Train Employees on Mobile Devices and Cloud Technologies

A new infographic from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) shows that while more companies are using mobile devices and Cloud apps, approximately 6 million office professionals in North America alone get 10 or fewer hours of training every year provided by their employers. About half those office professionals are completely responsible for their own training and get little training support from their employers.

The infographic includes nine facts that illustrate the unhealthy relationship between the rise of the virtual office and the lack of training for office professionals:

Mobile Workforce

• 40 percent of the global workforce uses mobile technology for their jobs.
• 75 percent of the world’s largest companies encourage their employees to use their own devices at work.
• 58 percent of companies in a recent survey said they’ve deployed mobile enterprise apps for their customers and clients.

Cloudy Forecast

• 71 percent of respondents to a recent survey predicted most or all of their tasks at work will be done using mobile or Cloud technology.
• In the very near future, a majority of employers will be utilizing Cloud technology for business.
• The number of telecommuters has nearly doubled to more than 3 million since 2006.

New Tech Means New Challenges

• Three out of four administrative professionals say keeping up with changing technology is the most significant issue they face at work.
• Three out of five administrative professionals say they get 10 or fewer hours of training at work every year.
• A third of all administrative professionals are responsible for their own training at work. That’s equal to about 3 million admins in North America alone.

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What will OSHA’s priorities for 2014 be, and how might they affect you? Find out in BLR’s upcoming live webinar, which will help you prepare for
compliance in the year head. And you don’t even have to leave your office to participate! Click here for details.

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Office professionals are vital for the success of their employers. Their work impacts virtually every facet of the international economy. It makes long-term business sense to provide the right office technology training for administrative staff. The IAAP is asking employers everywhere to consider the value of their office professionals and to invest in their success through professional development and networking.

For more information and resources, visit www.iaap-hq.org.

Why It Matters

• Technology often makes business operations more efficient and effective.
• But the human factor needs to be able to keep up with the technology element in order to reap the most benefits.
• Training is the key to preparing today’s employees for tomorrow’s technologies.

Safety Success Requires Listening, Too

This year and every year, having successful, compliant safety programs depends not only on communicating well with employees but also listening to safety experts to find out what OSHA’s priorities are and how they will affect you and your worksite.

We have a live webinar lined up for January 2 in which our expert, a lawyer and safety professional recognized as a national expert on occupational safety and health, will help you start the new year off right and learn what you need to know about OSHA’s 2014 enforcement agenda.

OSHA can’t inspect all 7 million workplaces under its jurisdiction. Consequently, each year the agency seeks to refocus its inspection resources in a calculated manner.

For 2014, OSHA projects that fewer employers will be inspected for safety violations so that inspectors can undertake more comprehensive investigations. The most likely targets will be refineries, chemical plants, and establishments where employees are vulnerable to workplace violence.

2014 priorities will also include:

• Regulatory and outreach activities, such as improving workplace safety and health by targeting the worst violators and most serious hazards
• Greater emphasis on health hazards, including exposure to hazardous chemicals, regulatory safeguards to eliminate or reduce hazards with the broadest and most serious consequences as identified through rigorous scientific investigation, compliance assistance, and outreach to workers at greater risk—such as those with limited English proficiency and temporary workers
  Technical and compliance assistance to small businesses in high-hazard industries, are ambitious

How 2014 will actually unfold is still uncertain, but now is the time to get a sense of what to expect and when to expect it so you can gear up for compliance hurdles.

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Join us on January 2 for an in-depth webinar when our presenter, a seasoned safety lawyer who has helped many companies assess OSHA activities and initiatives, will help you get a clearer sense of what will unfold in 2014 and, importantly, how to prepare. Learn More.

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Join us for an in-depth webinar on January 2 when our presenter, a seasoned safety lawyer who has helped many companies assess OSHA activities and initiatives, will help you get a clearer sense of what will unfold in 2014 and, importantly, how to prepare.

You and your colleagues will learn:

• How key 2013 activities will impact 2014 compliance
• Key enforcement strategies that OSHA plans to take on for 2014 including targeted industries
• The likely regulatory actions coming soon and the time lines involved
• Various initiatives that have been announced including outreach programs and assistance to small businesses in high hazard industries
• What personal or structural changes may occur within OSHA
• Suggested strategies for participating in key regulatory activity
• The role Congress and the executive branch may play in 2014
• The significant activity that may occur by special interest groups, NGOs, and labor unions
• Ways to identify and evaluate OSHA activities to be “one step ahead” of new requirements

About Your Presenter

Adele Abrams, Esq., CMSP, is an attorney and safety professional who is recognized as a national expert on occupational safety and health. She heads a 10-attorney firm that represents employers and contractors nationwide in OSHA and MSHA litigation, and provides safety and health training, auditing, and consultation services.

Abrams is a Certified Mine Safety Professional, and a Department of Labor-approved trainer. She is also a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, and is co-author of several safety-related textbooks. She is chair of the National Safety Council’s Business & Industry Division committee on regulatory and legal affairs. She is admitted to the Bars of Maryland, D.C., and Pennsylvania, as well as multiple federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court.

How Do Webinars Work?

A webinar is remarkably cost-effective and convenient. You participate from your office, using a regular telephone and a computer with an Internet connection. You have no travel costs and no out-of-office time.

Plus, for one low price, you can get as many people in your office to participate as you can fit around a speakerphone and a computer screen.

Because the conference is live, you can ask the speakers questions—either on the phone or via the webinar interface.

You will receive access instructions via e-mail three days before the event and the morning of the event. Your conference materials will be included in these emails for you to view, print, and download prior to the event. They are also available on the webinar interface when you log in.

If you are ordering online the morning of the webinar please call our Customer Service Department at 1-800-727-5257 to be sure to get your access instructions and handout materials.