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Interview with Heather Fink, NIFS Teambuilding Workshop Expert

The Work/Life Conference team sat down with Heather Fink, MS, RD, to get the scoop on teambuilding workshops.

Q: What’s the best part about doing teambuilding activities with companies?

A: They are FUN! Our activities are engaging and entertaining, which makes learning about communication, trust, leadership and support very enjoyable.

Q: What’s the biggest/best company success story you’ve had with someone that has done teambuilding?

A: Several companies have come to us with a common concern – employees are creative with problem solving, but they are not communicating their solutions to other departments/offices within the company. After visiting NIFS for a team building event, the employees began sharing best practices. This decreased the time spent on generating solutions, which allowed for more time to create new business.

Q: What can companies do on a continual basis to keep up internal communication and enthusiasm?

A: We have found that most of the employees that participate in our teambuilding events are not aware of the company’s mission statement and annual goals. Supervisors should ensure that their employees understand how their individual responsibilities contribute to the success of the company. The corporate culture should also foster an environment of mutual accountability. Once employees realize why they are important to the company and that they are supported by their team, they will be more dedicated, productive, enthusiastic and creative.

Q: What will companies get out of doing teambuilding activities?

A: Participating in a teambuilding event can have many benefits:

• Rising stars within the company will learn how to develop into an effective leader
• Various departments within a company will learn how to collaborate with each other versus compete against one another
• The team will realize the benefits and discover ways of communicating more effectively
• Management will hear new ideas from employees that are not typically involved in the decision-making process
• Employees can learn more about their co-workers which makes working together more enjoyable

Thanks, Heather! We can’t wait to see what you have in store for us after the conference!

Register here for the bonus teambuilding workshop.

The BIG Give-Away for 2009’s Conference!!

Last year’s video give-away was a huge hit! This year The Sanders Group will provide a lucky attendee with a training or orientation multimedia presentation. This multimedia project includes PowerPoint slide creation along with video and audio elements.

The final piecce will be a flash based interactive training that resides on both the internal intranet (as a link) and a CD making training of large groups or individuals easy and repetitive.

This give-away is valued at $8,000. See below for the details and parameters of the project:

• Time limit: 20 minutes
• Video – One day shoot either location (within 30 miles of downtown Indianapolis) or studio shoot (The Sanders Group studio)
• One-day edit
• Audio – talent voice over and two hours of audio studio time
• Project manager – 2 days
• Programming of piece – 2 days
• Graphics – 2 days
• Compression of video, tape stock and one master CD copy

Most importantly…

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN THIS?

Sign up to attend the 2009 Work/Life Conference and attend the conference on November 4th. It’s that easy! The Sanders Group team can’t wait to see you there!

Interested in doing a project like this for your company? Contact The Sanders Group team at RMN@sandersnet.com

Last Year’s Grand Prize: Video package valued at $8,000

Last year, The Sanders Group gave away a corporate video package with the value of $8,000. The lucky winner was Citizens Energy Group. The video piece reflected the many employee benefit programs that Citizens has to offer… workout classes, health screenings, weight management programs, etc… The video encouraged employees to participate in these programs and also informs new employees as to what benefits their company had to offer. Citizens’ placed their video on their internal intranet. The video was very effective.

Hoosier Work/Life Conference Schedule

November 4, 2009

8:00am Registration Opens/Vendor Fair Opens

8:45am Welcome

9:00am “Keynote” Candice Lange – Lange Advisors, Inc

9:30am Break/Vendor Fair

9:45am

1. “Employee Safety Plan” – Jeff Patterson – An Escape Plan Corp

2. “Low-Cost/No-Cost Work/Life Programming” – Maggie Stimming – IUPUI Human Resources

10:45am Break/Vendor Fair

11:00am

1. “Indiana’s Workplace Lactation Law: Make it a Win-Win” – Tina Caradelli – Indiana Perinatal Network

2. “Wellness: Connecting the Mind, Body and Soul” - Heather Fink, MS, RD – NIFS

12 Noon Door Prizes

12:15pm Adjourn/Evaluations

12:30pm – 2:30pm Lunch & Bonus Team Building Workshop ($20)

NIFS Team Building Program offered for afternoon session!

Do you want to improve communication between management, staff and departments?

Would an amiable work environment help you hire and retain good employees?

Do you want employees who are motivated, team-oriented and open to change?

NIFS Corporate Team Building: Be ready for fun!

Participate in activities designed to foster corporate camaraderie, creative problem solving and effective communication. Do not miss out on this active learning  team building event.

This event will be offered immediately after the Hoosier Work/Life Conference concludes from 1pm – 2:30pm. For the additional price of $20, the afternoon will include lunch and the team building workshop!

This will be offered in the afternoon after the conference.  Heather Fink, MS, RD, CSSD will facilitate the program. She is the Assistant Director of Educational Services within the National Institute for Fitness and Sport. Heather has been the Team Building Program Coordinator for NIFS since 1997. She has worked with various groups including Eli Lilly, NCAA, GE Medical Systems and the Indianapolis Zoo.

Just Announced: Candice Lange will be Keynote Speaker!

Candice Lange of Lange Advisors, Inc, will be the keynote speaking for the 2009 Hoosier Work/Life Conference. Previous to Lange Advisors, Ms. Lange was director of work/life and diversity at Eli Lilly for over 13 years.

We are ecstatic to have Ms. Lange speak at our conference. More information on Ms. Lange soon! Keep checking back for more Hoosier Work/Life Conference updates!

Pictures from last year’s conference!

Last year’s Work/Life Conference was held at the Farm Bureau building in Indianapolis. This year the conference will be hosted at NIFS.

To view a larger image of the pictures, simply click on the picture you wish to see.

The 411 on IndianaWorkLife

What is IndianaWorkLife? It is an economic development initiative of the Indiana Association of Child Care Resource and Referral and is supported by the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration, Bureau of Child Care.

What is IndianaWorkLife’s purpose? To continue support of local community efforts in fostering collaborative relationships among private and public partners to enhance the quality, affordability, and accessibility of child care  by:

• Identifying and engaging the business community to take action to address work/life issues
• Educating the community on work/family issues
• Advising community organizations of local employer interest
• Building a business mentoring network

IndianaWorkLife provides businesses around the state with access to qualified consultants specializing in the work/life initiative. Consultants work with clients to identify employee needs, summarize a thorough community audit of existing resources and conduct a cost/benefit analysis on proposed programs. IndianaWorkLife consultants work with the local childcare resource and referral office to offer options in a timely manner to address the work/life issues for Indiana’s working parents.

“To facilitate innovative work/life solutions that maximize employer return on investment and strengthen employee commitment to both work and family.”

Want more info?

IndianaWork/Life BEST PRACTICES

IndianaWork/Life TOOLKIT

Contact:

Dave Zoller

3901 North Meridian Street

Suite 200

Indianapolis, IN  46208

(800) 299-1627 extension 33

Dr. Busk Talks Corporate Health at NIFS

Dr. Michael Busk, a speaker at last year’s Hoosier Work/Life Conference, is an advocate  of team work and healthy lifestyles. Dr. Busk has seen the positive outcomes from implementing wellness programs into the work place. The two major effects companies see from utilizing a wellness program is most importantly, it lowers your risk of disease if you are exercising on a regular basis, and secondly, it cuts costs for corporations.

Dr. Busk is the Medical and Research Director for the National Institute for Sport and Fitness (NIFS). Watch this short clip below about how NIFS helps companies achieve wellness in the workplace.