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Starting with the March 21st meeting, the Dallas Fort Worth Area Chapter is pleased to offer live simulcasts of our meetings, subject to speaker approval. When members cannot attend the physical meeting, they will have the opportunity to watch the presentation in streaming video and earn CPE. Initially, during the startup phase, there will be no charge for members who participate; however, longer term there will be a charge (amount is yet to be determined). The presentations will not be recorded; consequently, they will only be available during the live simulcast.

Participants will be required to register in advance (by March 15th for this month’s meeting). Those who do will receive the link and instructions for joining the meeting. CPE will be available for those who participate for
the required amount of time and confirm their participation at various points in the presentation. More details will be available on the website and in the meeting notices.

Please be aware that bandwidth and security limitations of your internet connection may prevent you from participating and earning CPE. Please let us know if and when that happens.
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People are effected by their physical surroundings. That is why many cutting edge companies like Google and Apple maintain expansive campuses with facilities that rival the best private clubs and gyms. Maintaining a comfortable and inviting work space is now essential for increasing productivity and retaining talent. While upgrading offices will require a financial investment the bottom line could improve and you will be more likely to retain your best employees.

Not every company is in the position to build an elaborate campus but that doesn’t mean that a manager can’t improve the office space through less expensive and extensive means. For example, studies have suggested that employees work better in natural light than under artificial light. Selecting an office with a lot of windows and natural lighting can also increase productivity and create a more welcoming work environment. Switching your light bulbs to softer bulbs can also increase productivity and make employees happier. Read More

Retaining your employees is essential for ensuring stability and protecting the bottom line. For one, every time an employee leaves you lose valuable skills. Further, training new employees takes time and can cause disruptions in work flows. As such, it is essential to keep your staff happy and committed to your company.

Despite what you might think money is not the only factor for keeping employees committed to your company. Yes, financial considerations will always be important for your employees and no amount of non-monetary rewards will keep employees committed if they are unable to enjoy financial security. Still, once employees are financially secure non-monetary benefits can be very effective in increasing employee retention.

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IMA members: register now. The forum is complimentary, but space is limited.

In today’s business world, heightened uncertainly and risk are normal. Volatility in such areas as consumer demand, commodity prices, and exchange rates makes it difficult to pinpoint how to drive profitable growth. To stay competitive, finance organizations must adapt by weaving new analytics tools and disciplines into the fabric of their business. That’s why your attendance at IBM Finance Forum 2013 is so important.

Register today.

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Retaining talent is one of the most important things any manager can do. Finding the right workers who fit your company and its culture can be a difficult and time consuming task. Not to mention training new employees and setting up benefit plans, such as 401Ks, can eat up time and resources. For these reasons and more it is important to retain your talent.

One of the most important things a manager can do is take to care of their employees and this goes far beyond just pay. Taking care of your employees means developing holistic policies that can increase their emotional, physical, and yes, financial well-being. By developing such policies you will retain your best staff and ensure a productive work environment. Read More

2012 has come and gone and now 2013 has arrived. Many people have made New Year’s resolutions and it’s a safe bet that many of these resolutions involve finding a new job. Across the world millions of people are still unemployed or working part-time while looking for a full-time job. Others are simply unhappy with their career and are looking for a fresh start. While finding a new job in a stagnant economy can be a tough task there are numerous steps you can take to improve your likelihood of success.

The first step is remaining upbeat and dedicated to your job hunt. When there’s a high unemployment rate most open positions will receive many, many resumes. You will most likely have to apply to dozens of jobs before you find the right fit but the harder and longer you search the more likely you will be successful. Read More

Did you know that you could be a Certified Management Accountant in just one year?
Yes, with the GLEIM Professor-Led CMA Review Course (CMAPrepCourse), you can well on your way to earning an average salary that’s $22,000 higher in compensation over non-certified professionals before 2014!* Don’t let your desire to build Rare and Valuable Skills like a CMA certification sit on the backburner any longer – call us to enroll TODAY!

This program is live AND web-based and led by experienced, CMA-designated instructors who have helped many students like you to earn the CMA designation. The coursework was specially designed to fit in a busy professional’s schedule and includes numerous tools to assist in the learning process. Read More

The process of first attracting and then keeping your employee engaged is crucial to having a productive work force and to the bottom line of your business. A happy and properly attached employee will be a good representative for the company in terms of services to clients. A poorly thought out recruitment process will not only alienate your new hire but cost the company big dollars in terms of investment in training, the hiring of yet another employee, and lost productivity.

Attracting the new hire begins at the recruitment and pre-employment stages by making the employee feel secure in their new job. It continues throughout the employment with engagement of the employee and making them feel they have value. It is important that managers or team leaders be aware that it is critical that employees be happy at work and have a good attitude. You can hire someone based solely on skills, but you cannot teach a good attitude. By hiring people with a good attitude and engaging them properly, you can teach them the competencies they need to do their job and retain them. A hiring manager must look at each applicant or current employee on an individual basis and develop training according to the needs of that individual. Read More

The Professor-Led Live CMA Exam Review course provides the following:
• Eight live sessions with a professor for each of the parts – 64 hours of total classroom time
• Gleim CMA Review System – Books, sample test questions, on-line practice tests and audio CDs
• Unlimited individual access to instructors – Helping you with what you need
• Personal Counselor
• NEW – Now also available in streaming video

Classes are limited to 20 students and will be held Saturdays 8 AM to 12 PM at the University of Dallas Campus in Irving, TX.

Cost – $1,945 Parts 1 & 2, or $1,100 for individual parts

For more information, go to http://www.ima-cma.com or contact Ron Schmidt at rschmidt@strategiccfosolutions.com or 469-682-0452.