Employer Articles
May is nationally known as ALS Awareness Month! ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is a motor neuron disease that affects a person’s ability to walk, dress, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. About 6,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS every year, yet there is no known cause or cure. ALS is also commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which refers to the Yankee’s first baseman who passed away from the disease in 1941 at just 37 years old. Although there have been significant advances in research and treatment, there is still much more to learn about ALS. ALS Awareness Month seeks to spread awareness, and encourages donations to support research, assist with family services, and provide financial support to individuals with ALS. The Alpha Group will be accepting donations to benefit the Massachusetts Chapter of the ALS Association, and will also be participating in the…
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Alpha Cares
This report is published eight times per year. Each Federal Reserve Bank gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its District through reports from Bank and Branch directors and interviews with key business contacts, economists, market experts, and other sources.
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Human Resources
Each month we select an employee who demonstrates excellent work ethic through productivity and diligence, is timely and loyal, and displays behavior that promotes the needs and goals of the client company while holding to a commitment of quality and professional growth.
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Human Resources
April is Autism Awareness Month! Autism is a developmental disability that derives from an abnormality in the brain. It affects about 1 in every 68 births. It is characterized by difficulties with social and communication skills, repetition of behaviors, and resistance to major or minor changes in routine. Its full name is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which implies that some cases are more serious than others. Although there is no cure for Autism, early intervention with children that do have Autism is vital to give them better brain function, communication skills, and social behaviors. The earlier it is detected, the more help a child can get. That is why it is very important to spread awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder! The Alpha Group is looking to help spread this awareness by holding a fundraiser. This will help raise funds toward public awareness, safety, family crisis assistance, job training, housing and…
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Alpha Cares
Organizations used to be able to cook up a successful sales team with a few basic ingredients: a quality product, a compelling compensation plan, a simple training program and effective sales tracking. Not so anymore. Millennials have changed the recipe.
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Workforce Management
Caught with a problem you cannot solve? Need new ideas and solutions? The process of brainstorming requires you to think out of the box that is keeping you in the problem. Here is a list of 25 brainstorming techniques you can use to get out of the situation you are in. From this list, you can assess what’s the best method for the issue you are facing and apply it accordingly. Time Travel. How would you deal with this if you were in a different time period? 10 years ago? 100 years ago? 1,000 years ago? 10,000 years ago? How about in the future? 10 years later? 100 years later? 1,000 years later? 10,000 years later? Teleportation: What if you were facing this problem in a different place? Different country? Different geographic region? Different universe? Different plane of existence? How would you handle it? Attribute change. How would you think…
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Resource Center
Sometimes truly brilliant things are hidden in plain sight.
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Just for Fun
To Keep the Weight Off, Keep Tracking Your Diet NEW ORLEANS — Keeping track of the foods you eat is an important strategy for weight loss, but continuing to monitor what you eat is also important to prevent regaining that weight. Now, a new study finds that stopping food tracking is linked to regaining weight. In order to prevent re-gaining weight, people should make an effort four months after starting a diet to refocus on food tracking, according to the study, presented here Sunday (Nov. 13) at the American Heart Association's annual meeting called the Scientific Sessions. The researchers found that people tended to stop dietary monitoring after about four months, and that this was followed by regaining weight, said Qianheng Ma, a public health researcher at the University of Pittsburgh and the lead author of the study. The effects of food tracking, or "dietary self-monitoring," on weight loss have…
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Alpha Cares
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Good vs. Bad Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are an important part of your diet, but that doesn't mean you're free to load up on cakes and cookies to get your daily amount. Here, we explain the difference between good and bad carbohydrates. By Diana Rodriguez Medically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet, but there's much discussion about the good and bad carbohydrates. So how do you know which is which? The answer is both simple — and complex. Good vs. Bad Carbohydrates Carbohydrates, often referred to as “carbs,” are your body's primary energy source, and they're a crucial part of any healthy diet. Carbs should never be avoided, but it is important to understand that not all carbs are alike. Carbohydrates can be either simple (nicknamed "bad") or complex (nicknamed "good") based on their chemical makeup and what your body does with them.…
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Alpha Cares
Why Fruits and Vegetables Are Vital Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is important for good health. Find out why experts say Mother Nature's bounty packs better nutrients than supplements. If we are what we eat, then many of us must be tripping all over the place due to a lack of balance. That's because the average American eats about three servings of fruits and vegetables per day — a stark contrast to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new guidelines stating that we should be eating 5 to 13 servings of nature's best, depending on the number of calories you need. So if we want to grow to be strong like Popeye, why can't we just down some supplements instead of devouring a pile of spinach? Nutrients in fresh fruits and vegetables work together. Kristine Wallerius Cuthrell, MPH,…
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Alpha Cares
Each month we select an employee who demonstrates excellent work ethic through productivity and diligence, is timely and loyal, and displays behavior that promotes the needs and goals of the client company while holding to a commitment of quality and professional growth. Michael started working for The Alpha Group in 2012. In that time he has always proven himself to be a valuable member of The Alpha Group. He has received recognition by our client companies for his strong work ethic, reliability, enthusiasm and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done. Thank you, Michael, for your dedication. Congratulations on your success!! Monthly winners also have the opportunity to be selected as Employee of the Year. The Employee of the Year Winner will be entered for a chance to be recognized by the American Staffing Association at their yearly conference.
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Human Resources
March Is… National Nutrition Month March is National Nutrition Month! This month we will be reviewing what food we put into our bodies and considering better and healthier options. Americans typically exceed the recommended daily portions for calories from solid fats and added sugars, refined grains, sodium, and saturated fats and yet do not get enough of vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, dairy products, and oils. During the month of March, let’s look at our diet and nutrition and see where we can improve. Studies have shown that keeping track of your eating throughout the day for extended periods of time can help people cut down on their eating. Many people have food journals or use Smartphone applications such as My Fitness Pal that keep track of eating, drinking, and exercise habits. The Alpha Group will also be holding a month-long food drive in the lobby of Alpha Place. These donations will…
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Alpha Cares