HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jan 2024 | 43rd EDITION NEWSLETTER

WHAT'S NEW(S)?

HR 101: The History of Happy Hour

HR Brew | Amanda Schiavo | December 20, 2023

 The tradition of meeting up for drinks and entertainment after work dates back to WWI. The first happy hour was in 1914, when the US Navy, in an attempt to entertain on-duty sailors, hosted an evening of food, music, and dancing. An April 1914 newspaper article described the sailors at one such happy hour as enjoying themselves “with as much abandon as though no war were in the air.”

5 Ways Leaders Can Set Themselves Up for Success In 2024

Fast Company | Michelle Gibbings | December 27, 2023

As you prepare to navigate the unpredictable landscape of 2024, your strategy requires a multifaceted approach that considers the needs of all your stakeholders in the system. As we bid farewell to 2023’s roller-coaster ride, leaders stand at the precipice of a new year filled with uncertainties and opportunities.

"This conference is absolutely game and perspective-changing! The wide variety of sessions to grow and learn from are incredibly engaging, packed with powerful approaches that resonate and dig deep. It is rare to find a conference where you come out feeling entirely energized and ready to try new tactics to what is currently in play. Better yet, for those of us where we've made changes in our careers, we can see the evolution of where things were, and where they could go (or even didn't). Not only can I look back on my prior experiences and apply these newfound thoughts and ideologies, I am able to do the same in the current day and provide a future outlook for where we are and where we want to go. Life is about the journey and learning every step of the way. This conference has been an absolutely amazing experience, and I'm incredibly grateful to share this experience with my company. Just as life changes, so does everything around us. Being open to new approaches and ideas, we then open ourselves up to growth and opportunity. And being able to take this back and share it with others - you gain the great satisfaction of paying it forward. Such a profound and rewarding experience! Thank you for taking the time and dedication to making the most out of this event, and for bringing it to so many to share in the wonders."

IEC Spring 2023 Attendee

3 Strategies to Fix Your Employee Engagement Problem

HR Executive | Gloria St. Martin-Lowry

December 20, 2023

Employee engagement gets plenty of talk in executive circles. Certainly, it’s an important topic. We want our people to feel passionate about their work. Yet, it’s become more of a check-the-box activity than anything else. Accordingly, only about one-third of team members report being highly engaged—at most organizations, anyway.

HR Will Need to Strike a Fine Balance in 2024 To Keep Employees Happy

HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | December 18, 2023

The new year will bring new challenges for HR leaders. Remember earlier this year when everyone was preparing for a recession? Well, feel free to exhale: We may have avoided one (for now), and a report from investment group IG Wealth Management concluded that the likelihood of a recession in 2024 is less than it was in 2023.

Are You a “Bottleneck Boss”?

Harvard Business Review | Greg Alexander

December 22, 2023

For businesses to survive, their leaders need to put succession plans in place. There’s only one problem: A succession plan only works if high-performing employees can advance through the ranks. That’s impossible if their boss is a perennial bottleneck to high-potential workers’ progress. Leaders who don’t see much movement in their firms don’t think they’re bottlenecks, of course.

Feel Pressure to Work After Hours? You May Be Less Productive, Not More.

Forbes | Jena McGregor | December 5, 2023

Long hours may have a productivity downside. How’s this for irony? Slack, whose workplace messaging app has at some point prompted many employees to feel the tug of responding after hours, has a warning: People who feel obligated to work after hours also tend to be less productive.

"The Ignite Change Iowa Employment Conference was one of the best conferences I have ever attended. I had a difficult time choosing which breakouts to attend because they were all relevant. The information shared by the speakers and applicable concepts I walked away with will be valuable to our organization. I was wowed over and over throughout the day. Thank you for bringing these amazing speakers together to ignite us to be change makers. I am truly grateful."

IEC Fall 2023 Attendee

3 Workplace Compliance Trends to Watch In 2024

HR Executive | Dawn Kawamoto | December 22, 2023

With the New Year comes new laws—and the need for employers to evaluate current policies with a sharp eye for compliance updates. There are a number of new local and state-level measures that could have reverberations for employers across the nation, says Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, chair of the executive leadership research initiative for women and minority attorneys at Harvard Law School.

The Hard Questions to Ask When Planning Your Strategy

Harvard Business Review | Eddie Yoon, Christopher Lochhead, Katrina Kirsch | December 22, 2023

‘Tis the season for annual strategic planning. For most companies, the process is a spectacle — a ritualistic game of jump ball for budget where emotions run high and departments defend their turf. Marketers cringe as non-marketers dish out “expert” wisdom. Salespeople shake their heads at the mention of “stretch goals.” And every business unit believes it is the chosen one.

"Huge THANK YOU to #iec2023 and Nan Boland for having us speak at the Iowa Employment Conference today! It was so much fun helping folks become self-aware and living by the Platinum Rule!"

IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Milan Batinich

"Thank you for including me. What an inspiring way to start the day!"

IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Emily Abbas

4 Types of Employment Laws That Can Help Domestic Violence Survivors at Work

Kate Miceli | October 5, 2023

Domestic violence, which touches 17 million people in the U.S. each year, doesn't only affect survivors' physical and mental health and safety, it also impacts their ability to work and their economic security. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that nationally, 15.9 million women (12.7%) and 6.7 million men (5.7%) have missed at least one day of work due to intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In another study of women in transitional housing programs, shelters and other domestic violence programs, more than half of the survivors surveyed said they had lost a job because of the abuse they'd experienced. Some survivors may be prevented from working by an abuser; others may be discriminated against by an employer because of the abuse they are experiencing – for example, denied a promotion or terminated. Some workers may also face retaliation at work for reporting abuse or harassment within the workplace from a customer, coworker or supervisor. All of this can have devastating economic impacts on a survivor and their family.

The new version of Form I‑9, Employment Eligibility Verification is now available for use. This version contains changes to the form and instructions, including shortening the Form I‑9 to one page and reducing the instructions to eight pages.

What Form I‑9 versions may be used

• Beginning Nov. 1, 2023, only the new Form I‑9 dated "08/01/23” may be used.

READ MORE

Are you an employer or employee who has been affected by an emergency or unforeseen circumstance, such as a natural disaster or national emergency?

Check out our new Emergencies and Unforeseen Circumstances webpage for guidance on Form I-9 and E-Verify if these circumstances arise. 

READ MORE

"I very much enjoyed all of the topics and am happy to say that I used what I learned already in the work field I am in."

"The session was enlightening and educational. It is great to know that different types of career fields are focusing on similar topics to enhance. All of these topics are people focused."

"Very good speakers!"

"I loved the variety of speakers you had from all walks of life and topics."

"I love the topics covered and the people who were on the panel were very insightful!"

IEC Fall 2023 Attendees

Training Requirements and Resources

OSHA provides information on employers' training requirements and offers resources such as free publications, videos, and other assistance to help employers protect workers against injuries and illnesses.

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Workplace Stress

Make Work Better - Mental Health Matters

Stress can be harmful to our health and increase mental health challenges. Mental health challenges can include clinical mental illness and substance use disorders as well as other emotions like stress, grief, feeling sad and anxious, where these feelings are temporary and not part of a diagnosable condition. While there are many things in life that induce stress, work can be one of those factors. However, workplaces can also be a key place for resources, solutions, and activities designed to improve our mental health and well-being.



Workplace stress and poor mental health can negatively affect workers through:

• Job performance
• Productivity
• Work engagement and communication
• Physical capability and daily functioning

READ MORE

"Great well-rounded panel and moderator!"

"The moderator was very well-prepared, asked excellent questions, and was engaged with the panelists. This made for a more meaningful session."

"I liked having a panel and the variety in the conversation."

"I loved the panel format."

IEC Fall 2023 Attendees

Laws Enforced by EEOC

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Employers

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect employees and job applicants against employment discrimination when it involves:

• Unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in the workplace, because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that the employee needs because of religious beliefs, disability, or pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
• Retaliation because the employee complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

READ MORE

"The panelists were inspiring and it was interesting to hear from their different perspectives. I also appreciated the format via moderator guiding the conversation. The moderator did a fantastic job and I appreciated the depth of her questions she was willing to ask rather than go the "safe and superficial" route."

IEC Fall 2023 Attendee

"Thank you for your work in coordinating this great event Nan Boland. Lisa Walston and I had a wonderful time learning at each session." 

IEC Fall 2023 Attendee Josey Van Weelden 

Since 2006, the Iowa Employment Conference has been THE source for classroom instruction covering topics in the areas of employment, training, benefits & wellness education.



The mission of the Iowa Employment Conference is to deliver affordable conferences that provide the opportunity to develop professionally as well as receive continuing education credits through multiple professional associations such as:

• American Payroll Recertification Credit Hours
• American Society of Association Executives CAE Credits
• Continuing Legal Education Credits
• Continuing Professional Education Credits
• Human Resource Certification Institute Credits
• Iowa Licensed Insurance Producers Continuing Education
• Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association Certification
• Society for Human Resource Management Professional Development Credits

"It was a wonderful day at the Iowa Employment Conference. I enjoyed getting to meet new people and getting to connect with Nan Boland and M. Ramona Wink today! Thank you for a wonderful day of learning!"

IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Molly Mackey

"Had a great time presenting at the Iowa Employment Conference! Nan Boland, Sarah Towns, Sue Kmet and all the other top-notch folks who make this fantastic conference happen - Thank You for allowing me to partner with you again! I'm already looking forward to the Spring conference!"

IEC Fall 2023 Speaker Ramona Wink

"Yeeeeeeee love everything about this conference!!! Great conference Nan Boland!!! Thank you for everything!! Loved being a part of this panel!!! The Ignite Change conference was very empowering and I learned a lot!! Thank you, Nan Boland!!! You and your team are amazing!!!"

IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Will Keeps

IGNITE CHANGE SPONSORS

"Ready to represent EFR Employee & Family Resources, a proud sponsor of the Iowa Employment Conference."

IEC Fall 2023 Sponsor Renee Neppl

THANK YOU to all 2023 Conference Sponsors!

Sponsor support is integral in continuing the growth, quality & integrity of the continuing education unique to this conference year after year. You are appreciated!

"Thanks for the invite to join such an inspiring group of folks for such a great discussion!"

IEC Fall 2023 Panelist Nola Cartmill 

"It was a powerhouse panel! Inspiring and full of great ideas!"



IEC Fall 2023 Panel Moderator Terri Hale

"Buena Vista University's Strategic Partnerships division is honored to help sponsor the 2023 Iowa Employment Conference."

IEC Fall 2023 Sponsor

Meals from the Heartland MLK Day of Service

Together with the City of West Des Moines, we invite you to join us as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while packaging 140,000 meals to feed hungry children and families in Iowa.

50 Best Family Vacation Ideas on a Budget for 2024

Good Housekeeping | Karen Cicero and Olivia Lipski | November 20, 2023

From all-inclusives in the Caribbean to quick getaways in the U.S., there's something for every traveler in your group.

For the four in five parents who plan to take a trip with the kids in 2024, behold our heavily researched, expert-vetted list of the best family vacation destinations to visit now, many of which are winners of Good Housekeeping's 2024 Family Travel Awards. Many of these kid-friendly locations used downtime at the beginning of the pandemic to rethink, renovate or both. Some upgraded their pools, others refreshed guest rooms and many revamped their activities and amenities or rolled out convenient tech features. A few were even built from scratch in an eco-conscious way.

We're Calling It: The 'Electric Amber' Old Fashioned Will Be 2024's Coolest Cocktail

Veranda | Ian Palmer | September 2023

To honor our Color of the Year for 2024, Electric Amber, we put a fresh spin on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. The result? A rich, complex and slightly herbal drink with major staying power. Electric Amber, our Color of the Year for 2024, is a color that conjures up ideas of warmth, depth, earth, and light. Those elements are distilled into our Electric Amber cocktail, a drink that glows with amber energy! Amber is found in the natural world as a resin that can be extracted from trees, so our cocktail takes direct inspiration from this organic element by using another tree-extracted ingredient—maple syrup—to infuse the drink with a sweet woodsy richness. 

Nan, Lisa, Sarah & Sue

Happy New Year to all of our amazing readers! As we enter into 2024, we are excited to reveal the dazzling details about the upcoming employment conference! We are truly blessed to have the opportunity to bring together some of the brightest minds in the industry to share their insights and expertise on the latest trends and developments. This year’s conference will provide a platform for networking, learning, and growth, with new opportunities for all attendees. We are grateful for your continued support and can't wait to share more with you as we continue with the planning process. Stay tuned for updates and get ready to join us for the ultimate employment conference of 2024!



So grateful for the blessings that 2023 brought to each of us and we’re looking forward to the new year and new opportunities!

Nan and the Conference Team