90% of your message will be forgotten 24 hours after your presentation.

Still think you don’t have the time it takes to create great handouts? The right handout package does more than keep your copier busy, it’s an encore of your presentation. Plus, with a little planning and know-how, your handouts can become tools that’ll help you reach even bigger goals!

Cardinal has the tips and tools you need to create dynamic handouts that work for YOU!

1. Display your contact information on the outside cover of your handout where it can be found instantly.
2. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Your credibility is at stake.
3. Charts, graphs and diagrams are far more impactful than words.
4. Nothing is more convincing than customer testimonials.
5. A company overview or a biography of key executives is a great lead-in section for handouts. Remember, it’s easier for people to do business with companies they know.

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Despite your best efforts to be organized, you’re not quite there yet. Your folders are labeled and your documents are filed, so why does it take so long to find what you’re looking for? Sounds like you need a folder that will vault you to the head of the class in your quest to be more organized.

Smead Classification Folders are a great way to keep projects organized because they subdivide material within the folder. Fasteners on the front, back and divider panels create up to eight separate filing surfaces. Simply two-hole punch your documents, insert them in the fasteners and you have an easy way to keep all your papers organized and secure.

Order in the Folder!

You’ll easily be able to create a system to keep all your documents in sequential order by securing them in the fasteners provided in the folders. It’s a fast and efficient way to keep dated materials and to find what you need faster. You will also find your documents more secure. No longer will your papers be hanging out of the sides of the folder. They will be neatly tucked away, secured by the fasteners.

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Records management isn’t just a priority - it’s a legal obligation. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, companies can be subject to stiff penalties if they destroy documents that might aid auditing procedures. Conversely, companies and individuals that do not destroy information before disposal could face prosecution and fines under HIPPA, GLB, and FACTA legislation. The key to compliance is setting up a records management policy that covers the lifecycle of each document from records storage to records destruction.

1. Enact a company-wide plan for records storage:

Determine who is responsible for records management - Choose a single administrator in each department to set up consistent retention and retrieval guidelines in their areas.

Determine which records should be stored - Check federal and state statutes for specific requirements or use a records retention guide to determine which regulations, like the ones stated below, apply to your business:

• Tax Audit Procedures The IRS can audit tax records for up to six years in cases of suspected fraud.
• Employment Laws The Fair Labor Standards Act and Family Medical Leave Act require businesses to retain certain payroll and wage records for either two or three years.
• Retirement Plans Any organization that offers a retirement plan is subject to records retention regulations under the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA).
• Health & Safety Documents Employers with more than 10 employees in certain industries are required to keep OSHA 300 logs describing work-related injuries and illnesses for five years.

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We don’t like to think about it, but let’s face it when it comes to security issues, we’re better off taking proactive steps to ensure we’re safe than face the consequences. While we often take a stand when we’re securing our home, we tend to be more lax when it comes to securing our workplace.

Maybe that is because we assume it is someone else’s responsibility. The fact is, security is everyone’s responsibility and the steps you take now can keep you and everyone you work with safer.

Here are some basis tips to get you started. They will not only make your workplace more secure, but help prevent theft as well.

• Challenge visitors or individuals walking through your office. Try to determine who they are visiting by asking if they need assistance.
• Do not let anyone into the building with your access keys or card as you enter after regular business hours.
• If you find a building entry door propped open after normal hours, close it.
• During the winter months when it gets darker earlier in the day, consider using a “buddy” system when you leave the building at night.
• Take your keys out of your pocket or purse before leaving the building. Ladies, don’t try to find your keys in your purse once you reach your car.
• Keep valuables in your car hidden and doors locked.
• Never leave your reception area unattended or entrance doors propped open.
• Always keep valuables out of sight, including purses, cash and stamps. Lock them in a desk drawer or file cabinet if possible.
• Place small pocket calculators or recorders in desk drawers when not in use.
• Do not allow unknown or unexpected service or repair personnel free access to your office space.

Beware! The following are some common pretenses used by thieves to gain entrance into offices or to distract you:

• A thief may engage you in conversation while mentally making a survey of your office and return later.
• A thief may call and fabricate a reason for you to leave the office so that an accomplice may enter.
• Be aware of solicitors. Even though some of these people are legitimate, others are only “casing” the area for a potential future burglary.

It bears repeating: Security is everyone’s responsibility. Take these proactive, preventive security measures to ensure the safety of your office and property.

As always, if you notice any suspicious activity, call 9-1-1 immediately.

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Environmentally friendly office supplies

• Recycled Printer Supplies & Accessories
• Recycled Paper
• Recycled Envelopes
• Recycled Binders
• See all products

You may be buying organic food products at home or tossing your milk carton into a recycling bit, but are you as environmentally conscious when you’re at the office? Probably not.

It seems that there is usually a divide between our lifestyles at home and how we live on the job. While you may be committed to a healthy lifestyle at home that is good for you and the earth, we must remember to carry over this commitment at the workplace, too.

In an attempt to reduce the amount of paper being printed and, therefore, the number of trees being harvested to make paper, consider using environmentally friendly products, office supplies, recycled copy paper, recycled envelopes, refurbished used printers, and remanufactured toner cartridges.

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