One of the longest-serving staffing experts in the CSRA looks into the crystal ball for ABD readers. Angela Swarts of Spherion shares her insight from the ABD Conference and Expo.
Fire up your computers and grab your credit cards. Today is Cyber Monday, a day when your Christmas shopping can be done from your couch while wearing your jammies. Cyber Monday was coined in Nov. 2005 by the National Retail Federation, a time when online shopping was still in its infancy. Since then, it has grown into one of the biggest shopping days of the holiday season. According to the website, www.blackfriday.com, in 2022, shoppers spent an estimated 11.3 billion on Cyber Monday. That compared to $9.12 billion. Bloomberg, in
Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the importance of financial wellness for employees and employers. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: A number of CSRA businesses have begun offering financial wellness classes for their employees. How do you define financial wellness? Rick: Let’s start with financial literacy. In order to be financially well, you need to be financially literate, and that’s part of the
CSRA small businesses hope shoppers will remember the old saying, “Home is where the heart is,” and support local merchants this season. The biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when the Christmas shopping season officially begins. Traditionally, shoppers head to the big box stores to score bargains. But a day later, the spotlight turns to small, local businesses for Small Business Saturday. More than a dozen businesses in downtown Augusta will participate in the third annual Small Business Saturday (SBS) Crawl, sponsored by
Editor’s note: I’m showing my age here but when my three sisters and I were growing up, the arrival of the Sears Wish Book was a highlight for us. It was 600+ pages of Christmas magic. We earmarked the pages of the gifts we hoped to receive. My how times have changed! In today’s world, producing a Sears catalog and mailing it to the masses would cost a fortune. There are a scant 13 Sears remaining today because of increased competition from other big-box retailers, so no need for a
See how a local business is bringing new life into an old home. Mike Petchenik explains how it also might be the perfect spot for holiday shopping in today’s edition of BizBits.
It’s clear that workforce attitudes are evolving. Look back at ABD’s October Conference and Expo where Angela Swarts, franchise owner for Spherion Augusta, speaks about what companies should consider as more employees demand flexible schedules.
In recent weeks, we have seen a steady increase in the percentage of workers returning to the office. Workers are returning to the office at the highest rates since early 2020, as companies increase their efforts to bring back their employees from remote work. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, office use is up to 47.5 percent in 10 major metropolitan areas, the highest it has been since late March 2020. I am encouraged by this because I think there are many benefits to being back
I will be spending Thanksgiving with my son in beautiful Decorah, Iowa. In this season of glutinous overeating, Decorah has several gastronomic delights worth importing to Augusta Georgia. (If I use the word importing, then it makes this an economic column, right?!?!) Decorah, and much of the upper mid-west, was settled by Scandinavian immigrants and that culture is still strong. One of the best legacies is Lefsa, a traditional flatbread made with potatoes. It can be used as naan bread for curries, a wrap for hotdogs, or like a tortilla
A robust economy paved the way for South Carolina to ease a tax paid by businesses. For the third year in a row, the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates will decrease or hold steady in 2024. Gov. Henry McMaster (R) made the announcement earlier this month, saying there is no better time to be in business in the Palmetto State. “The state’s leadership has worked hard to make strong financial decisions that maintain a healthy unemployment insurance trust fund which will benefit employers in the coming year,” said McMaster.
