2015 BIA Conference Wrap-up
Hey all you postpress professionals out there! Did you make it to this year’s BIA Conference? Attendees say, “the presentations were top-notch and covered a very wide range of topics,” and, “I would attend again for more of the same speakers, topics, and tours.” Benefits It’s evident that the BIA offers excellent membership perks, including professional networking, promotion, award opportunities, and the most recent BIA Conference. Here networking and learning about some of the latest advancements that enable greater value-adds to your product and service lines were some of the standout benefits. But this event also presented a unique opportunity to talk business with potential customers! The first-time co-location with the Print Leadership Summit offered face-to-face time with print customers. Takeaways Now, we all know that what’s most essential about any conference is its takeaway value. Did attendees learn anything here that they can share with their company and apply? If you ask BIA attendees, the answer is YES! One attendee said, “I came away energized, excited, and ready to share all I learned.” Download speaker Scott Warrick’s session handouts for Living the Skills of Tolerance. Take a look at what 2015 BIA Conference attendees are saying: “The convention was great. The speakers were full of information and knowledge and covered many necessary topics for businesses to hear. I came away energized, excited, and ready to share all I learned. It was fun meeting so many people from all walks of life. I still think of that week a lot and have my convention packet sitting right here in my office ready at any time to glance at if I need to. I would attend again for more of the same speakers, topics, and tours.” Landon Osborne, Vice President – Plant, Houchen Bindery, Ltd., Printing Industry Midwest Member “I thought [the 2015 BIA Conference] was really good, the presentations were top-notch and covered a very wide range of topics. This was my third time in four years! I do enjoy getting out to see the tours also. [The co-location with the 2015 Print Leadership Summit] worked well. I saw many print customers who were attending the PLS. “[BIA benefits I would like to see in the future include] some type of a round-table session, like the vendor rapid fire, whereby members could get up and talk to the others about our own particular capabilities. I think it could be of benefit to all the members. Most all of us as members (that I know) have extremely different types of capabilities and services.” Martin Pugh, Director of Sales & Marketing, Houchen Bindery Ltd., Printing Industry Midwest Member If you want to be part of a group working together to become more competitive and profitable in the postpress industry, join the BIA. Learn more at www.printing.org/BIA. What BIA benefits do you value? How can your company benefit from BIA networking and learning...
read more2015 BIA Conference Wrap-up
Hey all you postpress professionals out there! Did you make it to this year’s BIA Conference? Attendees say, “the presentations were top-notch and covered a very wide range of topics,” and, “I would attend again for more of the same speakers, topics, and tours.” Benefits It’s evident that the BIA offers excellent membership perks, including professional networking, promotion, award opportunities, and the most recent BIA Conference. Here networking and learning about some of the latest advancements that enable greater value-adds to your product and service lines were some of the standout benefits. But this event also presented a unique opportunity to talk business with potential customers! The first-time co-location with the Print Leadership Summit offered face-to-face time with print customers. Takeaways Now, we all know that what’s most essential about any conference is its takeaway value. Did attendees learn anything here that they can share with their company and apply? If you ask BIA attendees, the answer is YES! One attendee said, “I came away energized, excited, and ready to share all I learned.” Download speaker Scott Warrick’s session handouts for Living the Skills of Tolerance. Take a look at what 2015 BIA Conference attendees are saying: “The convention was great. The speakers were full of information and knowledge and covered many necessary topics for businesses to hear. I came away energized, excited, and ready to share all I learned. It was fun meeting so many people from all walks of life. I still think of that week a lot and have my convention packet sitting right here in my office ready at any time to glance at if I need to. I would attend again for more of the same speakers, topics, and tours.” Landon Osborne, Vice President – Plant, Houchen Bindery, Ltd., Printing Industry Midwest Member “I thought [the 2015 BIA Conference] was really good, the presentations were top-notch and covered a very wide range of topics. This was my third time in four years! I do enjoy getting out to see the tours also. [The co-location with the 2015 Print Leadership Summit] worked well. I saw many print customers who were attending the PLS. “[BIA benefits I would like to see in the future include] some type of a round-table session, like the vendor rapid fire, whereby members could get up and talk to the others about our own particular capabilities. I think it could be of benefit to all the members. Most all of us as members (that I know) have extremely different types of capabilities and services.” Martin Pugh, Director of Sales & Marketing, Houchen Bindery Ltd., Printing Industry Midwest Member If you want to be part of a group working together to become more competitive and profitable in the postpress industry, join the BIA. Learn more at www.printing.org/BIA. What BIA benefits do you value? How can your company benefit from BIA networking and learning...
read moreRecruiting Answers Might Be in Front Of You
Great employees are out there, but how do you find them? Here Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President of Human Relations, shares valuable tips from a revealing new HR survey. In May, PIA’s HR Department conducted an ad hoc HR Trends survey on common questions from PIA members. Recruiting sourcing for various types of positions (production, sales, management/administrative, and IT). Employee referrals and on-line job banks were deemed by survey participants as the top sources for each category above. Employee referrals have long been a successful recruiting tool for printers. The incentive for the referral typically varies from the company to company. I have seen some members offer a higher incentive for hard-to-find positions. The incentive can vary from a few hundred dollars to even $1,000. Some firms vary the payout, such as half at time of hire and half six months later. Where do employees find these referrals? Friends at previous employers, family members, and friends and neighbors are often cited. A word of caution however; a company employee referral policy should state that the prospective employee should be someone that your current employee knows. You don’t want to get into a situation where an employee is recruiting for you and is misrepresenting the company or get the firm into trouble with EEO laws or friendly competitors nearby. On-line job banks were cited as the most effective source of recruiting for management/administrative and IT employees. Fortunately, there are lots of job banks available. While cost is a consideration, effectiveness should be your primary concern. A job bank geared to the printing industry is probably going to be your most effective source. Most PIA affiliates offer local job banks. Plus, Printing Industries of America offers a national Job Bank for members at a discount. Use this link to access and get the discount. See Jim when he presents Identifying New and Qualified Employees for a Changing Printing Industry at GRAPH EXPO 15, September 13–16, in...
read moreRecruiting Answers Might Be in Front Of You
Great employees are out there, but how do you find them? Here Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President of Human Relations, shares valuable tips from a revealing new HR survey. In May, PIA’s HR Department conducted an ad hoc HR Trends survey on common questions from PIA members. Recruiting sourcing for various types of positions (production, sales, management/administrative, and IT). Employee referrals and on-line job banks were deemed by survey participants as the top sources for each category above. Employee referrals have long been a successful recruiting tool for printers. The incentive for the referral typically varies from the company to company. I have seen some members offer a higher incentive for hard-to-find positions. The incentive can vary from a few hundred dollars to even $1,000. Some firms vary the payout, such as half at time of hire and half six months later. Where do employees find these referrals? Friends at previous employers, family members, and friends and neighbors are often cited. A word of caution however; a company employee referral policy should state that the prospective employee should be someone that your current employee knows. You don’t want to get into a situation where an employee is recruiting for you and is misrepresenting the company or get the firm into trouble with EEO laws or friendly competitors nearby. On-line job banks were cited as the most effective source of recruiting for management/administrative and IT employees. Fortunately, there are lots of job banks available. While cost is a consideration, effectiveness should be your primary concern. A job bank geared to the printing industry is probably going to be your most effective source. Most PIA affiliates offer local job banks. Plus, Printing Industries of America offers a national Job Bank for members at a discount. Use this link to access and get the discount. See Jim when he presents Identifying New and Qualified Employees for a Changing Printing Industry at GRAPH EXPO 15, September 13–16, in...
read moreRecruiting Answers Might Be in Front Of You
Great employees are out there, but how do you find them? Here Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President of Human Relations, shares valuable tips from a revealing new HR survey. In May, PIA’s HR Department conducted an ad hoc HR Trends survey on common questions from PIA members. Recruiting sourcing for various types of positions (production, sales, management/administrative, and IT). Employee referrals and on-line job banks were deemed by survey participants as the top sources for each category above. Employee referrals have long been a successful recruiting tool for printers. The incentive for the referral typically varies from the company to company. I have seen some members offer a higher incentive for hard-to-find positions. The incentive can vary from a few hundred dollars to even $1,000. Some firms vary the payout, such as half at time of hire and half six months later. Where do employees find these referrals? Friends at previous employers, family members, and friends and neighbors are often cited. A word of caution however; a company employee referral policy should state that the prospective employee should be someone that your current employee knows. You don’t want to get into a situation where an employee is recruiting for you and is misrepresenting the company or get the firm into trouble with EEO laws or friendly competitors nearby. On-line job banks were cited as the most effective source of recruiting for management/administrative and IT employees. Fortunately, there are lots of job banks available. While cost is a consideration, effectiveness should be your primary concern. A job bank geared to the printing industry is probably going to be your most effective source. Most PIA affiliates offer local job banks. Plus, Printing Industries of America offers a national Job Bank for members at a discount. Use this link to access and get the discount. See Jim when he presents Identifying New and Qualified Employees for a Changing Printing Industry at GRAPH EXPO 15, September 13–16, in...
read moreGoing Green with the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
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...
read moreGoing Green with the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
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...
read moreIs Your Company’s 401(k) Plan Working the Way It Should?
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...
read moreIs Your Company’s 401(k) Plan Working the Way It Should?
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...
read moreInsights into What Makes a Top Workplace [Infographic]
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...
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