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May 29, 2015

How to Keep Adults Engaged During a Training Seminar

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 9:34 am

Training is a necessary evil in the corporate world. As the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, once said, “Job training empowers people to realize their dreams and improve their lives.” Additionally, training helps your staff remain up-to-date on procedures and policies so they can work effectively and efficiently.

Even though you’re dealing with adults, they can still be childlike in their ability to lose focus quickly or become easily distracted.

When hosting an online training seminar, you want to keep participants engaged throughout the presentation so they retain the information. But how do you that? These nine tips will help you  keep people engaged during your training seminar.

Administer a Pre-Test

This lets you gauge the group’s understanding of the training material and allows you to make changes as needed. For example, if the participants seemed thoroughly-nuanced with Topic A of your seminar, go over the main points briefly so you can address the other topics that they weren’t as familiar with on the pre-test.

Engage Every Learning Style

There are several learning styles to consider when hosting a training seminar: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or cognitive.

It is up to you to engage these various learning styles throughout the seminar so that everyone finishes with same general understanding of the material. Brainstorm ideas for different exercises people can work through for every subject you’re covering during your training seminar.

Encourage Prop Usage

Distribute a list of materials participants will need for the seminar beforehand. These materials, which can range from practical tools to totally silly ones, should be incorporated into the training as a method for kinesthetically engaging and teaching your audience.

Plus, if you suggest that a bright yellow balloon represents something related to the training material, participants will always associate yellow balloons with that lesson. Kids aren’t the only ones that enjoy playing with toys.

Training Seminar

[photo via]

Playing Games

Training can be monotonous. Therefore, it’s up to you to make it fun for everyone. Since you might be hosting your training seminar online, the sky’s the limit when it comes to making the material fun. Host a five-minute contest during one of the lessons that asks participants to find the funniest picture/meme/video online that represents the material being discussed.

The Student Becomes The Teacher

Begin a portion of your training seminar with some general material for participants to look over, then ask them to present the information to one another. Not only does this encourage interaction and engagement amongst the training group, you might discover a new method for teaching a topic you hadn’t considered previously.

Break Time

Build in break times during your seminar. Tell attendees to step away from their computers for 10 minutes to refresh their brains and energy levels. If you try to execute a four hour long seminar without any breaks, people are only going to remember fragments of your presentation.

Taking a few breaks throughout the seminar will help people retain the information.

Incorporate Creativity

An online training seminar means you can make use of the wonderful content available on the Internet. Videos, GIFs, photos, and interactive tools are some great options for incorporating creative teaching into your seminar.

Let’s say you’re training a group on a new database system. Find a funny GIF that illustrates the process of using (or not using) this database correctly. Think outside of the box, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, smartypants! The more complex your training seminar is, the harder it is going to be for your participants to remain engaged. Comb through your seminar material, edit any dense portions to be more user-friendly, and remove redundancies that aren’t reinforcing crucial takeaways.

Physical Takeaway

After participants have completed your online training seminar, offer them some kind of token, such as a certificate. Having some kind of physical representation of the time and work they dedicated to the seminar will encourage them to revisit the information while they show pride in completing the course.

May 27, 2015

15 Ways to Recognize Superior Customer Service

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 9:34 am

“The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel,” writes author of Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care, Sybil F. Stershic. “And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.”

It’s simple.

The better your employees feel about their work, the better your clients will feel about your brand. Satisfied employees engaging with customers demonstrate pride and enthusiasm for your business.

When your staff delivers superior customer service, it’s crucial to recognize their efforts. But how? Here are 15 ways to recognize superior customer service provided by your employees.

Involve management

When an employee or a team completes a project before the deadline or performs well for several weeks in a row, share this success with upper management. A quick email to management, with the individual/team copied on it, that details the excellent work accomplished shows you have taken the time to acknowledge their efforts.

Demonstrate appreciation

A simple, handwritten thank you note takes less than five minutes but has a long-lasting effect. Handwriting a note of appreciation to a customer service employee who has gone above and beyond the call of duty will make that person feel wonderful about their work. Sweeten the gesture with a $10 gift card to Starbucks or a nearby lunch spot.

Acknowledge a job well-done

Even if it was a small, one-off project, be sure you take a moment out of your day to tell a customer service employee doing a good job that you’ve noticed their work and appreciate it. You can even share the employee’s efforts at a team meeting or in a group email. Just acknowledging a job well-done will go a long way with your customer service representatives.

Increase inclusion

Invite customer service employees to participate in activities normally reserved for management. For example, a management meeting that includes some lower-level employees shows you’re interested in their thoughts about the topic and that they are a valuable member of the company.

Plan a surprise event

When your customer service employees least expect, surprise them with a party that recognizes their work. Some snacks, music, and maybe even a few drinks, and before you know it, your employees will feel far more satisfied in their jobs.

Organize a staff appreciation program

Create a system that allows customer service staff to earn points for their hard work. Through the staff appreciation program, they can cash in the points they’ve earned for small prizes, such as company-brand swag, or paid time off. You can even make it a competition to see which employee earns the most points each month or throughout the year.

Ask for input

Your employees have insights into your customer service process and business that management might not have considered. Host brainstorming meetings or get a suggestion box for the office. It can be intimidating for customer service representatives to express their suggestions or concerns, so make it easy for them and they’ll feel heard.

Make room for personal efforts

Does one of your employees volunteer with a local non-profit organization? Maybe one of your customer service reps plays in a band. Reserve a space in a common area, like a break room, where employees can post about what they are doing outside the office. This encourages comradely among your customer service team.

Think outside of the box

Schedule a meeting with upper-level management to discuss creative methods for recognizing your customer service staff. Consider fun, off-site events or engaging team building exercises. The sky’s the limit when it comes to ways management can recognize customer service successes.

One-on-one time

Calling an employee into your office to discuss their impressive work is a guaranteed mood-booster. It takes a few minutes and that employee who stayed late or picked up the extra slack will always remember that you were considerate enough to talk to them about their efforts in-person, one-on-one.

Share accomplishments

If your company has a newsletter or its own intranet platform, share customer service accomplishments in these spaces. Let everyone know how well an employee or a team is doing. This will not only be appreciated by the person/team but also motivate others to work hard so they can be included in the next announcement.

Present successful programs

When a customer service team executes a program successfully, have them share their work with the company. Organize a meeting where the team can present to management and elaborate on their accomplishments.

Start an Employee of the Month initiative

Have employees nominate one another for your company’s new Employee of the Month program. At the end of each month, present the Employee of the Month with a special certificate (don’t forget the jacket to make it even more special) at a company-wide meeting. Maybe even offer the Employee of the Month a special incentive, like a paid day off or lunch at a sit-down restaurant.

Celebrate everyone

Take the time to have some cake on your customer service employees’ birthdays or raise a glass on their work anniversaries. These are people, not cogs in a machine. Celebrating their special moments means you care about more than just their work.

Get to know them

Your employees are more than just their jobs. They have families, hobbies, and interests. They support charities, play on teams, or enjoy a variety of other non-work related activities. Learn the personal details of your customer service reps so you can engage in a real conversation with them.

May 26, 2015

How to Ditch Daytime Sleepiness at the Office (for once and all)

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — PDWriter @ 9:33 am

coffee

While reaching for yet another cup of coffee to combat office sleepiness may seem like the most obvious thing to do, it’s not necessarily the best. Overloading on caffeine can actually make you feel worse, eventually disrupting your natural sleep pattern, making you jittery and nervous, or even resulting in heart palpitations or a stomach ache. Yuck is right, especially when you have a host of healthier ways to stay awake.

Check out a number of perk-you-up tips based on our own experience combined with info from Mark’s Daily Apple and Dr. Frank Lipman.

Get Enough Nighttime Shut-eye

Yeah, this one may seem obvious, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 41 million workers are still getting fewer than six hours of sleep each night. It’s not a wonder so many folks are slumped over at their desks; it’s a wonder any are even awake at all.

Try prepping your body for sleep with an electronic shutdown of your home around 10 p.m., turning off all computers and other electronics that prevent your body’s natural production of sleep-inducing melatonin. Blackout curtains and a sleep mask can additionally help eradicate all traces of light once you’re ready for slumber.

Let there be Light

That same light you’re trying to avoid at night should be sought out during the office slump. Take a quick walk outside in the bright sunshine or otherwise head into a super-bright and super-lit room.

Move it

running at lunch hour

Simply getting up from your desk and moving around the office can help increase alertness. Go one better with a bout of afternoon exercise. Instead of spending your lunch hour at the dark and crowded diner, try heading to the gym for a quick workout. Exercise can not only help you stay alert during the day, but it can help you sleep better at night (not to mention what it can do for killing off calories and stress).

Splish and Splash

A study out of Tokyo says bathing can help you stay awake, which means you’d get a double dose of natural pep if you showered after your midday gym workout. For those who don’t have a bathtub in their cubicle, you can try the age-old art of splashing cold water on your face fight daytime drowsiness.

Grab a Cat Nap

Got a quiet corner office no one’s using? Ask your boss if you can enjoy its solace for a quick, midday nap. Researchers from Missouri’s Harry S. Truman Veterans Administration Hospital found naps that lasted from 10 to 30 minutes seemed to increase alertness throughout the rest of the day. Going longer than 30 minutes, however, seemed to make people even groggier and less productive than before the nap.

Schedule Upbeat Afternoon Activities

If your afternoons are typically spent staring at a computer screen or otherwise engaged in mind-numbing work, why not try to switch it up with more vibrant activities. They can still be work-related, of course, but they can include an invigorating meeting with a new prospect, productive business gatherings, or even awards activities where employees can be rewarded with motivational gifts and honors. Bet no employee would dare fall asleep during one of those shindigs!

Pump up the Jams

music headphones

Add music to your activities, or even your mind-numbing computer work, and you can increase your alertness to even higher levels. A report published by the New Zealand Transport Agency found sleepy drivers who turned on their car stereos dramatically decreased their accident rates.

Try a Green Juice Boost

Greens are good at providing a burst of energy, particularly when you consume them in the form of vitamin-rich juice. Head to a juice bar during your afternoon break, or get a juicer for your home to create freshly pressed juice you can bring to work for an afternoon perk. Sounds like too much of a pain? Powdered green drinks are on the market you can mix and sip right at your desk.

And yes, you can still have your coffee. As long as you’re not downing more than four cups of coffee per day, MayoClinic reports that most folks do OK with moderate amounts of caffeine. Don’t forget caffeine is also found in chocolate and tea, which may also work in a pinch to get you through that afternoon office slump when napping, exercise, music, bathing or bright lights just won’t cut it.

May 22, 2015

Top 5 Myths About Employee Retention

Filed under: Recognition & Motivation Ideas — PDWriter @ 9:31 am

Myth or Fact

We know a thing or two about employee appreciation at Paper Direct. Part and parcel with it is an understanding of employee retention. That’s why we’d like to share our thoughts on some retention myths. Recognizing these common traps is a great way to avoid them.

Myth #1: Pay is the Leading Factor in Retention

A 2014 survey by Bamboo HR interviewed over 1,000 professionals to see what makes them tick. Among the motivating factors that lead to resignation, salary concerns only placed at number three. Denied advancement opportunity and an unhealthy work/life balance came out far ahead.

There are two lessons here. First, retention means creating opportunities for worthy employees. Second, treating employees like office fixtures doesn’t promote a long tenure.

Myth #2: Resigning Employees Have Nothing More to Contribute

Wrong. Getting their honest feedback, especially utilizing a proper exit interview, can reveal inefficiencies and discontent you never suspected. That’s immeasurably helpful in employee retention.

Gathering frank opinions can be tricky. After all, no one wants to burn bridges or blow a potential reference. If you’re concerned about reliability, consider hiring sensitive professionals outside your organization to conduct the interviews.

Myth #3: High Unemployment Means High Employee Retention  

Doesn’t economic crisis mean prudent management can go out the window? Pile more work on your employees and kick your feet up- people are too afraid to say boo, right?

Nope. Common sense dictates that valuable employees will likewise be valuable to other organizations. And when there’s chaff building in the applicant pool, it makes perfect sense to treat your current employees as they deserve.

Myth #4: New Hires Resign Because They Can’t Hack It

Some believe that large pools of new hires bring in the lazy and shiftless, those only interested in punching the time clock. The numbers couldn’t disagree more.

Another survey by Bamboo HR reveals that the vast majority of new hires are concerned to receive more on the job training and reviews of company policy. The logical inference is that these people are interested in doing their jobs well and understanding their new environment.

Myth #5: Turnover Only Affects HR

Employee retention isn’t just a human resources concern. True, HR has to devote a lot of time, money, and training to replace departing workers. But to talk as if theirs is the only department affected is to ignore the unity of an organization.

A departing employee takes many things with them. Unique customer relationships are lost. Work loads are disturbed and often painfully redistributed. Productivity is diminished. And hard won expertise disappears, perhaps permanently.

Employee retention invariably affects your enterprise across the board.

We hope we’ve contributed a bit to your understanding of employee retention. We’re keen to hear your insights too. Skip on over to Paper Direct to share your thoughts, form a collaboration, or just say hi!

 

May 19, 2015

Awesome Sunday School Recognition Ideas for Kids

Filed under: Student Recognition Ideas — Tags: , , , , , , , — PDWriter @ 9:30 am
Awesome Sunday School Recognition Ideas for Kids

Kids love praise. Knowing they’ve reached a goal or completed a task motivates them to continue doing well. Although Sunday School classes may seem like a fun place to socialize with friends, play games and listen to inspiring stories, there’s a lot of learning going on too. Let’s celebrate it!

Here are four Sunday school recognition ideas to keep your youngest parishioners engaged and active in their religious studies.

Sunday School Growth Award

Progress should always be recognized and commended. The Sunday School Growth Award is ideal for students who’ve completed assignments and projects in a timely manner and shown a deep understanding and appreciation of the lessons they’re learning. These children are often eager to learn more, ask questions and have a genuine interest in growing within the congregation.

Heavenly Cooperation Award

Do you have students break into groups to learn songs and verses together? Take note of the children who work exceptionally well with others. They deserve a Heavenly Cooperation Award. Let them know how much you appreciate them being helpful and friendly to the other children in their group. This award will inspire others to be just as cooperative in the future!

Religious Leadership Award

As Sunday school students get older, they often take on leadership roles within the church. Some teach younger students, volunteer to be a teacher’s assistant, or conduct special lessons for other classes. The Religious Leadership Award is for those students who go above and beyond to help others as a mentor and role model to other students.

Finding Faith Award

Every Sunday school teacher knows of a few students who are working on finding their place in the church. This award should be presented to students who’ve experienced a defining moment and have newly accepted their faith. This award is perfect for presenting during the final class of the session or during a ceremony with family and friends present.

crystal cross stationery paper

Do you need paper certificate to print your Sunday school recognition awards on? Paper Direct has a wide variety of festive, fun certificates to make your presentation perfect.

May 7, 2015

10 Free Whimsical Wedding Fonts for Invitations & More

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — Tags: , , , , — PDWriter @ 4:17 pm

Grace Casual Invitations by PaperDirectOne of the best things about custom, designer wedding invitations is the fabulous calligraphy/ graphic designs the artists can do. While this truly looks amazing, it can get very expensive- very quickly.

Since wedding invitations are one of the first pieces of communication sent out, you want them to represent the entire look and feel of the wedding. Whether this is refined elegance or fun & flirty, you’ll want nice invitations no matter your budget.

If you’re printer-savvy, you can order DIY wedding invitations, download a free, whimsical font and presto- you’ve got a great-looking invitation on the cheap.

There are a number of fonts available for free download so you can create gorgeous wedding invites (and other things) for a fraction of the cost of custom written invitations.

Some of our favorite downloadable wedding fonts include:

free wedding fonts for DIY Invitations

See a font you really like? Find it below and download the file. Then, click into the file and press the “Install” button towards the top of the folder. It will automatically be imported into Microsoft Word where you can play with your wording and format. Undecided on which font perfectly fits the bill? Download more than one and compare before printing- that’s the beauty of PaperDirect’s print at home invitations.

wedding font 1

Download Always Forever

wedding font 2

Download Because I am Happy

wedding font 3

Download Cinnamon Cake

wedding font 4

Download Dextera

wedding font 5

Download I Love Me Some

wedding font 6

Download Lemon Yellow Sun

wedding font 7

Download Drawing with Markers

wedding font 8

Download Jasmine Reminescentse

wedding font 9

Download La Laboratoire

wedding font 10

Download Please Write me a Song

We hope your wedding invitations are not only stunning- but also easy to make and send out. For more wedding products, visit PaperDirect. We carry name tables, thank you cards, and more.

All fonts courtesy of Dafont.com

May 5, 2015

Beautiful & Affordable Weddings: The Centerpieces

Filed under: DIY Wedding Ideas — PDWriter @ 10:27 am

A limited budget does not have to limit the beauty or creativity of your wedding. In fact, having a limited budget enhances the creativity and helps to find beautiful alternatives to pricey centerpieces.

Weddings are one of the most memorable and important days of our lives and what better way to honor that than by having stunning centerpieces that reflect our true hearts—without having to drain the bank account?

We all know how easy it is to overshoot the wedding budget. All of those beautiful details add up and end up leaving a sizable debt if we’re not careful. That’s why budget friendly centerpieces are all the rage right now.

Are they gorgeous? Absolutely.

Here are some stunning and money saving ideas we think you’ll love.

Leaf Centerpieces

Hosta

If you are planning a tropical or garden wedding, this idea saves a lot of money. Simple purchase oversized leafs by themselves or with simple vases or candles. This will add a warm pop of color without the price tag of flowers. Pictured is a hosta leaf. 

Dessert As Centerpiece

If you are having cupcakes, make them do double duty as your centerpiece? Cupcakes are little works of art and look beautiful on stands. By using them as the centerpiece you can save on big floral arrangements and choose something small and beautiful to supplement the entire look.

You could also go the route of placing individual chocolates in a designed spread. Double purpose and pleasure!

Borrow

If you need something for your centerpieces, consider borrowing them from others.  Assisted living facilities, service organizations, and clubs may all have just the item you need and will often lend them to local residents. Friends and family are also great resources.

Party & Gifts

Wedding Centerpiece CAH

If you’re seeking a more-casual wedding, place vintage board games or party favors as centerpieces. Browse Oriental Trading Company for some great inexpensive items you can buy in bulk.

Use What is Available to You

In planning your wedding centerpieces, don’t forget to consider things that are available to you right outside your home. Things like tree branches, wildflowers, sand, bark, fruit, lanterns, antiques, and drift wood are all lovely and can serve as wonderful centerpieces.

Check with Your Location Vendor

If you are renting a venue, find out if they have supplies you can rent. Many have vases that can be rented at a nominal cost.

Go Minimalist

Baby's Breath centerpieces

[photo via]

Flowers are one of the most expensive elements of the wedding. One way to save is by making a few flowers go a long way with a minimalist design.Try either one flower per vase or a bouquet of baby’s breath.

Go Eclectic

If you do not have a collection of matching vases or containers, you can go eclectic and tie the look together with flowers.  Another way to bring the look together dramatically is by spray painting the containers all one color such as silver, white or cream.

Designed Table Tents

Black and White Table Tent

If you’re going for as inexpensive as possible, consider ordering some plain table tents. Then you can design them yourself, print them at home and you’re done. Try using whimsical fonts to add the table number, or better yet, include an ice breaker conversation starter for the table.

The wedding of your dreams is within your reach, no matter the budget. Get creative and the beauty will come to life!

May 1, 2015

15 Ways Schools Can Appreciate Their Teachers (on the Cheap)

Filed under: Recognition & Motivation Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 10:34 am

Day in and day out, teachers go above and beyond. From staying late to help students with projects, to arriving early to perfect lesson plans, this profession isn’t celebrated enough. So on May 5th it’s time to say Thank You!

15 ways schools can appreciate teachers on Teacher Appreciation Day!

appreciation ideas on the cheap

1. Have the school secretary reach out to parents and students. Ask for positive comments and words of gratitude to share in the teacher newsletter or on the bulletin board in the staff break room.

2. Organize a staff potluck (or have it catered!) on a Friday afternoon to spoil and thank educators for their dedication all year long.

3. Allow teachers to go casual and wear jeans on a specific day. Be sure to get a group picture to remember the event!

4. Hold a drawing for an exciting weekend outing that includes tickets to a local ball game, dinner at a new restaurant, overnight stay at a luxury hotel or tickets to a show.

5. Coordinate a special assembly with the students and present each teacher a certificate of appreciation in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day.

Thank You Vinyl Banners by PaperDirect

6. Ask the students to write messages on a huge “Thank You” banner during their lunch break. Then prominently display the sign at the entrance of the school for all the teachers to see.

7. Feature each teacher on the school’s social media accounts. Post a photo and a behind-the-scenes look at what the teacher does each day for the children.

8. Email each student an anonymous questionnaire asking who their favorite teacher is and why. Print out these comments on colorful paper and post them around the school for everyone to read.

9. In a small school, have the students prepare a short play to present to the teachers that focuses on gratitude and the things they’ve learned from their teachers.

Personalized Mugs by PaperDirect

10. Present each teacher with a personalized mouse pad or mug for their desk that highlights Teacher Appreciation Day.

11. Coordinate a special assembly to honor a Teacher of the Year. Have the students and parents vote on who should win.

12. Tuck a note into each teacher’s paycheck paperwork letting them know they’ve earned a free PTO day to use as they wish.

13. Have fresh doughnuts and gourmet coffee delivered to the staff break room early on a Monday morning for a delicious surprise.

14. Have a key school supervisor, such as a principal or superintendent, hand write a Thank You card to each teacher and personally deliver it throughout the day on Teacher Appreciation Day.

15. Organize a staff outing, such as bowling or lunch, so the teachers can mingle and socialize outside school grounds.

What are you waiting for? Choose a few ideas and start planning! Paper Direct has festive paper certificates and decorative border paper to help you get started.

 

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