Life Matters

Sweetheart Deal: 2 for 1 Sale

2012-01-26T15:44:00.000-08:00

Good until February 14th, 2012.
The Close Group is offering an amazing deal. . .
Pay full tuition for a course and receive a second course (at lesser or equal value) for no additional cost.
This is our way of saying "Thank You" to the wonderful Human Resources community for their unfailing support of the Close Group consulting services and courses.

The offer expires on 2/14/12, so I suggest you hurry and enroll now for a course and pick your "course on us" for later.

For details visit our website at: http://www.closegroup.org

SPHR/PHR Prep Course in Seattle Starts February 20th 2012

2012-01-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

Calling all SPHR/PHR students! Time to get a jump start on February 20th, 2012.

Happy New Year to you all and a special call to those planning on taking the SPHR or PHR in Seattle this May-June. The Close Group will be offering another round of SPHR/PHR Prep courses this Winter/Spring. The "live" class starts February 20th and will run weekly (Monday evenings from 6-9 pm) until April 23rd. As always, Amanda Close will be the instructor and students will have access to the online learning materials provided through the Close Group for no additional charge. The tuition has remained steady at the low price of $995 (includes books). We of course still use the wonderful HRCP materials (excellent books and an amazing value) so we pass the saving on to you.

I am always happy to chat with folks about the class, so feel free to give me a call: 206.782.1254

Feel free to sign up early! Folks that sign up early for the course get their books drop shipped directly to them plus immediate access to the online lectures.

Check out the website for more details and reserve your spot
http://www.closegroup.org

HR Mgt (SPHR/PHR Prep) Course starts Sept 12th, 2011

2011-08-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that I have been teaching the SPHR and PHR prep course for 15 years! There are a lot of you out there that I have had the pleasure of having in a class. But wait. . . did you just hear your coworker talking about studying for the SPHR or PHR test? This is the moment; the moment to beam and pass on the baton. Your stamp of approval, your vote of confidence, your support is priceless. Share your classroom learning experience with Amanda Close as the instructor! As always, together we will bring forth the next group of HR folks studying for the PHR/SPHR exam through the Close Group.
The tuition is still $995 (this includes the books.) High value and reasonably priced! Unbelievable! How does the Close Group do it? In short, because of you, the alumni of courses taught by Amanda Close. You are my champions and your ‘stamp of approval’ brings new students. In turn we say “thank you” by passing on the savings. The course is a bargain because of you.

Please pass on a good word.
The class starts soon, so people need to reserve a spot.
When: September 12th- November 21st 2011 (Monday evenings 6-9 pm)
Where: Seattle
Sign up: http://www.closegroup.org/hr_mgt_course.html

If folks are not sure they would qualify to take the exam, please direct them to: http://www.closegroup.org/PHR_and_SPHR_Eligibility.html

SPHR and PHR Prep Course Starts Week of September 13th, 2010

2010-08-01T02:33:00.001-07:00

It is that time again to think about and then decide whether or not to study for the SPHR/PHR exam. The classes I offer in the Seattle area start the week of September 13th. This will be the last "round" before the testing requirement change and become more stringent.
Here is a link to a summary of the changes:2011 SPHR/PHR eligibility changes

To find out more about the course I offer: Take the SPHR/PHR Course

What a recent student had to say about the course:
"I just wanted to say thank you for your PHR/SPHR prep course. I passed the PHR, which was a huge relief! Your questions and material covered in class were the perfect combination of learning for this type of exam. I found that after re-reading all the material, listening to the lectures, and doing the HRCP flashcards that the exam was not near as difficult or detailed as the questions in class."

HR Conference, See You There!

2010-06-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hope to see at the San Diego SHRM conference! I will be spending most of my time at the exhibitor hall at booth #1550 (HRCP booth.) Stop by and enter to win a free online course offered through the Close Group!!!! Get those strategic recertification hours.

Made the decision to take the SPHR/PHR exam before the 2011 certification requirements kick-in? With Fall right around the corner, this is the last round of HR Mgt course offering/testing window before the 2011 certification requirements come into affect. Sign up now to take the classroom version offered in the Seattle, WA area or an online self-paced offering.

Take advantage of the new referral program and accumulate credits towards a free online course preapproved for HRCI recertification hours for yourself. Visit: Close Group HR Mgt Course

See you in San Diego

2010-06-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

I will be down at the SHRM Conference in San Diego at the HRCP (Human Resource Certification Program)booth in the exhibitor area. Stop by and say "Hi!" I will be there sharing success stories using the HRCP materials as well as showcasing the online SPHR/PHR prep course and recertification approved courses offered by the Close Group.

Bring your friends to the booth and get them signed up to take the SPHR/PHR prep course offered through the Close Group and start accumulating credits toward a free course for yourself! Stop by the booth and find out more.

Sign up to take the course yourself and receive a 3-month WellMeals4U membership.

Looking forward to seeing you at the conference.

SPHR/PHR Prep Course Fall 2010 Special Offers

2010-06-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

I know, summer will not have officially started until June 21st and here I am talking about Fall Course offerings. Time absolutely flies and I wanted to let people know of some special offers that are tied with the upcoming Fall SPHR/PHR prep course. Visit the website: Close Group HR Mgt Course.

The first special offering:Sign up to take the SPHR/PHR prep course offered through the Close Group and receive a 3-month membership to WellMeals4U! Studying eats up all of your precious spare time and requires carving away at other areas. Don't let eating healthy meals get put on the back burner. Utilize WellMeals4U and "stockpile" healthy meals in your freezer. WellMeals4U. http://www.wellmeals4u.com. This offer expires September 12, 2010.

The second special offering:Accumulate credits toward online courses offered by the Close Group just by referring students to the SPHR/PHR courses offered by the Close Group. Receive a $59credit for each full paying referral. Refer 10 people and take a 15 hour course for FREE. Online courses are all preapproved by HRCI to receive 15 strategic recertification hours!!!

Sign up today and take advantage of the special WellMeals4U offer.
Refer students and start accumulating credits toward a free course for yourself!

HR PHR/SPHR Courses for Fall 2010?

2010-05-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

It's not too soon to be thinking about the next round of SPHR/PHR certification testing. The next round of "live" course offerings through the Close Group will begin in September in the Seattle area. For those of you who want to take advantage of the online offering, get signed up as soon as you like. The books are dropped shipped directly to your home and the self-paced online lectures available upon demand. Super easy! Sign up today and save your spot. Visit http://www.closegroup.org

PHR Course in Seattle

2010-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

The Close Group offers a PHR/SPHR certification prep course twice in 2010. Both offered in Seattle, Washington. http://www.closegroup.org/

The Winter/Spring offering will start February 15th and continue each Monday evening from 6-9 pm for eleven weeks.
The Fall course offering will start September 13th and continue each Monday evening from 6-9pm for eleven weeks.

I will be the instructor for both of these offerings. Here is the link for the course and enrollment information. http://www.closegroup.org/

Come join the fun and get the test out of the way before the 2011 certification requirements change! Still time to enroll for the February 15th course.

Cheers,
Amanda

2010 Trends:

2010-01-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

I was reading the January 5th, 2010 Journal and ran across some 2010 trends as predicted by Glen Hiemstra http://www.futurist.com/. and thought I would make mention since it jibes with what I have been seeing as well.

In a nutshell:

The economic recovery is underway due in large part to high levels of entrepreneurial activity. "Once the economy starts moving again we will see an uptick in jobs", says Mr. Hiemstra.
Entrepreneurial activity is trending towards "new green economy".
"Retail sales will come back, but we may have entered into a prolonged trend toward more frugal lifestyles" he feels.
States that rely on sales tax and property tax revenue based upon "housing peak projections" may likely see long term structural difficulties.
Professions/education/services that support an aging population is a good bet.
Shortage of disigners and scientists. We need to encourage kids towards education in science, technology and engineering. We need designers and scientists to remain internationally competitive.

To take advantage of these trends, Hiemstra recommends "deciding what you want to happen, then figure out what to do to make it happen."

Don't ignore your entrepreneurial ideas. If you really think it will make this world a better place, work to make it happen.
Never stop learning and look for ways to contribute, look for ways to make a difference.
Create your own strategic plan! Strategic Coaching

The Close Group offers courses, coaching, team facilitation and strategic planning that helps individuals and organizations leverage trends. http://www.closegroup.org/

SPHR/PHR Prep Course through the Close Group starts February 15, 2010

2010-01-11T23:06:00.000-08:00

Registration now open!
Visit Close Group website for details

Strategic Coaching: Become a Goal Expert

2010-01-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

In the Seattle Sunday Times Parade (January 3, 2010) there was an article about understanding how your mind works to make changes that last. In the article they used the analogy of an elephant and the rider. The elephant represents the emotional side of our brain and the rider the rational side. Together they make an amazing team, but change can be difficult. The elephant is the drive and the power is also the emotional instant gratification that dislikes missing out on short term gratification. The rider is rational and sets the direction and pace and can be easily overwhelmed by the elephants need for instant gratification. In a nutshell, for lasting change to occur, both sides of the brain must be engaged. Enter Strategic Coaching. A method for getting that elephant and rider working together to achieve long term change.

For more information: visit the Close Group website. Strategic Coaching is a 15-hour online course that has been approved for 15 "strategic" SPHR recertification hours.

Take Your SPHR or PHR Test in 2010

2009-12-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Yikes! The HRCI testing requirements are going to be changing in 2011. That means we have 2010 to get as many people through as possible because it will be harder to receive "approval" to take the SPHR/PHR than ever before.

Visit the Close Group website to see the changes that will become effective 2011. http://www.closegroup.org/2011_SPHR_PHR_changes

Come take your prep course through the Close Group. The Winter/Spring Seattle course starts February 15th, 2010 and the Fall Seattle course starts Sept 13, 2010
http://www.closegroup.org
Now accepting registrations for the Winter/Spring course.

SPHR/PHR Prep Course Offered by the Close Group http://www.closegroup.org

2009-12-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

The next round of HR Mgt (SPHR/PHR test prep) Course offered by the Close Group starts February 15, 2010 . The course will be offered in Seattle and online. There are lots of options out there for people getting ready to take the test. For those of you who want the classroom experience and/or the ultimate convenience of online lectures, consider taking a course offered by the Close Group. http://www.closegroup.org

The prep course is taught by Amanda Close. That is me:) I have been teaching this course for nearly 15 years and have taught it at least a hundred times. The pass rate has consistently fluctuated between 80-90%. Much higher than the national average of 55%.

Other reasons to take the SPHR/PHR prep course through the Close Group:

The tuition is $995 (this includes books and access to supplemental online lectures)
The study books and additional practise tests are provided through HRCP (Human Resource Certification Program) are excellent.
The class size is capped at 20 to assure everyone has an opportunity to share.
The instructor is familar with the SHRM learning system as well as the HRCP materials to provide a robust learning environment.
Very important: we have fun!!!

Sign up today and reserve your spot for the winter/spring offering. Visit the website: http://www.closegroup.org/ click onto HR Mgt (SPHR/PHR) on the right hand side.

Visit the website to find out what other students have said about the course.

http://www.closegroup.org/courses-30.htm

So you want a Safety/Wellness Program

2009-07-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Employers of all sizes are always looking for ways to reduce the costs associated with absenteeism, injuries, worker's compensation claims, insurance claims, and/or poor morale. With our aging workforce and the natural risks associated with aging, time and efforts may seem fruitless. However, 40% health related issues are preventable.

Given this, you (the employer) decide to adopt a safety/wellness program. You are challenged to design a program that attracts and motivates employees to embrace safe work ethics and take on a healthy lifestyle of exercising, eating right, and more. Ultimately, a safe and healthy workforce will reduce high absenteeism, injuries, high worker's comp claims, and high insurance claims and will increase morale.

1st reality check:
A successful safety/wellness program requires effort and the understanding of human behavior. Once the novelty wears off people will naturally fall into the following two categories:

Engaged
· Working Well (those employees who routinely take care of themselves, have few days off, rarely get injured, or have no need for health care, except for preventive visits) and
· A few high-risk employees who have made a personal decision to make a change.

Non Engaged
· The unmotivated employees, or, as I call them, the "frequent flyers" (those employees who routinely use as many days possible to take off work, are accident prone, and have not seen a physician for years

2nd reality check:
Not all employees will participate because "it's good for them." They'll participate when they get the right answer for "What's in it for me?" Therefore, the next step to enticing more "frequent flyer" participation in safety/wellness activities is to assure you have long term commitment from the executive team to offer incentives for achievement of specific criteria. The best way to do this is to clearly articulate how a successful program will be measured and how this will enhance organizational success and improve the culture. Then think about the value added at the individual level. This necessitates a quick glimpse into human behavior--more specifically, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need and incentives.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Need

Abraham Maslow, a psychologist and motivation theorist, identified five levels of need or motives to human behavior. At the bottom of the hierarchy is the strongest need--physiological needs, then safety needs, belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. Usually, it is a requirement for each motivator to be satisfied before the higher need can be fulfilled; however, most practitioners agree these needs interconnect.

There is often a big disconnect between doing what is “good for us” and “what we have always done.” What we fail to realize is that often times changing life long habits requires all levels of the Maslow Hierarchy to be engaged. Understanding what motivates people will help you with implementing an effective employee wellness program that will focus on decreasing health care costs, worker's compensation claims, and absenteeism costs.

Tips for creating a wellness/safety program that “sticks.”
· Tie wellness/safety objectives to organizational goals.
· Communicate how the wellness program will make your organization an even better place to work.
· Keep the program “alive and active” in everyone’s minds.
· Offer incentives or rewards for meeting specific goals. Rewards need to be frequent and at all levels of readiness. They need to be given for the slightest hint of a wanted behavior and to an exceeded behavior. They don't need to be extravagant, but the significance needs to match the behavior and the employee's wants.
· Always remember that the purpose of a safety/wellness program is to elicit positive long-term behavior change not short-term and to change an employee's risky behavior to safe and well ones.

Wellness in the Workplace

2009-06-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

As of mid July 2009 small employers in Washington State will be able to seek a discount in their health care insurance of up to 20% if they can demonstrate a robust company wellness program. Wow! This is a terrific opportunity for those companies that already have a great wellness program to get some financial relief and it is also that needed "push" to get one started. I was talking with the folks over at Worksite Wellness and they kindly forwarded me the information regarding "what it takes" to demonstrate a robust wellness program. Here is the information they provided me:

Qualifications needed for wellness programs to be included in the Health Care Reform.

From the information that I've seen, here is what I know is being proposed:
Programs must be consistent with research and best practices
Must consist of any 3 of the following wellness program components

Health awareness component.—A health awareness component which provides for the following:

Health education.—The dissemination of health information which addresses the specific needs and health risks of employees.
Health screenings.—The opportunity for periodic screenings for health problems and referrals for appropriate follow up measures.

Employee engagement component.—An employee engagement component which provides for—

The establishment of a committee to actively engage employees in worksite wellness programs through worksite assessments and program planning, delivery, evaluation, and improvement efforts, and
the tracking of employee participation.

Behavioral change component.—A behavioral change component which provides for altering employee lifestyles to encourage healthy living through counseling, seminars, on-line programs, or self-help materials which provide technical assistance and problem solving skills. Such component may include programs relating to—
tobacco use, obesity, stress management, physical fitness, nutrition, substance abuse, depression, and mental health promotion (including anxiety).

Supportive environment component.—A supportive environment component which includes the following:
On-site policies.—Policies and services at the worksite which promote a healthy lifestyle, including policies relating to—
tobacco use at the worksite,
the nutrition of food available at the worksite through cafeterias and vending options,
minimizing stress and promoting positive mental health in the workplace,
where applicable, accessible and attractive stairs, and
the encouragement of physical activity before, during, and after work hours.

Participation incentives.— Either,
Qualified incentive benefits for each employee who participates in the health screenings described above
Behaviorial programs as described above

Must be certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a qualified wellness program under the above terms.
The program will only be certified if it is consistent with evidence-based research and best practices, as identified by persons with expertise in employer health promotion and wellness programs,
It must include multiple, evidence-based strategies which are based on the existing and emerging research and careful scientific reviews, including the Guide to Community Preventive Services, the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, and the National Registry for Effective Programs, and
It must include strategies which focus on employee populations with a disproportionate burden of health problems
Programs will be reviewed periodically by The Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure compliance