Word on RealStreet!

 

December 2016 
 

As 2016 comes to an end, RealStreet would like to take a moment to thank you for helping us see success in the past year. During this time, the company has again expanded to include an additional office, a number of new employees and a SeaPort-e contract. We appreciate the support and hard-work that enabled this period of growth and are excited for the opportunities to come. Best wishes throughout the holiday season and in all of your upcoming endeavors.

Sincerely,
  
Katy Cook, CSP
Marketing Coordinator

What's New at RealStreet?
Recruiting Coordinator Promoted to Recruiter!
Whitney Johnson recently joined RealStreet as a Recruiting Coordinator in the Bel Air office. As of last month, she has taken on the role of Recruiter. As a Recruiter, Whitney has a lead role in RealStreet's hiring process. She is responsible for sourcing, screening and interviewing candidates, as well as managing communications between potential candidates and clients.

Learn more about Whitney on RealStreet's Leadership Team Bios webpage.
CELEBRATIONS!

RealStreet wishes you a very 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

  • Mark F. - 12/07
  • Cinthia F. - 12/08
  • Thomas A. - 12/11
  • Bennie H. - 12/13
  • Sherry A. - 12/16
  • Juan B. - 12/28

RealStreet's offices will be closed on:

  • December 26, 2016
  • January 2, 2017
Set up Your 401(k) Today!
Contributing to an employer established retirement plan is a smart way to plan for the future. A 401(k) plan enables pre-tax savings and (depending on income and contribution level) can help reduce income taxes! As an added bonus, many employers match a percentage of employee contributions! 

Did you know: RealStreet offers its 401(k) plan participants a
1:1 employer matching of up to 7% of employee earnings!?!

January 1, 2017 marks the beginning of our quarterly 401(k) enrollment. While it might seem like there is plenty of time, don't wait until the new year to begin the process. Information needs to be in to Michelle Talbert by December 30, 2016 to ensure the deadline is met. Otherwise, enrollment can not be done again until April 2017.  Now is the time to learn more about your plan and set up your account! If you need help getting started, John Hancock is hosting enrollment webinars each Tuesday through the end of the year. 

Once enrolled in RealStreet's 401(k) plan, established through John Hancock, take advantage of the brand new My Learning Center!  This new interactive digital education platform is designed to boost financial capability on critical financial topics and help participants navigate through some of life's major milestones. The content is presented using video, animations and game-inspired learning mechanisms in order to enable a quick understanding of topics and to ensure a more user-friendly and engaging user experience.

Interesting Industry Information
How Does the Job Market Look?
The U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a "M onthly Jobs Report"  soon after the beginning of each month. Each report describes the previous month's employment situation, based on data such as the number of jobs that were added to the economy and the unemployment rate. The US economy added 161,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.9%. For more information, check out the BLS' interactive graphs.

According to a recent AGC of America article, the construction industry a dded 11,000 jobs in October, 6,700 of which were in the non-residential sector. Additionally, total employment reached 6,679,000, the highest level since December 2008.

The Election's Impact on
the Construction Industry
After a long and emotional campaign, our country has elected a new President: Donald Trump. The President-elect has wasted no time getting to work, quickly laying out the plans for his first actions in office. While there are still uncertainties, as mentioned in the recent  SHRM article,  Trump's Ideas for Change in the Workplace , it is expected that he will have an impact on: 
  • Regulatory and Tax Reform
  • Trade Deficit
  • Repeal of ACA
  • Maternity Leave and Child Care
  • E-Verify
  • Increase in Prevailing Wage for H-1B Visas
President-elect Trump has also suggested several large-scale job creation/training initiatives. As mentioned in the recent Forbes article: President Trump and Fuller Employment , three notable strategies include: 
Federal employees are expected to be impacted by the newly elected President's policies as well. The Washington Post article,  Trump and the federal workforce: Five key issues, reviews a few of the questions surrounding the federal workforce. 
The Future of Construction: 3D Printing?
From manufacturing to medical devices, the many uses of 3D printers is growing, as stated in 6 Industries Changed Forever by 3D Printing via Engineering.com. In the construction community, many are predicting that the technology will transform the industry.  The article  How 3D Printing could Revolutionize the Construction Industry   from Building Radar  discusses potential benefits. W hile many of the uses are still conceptual, 3D printers might be able to  produce construction materials (such as bricks, panels, etc.) or even construct  entire buildings in a more timely and cost effective manner than traditional methods.  It could be a complete game-changer. 

Those interviewed in  How will 3-D printing technology disrupt conventional construction practices?  from Construction Dive take a pragmatic view on the subject. While there are a number of potential uses for 3D printers, there are also a number of barriers to the wide-spread adoption of the technology. The printers are large, the costs are high and the technology requires specialized operators. 

3D printing technology is still in its early stages of development.  While there are already a number of ideas regarding its use in the construction industry, it's true potential is yet to be seen.  For a sample  of current projects, refer to the  10 of the Best 3D Printing Innovations in the Construction Industry via 3D Printing Industries. 
 HOT JOBS!
How many job seekers do you know? Would they be a good fit for one of these positions? 

 To see all of our open positions, check out the  RealStreet Job Board !

 RECENT PLACEMENTS
RealStreet has recently filled the following positions!
  • Construction Manager
  • Millwork Estimator
  • Architectural CAD Operator
Featured News Post
Five Ways to Help Your Employees
Find Passion in their Work
For your company to achieve its goals, you need the full support of each individual on your team. If even a few employees are disengaged, it can cause a ripple effect that reaches out to the entire group. Disengagement leads to decreased productivity, lower morale and a decline in the quality of your products and services. Therefore, ensuring each of your employees are happy, engaged and excited to come to work each day is of the utmost importance. 


Read the full post for five ways to help your disengaged employees find their passion. 
Cyber Security
 Insider Threats
Last month, we defined The Insider Threat and gave a few examples of who might be an Insider and how they can pose a threat to their organization. Several factors, including personal gain, coercion, threats and ideology, might cause an Insider to become a threat. In a recent case, an Insider suggested that he took material home to improve his skills and perform better at his job. Whatever the motivation and in response to the growing threat, on October 7, 2011 the President signed Executive Order 13587 " Structural Reforms to Improve the Security of Classified Networks and the Responsible Sharing and Safeguarding of Classified Information" and on May 18, 2016 the DoD published Change 2 to DoD 5220.22-M "National Industrial Security Operating Manual (NISPOM). Executive Order 13587 mandated significant changes in how U.S. Government Agencies safeguard Classified Information and included a requirement for Insider Threat Detection & Prevention. Change 2 to the NISPOM sets the requirement for Cleared Contractors to establish an Insider Threat Program.

For the more than 13,000 Cleared Contractors, Change 2 represents significant cost and changes in their Security Programs, adding requirements for an additional Key Management Person (KMP) that will act as the Insider Threat Program Security Officer (ITPSO), annual Insider Threat training for all Cleared Personnel, increased record keeping and audits. 

In addition to Executive Order 13587 and Change 2, which focus on classified material and cleared personnel, new Government Regulation, Industry Standards and Insurance Underwriters are promulgating requirements, training and best practices to protect unclassified material, both in Government and Industry.  

It's clear that the Government and Industry are working to protect our data and that the implementation of technical controls, audits, training and awareness programs will help. Additionally, research on past cases, suggests that the Insider almost always exhibited behavior or activity that was inconsistent with their job and/or their finances. In these cases, it might have been possible to minimize or eliminate losses, if only someone had spoken up. Don't wait until it's too late, if you see something, say something!

For additional reading & examples of Insiders (acting badly), click on the links below:
  • Harold T. Martin - NSA Consultant arrested in October 2016, accused of stealing 50 TB (500 million pages) of data
  • Aldrich Ames - CIA Analyst arrested in March 1993, accused of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia
  • Chelsea Manning (aka Bradley Manning) - U.S. Army Soldier/Intelligence Analyst, arrested for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks
  • Robert Hanssen - FBI Agent, arrested for selling U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and Russian Federation
  • Industry Insider Losses - The Seven Largest Insider-Caused Data Breaches of 2014
Seasonal Safety Information
Holiday Food, Fun & Travel
The holiday season is filled with decorations, delicious meals and desserts, and a variety of traditions. Unfortunately, there are many hazards accompany the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Reduce your risk this season by being responsible as you cook, craft and celebrate. 

STAY SAFE
BE SWEET
Ensure you, your friends and family have a safe and happy holiday season by taking precautions and celebrating responsibly. 
Check out the following: 
If you are looking for a few great craft and recipe resources, check out the following sites:
Holiday travel can be trying. With additional traffic, stresses and hazards, it is important to plan ahead and take additional care during this time of year. Ensure you have safe travels by taking p recautions before you head out of town. Consider the following:
The Four Most Dangerous
Holiday Driving Hazards 
Driving when you're tired, impaired or distracted is always dangerous - but add low visibility, the potential for ice and snow and the pressures that come with the holiday season, and December just might be one of the most dangerous months to be on the road. This year, avoid these four most dangerous holiday driving hazards.

"When accompanied by poor road conditions, these four dangerous behind-the-wheel behaviors combine into a perfect storm of risk for drivers," explained driver safety expert Doug Horn, who founded driving safety program "Drive by Example."

The four most dangerous holiday driving hazards include:
1. Distracted Driving. "This includes driving while using cell phones for both talking and texting holiday messages to friends, coworkers and family," Horn said. "It also includes driving while checking out store hours and locations using a smartphone to surf the web."
2. Impaired Driving. "Year-end dinners, parties and celebrations typically involve consumption of alcohol, and in too many cases, use of drugs," said Horn. "An increase in the number of impaired drivers using the roadways during the winter holidays has been well-established by law enforcement, and the loss of life resulting from impaired driving is also well-established."
3. Pressured Driving. "The winter holidays typically bring with them increased pressures, especially financial pressures and the stress created by trying to do too much in a short time span. Drivers often react to these pressures by driving too fast for conditions, making aggressive lane changes, failing to yield right-of-way, and generally disregarding the needs and safety of others using the road," Horn stressed.
4. Fatigued Driving. "Increased demands and activities during the winter holidays often mean significantly reduced sleep schedules," Horn added. "According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, people who slept 6-7 hours a night were twice as likely to be involved in a crash as those sleeping 8 hours or more, while people sleeping less than 5 hours increased their risk four to five times."

Horn added that it's not uncommon for a single driver to manifest all four dangerous driving behaviors at the same time, especially in the final 10 days of the year. So this holiday season, take this list and check it twice - and stay safe out there! 

The aforementioned tips are from EHS Today.
 
Just for Fun...

Last month's puzzle:  click to enlarge.
Think you know the answer? Check the solution!
Keep in Touch!
Feedback Wanted! 
We Value Referrals!
Would you mind taking a moment to  write a few sentences  about your experience working with RealStreet?  Thank you!
Who in your network is looking for a new opportunity? 

Check our  open positions to see if any are a match to the job seekers that you know. At RealStreet we value great candidates and when it comes down to it, we know you're the Real Deal! We have a great referral program that compensates you for every qualified referral you provide us.