Older Workers in the Workplace

This subject is near and dear to me because I fall in this category. However, before you judge me so harshly, let me describe my passion for children. As well as, how I ended up in the Early Childhood Education industry, I saw a child struggling in reading and I thought that if this child could be taught in his earlier years and have fun learning, I could learn how to reach and make a difference in this child’s life. This is how I want to make a difference with my work and one person can make a difference and contribute back to the community. With that being said, hiring an older employee to your business will add value to your organization because the older employee will deliver a superior customer service and register a much lower turnover. According to SHRM Magazine, reasons to hire an older worker they are able to transfer their knowledge to others, they are advisors and historians. They are loyal and bring the highest retention rate of all the age groups. 

Therefore, employers do not be hesitant to hire older employees. Contrary, older workforces have a tendency to be in good health than unemployed individuals in their age group. Because people in general need to feel that they are making a difference and contributing to society as a whole. The question should be asked could this individual do the job. According to Robert Grossman, writer for SHRM magazine, “Older personnel are crucial to our employment mix.” Many people in this age group are eager to learn new and different ways, for example, the hottest social media, is Pintrest, absolutely love it, there are so many ways to use this media for example, in business and pleasure. Not to mention, this is most employees like to arrive early and leave late if there is deadlines and work needs to be accomplished.

Reference

Grossman, R. J. (2013, August 11). Invest in Older Workers. HR Magazine, Volume 58, 20-25.

Journey Part 4

So it has been awhile since I last left off. Recap, I just had my son and my husband was not there for the birth. However, he was able to come and see me the next day. While he went back to Savannah, I stayed with my father and mother. I took turns staying with my family and my husband's family. Then after a couple of weeks, I finally went back to my own house and settled in. Shortly after that my husband had to leave for Kuwait. On a personal note, I knew what I was getting into when I married a soldier after all this is what he was trained for, but I still didn't like the fact that one man a millions miles away can change my life in an instant, get use to change it happens all the time.

With that being said, time past and I wanted to work moreover, I wanted to have a job that had was a M-F and the day ended at 6:00pm with no weekends. The next step was taken was I took some classes and opened a home day care. I continued to take classes and about eight months later this war was over and my husband came home. We were so excited, we all had to adjust to each other, which admittedly took time and we all  work through it.

The home day care was coming along just great and things were moving along great. Bam!! I found out I was pregnant it has been only a few months that my husband has been home. With that news, we were happy and excited, even though they were so close in age. as things progress we tried to find out what we were having, however, baby decided that wasn't important or relevant. We did what every other Christian couple did thank God for a healthy child. Nine months later  and a whole day later she decided to grace us with her appearance. This day was like Christmas to me opening a present and not knowing a true surprise. Now we have two beautiful children and work was going well, life is good.

My Journey does not end there...But if I share all of it now there will be no more surprises. Join me back here to share more about my life's journey.

Feel free to share your journey with me. Take care!

Toys

John Crane and Pintoy Toys are the tools children use in play. Toys can be purchased, or they may be as simple as kitchen pan lids or paper sack puppets. Anything children can play with safely can be a toy. In fact, you may have watched infants open presents and noticed that they spent more time playing with the ribbon and wrapping than with the toy inside. Playing is important to children; it is the way they practice growing up.

 

Toys also invite children to create and use their imaginations. Give an empty cardboard box to a child and watch all the things it becomes - a train, house, or cage at the zoo. Children start many play times with "Let's pretend..." and toys encourage this. With John Crane and Pintoy five star wooden toys brings creative to the child's imagination and hours of entertainment. You can order at www.pintoys.com.

Classroom Environment

The classroom environment is a vital part of a child's learning experience. Early Learning Environments that Work and explores how you can manipulate furniture, color, materials, storage, lighting, and more to encourage learning through classroom arrangement. Spaces and activity centers that support children's independence and decision-making allow them to make the environment their own. At ECMD Shoppers, receive the lowest prices on early childhood furniture and equipment GUARANTEED!  

 

Schools, preschools and early childhood programs recommend Early Childhood Manufacturers' Direct (ECMD). If you find a lower price on any identical item offered in any school supply print catalog that offers net 30-day accounts, simply show us the price and we will match it. Shoppers in order to receive the lowest prices on early childhood furniture and equipment GUARANTEED purchase here http://www.ecmdstore.com.

Field trips

Field trips are pleasant ways to enrich the learning of children are in a center/home facility.  If you are study lions with your class, you can take the children to the zoo. If the class is studying rocks, Science Museum/Children's Museum will give a change of pace and a chance to do something they do not usually get to do.

Make sure the parents sign forms permitting their children to go on the trip and releasing you from liability in case something was to happen. For center/home, facility or parent's Parental authorization can be verified with "travel consent forms" signed by each parent and notarized. A standard consent form can be found at www.lawdepot.com.

 

Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA),

The company thought it was saving money by hiring low-level employees, which in turn the day care does not spend the time to properly check out their background. Looking at www. childcare.about.com the procedure for child care back ground, According to National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), reported that back ground checks are profoundly deficient. It is important to realize, there are twenty-one states do not conduct fingerprint checks. Forty-three do not conduct the sex offender registry for childcare staff. Twenty-four states do not conduct a fingerprint check for family childcare providers. Under the circumstances, one might have to ask which statistic did the Pittsburgh-area daycare center fall under.

 

 

Small Businesses

The SBA's 8(a) BD Program, named for a section of the Small Business Act, is a business development program created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and access the federal procurement market. (Visit SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program website).

In order to help small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace, the SBA created the 8(a) Business Development Program.

What is the 8(a) Business Development Program?

• The 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses. The 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
• The 8(a) Program is an essential instrument for helping socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs gain access to the economic mainstream of American society. The program helps thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs to gain a foothold in government contracting.
• Participation in the program is divided into two phases over nine years: a four-year developmental stage and a five-year transition stage.

Benefits of the Program

• Participants can receive sole-source contracts, up to a ceiling of $4 million for goods and services and $6.5 million for manufacturing. While we help 8(a) firms build their competitive and institutional know-how, we also encourage you to participate in competitive acquisitions.
• 8(a) firms are also able to form joint ventures and teams to bid on contracts. This enhances the ability of 8(a) firms to perform larger prime contracts and overcome the effects of contract bundling, the combining of two or more contracts together into one large contract. Also, see the Mentor-Protégé Program for more information on allowing starting 8(a) companies to learn the ropes from other experienced 8(a) businesses.
  

  Requirements and Goals of the 8(a) Business Development Program

  
  
  The overall program goal is to graduate 8(a) firms that will go on to thrive in a competitive business environment. There are some requirements in place to help achieve this goal. Program goals require 8(a) firms to:
  
  
  • Maintain a balance between their commercial and government business.
  • Limit on the total dollar value of sole-source contracts that an individual participant can receive while in the program: $100 million or five times the value of its primary NAICS code.
  
  
  To make sure 8(a) firms are on track to accomplish their goals and are following requirements, the SBA district offices monitor and measure the progress of participants through:
  
  
  • Annual reviews
  • Business planning
  • Systematic evaluations
  
  In addition, 8(a) participants may take advantage of specialized business training, counseling, marketing assistance, and high-level executive development provided by the SBA and our resource partners. You can also be eligible for assistance in obtaining access to surplus government property and supplies, SBA-guaranteed loans, and bonding assistance for being involved in the program.

Contact Information

• For general questions about the 8(a) Business Development program, please contact 8aquestions@sba.gov
• For help with SBA's General Login System (GLS), contact GLS@sba.gov
• For help the System for Award Management (SAM), which replaced the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), please go to sam.gov or fsd.gov
• For help with the 8(a) electronic application, please contact BDMIS@sba.gov
• For help with 8(a) regulations and requirements, please contact 8aBD@sba.gov

I hope this helps anyone who is starting a small business.