A great time was had by all at the second annual Denver Mingle Bells holiday function of WSPA, held earlier this week at Tony P's.  The event was graciously sponsored by Federated Insurance and featured the magic of Shawn Preston.  Special thanks to Marian Halliday for assisting with the venue selection and securing the entertainment.

The US Department of Labor periodically posts unemployment insurance (UI) Benefit Appeals data showing the UI Appeal Reversal rates when claimants appeal and when employers appeal. The average reversal rates are similar on a national basis.

Take a journey through six decades of Honda innovation as multiple animators manipulate thousands of hand-drawn illustrations using yes - PAPER!

To see how the ad was made - "it all starts with paper..." CLICK HERE.

    
Employee theft is a serious problem in the United States with small companies particularly vulnerable.

The main types of theft are outright theft of cash and check fraud, with rogue employees writing checks to acquaintances and trying to cover their tracks in the accounting system.

Half of employee thefts are perpetrated by individuals in senior posts, and the median age of perpetrators was 50, according to a report by insurance issuer Hiscox.

Hiscox based its findings on employee theft cases active in U.S. federal courts in 2014.  Among its findings:

• More than 60 percent of employee theft involves women
• Employees not in the finance or accounting departments commit more than half of all thefts
• Nearly 75 percent of losses include direct theft of cash or misuse of bank deposits or transfers.

Part 2 - What you can do to combat employee theft will be featured in next week's edition of E-Connect.

 

Source: 2015 Hiscox Embezzlement Watch List 

In the recent Flash Report, published by Printing Industries of America, Dr. Ron Davis reviewed several key factors which clearly point to the fact that the industry's more profitable firms have less labor costs (as a percentage to total sales) than their less profitable peers. 

The total difference (as a percentage of sales) was 5.2%, which represents nearly half of the profitability difference between the industry's profit leaders (top 25%) vs. the rest of the industry (profit challengers).  The one area that Dr. Davis did not delve into deeply - but has a significant affect, is that the profit leaders have less people - but generate more sales.  It's an effective use of technology as well as personnel. Maximizing our company's resources - labor and equipment - nearly always leads to profitability.

CLICK HERE to download a free copy of the report.

 
Source:  Federated Insurance

We all know that our people are our greatest assets yet how often do we let them know just how valuable they are - particularly in front of their peers?

 

Each week, E-Connects shares incredible photos on just how lax individuals can be when it comes to safety. 

The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees.

Pictured: No shield, no brains!

If you come across a funny safety pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org.

WSPA is only as strong as its membership base and wants to continually grow to service its members.  You can help by being an ambassador and referring potential members our way!

"The better a man is the more mistakes he will make for the more things he will try."

Peter Drucker