Is becoming a certified sustainable or green printing operation a priority for you? If not, you may want to take a closer look at what certification can do to transform your business. Many print customers are demanding that their products be produced in a sustainable fashion. In addition to meeting customers demands, sustainable business practices provide business benefits as well as protect the environment. Companies that have become certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership have been able to cut their operating costs, increase their productivity, and reduce their impact on the environment. In an exciting development, New York State has become the first state to preference printing companies certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership. This means that decision makers in the state are encouraged to issue contracts to printing companies who follow SGP’s standards in sustainability. By making this decision, New York clearly announced their positive stance on a drive for a greener tomorrow. “The decision to give preference to SGP-certified facilities is significant, as it formally recognizes the value that SGP certification provides for sustainability and sustainable print procurement,” commented Gary Jones, Assistant Vice President of EHS Affairs at Printing Industries of America and SGP board member. “This is the first step in a wide-scale recognition that facilities certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership are able to meet the needs of those print customers that have made sustainability a part of their print procurement specifications.” If you’d like more information on the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership or how your business can become more environmentally friendly, contact our Environmental Health and Safety department by emailing Gary Jones by clicking...

This post was contributed by Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President, Human Relations, Printing Industries of America. In this installment, Jim discusses the role of 401(k) plans in your business. Two interesting studies were released in May analyzing various statistics of 401(k) plans in 2014. First, Financial Engines reported that as many as 25 percent of employees are not taking full advantage of their company’s match to the 401(k) plan. They calculated that these employees are, on average, missing out on $1,336 a year of “free” employer money. Calculated over 20 years, this equates to $42,855 (including investment gains). Second, Aon Hewitt reported that 2014 average 401(k) balances increased by 10.2 percent ($100,320).  Plus, Aon Hewitt found that 401(k) participation increased to 79 percent, the highest rate since the company began tracking in 2002. On a side note, printers who won in PIA’s 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program had an average employee contribution of 6.1 percent. Tip: Want to get your 401(k) metrics up? Is your firm having trouble passing non-discrimination testing?   Run an article in your company’s employee newsletter with your average and cumulative employer match “left on the table.” If your average employee 401(k) balance is not $100,000, then challenge your employees to do something about it—it’s their retirement after all. Plus, compare your participation rate to the national average (according to Aon Hewitt). When your employees retire, they will thank you. For additional HR resources, news, and more, visit...

This post was contributed by Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President, Human Relations, Printing Industries of America. In this installment, Jim discusses the role of 401(k) plans in your business. Two interesting studies were released in May analyzing various statistics of 401(k) plans in 2014. First, Financial Engines reported that as many as 25 percent of employees are not taking full advantage of their company’s match to the 401(k) plan. They calculated that these employees are, on average, missing out on $1,336 a year of “free” employer money. Calculated over 20 years, this equates to $42,855 (including investment gains). Second, Aon Hewitt reported that 2014 average 401(k) balances increased by 10.2 percent ($100,320).  Plus, Aon Hewitt found that 401(k) participation increased to 79 percent, the highest rate since the company began tracking in 2002. On a side note, printers who won in PIA’s 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program had an average employee contribution of 6.1 percent. Tip: Want to get your 401(k) metrics up? Is your firm having trouble passing non-discrimination testing?   Run an article in your company’s employee newsletter with your average and cumulative employer match “left on the table.” If your average employee 401(k) balance is not $100,000, then challenge your employees to do something about it—it’s their retirement after all. Plus, compare your participation rate to the national average (according to Aon Hewitt). When your employees retire, they will thank you. For additional HR resources, news, and more, visit...

What factors make a company a top place to work? This is an important question considering the average time an employee stays in a job is only about 4.5 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To employers this means more time and resources spent toward recruiting and training new employees. People leave jobs for a number of reasons, including poor management practices (“I can’t get along with my boss”) and lack of motivation and engagement. But there are also many practices you can implement to make them want to work for your company and be a more satisfied, productive employee. We’ve compiled key stats from the print and graphic arts industry’s top workplaces. Based on data provided by the 2014 winners of the Best Workplace in the Americas program, we can say that 69.6% recognize employees and have an average voluntary turnover rate of just over 7%. Take a look at the infographic below and see how your company compares. And if you think you have a great place to work, consider entering the 2015 Best Workplace in the Americas program. Download the infographic, HR Secrets from the Industry’s Top...

What factors make a company a top place to work? This is an important question considering the average time an employee stays in a job is only about 4.5 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To employers this means more time and resources spent toward recruiting and training new employees. People leave jobs for a number of reasons, including poor management practices (“I can’t get along with my boss”) and lack of motivation and engagement. But there are also many practices you can implement to make them want to work for your company and be a more satisfied, productive employee. We’ve compiled key stats from the print and graphic arts industry’s top workplaces. Based on data provided by the 2014 winners of the Best Workplace in the Americas program, we can say that 69.6% recognize employees and have an average voluntary turnover rate of just over 7%. Take a look at the infographic below and see how your company compares. And if you think you have a great place to work, consider entering the 2015 Best Workplace in the Americas program. Download the infographic, HR Secrets from the Industry’s Top...

This post was contributed by Leslie Groene, Groene Consulting, and instructor of several new online Sales Courses available in Printing Industries of America’s Integrated Learning Center. It’s no secret that the role of a salesperson has changed. The Internet provides your customers with an infinite number of options making it impossible to compete on price alone. Customers are 57% through their buying process before they seek engagement with suppliers. Your customers expect more; to seal the deal, they want top-notch customer service and value-added benefits.  Shift 1: Salesperson to Consultant You want your sales team to grow your existing customer base, acquire new ones, and/or win back those customers you may have lost. To do this, salespeople must build relationships and become a solutions provider, asking, “How can I become a part of their team as a consultant? How can I give them more leverage and success with their clients?” The sad truth is, there’s a lot of poor customer service out there. What did you do the last time you had a negative experience with a company? Many salespeople just aren’t aware of how their attitudes affect customers. Here’s a look at how customers respond to poor service from sales consultant, Leslie Groene: 96% of unhappy customers do not complain, they just stop doing business with you. 91% of those who don’t complain will share the negative story with at least 9 other people, 13% will tell more than 20 other people about their experience. The average unhappy customer will remember the incident for 23 years. The happy customer will talk about the pleasant experience for 18 months. For every complaint heard, the average company has 25 other customers with the same problem. Like a consultant, salespeople need to focus on improving their client’s business performance, which means they need to have the understanding and have experience to help their clients solve problems. They’re not selling a product or service; instead they’re selling value. Shift 2: Price-driven to Value Driven If you’ve ever lost a sale because a customer said, “Your prices are too high,” it’s time to shift your strategy to adding value and not focusing on a low bid. Start by building a relationship with your customer. This is not like flipping a switch. Like any relationship, it needs to be cultivated and nourished. Here are the four steps to developing a healthy, profitable relationship with your clients: Develop trust (40%)—Be consistent and follow through Identify their true needs and wants (30%)—How can you help their business grow Present a solution (20%)—Strategically engage their needs and wants Confirmation (10%)—Close the sale, gauge relationship, and proceed to next step After you’ve developed this relationship, you’re more prepared to...