Temp- tation                                                                         April  2015 
In this issue
No Vaping Policy
Temptation Trivia
Fun Facts
Survey Results
One Minute Ideas
Recipe
No "Vaping" Policy

In the wave of smoking bans across the country, "vaping" (using electronic cigarettes to inhale vaporized nicotine) has become increasingly common.  

While even the World Health Organization agrees that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes, there is still little known about the effects of e-cigarettes or second-hand "vapor".  That leaves employers wrestling with whether to allow vaping in the workplace.

 

Currently only three states, New Jersey, Utah, and North Dakota have added e-cigarettes to their existing smoking bans.  Wisconsin Representative Debra Kolste (D-Janesville) seeks to include vaping in Wisconsin's ban; however Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) opposes the ban and plans his own bill to protect the use of e-cigarettes.  

 

Until or unless a law is passed prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in public buildings, it will remain up to individual businesses whether or not to allow the use of such products in their buildings.    

Temptation Trivia 

Predating even the 8-track tape player, this unique device allowed the playback of prerecorded music in automobiles.  It never really caught on (for obvious reasons). 

 

What was the name of the first in-dash automobile music player, and the automobile manufacturer that offered it as a factory-installed option?   

  

If you know the answer, call or e-mail your local branch office by noon this Friday.  One winner in each branch will be chosen at random from those that answered correctly, and that person will get treats delivered!  

 

Last issue answer: The answer to "the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything" is 42. The supercomputer that figured out the answer was named "Deep Thought". (From the book and movie "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".)     

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Fun Facts 

In Madison, WI stands a granite marker with the following inscription:  

On this site, the corner of Hwy 151 and East Washington avenue around 1am on June 24th, 1977, Elvis Presley was riding in the 2nd of two limousines which had stopped for a red light.  Elvis noticed a young teen on the ground being beaten by two other youths here at the former Skyland Service Station.  Elvis jumped out of his limo and moved quickly to the fight scene.  They admitted later that they knew it was the legendary Elvis Presley who was standing in front of them in his classic karate stance saying, "I'll take you on". After a few classic karate moves by Elvis, the youths recognized him, stood and shook hands, and promised to stop fighting.  Elvis asked, "Is everything settled now?  Elvis was on his way to the Sheraton and his last appearance.  He died 52 days later on August 16th, 1977.  

Logo   

      Celebrating Over 40 Years of Staffing Excellence!   

The Results Are In!    

Every year Flex-Staff sends out a survey to all client companies that used our services in the past year.  The feedback we receive from these surveys enables us to improve the quality of the services that we provide, and makes us a more valuable asset to our client companies.   

 

Flex-Staff clients were asked to rate us as excellent, good, fair, or poor in 7 categories.  Below are the categories and the percentages of "good" and "excellent" responses for each category.    

 

Speed of response to your staffing needs: 100% 

Reliability of our employees: 97%

Matching employees to job qualifications: 97%

Problem resolution: 100%

How we compare to other services: 100%

Keeping clients informed of their order status: 97%

 

Clients were also asked several open-ended questions.  Below are the questions, along with the three most common responses to each question.   

 

What is the main reason your company utilizes supplemental staffing? 

Try before hire

Reduce turnover

Control labor/staffing costs

 

What do you consider the most important attribute of a staffing provider?

Communication

Understanding our needs

Finding the right fit

 

What do you like most about Flex-Staff?

Friendliness

Professionalism

Communication  

 

What additional services or improvements would you like to see Flex-Staff implement?

Nothing

Can't think of anything

N/A

 

If you used another service in the past year, what was your reason for doing so?

Did not use another service in the past year

Needed more people than Flex-Staff was was able to provide

Needed a candidate with a specialized or hard to find skill set

  


 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey!
One Minute Ideas
10 Quick Business lessons

Have a vision... for yourself
Differentiate yourself... like you differentiate a product
Business is about cycles... and luck
You can't be a great leader or company... unless you've been through a crisis
There's no compromise... on ethics
Some of your best learning will come from your worst boss... or your worst critics... or your worst results
Make your boss successful... and your team...  and your peers
Business is a team sport... understand the multiplier effect
Hire people different than you... and more capable in many things
Don't confuse good fortune... with your relative importance as a person  
 
From slideshare.com    
Recipe

Zuppa Toscana (similar to Olive Garden's)

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden Flavor)

4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 C. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 C. kale, chopped
1 C. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

 

Directions: Brown sausage in a sauté pan, breaking into chunks. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours (or on low for 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

 

30 minutes before serving:
Mix flour into cream removing lumps.  Add cream, kale, and bacon to the crock pot, stir.  Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.  Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.  
 
  

 

Inspirational Quote
 
A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing every grows there. - Author unknown