There are few issues in America garnering more attention both inside the beltway and on Main Street as healthcare reform and its magnitude will impact everyone far beyond rising health insurance premiums.  It could end up affecting everything we touch and therefore the time to prepare is now.

On May 1, Chris Carlson and the Aureus Group team hosted a second discussion on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I was pleased to moderate a panel of finance, insurance, and legal experts to provide an update on the law and regulatory process. 

Healthcare Reform All Over the News
The President discussed healthcare reform implementation at length at his news conference a few weeks ago and this is critical for your business because he directly mentioned the new exchange application which could trigger penalties for applicable large employers (those with more than 50 employees).  The consensus of every panelist was employee education is paramount in order to reduce risk, control costs, and retain productivity.

The panel also discussed the ACA pay or play mandate.  This provision is very important because it requires businesses with more than 50 full-time equivalents provide coverage to full-time workers.  It also creates administrative challenges for companies of all sizes due to technical detail businesses need to be aware of now.  These include establishing a measurement period for part-time employees, planning for when coverage needs to be offered, and additional compliance requirements. 

Addressing a Question We Missed
What are the major impacts of Obamacare on Medicare and Medicaid?
Medicare is a huge program in our federal government and in the healthcare industry it dictates most of the reimbursements.  The ACA reduces payments to hospitals and physicians over time but it also closes the donut hole for seniors on the prescription drug benefit. 

A potential pitfall for the legislation is funding.  A recent development with the Medicare Advantage program has policy wonks worried.  One of the ways they were supposed to pay for this law is through a reduction in subsidies to insurance companies who administer Medicare Advantage programs.  The Obama Administration recently went from reducing those payments as a way to pay for the ACA to actually paying more after recent commercials run by the insurance lobby.  Thirty percent of the law was paid for by these reductions that are now going to end up costing taxpayers more.

The expansion of Medicaid is a critical piece of the law and it was supposed to deliver coverage to about half of those without insurance.  The Supreme Court threw a curveball because it allowed states to opt out.  Most are debating how they will proceed but all options have serious downsides.  Here in Nebraska and in the Midwest most states are leaning towards opting out of the expansion which could be difficult for certain businesses in service industries and low income individuals in need of coverage.

The 90-minute panel discussion covered a lot of ground and addressed many questions.  If you missed it, click here to review the questions and corresponding video segments.  Check out my healthcare reform website for more information .

A special thank you to our other panelists from Baird Holm, Coventry Health Care, Seim Johnson, and Silverstone Group, and to Aureus Group for hosting a great discussion on this important topic.

Sean McGuire

About Sean McGuire
Just like his ancestors before him, Sean McGuire has since a young age enjoyed building things. After his unique Washington, DC experience, he realized early on that small and mid-sized businesses were going to suffer due to the Affordable Care Act and its new compliance requirements.

He responded by founding E.D. Bellis – a healthcare consulting company in Omaha, Nebraska – preparing America’s decision makers with synthesized information on healthcare reform and ongoing management of government and regulatory issues as if they were a Member of Congress.

As a staff member on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, he developed a mutual understanding of the context of healthcare reform and of the politics behind the ACA. This has been well documented in all mediums of media including television, radio and social media.

His commentary appears on Health Reform Explained – a non-partisan resource explaining health reform to the audience in common language. He can be heard every Saturday morning in the heartland as host of America’s Healthcare Challenge, a weekly radio program on KOIL 1290AM preparing business owners and the public with up-to-date information on health reform and changing government policies.

After returning from Washington, McGuire served from 2009-2011 as the health reform consultant for the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Medicine. In late 2011, he realized the business community was under-informed on how the law will challenge small and mid-sized firms especially with new taxes and compliance requirements beginning in 2013.

The founding of the Omaha consulting company continues to prepare business owners and executives with disseminated information on healthcare reform, helping them navigate new and existing compliance requirements, potential penalties for non-compliance and taxes beginning in 2013.

A proud graduate of Marquette University, Sean also serves on the Board of Directors of the Omaha Press Club, and is a member the Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the Omaha Executive Club.

The Waiting Place…
…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

Do you ever find yourself just waiting for time to pass? Counting away the minutes, hours, or days until you get, or get to do, something you want? I do this all the time. I’m counting down the minutes until I’m done with my workout.  I’m waiting to hear back from a client about a candidate I’ve presented. Waiting to hear back from a candidate on an offer I’ve extended. Waiting to hear back from a reference. Waiting for the weather to get nicer. Waiting until the weekend. Waiting until I lose weight to buy a new outfit I want. Waiting until I have more time to take a day off. Waiting for my next paycheck. Waiting for my kids to pick up their rooms. And the list goes on and on.

I’ve been trying to remind myself to stop for a moment and enjoy the minutes I’m living in right now. Believe me, this is a challenge, even for those who are not as OCD as me. I’m always wanting and wishing for those around me to have the sense of urgency I have in getting things completed so I don’t have to wait, so my clients and candidates don’t have to wait, so my co-workers don’t have to wait, etc. But, I have to slow myself down and remember people don’t have the magic skills that I have so they can’t possibly complete things or get back to me as quickly as I’d like.  Ha! Okay, so I can’t do magic, but I bet I could if I tried real hard.

I (and many of you) need to remember that not having something completed in an instant, is not the end of the world. I need to remember to enjoy the snow in May, because it most likely will get much too hot too soon and then we’ll all wish for some cooler days. Stop and smell the roses and remember, as Kool and the Gang once sang “Cherish the Life We Live”. Now that brought you back didn’t it?  If you take the time and work hard on being more patient, you will succeed (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed).

Kara Strong, Senior Account Manager
Kara Strong has worked with the Aureus Group for nearly 14 years. She is a leader with extensive and progressive experience in the human capital management industry. Kara currently works in Aureus Group’s technical division which specializes in all facets of IT/IS, including developers, network engineers, systems administrators, project managers, business analysts, PC technicians, and IT management.

Kara is a member of the Human Resources Association of the Midlands (HRAM) and Lincoln Human Resource Managers Association (LHRMA) and has held roles such as VP of membership for LHRMA, VP for the Women in Sales and Business organization in Lincoln and for the last three years was on the planning committee for the Nebraska State SHRM Conference.

Kara has won awards such as the Lincoln Business Journals 40 Under 40, Presidents Club, and Employee of the Quarter. She passed the Certified Personnel Consultant certification in 2006 and received her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kara married, has three wonderful boys, and is an avid karaoke singer (probably why ‘kara’ is in the word).

HR professionals may recognize outside recruiters as a threat to their jobs.  Recruiting is part of their responsibility in the company and they may not enjoy an external recruiter trying to take it away from them. HR may complain that recruiters take too long to fill positions and use the same job board sites instead of recruiting passive candidates that the HR Manager couldn’t find on their own. External recruiters tend to see HR as an obstacle and roadblock to getting their job done.  If HR won’t talk to them then they want to talk to the hiring manager or decision maker directly to work on the job order and find out specifically what type of candidate they would like to hire.  

I have been given the opportunity in my career to experience both.  I have worked in a corporate HR department and as an external recruiter.  I now understand why these conflicts occur…you are dealing with completely different skill sets.  Most of the time someone who is really good at HR rarely favors recruiting and vice versa.  This is because recruiting is more sales orientated, where HR is more administration and compliance focused. 

It is important for recruiters and HR professionals to recognize that their mutual success depends on them working together, not separately, towards a common goal. Both functions working together can be a powerful engine to move an organization towards success.

Mel Adams, Account Manager

Melissa Adams
Melissa (Mel) Adams has been in the staffing industry for eight years.  She is currently an Account Manager with the Aureus Group Accounting and Finance division Nebraska team. Mel assists companies in the hiring of accounting and finance personal through temporary, Match Hire® and direct hire staff.  Outside of the office, Mel enjoys working out, watching football (specifically the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Pittsburgh Steelers), volunteering at church, and spending time with her husband and five children.  Mel earned a degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

There are all kinds of leaders. CFO, CEO, CIO, CAT (that spells cat. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention. HA) are just a few examples from a business setting. Generals and Admirals are examples of the high level military leaders.  Presidents and dictators are the leaders of countries. As a leader, they have the power to alter your livelihood and affect your emotional state in regards to your work. In the case of the military, they can dictate life or death decisions. A president or prime minister, even as an elected official, can transform aspects of a citizen’s life. So what makes a good leader?

We are seeing some of the most important leaders of our time out in the workforce today. They are the ones who are learning from their peers to make themselves better in turn making the organizations they are leading better. They are the C level executives who are hands on and doing the work instead of dictating the work. They are the leaders who are coming up with new processes that are making things better for the whole organization. And they are the ones who recognize the power of building teams and knowing that no one person in the organization is more important than the other. The leaders who are doing these sorts of things are the ones that are considered “great” leaders.

In today’s world what we are seeing that the leaders who are the most successful are the ones with the most free-willing followers. 

Mark Svoboda, Aureus Group Account Manager

Mark Svoboda
Mark Svoboda has been in the staffing business for a year and before that has more than 15 years of business development experience, including real estate and operations management. Currently, he is employed as an account manager with the Aureus Group Systems division, a branch of C & A Industries. His territory of Kansas City encompasses all of Missouri and Kansas. In this capacity he assists companies in the hiring IT/IS personal through contract, Match Hire, direct hire, or retained search staff.

When not working between Omaha and Kansas City, Mark enjoys swimming, golfing, volunteering at his church, and spending time with friends and family. Not to mention cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers as native of Omaha, Nebraska. He is a graduate of Creighton Prep High School and received a degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in Business Administration.

Leaders have similar traits – a majority of them possess these skills:

• Learn from Mistakes
• Lead by Example
• Be Accountable
• Be Authentic
• Provide Purpose

Do you have all these leadership skills?  If not, try being the first one to your team meetings.  Always be prepared for meetings.  Offer honest and sincere feedback.  Be willing to go the extra mile to help out your colleagues.  Be optimistic.  Add energy to your team.  Commit to the organization.  Earn respect of your colleagues.  Continue to learn.  Truly believe in what you are doing. 

Some of the most amazing leaders do not have fancy titles or a corner office.  Leaders are everywhere.  They may be your colleague sitting next to you who isn’t looking to be recognized for their hard work.  Everyone can be a leader.   Never underestimate an individual with leadership skills because they have the power to motivate the entire organization with their passion.  So, the question is – are you a leader? 

Mandy Wehner
Mandy Wehner just moved to the Omaha area and has been with Aureus Group since July 2012.  She has more than three years of recruiting and account management experience, including a prior career in the staffing industry where Mandy was the operations manager. Mandy holds a master’s degree in organizational development from Upper Iowa University and a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from College of St. Mary.  During her short tenure with Aureus Group, Mandy has received internal recognition commending her commitment to the C&A mission and value statements through her hard work.

Those of us who are fortunate (or not so fortunate) to not need to understand technology, this poses no concern.  However, to those executives, business managers, owners, and technologists who need to understand current or new technologies, this can be a major concern.  The business managers of companies rely heavily on the technology they use to operate day to day and need to be up to speed on the technology they may need to use tomorrow.  Business managers may never have to be the experts, but they need to have at least a five thousand foot view of technology and what is occurring in their market space in addition to how it may or may not affect them today and tomorrow. 

On the other side of the business, technologists depend on others in their field to stay ahead of the ever changing landscape and to help themselves and companies stay ahead of the market for future endeavors.  They must be prepared to explain the how and why of technology to the business managers and ultimately need to be able to deliver the necessary technology to the company to maintain a competitive advantage. 

With such a need for both business professionals and technologists to stay up to speed in the constant and ever changing waves of technologies and with so few economical solutions or experts to rely on, where can they turn for help?  I have found the best place to turn is at events that showcase the vast variety of technologies that impact business, but is done so in a manner that has a true impact on both the business-side and technology-side of the company’s assets; where the speakers can touch technology at a five thousand foot level and also dive deep into the technology.  Such an event is occurring in Omaha on April 16 and 17 at the Century Link Center, Infotec.

I have been to this event over the last five years and have always found several takeaways each year that benefit me.  This year I anticipate more of the same.  The event will have tracks that cover some of the most pressing technology issues facing business today, including mobile, innovation, marketing, and BYOD.  With several tracks and a variety of speakers the event should continue its success of delivering value to both the business manager and the technologist.

If you or members of your organization are seeking to understand the magic behind technology, this event should be well worth your investment.  As a sponsor of the event, Aureus Group will actually be giving out free passes to the event, so click here to find out more.

Hope to see you there.

Gabe Romero
Gabe Romero has been with Aureus Group for more than ten years and manages the business and operations of Aureus Group’s Systems division for the Omaha, Lincoln, KC, and the Des Moines markets.

He is a Certified Personnel Consultant, a Certified Internet Recruiter and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and an EMBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  He is on the Iowa Western Community College Advisory Board, ITT Advisory Board, and the President of the NE Oracle User Group.  He works with companies throughout the Midwest on staffing contingency plans and resource planning for immediate projects and long-term growth.

When you see a job posted online, your first instinct may be to email them your resume – don’t.  Why would you rely on a piece of paper to get them excited about you?  Anyone can write a good-looking resume, but there are so many resumes floating around where people over-sell themselves, under-sell themselves, or outright misrepresent themselves.  It is tough for hiring managers to know which is which. When you forward your resume to a company, you have no idea what’s happening on their end. You are probably one of 100 plus resumes in their inbox, sitting there in a pile, just waiting to be overlooked. If you forgot to include some keyword or if you fail to include something else that is important to them, they will assume you don’t have it and move on.  How can they tell from your resume that your communication skills and your attitude are outstanding? Or that you are great at solving problems and you are known for going above and beyond at work?  They can’t.  You have to hope and pray that they like what they see and give you a call.

That’s where I come in.  Now, I don’t represent just anyone. If you’re just an average employee who punches the clock and does the bare minimum, there is no way I am putting my company’s name behind you.  If your communication skills are poor or you can’t tell me about your strengths and accomplishments, I will not represent you.  If I choose to present you to one of my clients, that is me saying, “This candidate is awesome! They’ve got the right background, experience, initiative, attitude, etc., and you owe it to yourself to talk to them.”

We don’t just forward your resume either.  We follow you through the entire application and interview process through the offer stage.  Once I sell my account managers on you, they call our client companies and personally speak to them on your behalf, voicing your accomplishments, what sets you apart, and why we recommend they hire you.  Once we get the interview lined up, we prep you.  We give you as much information as we can about the environment, the people, why the position is open, what they do and don’t like to see in candidates, and what types of questions to prepare for; anything we can share to help you be successful in your interview.  It doesn’t stop there. We debrief with both you and the client, gathering more insight for both of you. Then if it looks to be a good match for you both, we help you through the offer stage.  Knowing both sides of the story, we do our best to get you as much money as we can without costing you the job opportunity.  If there is room for negotiation, we will.  We typically know the salary range the company has in mind and how much is too much to ask for.  That way you’re not leaving money on the table, but you’re not costing yourself a good job offer.  It helps to have the inside track.  The more information you have, the better equipped you will be to make the best decision.  It is your career, after all.

Julie Link
As a technical recruiter for the Information Systems team, Julie is responsible for sourcing, qualifying, and matching candidates with contract and fulltime job opportunities in the Kansas City area. She has been with Aureus Group since 2006 after graduating from Creighton University with a BSBA in Human Resources and Spanish. In 2010 Julie received her MBA from Bellevue University.  Julie enjoys going on trips, dancing, trying out new restaurants, kayaking, and working on home projects with her husband Jake and taking their dog Jack for walks around the lake.  She also sings for weddings and services in her church choir

• Capture the Situation:  There has probably been some time in between the initial conflict and you starting the resolution process.  Bring up specific details that will help the other party remember the situation and their behavior at the time of the situation.  An example of this would be, “Yesterday after lunch, when we were walking back to the office…”
• Describe the Behavior:  You need to capture not only what the other person does, but also how they do it.  Remember to focus on the actual behavior and not make a judgment or assumption of what that behavior might mean.  Use phrases like, “She was really engaged in the phone call.”  
• Deliver the Impact:  Communicate the impact the situation has had on you to the other party.  This will make them more aware of the situation, and give them the opportunity to work on correcting this behavior in the future.  A simple format to use when delivering the impact would be, “When you did ____, I felt ____.”  

In short, there are many ways to obtain feedback, but the key word here is effective feedback.  The SBI technique has become more common and replaced older strategies like the “Sandwich Approach” where you would essentially ‘sandwich’ the bad news with good news.  When encountering conflict throughout the day, take a minute to assess the situation and try to implement the SBI technique.  This concept may sound elementary, but think back to the last conflict you encountered.  How did you handle it?  How smooth was the resolution process?  Practice makes perfect, and it certainly won’t be perfect the first time but hopefully at least a step in the right direction.  I’d welcome the opportunity to hear any feedback on how this technique works for you in the coming weeks.  

Kayla Schmale
Kayla Schmale joined Aureus Group Finance and Accounting in January 2012. She specializes in finding top talent throughout the midwest to include accountants, financial analysts, controllers, etc. for clients in a wide variety of industries.  Kayla has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Advertising from Wayne State College.  In her free time she enjoys spending time with her fiance, Jason, and their dog, Gizzmo.  She also loves attending concerts, various sporting events, and is an avid DIY-er.  Kayla is an active Wish Granter through Make-A-Wish of Nebraska, and really values the time spent enhancing the lives of wish families throughout the organization.

2) Work with what you’ve got.
For those of you who love to shop, you may be enticed to go revamp your whole wardrobe. You really should consider utilizing what you have in your closet, especially if you’re on a tight budget.  Take this as a chance to show your personality by varying a current business suit with jewelry, scarves, and different dress shirts.

3) Style on a budget.
Let’s face it money is tight right now for everyone. Flip through some of your favorite magazines or window shop at higher-end stores to look for ideas on interview clothes. When you are ready to shop, just head to your favorite outlet store and re-create the looks you saw for a lot less.

4) It’s the little things.
First impressions are everything. Are your shoes shined or at least in good condition? Do you have a leather briefcase in good shape? Are your nails trimmed and clean? Is your shirt tucked in? Do you still have bedhead? Are your shoes tied? This is your moment to shine, so pay attention to details. Also, know the name of the person you’re interviewing with.

5) Remember your five senses.

• Sight – Ask to use the restroom to take a last minute look. You may notice a stain or snag that wasn’t there when you left the house.
• Hearing – Keep the cell phone off. You don’t need to be seen messing with your phone or taking a call while you’re waiting for the interviewer to come greet you. Bring your “A” game.
• Taste – How’s your breath? Grab a mint before your interview. Make sure to have it chewed by the time you arrive and forget the gum.
• Smell – This goes for both men and women and is more noticeable than you may realize – do NOT smoke before your interview and keep the fragrances light. If we can still smell you after you’ve left, that’s a problem.
• Touch – Work on perfecting your handshake. By no means do you want to use a death grip with your interviewer, but if your handshake is weak, that’s a bad sign. Also, right before you reach your hand, do a quick swipe on your pant leg (discreetly) if you have clammy hands.

Use the tips listed above and feel confident when saying, “Mirror, Mirror on the wall…” because you will be the fairest interviewer of them all.

Becky Jochim
Becky Jochim has been with Aureus Group as a Front Desk Coordinator since June 2011. She is part of a two person team providing a wide array of administrative support to the Aureus Group Account Managers and Recruiters. Becky holds an Associate’s Degree in Fashion Marketing from Iowa Western Community College, an Associate’s Degree in Merchandise Product Development from FIDM, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management from Bellevue University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, boating, shopping, and pursuing her internship with Omaha Fashion Week.

Aureus Group Systems Team

I’ve always appreciated how humor is an important part of learning, a healthy day-to-day work life and ultimately a happy life.  My interest and intrigue in how humor works stems from the laughter I shared with my family growing up and now with my jolly husband and spunky daughter.  My brother, Keith took this to an entirely different level.  It’s not surprising since he was always making up new rules for our imaginary games. He now has his Phd in cognitive statistics and is a wonderful professor.  He published The Impact of Humor on Memory (and other stuff too). It is a fact that humorous materials tend to be recalled at a higher rate than non-humorous materials. There is also good evidence that if you allow employees to engage in something they want to do, (which is playful), there are better outcomes in terms of productivity and motivation.

Humor definitely correlates with innovation as well.  There is good theory and evidence suggesting that humor at the individual level is important.  The use of humor and the ability to produce and make humor is associated with intelligence and creativity, two things highly valued in the workplace. More important, the link between humor and positive emotions seems strong, which is intuitive, and there’s also a strong correlation between positive emotions and workplace performance and retention.

Social media isn’t the only thing that is viral.  When someone’s laughing, it’s kind of contagious and it can spread a positive general benefit to the workplace.

At Aureus Group we have been incorporating Dr. Seuss’ wisdom into the first quarter of 2013 with the campaign called Oh! The Places We’ll Go! In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 6, take a moment to share your favorite Dr. Seuss book, quote, or character.  Isn’t it amazing how many lessons he taught us all?

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”
― Dr. Seuss

Chris Carlson, Managing Director
Chris is an experienced executive in the staffing industry. She has extensive experience in developing and implementing operational analyses and programs and has assisted hundreds of firms streamline processes and upgrade the competencies of its workforce. Finding innovative ways to generate new business and build teams is her passion. She has developed and executed many successful strategic marketing plans. Chris began her career at Aureus Group, a full-service professional recruiting firm, in 1994 and currently serves as the managing director of Aureus Group specializing in the Finance & Accounting, Systems, and Executive search areas including Healthcare Administration and Wealth Management professionals.

In addition, Chris is a Certified Professional Consultant, and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.