GSS Insight - Manufacturing Articles
Do you have too many products in development?
Does your company come up with innovative ideas that never seem to make it through the development stage? According to a new study, the main reason good product ideas fail is that development resources are stretched too thin because of too many other projects in development.
Requiring high school diploma could violate ADA
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued an informal statement of opinion that employers who require a high school diploma for a job, without clear business necessity, may be violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Learn more here.
Help shiftworkers, help the company
Shiftwork is hard on people. Shiftworkers are more likely to suffer stress and injuries on the job. Here are some steps you can take to reduce the negative impact of shiftwork. They will help your employees - and your company.
Foreign sales: The pros & cons of a weak dollar
During the past few years, as the value of the dollar has shrunk in many international markets, the question arises, is that all bad? Actually, a weak dollar can make U.S. goods more competitive in higher-priced foreign markets.
New requirements hike cost of sick leave buyback
To encourage more responsible use of sick time, some companies choose to buy back unused sick pay. One downside to sick pay buyback policies is a new requirement of the Department of Labor.
Are employees who smoke impacting your company?
Studies have found that smokers cost businesses significantly more than nonsmokers: for healthcare, disabilities claims, higher absenteeism and lower productivity. What can your company do to address the problem?
How to increase success of international assignments
The failure rate of international assignments averages about 50 percent. The highest failure rates are in India, China and Russia, respectively, according to a recent global relocation trends survey. What can your company do to increase the odds of a successful international assignment?
Employees not only ones guilty of workers' comp fraud
Who is to blame when workers' comp insurance premiums spiral out of control because of fraud? Much of the original focus was on employees making claims. But fraud perpetrated by employers is proving to be just as damaging.
Know the rules of breaks and lunch
One area of business that the federal government has stayed out of is lunch and break times. State or municipal laws apply. Be sure to know the rules that apply to your company, because a misstep could be costly.
IRS issues ruling on food donated to charity
Many food producers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants seek out opportunities to donate excess food inventory to charity. The tax deduction for inventory is usually limited to its cost. An exception applies to C corporations that make gifts of food products for the benefit of the ill, the needy or infants.
Replacing lights can bring big savings
Lighting accounts for up to 40 percent of an average commercial building's electricity bill. With all the new, highly efficient lighting fixtures available -- as well as rebates and low-cost funding sources -- is it time to replace those outdated fixtures?
Six strategies for reducing labor costs
In today's economy, it's critical to reduce costs and increase productivity wherever possible. Here are six strategies for reducing expenses and maximizing the productivity of one of your major costs -- your labor force.
How to know if your teams are working effectively
A landmark study by the Gallup Organization identified 12 questions that show the effectiveness of a work force or team. Could your staff answer 'yes' to most of these questions?
The fine art of dealing with squabbling workers
Chronic conflict can hurt productivity, cause customers to leave and induce talented employees to look for a more agreeable place to work. A rule of thumb is to encourage the warring parties to work it out on their own. But is this the best policy?