Embracing Change
April 12, 2011
During my business career, I have been involved in the restructuring of a few organizations, both large and small. It is virtually always due to a company’s need to change as the world around it changes.
Just think about the last couple of years as we all experienced a worldwide recession. Most companies were forced to recognize a new reality and make appropriate changes in order to be in a position to compete effectively in the future. On the other hand, as history has taught us, those companies that resist change or are complacent will ultimately struggle or fail. A telling statistic was published the other day in the WSJ, 40% of companies in the S&P 500 index weren't there 10 years ago. That is an amazing amount of change.
There is an axiom in business that is so true: Great managers do things right but great leaders do the right thing. In my opinion, it is a leader’s responsibility to be aware of the world around him/her, have a vision, and chart the right course for the company to grow and prosper. Many decisions have to be made along the way, some of them difficult ones. But in the end, a healthy and thriving company creates many more opportunities for its stakeholders. And that in turn will strengthen the company.
The staffing industry is changing at a rapid pace, as is the business world in general. It becomes more sophisticated and complex every day. The companies that will thrive in the future are the ones with the right vision, strong leadership, and a laser like focus on their core business.
Potential E-Verify Shutdown
April 8, 2011
Three weeks ago, President Obama extended the deadline for the Federal government budget, allowing all Federal agencies to continue operating. At midnight tonight, the extension expires.
Although Congress is trying to work through budget issues and provide funding for the federal government to continue operating, the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that in the event of a government shutdown, E-Verify will be impacted and will not operate until the budget issue is resolved.
It should be noted that the shutdown of E-Verify will not change your I-9 responsibilities. If a shutdown occurs and E-Verify becomes unavailable, employers must continue to complete Form I-9s in compliance with the law. The required information will need to be submitted to E-Verify when the system is operational again.
To stay compliant, People 2.0 recommends that any independent staffing company that uses E-Verify should keep the I-9s of newly hired employees in a separate folder from their other I-9 files (but still kept in a locked cabinet or office) until E-Verify becomes available again.
For more information regarding the government shutdown, a good source is: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/government-shutdown-2011-will-i-get-paid-what-will-be-open-what-can-i-expect/2011/04/06/AFfMK2oC_blog.html
