informative/positive news letter

This was the third time the employee was found to be using the Web inappropriately. He was given a written warning both previous times.

Now is the time to remind employees of the company's policy on using the Web. For starters, Web use is limited to tasks relevant to company business, and employees are to use the company e-mail system for company business only. If an employee receives a personal e-mail message through the company system, he or she should forward it to a personal e-mail system and open it elsewhere while "off the clock."

The company reserves the right to monitor employee Web and e-mail use on a company computer at any time. Finally, employees who violate the policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Write an e-mail message reminding employees of the policy.

10.14 Announcing an Additional Employee Benefit

To help employees who are caring for elderly relatives, your Human Resources office will provide information and referral services for elder day care and longterm assisted-living or nursing care and names and addresses of people willing to work part- or full-time as caregivers. In addition, you will sponsor seminars on a number of topics about dealing with elderly parents, ranging from deciding whether to use a nursing facility, when to stop driving, and how to fill out medical forms.

As part of the new policy, the organization will allow employees to use personal time off and sick time to care for any family member. You will also allow employees to take time off during the workday to stay until a nurse arrives or to drive a parent to a doctor's appointment. Employees must notify their supervisors in advance that they will be away and must make up the time sometime during the next 30 days. Employees who need more time can take unpaid leaves of up to 15 months and can return to their present jobs and current salaries.

The policy takes effect the first of next month. Assume that you're Director of Human Resources, and write a memo to all employees announcing the benefit.

Hints:

• Pick a business, government, or nonprofit organization you know well.

• What age groups do employees represent? How many of them are caring for elderly parents now?

• Specify the topic, date, and place of the first seminar you'll sponsor. If possible, give the schedule for the first three months.

• Be sure to provide reader benefits for employees who do not care for elderly parents as well as those who do.

• How easy is it for your organization to attract and retain skilled workers? Why is it important to your organization that people be alert and be willing to take more responsibility?

10.16 Informing Employees that Flu Shots are Available

To give an additional benefit and to help inoculate employees against an illness that affects their attendance, your organization is providing flu shots to all employees at your central office. The flu shots will be administered on two days: October 1 and October 15, from 8 AM to 4 PM. The cost is $10 for employees in the organization's HMO program and $15 for employees in the organization's PPO program. Employees covered by another insurance provider cannot participate.

Employees at satellite locations and within driving distance can still participate, but they may need to take personal leave for the travel time to and from the central office. People who receive the flu shot generally avoid getting the flu for an entire season, but there may be some discomfort and swelling in the arm muscle where the injection occurs.

To participate, employees must contact your Human Resources Office at ext. 2173 and schedule an appointment. Employees must also fill out a questionnaire regarding any recent health problems and sign a waiver against liability to the organization. The flu shots will be administered by a registered nurse, and participants will receive a free health screening from a nurse practitioner. Write a message to your employees informing them of the additional benefit.

10.17 Announcing an Employee Fitness Center

Your company is ready to open an employee fitness center with on-site aerobics classes, swimming pool, and weight machines. The center will be open 6 AM to 10 PM daily; a qualified instructor will be on duty at all times. Employees get first preference; if there is extra room, spouses and children may also use the facilities. Locker rooms and showers will be available.

Your company hopes that the fitness center will help out-of-shape employees get the exercise they need to be more productive. Other companies have gained as many as 762 workdays from shorter hospital stays by fitness center members. People who exercise have medical bills that are 35% lower than people who do not get enough exercise.

Write the memo announcing the center.

Hints:

• Who pays the medical insurance for employees? If the employer pays, then savings from healthier employees will pay for the center. If another payment plan is in effect, you'll need a different explanation for the company's decision to open the fitness center.

• Stress benefits apart from the company's saving money. How. can easier access to exercise help employees? What do they do? How can exercise reduce stress, improve strength, and increase their productivity at work?

• What kind of record does the company have of helping employees be healthy? Is the fitness center a new departure for the company, or does the company have a history of company sports teams, stop-smoking clinics, and the like?

• What is the company's competitive position? If the company is struggling, you'll need to convince readers that the fitness center is a good use of scarce funds. If the company is doing well, show how having fit employees can make people even more productive.

• Stress fun as a benefit. How can access to the center make employees' lives more enjoyable?