Author: ICG

In our last few posts, we’ve talked about how to get the most out of attending a seminar and tips to keep in mind while presenting. On October 6-8, a seminar will be held in Philadelphia for optimizing payroll in SAP.

SAPinsider has lined up some exceptional speakers with a wide breadth of knowledge and background of expertise in SAP Payroll. Each speaker brings something different to the seminar and knows the language of business, both functional and technical.

Speakers are Jennifer Adams from AspireHR, Yu Chen from Deloitte, and ICG’s own Mike Timm. You can learn more about the speakers here.

The seminar will provide a deeper knowledge of the inner workings of payroll, ideas on how to make processes more efficient, and methods to employ more functionality. The sessions will dive deep into business processes, configuration, and technical settings all focused on SAP payroll.

The seminar will discuss the following areas:

• Achieving greater control over payroll-related costs and resources
• Ensuring compliance with tax regulations and audit requirements
• Reducing the complexity of FI/CO integration
• Avoiding the challenges of global payroll
• Mastering time management and its integration with payroll
• Managing claims, garnishments, and month-end accruals with ease
• Processing year-end payroll accurately and on time
• Streamlining annual maintenance with tips for managing HRSPs and CLCs

Mike will be presenting five sessions during the conference and will also be on the rapid-fire Q&A panel held on the end of day two.

On day one, his presentation will cover the ten most critical factors that impact the accuracy and efficiency of SAP payroll.

On day two, he will take on integrating payroll with accounting (FI/CO) and benefits: configuration guidelines and best practices to reduce complexity. His second presentation will be a comprehensive guide to US taxes and their impact on payroll operations. The third will be on managing payroll claims, garnishments, month-end accruals, and more: lessons from the trenches.

On day three, his presentation will be on field-tested strategies to avoid or overcome the most common and costly payroll and time-related challenges.

Mike’s excited to share his knowledge and experiences in an environment where the focus is all on payroll and those who care about payroll.

Keep up with us before, during, and after the seminar by following us on twitter: @MikeTimmSAP and @SAPinsiderHR. Also, search for the hashtag “payrollseminar” to see what others are saying about the seminar.

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In last week’s blog post, we talked about tips for attending a seminar. This week, we will go over some tips for presenting at a seminar. For first time presenters, the idea of talking in front of a group of people can seem pretty daunting. But hopefully with these tips, we can help put you at ease.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Know the logistics. How long do you have to present? Will there be a Q&A session afterward? Ask about technology— is the room capable of projecting a power point? Will you have access to the Internet? Can you use your own laptop, or do you have to use the one provided?

Prepare. Once you know how much time you have to present, you should plan your talk accordingly. Include an outline slide when using a PowerPoint so that your audience knows where you are taking them in your presentation. Do not bog down your slides with lots of words. Include only key words or points, but most importantly, make sure to have appealing visual displays.

Practice over and over. Don’t read your slides word for word, and don’t learn them verbatim. When you’ve memorized a presentation, your voice tends to stay in the same register, and your audience will quickly get bored. Try to keep a conversational tone, which will happen naturally if you take the time to learn your presentation topic and not just memorize a speech.

Drive attendance. Market yourself— send out emails to your network explaining the logistics of the seminar. Let them know the big picture of your presentation and how their company could benefit.

Back up your presentation. Make sure that you have your presentation in at least two different forms. For example, send your PowerPoint or visuals to yourself in an email, and also put it on a flash drive.

Arrive early. Get to the room you are presenting in early, and if allowed, start setting up. That way, if you need something or the Internet isn’t working, you have time to find someone to help you fix the problem.

Q&A session. Try to answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you don’t know the answer, tell your audience that you are not sure, but will think about it. If an answer comes to you that seems correct but you aren’t sure, let the audience know that you are speculating.

Learn from your presentation and reflect. What will you do differently next time? What worked really well? And don’t forget to have fun. You’re a leader in your field, and being able to share your knowledge is something many people don’t get to experience.

Have you presented recently and have any other tips? Leave us a comment. You can also let us know on Twitter or LinkedIn–we’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Business seminars are a great way to sharpen your skills, learn what’s new in the world of business, and to network. Just as we talked about with conferences last March, there is a right way and a wrong way to attend seminars.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Come prepared. Look at the schedule ahead of time. Which speakers do you want to see? What topics are you interested in learning more about? Familiarize yourself with the speakers’ works – What papers or books have they written? What are their areas of expertise?
• Take notes. Our minds tend to wander even during the most interesting of conversations, so taking notes is the best way to stay focused.
  • Bring your laptop or notebook, a highlighter and a few pens, and a pack of post-it notes. They will all come in handy.
  • Review your notes. That way, if a question arises, you have a chance to ask the speaker directly. You will also be able to talk with other seminar attendees about the presentation and get their take on the subject.
• Ask questions. If there is something you don’t understand or want explained in more detail, don’t be afraid to ask during the Q&A portion of the presentation. If you want to have a discussion about the topic with the presenter, try to catch them after the presentation or some other time during the seminar.
  • It’s important to remember to speak for the right reasons—it is more impressive to give a suggestion or ask an in-depth question than to try and pick out flaws in a presentation.
• Take it all in before applying. Don’t try to overhaul your business by next Monday. It’s okay to use some of the new ideas and materials right away, but it’s best for you to sit down with your business associates and plan a course of action incorporating the new ideas in a way that’s right for your business.
• Travel. Travelling seems to be pretty obvious, but there are a few things to keep in mind when attending a seminar that is out of state (or even out of town). When travelling a longer distance, try to arrive the day before the seminar begins just in case you run into delays. Make sure you have a hotel room before arriving to the city. If you fly in, check if the hotel offers a service to take you to and from the seminar. If not, ask the front desk to call a taxi for you.

In next week’s blog post, we will talk about presenting at a seminar and offer some tips for giving the best presentation possible.

Do you have any favorite tips or recommendations for making the most of a business seminar? Let us know on Twitter or LinkedIn–we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Employees are an integral part of any business, and any human resource mistakes made while dealing with employees can hurt both your employees and your company. Some of these mistakes have the potential to haunt your company, producing consequences for years to come.

It’s important to make sure your business or company avoids these common mistakes:

Lazy job definition and descriptions: Take time to describe the job you are hiring for— in order to let potential employers know exactly what you are looking for, be specific. Your description should include the education, skills, and training that you want in a candidate, and you should only interview those who meet your requirements.

Inappropriate interview questions: It’s not exactly common sense anymore that certain questions should not be asked during an interview. Asking questions based on race, age, sex, or religion can land you and your company in big trouble— and it is up to you to make sure that you avoid such questions.

Hiring the wrong people: It’s obvious why hiring the wrong people can harm your business. When conducting an interview, make sure you are asking concise questions. Ask yourself if you can see the candidate as an integral part of your business. Make sure the candidate knows from the beginning exactly what you expect of them.

Not taking enough time to train your employees: Most businesses know the importance of taking the time to properly train an employee when they first start, but it is also crucial that you continually train your employees. This can mean anything from continuing education, leadership, basic supervisory, and skills-based training. These kinds of measures will keep your company a step ahead of your competitors, while also improving the opportunities given to your employees.

Not knowing your competitors: There are a lot of different reasons you need to not only know who your competitors are, but also keep tabs on them. When it comes down to keeping your employees, it’s important to know what your competitors are offering salary and benefit-wise. Keeping salaries and benefits up to industry standards is imperative. If you don’t, your competitors will have a much easier time stealing your best employees away from you.

Do you have any helpful ideas to add to the list? Drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you.

Here at Integrated Consulting Group, we specialize in the design, development, and customization of SAP Human Capital Management business software for leading edge North American companies with global reach. Have any questions about SAP? Feel free to contact us via the contact page of our site, or on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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We are pleased to announce our participation in SAPinsider’s Optimizing Payroll in SAP, the preeminent seminar for HR, payroll, and time specialists seeking to derive maximum value and efficiency from existing SAP^® ERP HCM payroll systems.

SAPinsider and ICG are bringing this brand new event to these three cities:

Philadelphia, October 6-8
Chicago, November 17-19
Las Vegas, December 8-10

Optimizing Payroll in SAP provides proven techniques guaranteed to drive significant results. The expert speakers will draw from a combined 50+ years of experience working with leading SAP customers, and detail the strategies and best practices that have been most effective at:

• Achieving greater control over payroll-related costs
• Reducing the complexity of FI/CO integration
• Ensuring accurate and timely processing of year-end payroll
• Streamlining global payroll administration
• Centralizing and automating payroll and time entries
• Streamlining annual system maintenance
• Increasing the consistency and accuracy of payroll runs
• Ensuring compliance with tax regulations and report requirements

Join us in one of these cities for process-improving methodologies and time-saving tips that can be put to immediate use back at the office.

The idea of going green can be daunting to some. Many companies think that being green is a costly investment, or they just aren’t sure how or why to do it.

First, your company does not have to go green all at once. Be practical about it. Second, going green doesn’t have to be costly; in fact, you can save money while also saving the environment.

Here are some benefits to think about:

• Saving money: What company doesn’t like to save money? By turning off lights and computers, using a fan and a higher setting on the air conditioning, and printing less paper, you can cut down on energy, and paper and ink costs.
• Improved workplace (and world): By going green, you create a workplace that is a healthy environment for employees. Not only would your company be reducing unnecessary waste, it would also be leading the way for other companies to make the change.
• Happier employees: Give your employees a green place to think. It doesn’t have to be a big space—green grass, potted plants and a few benches is perfect. By having a green area on or near your property, your employees can take their lunch break or phone calls outside. Plus, it’s the perfect way to give back to the community.

Sound like a good idea? Here are a few tips on how to go green:

Telecommute: As we talked about a couple weeks ago, telecommuting has multiple benefits for your company. One benefit we didn’t touch on is that it helps your company go green. Your employees won’t be using as much gas driving to and from work, and fewer employees in the office offers a reduction in energy and water usage.

Cut back on paper: Watch your use of paper—when possible, before a meeting email the documents and ask employees to bring in their laptops instead of printing out copies for everyone. When printing is necessary, try to print on both sides. Also, make sure to reuse paper as scrap paper before recycling.

Don’t forget the bathroom: Install light sensors in the bathrooms so that energy isn’t wasted when the bathroom is empty. Eliminate paper towels. Buy in bulk, and buy green cleaning products.

Traveling: Million Mile Secrets has a great post with travel tips on how to offset your carbon footprint while flying, Staying Green While Traveling: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint!

Integrated Consulting Group, we specialize in the design, development, and customization of SAP Human Capital Management business software for leading edge North American companies with global reach. Have any questions about SAP? Feel free to contact us via the contact page of our site, or on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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One of the best places for you to look for a new job could be right where you are – in your current company. Your boss wants to keep good employees, and hiring from within is the obvious way to do it.

So, are you interested in a different job within your current company but aren’t sure how to go about it? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Tell your boss: This step can be tricky, for you don’t want to give your boss the impression that you are unhappy in your current position. The best way to approach the topic with your boss is to present the job opportunity as a positive move for your career. Make it known to your boss that you want to advance your career and that the new job opportunity is too good to pass up.
• Build your internal network: Your internal network should be built long before you try to move up in your company. If you are a hard worker, it shouldn’t be a problem. Your co-workers and teammates will be aware of your contributions and performance within the company.
• Use your internal network: Is the new job you are interested in worth applying and interviewing for? Ask around the office. It’s a good way for you to get an idea of what the job really is, and it’s also a good way to find out why the last person left the job.
• Update your resume and cover letter: As always, make sure your resume reflects your skill set. Be specific when writing about the responsibilities your current job entails. It’s possible that you will know your interviewer and he/she may already be familiar with you and your position, but be careful not to sell yourself short! Be detailed, and list your achievements.

Applying for an internal position can benefit you greatly—your manager and/or boss know how you interact with your co-workers, what your strengths are, and your work ethic. A new position in your current company can be a great way to expand your career.

Here at Integrated Consulting Group, we specialize in the design, development, and customization of SAP Human Capital Management business software for leading edge North American companies with global reach. Have any questions about SAP? Feel free to contact us via the contact page of our site, or on Twitter or LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you.

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Omaha, Nebraska – August 13, 2014 – SAPinsider and ICG announced the launching of Optimizing Payroll in SAP, the preeminent seminar for HR, payroll, and time specialists seeking to derive maximum value and efficiency from existing SAP® ERP HCM payroll systems.

We are bringing this brand new event to these three cities this fall:

Philadelphia, October 6-8, 2014
Chicago, November 17-19, 2014
Las Vegas, December 8-10, 2014

Optimizing Payroll in SAP provides proven techniques guaranteed to drive significant results. The expert speakers will draw from a combined 50+ years of experience working with leading SAP customers, and detail the strategies and best practices to help you:

• Achieve greater control over payroll-related costs and resources
• Ensure compliance with tax regulations and audit requirements
• Reduce the complexity of FI/CO integration
• Avoid the challenges of global payroll
• Master time management and its integration with payroll
• Manage claims, garnishments, and month-end accruals with ease
• Process year-end payroll accurately and on time
• Streamline annual maintenance with tips for managing HRSPs and CLCs

Join SAPinsider and ICG in one of the cities for process-improving methodologies and time-saving tips that can be put to immediate use back at the office. You can get full details on the agenda by visiting www.payrollseminar.com or by calling +1-781-751-8700.

Contact:
Jonathan Kent
Vice President of Marketing
Wellesley Information Services, publisher of SAPinsider
Jon.Kent@wispubs.com

About SAPinsider
SAPinsider, published by Wellesley Information Services, is the premier source of information on products, services, and strategic initiatives coming from SAP and its partners. More than 250,000 customers in 70 countries rely annually on education and training materials from Wellesley Information Services to optimize their investments in SAP solutions. Wellesley Information Services is the publisher of SAPinsider, insiderPROFILES, and the SAPexperts knowledgebases, and is the producer of SAPinsider conferences and seminars. For more information, visit www.SAPinsiderOnline.com.

SAP is a registered trademark of SAP SE in Germany and several other countries. Wellesley Information Services is not affiliated with SAP SE or any of the SAP SE group of companies.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries.

All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

About ICG
ICG’s solutions are designed to help companies of all sizes and in a broad range of industries address a diverse scope of business needs. Our team has led implementation projects in a variety of industries including professional services, manufacturing, media, high-tech, natural resources, and construction service sector.

Our team of professionals is experienced in all aspects of executing SAP HCM operational support. In addition to project planning and management, our services include project application design and execution. ICG’s expertise also includes process engineering and management, change management, support personnel coaching, and end-user training to minimize downtime and maximize productivity for SAP users.

For more information, please visit www.IntegratedCG.com or call +1-866-417-0071.

Many potential employees are drawn to jobs with flexible hours and work arrangements. With the advancement of technology, one of the flexible work arrangements available is the ability to telecommute to work.

Some employers have criticized telecommuting, finding it difficult to measure the number of hours the telecommuter works because he/she isn’t physically in the office. On the other hand, time spent in the office is not always productive. For example, once a worker is interrupted at the office, it can take over 23 minutes to regain focus on the original task.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons companies are embracing the telecommuter:

• Saving money: It’s much more cost-effective to have telecommuters on your payroll. You save on office space costs, parking, and traveling, just to name a few.
• Retention: Telecommuting offers employees flexibility. It’s easier to retain talented employees who are trying to juggle work, family, and other obligations, or for those who don’t want to relocate their families for a new job.

Hiring is tough enough as it is–why limit yourself to people only in your city?

• It’s easier than ever: If your employee has a computer and access to the Internet, they can telecommute. You can have your employees from around the world skype each other at any hour of the day, and they can work together on projects from the convenience of their own home office.

Drawbacks:

• Department morale issues: If you have both telecommuters and traditional office employees on your payroll, the traditionals might be upset that they aren’t allowed to telecommute. It’s also possible that the traditionals don’t feel that the telecommuters are pulling their own weight.
• Security: Keep in mind that not all jobs allow sensitive information to be sent to home computers.
• Brainstorming sessions: Impromptu meetings and brainstorming sessions are important to generate ideas on projects. It’s easier for your boss and co-workers to bounce ideas off each other when everyone is together in the office than it is to make a phone call or send an instant message to a telecommuting employee. It isn’t to say that a telecommuter can’t be called or skyped into a meeting, but it is much easier to gather an impromptu meeting of employees already in the office.

It’s important to decide whether or not telecommuting is right for your business. Perhaps only having a small percentage of your employees telecommute is what’s best. Or, maybe your telecommuters only work two days a week at home and on the other three days, they come in.

Here at Integrated Consulting Group, we specialize in the design, development, and customization of SAP Human Capital Management business software for leading edge North American companies with global reach. Have any questions about SAP? Feel free to contact us via the contact page of our site, or on Twitter or LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you.

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With the impact of Facebook, twitter, and LinkedIn on the world of business, we have forgotten about a major component that more and more businesses are using to build their clientele: YouTube.

More than 1 billion users visit YouTube each month, and YouTube reaches more United States adults ages 18-34 than any cable network. Watching videos is growing in popularity, and many people would rather watch a video instead of reading a large chunk of information. In order to adapt to the changes in how clients receive their information, learning how YouTube can help your business is pertinent to your success.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when thinking of using YouTube for your business:

Get your message to a wider audience: It’s so easy to share a video. If you watch something that’s interesting, you’ll send the video onto a friend or share it on your Facebook wall. If your friends find it as interesting as you did, they will probably share it, too. Pretty soon, your video is being seen by a wide audience. Videos are much easier to syndicate via social media, industry websites, and brand partnerships.

Show your personality: It’s nice to see the person or people behind a business, and it helps your clientele form a deeper connection with your business. You will be more than just words on a paper; you’ll be a three dimensional person that they can relate to.

Show your skills: Demonstrate what you know in your videos, and let your clients and future clients see that you are an expert in your field. Do you sell products? Create a video that shows how to use them. Do you have some frequently asked questions from your clients? Show them the answer in a video by using screen shots and offering tutorials.

YouTube videos pair well with a blog: We’ve discussed before the importance of a blog. By adding video to your posts, you can present your business visually instead of with just written text.

Gigaom has an excellent list of ways to use YouTube for your business, and it’s worth checking out for more ideas on how to start and keep your YouTube channel going.

Here at Integrated Consulting Group, we specialize in the design, development, and customization of SAP Human Capital Management business software for leading edge North American companies with global reach. Have any questions about SAP? Feel free to contact us via the contact page of our site, or on Twitter or LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you.

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