Rural Telecommunications articles from September 2005

Rural Telecommunications archives from September 2005

The people dynamic: thanks to hardy communications staff (West Virginia) for participating in our photo shoot. Also, thanks to students on the youth tour for participating.(FROM the Editor)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Recently, I read an article in Inc. magazine about the president of a small manufacturing company who fired a third of his workforce because they were causing morale problems, not working up to expected productivity levels, or just plain...

Disaster preparedness for small businesses.(SHORT Takes)
September 1, 2005... With hurricane season well underway, disaster recovery is a timely topic for consideration by small businesses, especially since few have the resources or knowledge base to develop full-scale property protection and continuity plans. A new...

Wellness programs are gaining popularity.(according to the study of ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) and Deloitte & Touche USA.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... According to a study by the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) and Deloitte & Touche USA, 62% of companies have taken steps to improve their employees' health through wellness programs, while 33% are considering implementing wellness programs....

Launching a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO): betting Your Brand without losing your shirt.(SHORT Takes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Largely a European phenomenon at present, a white paper by the business and technology consulting firm, DiamondCluster, indicates that as many as 30 million Americans will subscribe to a mobile virtual network by 2010. Mobile Virtual Network...

Bright future for health care benefits.(SHORT Takes)
September 1, 2005... Despite the rising costs of providing employee benefits, most organizations continue to offer competitive benefit packages to employees, according to results from the Society for Human Resource Management's 2005 Benefits Survey. Most...

Computer security contributes to employee productivity.(SHORT Takes)
September 1, 2005... In a recent study, 92% of information technology (IT) managers in small- and medium-businesses reported that security issues impacted computer performance levels by up to 50%. The Maritz Inc.[R] poll reveals that 75% of small and medium...

30% of U.S. broadband subscribers have never heard of VoIP.(SHORT Takes)
September 1, 2005... According to a recent consumer survey conducted as part of TeleGeography's U.S. VoIP Report, 30% of U.S. residential broadband subscribers have never heard of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone service. According to the study, those...

Walking the talk: rural community and economic development.(ENMR Plateau Telecommunications)(Column)
September 1, 2005... In recent years there has been a lot of lip service given by businesses, industries, and government for rural community and economic development--most of it without any favorable results. As Ernest Hemingway once stated, "Don't confuse motion...

How do you recognize employees for their accomplishments?(FIRST Person)
September 1, 2005... Maintaining high morale among employees in the workplace is critical to smooth business operations. Recognizing staff for exceptional performance and other accomplishments has the potential to create a positive environment and increase office...

Motivating your work force across generations.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... Get Ready!... Get Set!... RETIRE!... Time to spend the rest of your life living in a stress-free, carefree environment. This is the thought process for many individuals born between 1947 and 1964, otherwise known as the baby boomers....

The do's and don'ts for writing an employee handbook.(PLAYING BY THE RULES)
September 1, 2005... Do things by "the book" or risk having "the book" thrown at you. Apparently, this book carries some weight, particularly when it comes to the employee handbook or office manual that spells out company policies and procedures. If employees...

Leadership in a changing environment.(Moving Beyond the Comfort Zone)(employee management)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... Change, change, and more change; it seems that is all we have talked about in the last 10 years. Change has become the standard in our everyday life. In many organizations, the banner cry has been to promote change and expect increased...

Is there a labor shortage in your future?(telecommunications industry)
September 1, 2005... "Our biggest hurdle is finding someone who wants to live here," said Rod Bowar, general manager of Kennebec Telephone Co. in Kennebec, S.D., about his efforts to hire qualified staff. Though Kennebec is a safe, friendly small town offering...

Wellness programs impact the bottom line.(employee health programs)
September 1, 2005... Every Monday morning employees arriving for work at Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative (St. Meinrad, Ind.) can pick up a piece of fruit in the break room compliments of the cooperative. During lunch at Ace Communications Group (Houston,...

Green Hills rolls out 700 MHz service.(INDUSTRY Innovator)(Green Hills Companies )
September 1, 2005... When auction #44 for lower 700 MHz spectrum ended on September 18, 2002, Green Hills Companies (Breckenridge, Mo.) walked away a winner when its alliance partner, Grand River Communications, secured four licenses, including one license that is...

Cellular phone safety: avoid costly lawsuits when employees talk and drive.(BUSINESS Matters)
September 1, 2005... A pocket-sized cellular phone is now standard issue for everyone in business from rookie sales person to top manager. And who can argue the merits of quickly and efficiently ringing up customers and vendors? There is a dark side to this new...

Rural telcos: leadership for our future.(EXECUTIVE Viewpoint)
September 1, 2005... As general managers and chief executives of your telcos, I am certain you have faced the challenge of juggling different personalities, balancing business priorities or adjusting to circumstances that often lie beyond your control. The ability...