are a host of resources to navigate these concerns.
Just as with civilians, you have to evaluate each person on a case-by-case basis. Employers need to spend the time in the hiring process to determine if there is a fit.
If you know that there is a pool of talent that has the skills to do the job, why wouldn't you consider putting that to work? Those who served our country are ready to transition those skills and dedication to service into the civilian world of work. Ultimately this translates into a win for both the employer and the veteran.
Laurie Bradley is president of ASG Renaissance. Reach her at (248) 477-5321 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Staffing is brought to you by ASG Renaissance
How VMS can help you standardize and control spending on contingent employees
The ability to attract, hire and retain talent remains a top concern for chief executive officers worldwide. While we experienced significant layoffs and cutbacks during the recession, talent and skill shortages are still very apparent. Companies need to be creative and expeditious in their search for talent. This has increased the prevalence of flexible labor and contingent workers.
Contingent labor is a growing expense on global operating statements. The ability to expertly manage, control and extract maximum value from this expense can be critical to a company's competitive positioning. Vendor management technology continues to be an effective way to better manage contingent labor. VMS, paired with an outsourcing partner or managed service provider (MSP), enables companies to obtain visibility into this complex spend category, creating a framework to more easily develop, implement and manage a competitive sourcing program. This puts the current supply chain under scrutiny and expands the supply chain to attract and retain best in class suppliers.
"Many companies simply use the same suppliers without ever looking at whether they could do better," says Laurie Bradley, president of ASG Renaissance. "VMS allows you better data visibility and a standardized service platform to enable controls, checks and balances. Once the data is aggregated and easily accessible customized reports can be generated to better manage budgets and project expenditures through growth periods."
Smart Business spoke with Bradley about how VMS can help standardize your contingent hiring and potentially lower your costs.
What companies are ideal candidates for VMS?
VMS is software as a service and does not require a huge capital outlay, so it is affordable to even smaller users of contingent labor. It requires time and training to install and deploy, so companies with expenditures in excess of $15 million should consider it. It is ideal for those with multiple locations and can be effective across multiple currencies. It aggregates all spend points and enables users to examine usage, cost, performance and labor trends.
Most companies that undertake this process are surprised at how much they are spending on contingent labor because there is typically not one line item identifying contingency spending. Generally, every office and plant is doing things differently. In times of recession and rapid growth, contingent users can become very creative in how they get the talent they need in spite of a hiring freeze.
How can a company get started on the process?
First, do your homework. Consider skill classifications and the types of contingent expenditures to include. This may cover temporary workers, contract workers, independent contractors and outsourced services. Due diligence should include discussions with human resources, facility managers and executives.
Once you understand what you're spending, you'll likely see there are pockets everywhere. Then the question becomes, how efficient is the current state? Are you getting the best value for dollars spent and can you quantify your return on investment to include the quality of your current service providers? Is there consistency and fairness in the pricing model?
Identify your suppliers. Are there benefits to leveraging business with a smaller supply chain? If you have 100 suppliers and can reduce to 50, giving each the opportunity for more business, could you negotiate better pricing? Until you know what you're spending, it's hard to have those conversations.
How do you begin to get your arms around it?
Start with line items where it's clear there are contingent dollars in temporary help. You might have 300 engineers at six facilities, and you're paying some $36 an hour and others $48 because the company has never put a full service request out for competitive bids. When you put it together, all of those little pockets add up to very significant spending.
Where do you start to standardize spending?
Many times, an MSP is selected by the company to operate and manage the VMS application on behalf of the company. The MSP institutes rate cards for job classifications and selects a supply base. Sometimes agencies that have supplied a company for years don't make that cut. Most MSPs encourage the customer to onboard all suppliers. Then you can systematically see where you can save money.
It can be a challenge when you start rationalizing the supply base. When tenured suppliers for price or quality reasons no longer fit the contingency staffing model, they may be eliminated. This requires a well-planned communication strategy so hiring managers understand the benefits of the new process. In addition to a learning curve on technology, they now have to deal with changes in their supplier pool.
How can companies present VMS to current suppliers?
Two biggest benefits to the supply chain: access to more orders and faster payment terms. Suppliers compete on a level playing field with access to more orders, and standardized quality and performance metrics help drive out nonperforming participants.
Who should be involved in the process?
It typically starts at the purchasing level with involvement from human resources. IT also plays a critical role as system integration is a key component of success.
How can VMS benefit businesses?
The technology of VMS, with a vendor-neutral MSP, helps companies better manage contingency labor expenditures on a standardized platform. It helps suppliers gain greater access to client requirements and provides an easy way to transmit, record and manage the lifecycle of talent. Vendor neutrality reassures suppliers they are not in competition with the MSP for staffing, breeding trust and fostering a collaborative work environment. This ensures talent requests are broadcast across a diverse supply base and ensures suppliers meet client-specific quality, performance and price guidelines.
Laurie Bradley is president of ASG Renaissance. Reach her at (248) 477-5321 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Staffing is brought to you by ASG Renaissance
How to create a culture that attracts and retains the best and brightest employees
Becoming an employer of choice can help a company attract and retain the brightest employees, best its competitors and build a reputation as an excellent employer.
But it takes more than just saying it. Instead, employers have to prove every day that they value their employees, says Brendan Prebo, executive director at ASG Renaissance.
"An employer of choice is a company that has practices in place that promote a healthy, forward-looking and encouraging environment for its employees," says Prebo. "Employees are looking for employers that allow them to think outside the box, that present a clear vision of where they want to take the company and provide employees with proper training for the job to hire and retain the best people. As a result, workers choose that employer when presented with other choices of employment, self-employment or retirement."
Smart Business spoke with Prebo about how to become an employer of choice.
How can a company begin to develop its brand to become an employer of choice?
First, it's important to realize that becoming an employer of choice is a strategy, not a tactic, and it needs to be a strategic imperative. The traditional view of HR is that it is a support function. But really good, really progressive companies — the ones that highly skilled, talented workers want to work for — have taken a new view of HR. At these companies, the head of HR sits at the table and is part of developing the strategic direction for the company.
Becoming recognized as an employer of choice requires a companywide effort, and companies must start internally. This means recognizing that their employees are their most valuable resources. Therefore, employers should take a close look at what is not working within their company before beginning to do any external marketing. At the same time, employers can't be all things to all people, so it's important to focus on the things that are important to your top performers.
It's also important to communicate to employees the company's goal of becoming recognized as an employer of choice so they understand the importance of this designation to the overall success of the company, and they can support the company in its efforts.
Employers also need to be consistent in their message and how they present it. Potential employees will be looking at an employer's website, and its Facebook and LinkedIn pages. They perform online searches, so if you have a statement on your website that says you value diversity, you need to make sure that is represented in your brand.
What kinds of things help an employer attract and retain the best employees?
Employees are looking for exciting and challenging work; career growth, learning and development; great people to work with; a good relationship with their supervisors and peers; and a company that values its employees. Compensation is an important factor, as well, but money as a motivator only creates short-term results. You may be able to attract a great employee by offering that person a large salary, or keep an employee who might otherwise leave by offering that person a raise. But money is a short-term solution.
For lasting results, you need to look elsewhere. That means providing employees with meaningful work, encouraging them to take risks and think outside the box, having a clear vision of where the company is headed, providing employees with proper training for their jobs and setting and clearly communicating performance expectations that align with the company's goals. It also means encouraging employees to continue to learn and develop their job skills, providing good leadership at every level and taking the personal needs of employees into account by offering flexible work schedules.
What are the benefits of doing these things to become an employer of choice?
Companies that are recognized as being employers of choice have an advantage in attracting and retaining the best talent. They have a more productive, motivated and committed work force, which directly benefits their customers and their brand, enhancing their competitive position and helping to build a sustainable business.
Highly skilled talent is very much in demand, and jobs in areas such as engineering, software development and project management are tough to fill. Employers need to become an employer of choice to attract that highly skilled talent, not just someone to fill a seat.
What would you say to employers who say they don't need to worry about this, and their employees should just be happy to have a job?
The days of command and control are over. If you have an aging work force, you may still be able to function that way, but younger workers are not going to stay with that kind of employer. Also, employers can't afford to have unhappy employees anymore. In today's world of social media, word travels fast, and potential employees are more knowledgeable than ever about which companies are the best ones to work for.
In addition to the loss of benefits the companies can realize by becoming an employer of choice, companies can also harm themselves by letting dysfunctional work environments go unchecked. Uncooperative, unmotivated and unresponsive employees harm companies in two ways. First is the poor performance that results, but more important is the fact that they affect everyone around them, causing your best employees to leave for better-run and better-managed companies.
By becoming an employer of choice, you will create an environment where your best employees will thrive and that will attract the best and brightest in the market.
Brendan Prebo is executive director at ASG Renaissance. Reach him at (313) 565-4700 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Last month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a $58.8 billion budget that could slash $1 billion from city spending, increase the sales tax by .25 percent (not to mention broaden it to include clothing, hair cuts and more) and seriously lean on Albany and Washington to pitch in billions of additional funding.
So that's his plan. But what would you do?
Bloomberg overturned the city's term limit so he could have a chance to lead the city through this ever-more dreary recession. With our new budget game, BALANCE, you can bypass the City Council entirely and fix our fiscal woes on your own.
Would you increase spending and raise taxes? How about the personal income tax or tolling the East River crossings? Which departmental cuts do you think are the most severe and should be reversed?
Take the reins, but make sure you end balanced or with a surplus. We're not Washington -- we can't run a deficit.
Once you're done, send us the results and we'll report back on how Gotham Gazette readers would balance the fiscal year 2010 budget.
Keep your home page set here, and we'll continue to update you on how the city's real fiscal plan unfolds between now and when our budget must be approved in June.
Play BALANCE now.
The comments section is provided as a free service to our readers. Gotham Gazette's editors reserve the right to delete any comments. Some reasons why comments might get deleted: inappropriate or offensive content, off-topic remarks or spam.
Last Updated (Mar 16, 2012)


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From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes
- "Monster Mash", Bobby Pickett
— Below, Monster Beverage is mashed after an earnings miss
Market Musings With CNBC Market Guru Robert Hum
- Recap: Dow +7.04 (+0.05%) at 13175.64, S&P +0.87 (+0.06%) at 1402.22, Nasdaq -4.61 (-0.15%) at 3011.25
- Little direction for stocks as major averages teeter between gains and losses for most of the day
- Dow, S&P 500 up for 4th day in a row
- Oil reversal: crude oil can't hold 3-month high, settles lower
- 10-year note yield hits over 1-month high after disappointing Treasury auction
Bonus Musing:
- Worst Dow stocks from Dow's May 1 high through July 31: Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems – both were down over 20%
- Best Dow stocks this month: Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems – both are up more than 6% month-to-date
The Word on the Street Tonight
Monster Beverage Gets Cheaper But Loses Glow/WSJ – Paul Ziobro & David Benoit: "Monster Beverage shares were getting punished after the energy-drink maker's sales and earnings miss estimates, stoking fears that the high-flying company's best-growth days are in the rearview mirror. The stock dropped 13% to $59 in after-hours trading, which would be the lowest point they've traded since March."
News Corp Earnings Match Forecast; Revenue Misses/CNBC.com w/ Reuters: "News Corp reported quarterly earnings that matched Wall Street's expectations but its revenue felt shy of what analysts had been expecting on Wednesday. After the earnings announcement, the company's shares fell in after-hours trading."
Zynga's Chief Operating Officer Quits After Demotion/Reuters: "Zynga's chief operating officer John Schappert has resigned, the company said on Wednesday, days after announcing the former Electronic Arts executive will no longer oversee gaming development. The social gaming company behind "FarmVille," and one of several Internet start-ups that debuted with fanfare in late 2011, shuffled its top management ranks this month as its stock continued to slide."
Ex-UBS Traders Offered Deal by U.S. in Rate Probe/WSJ – Jean Eaglesham & Joe Palazzolo: "U.S. prosecutors have agreed to shield several former UBS AG employees from criminal charges in return for their cooperation with the escalating investigation of suspected interest-rate manipulation, according to a person close to the probe. The leniency deal was offered to former traders and other employees who had relatively junior-level jobs at the Swiss bank, the person said."
Borrowing from Google, Yahoo CEO Begins Makeover/WSJ - Amir Efrati: "Yahoo Inc.'s rookie chief executive Marissa Mayer has made one thing clear to employees at the outset of her bid to revive the Internet company: Product comes first. Since taking over Yahoo three weeks ago, the former Google Inc. executive has talked with Yahoo's product leaders about how to reverse the declining usage of the company's search and email service, said people with knowledge of the matter."
Standard Chartered begins fightback on Iran allegations/Reuters: Lesley Wroughton & Steve Slater: "Cowboy local regulator or the exposer of lax federal bureaucrats? That's the key question being asked about New York banking regulator Benjamin Lawsky after his explosive charge that London's Standard Chartered bank abetted $250 billion of money-laundering transactions with Iran. Standard Chartered won help Wednesday from Britain's central bank governor, who portrayed Lawsky as marching to his own tune, and marching out of step with federal regulators in Washington. "One regulator, but not the others, has gone public while the investigation is still going on," the Bank of England's Mervyn King said at a news conference in London."
Traders Watch to See If 'Most Hated Rally' Can Get Lift Off From 1,400/CNBC – Patti Domm: "Traders are watching to see if the S&P 500 can break meaningfully above 1,400, a three-month high water mark for the stock market, which could help propel it toward a new high for the year."
Now, It Is Man vs. Machine/WSJ – Aaron Lucchetti & Brett Philbin: "In a move to repair its flagging bond-trading business, Morgan Stanley is scrambling to replace some of its well-paid bond traders with computers. The New York company is hiring programmers and technology specialists to help it trade bonds electronically and handle client orders in the hope of exploiting an expected shift in the way bonds and other fixed income products are traded. While the effort represents only a part of what the firm is doing to boost low returns in the business, the shift already has reduced the ranks of interest-rate and foreign-exchange traders on some desks by 10% to 20%."
Economic Data
830am et Initial Claims
830am et Jun International Trade
1000am et Jun Wholesale Inventories
1300pm et 30-Yr Bond Auction
1630pm et Fed Balance Sheet
1630pm et Money Supply
Before the Bell:
Advanced Auto Parts, Canadian Natl. Resources, Kohl's, Tim Hortons, Windstrea, AMC Networks
After the Bell:
Carefusion, Magna Intl., Nordstrom, Nvidia, Air Lease, DeVry, Lions Gate Ent., Scott's Miracle-Gro
Key Guests
John Woods, Citi Private Bank, Chief Investment Strategist, (4am)
Peter Moore, Electronic Arts, COO (5:14am)
David Rosenberg, Gluskin Sheff + Associates, Chief Economist (6:15am)
Shannon Miller, Former Olympian, (6:50am)
Barry Knapp, Barclays, Head of U.S. Equity Portfolio Strategy (7am)
Denise Shull, TraderPsyches, Founder (7:40am)
John Paul Dejoria, Co-founder Paul Mitchell, Patron Spirits, (8am)
John Engler, Business Roundtable, President (8:15am)
Douglas Bergeron, Verifone, Chairman & CEO(9am)
Paul Palmieri, Milennial Media, President, CEO & co-Founder (9:40am)
Deborah Weinswig, Citi Investment Research, Retail Analyst (10am)
Richard Sandor, Chicago Climate Exchange, Chairman & CEO (11:20am)
Jim McCaughan, Principal Global Investors, CEO (12pm)
David Menlow IPOfinancial.com, President (12:30pm)
Bart Chilton, CFTC Commissioner, (1pm)
Robert Olstein, Olstein All Cap Value Fund, Pres & CIO (2pm)
Michael Gibbs, Raymond James, Senior Vice President, (3pm)
Scott Wren, Wells Fargo Advisors, Senior Equity Strategist, (4pm)
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You'll need:
1 bench vice
2 pairs of vice grips
1 large drill bit (We used a 5/16 inch wide, 18 inch long bit.)
Wire (16 gauge round is a good choice.)
Hand saw & saw blades
Bees wax
Brookhart ™ Plus Ring Jig
Note Concerning Supplies: First a note about some of the supplies used here. He used what we had already. So, don't go out a buy a huge drill bit for example. Look around, and use what you have on hand. A large screw driver might work or even a nail. As far as the wire used, again, he used what we had and what he likes, which is 16 gauge round sterling wire. Use what you have or what is appropriate for your project.
Note About the Jig: Rio Grande has two jigs that are both made by Brookhart ™ and are very similar. The Jump Ring Maker allows you to both wrap the wire and saw the rings. The Plus Ring Jig does not allow you to wrap the wire, only saw the rings. However, it does have an area for cutting rings and watches, so that can be handy. This project uses the Plus Ring Jig.


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