Resources

Resources is the Inc. guide to more information on subjects in this issue. This information is intended to help our readers; Inc. does not profit from the sale of any of the resources listed.

Hot Starts: New Biz Puts 7,300 on Payroll

The best source of information about professional employer organizations (PEOs) is the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (901 N. Pitt St., Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-836-0466; fax, 703-836-0976; www.napeo.org/peo). The membership of this trade group--about 400 companies--encompasses the largest PEOs. The executive vice-president is Milan P. Yager.

Another organization, the Institute for the Accreditation of Professional Employer Organizations (7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1040, Bethesda, MD 20814; 301-656-1476; fax, 301-656-5932), puts a stamp of approval on those PEOs that meet its rigorous standards. Executive director Regis Canny can provide the names of accredited companies; they also can be found on the institute's Web site (www.podi.com).

Red Tape: Ergonomics Regs Don't Sit Well with Small Biz

For more information on industry efforts to prevent or modify national ergonomics legislation, contact Al Lundeen at the National Coalition on Ergonomics (1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 1500 North, Washington, DC 20004; 202-293-3384; aplundeen@aol.com).

According to Dr. Lawrence Fine of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the increasingly polarized fight over ergonomics regulations has stifled common sense. "There is a proactive approach to ergonomics. If a workplace is comfortable and user-friendly, it is more productive," he says. To that end, NIOSH has released a primer of ergonomics practices that companies like Harley Davidson have adopted with success. Foremost among the recommendations is simply turning to employees for input on workstation design and about activities that cause pain or fatigue. In January the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and NIOSH hosted an ergonomics conference to present winning ergonomics practices, including those of small business, as part of the Clinton administration's "consensus building" approach to future ergonomics laws. For a compilation document of effective ergonomics practices, drawn from the 1997 OSHA- and NIOSH-sponsored conference, and for other free publications on ergonomics and workplace safety--including recent research--contact NIOSH at 800-35-NIOSH or OSHA Public Affairs at 202-219-8151, or visit the NIOSH or OSHA home pages.

California-based businesses can receive a free ergonomics consultation, on-site evaluations, publications, and informational videos through Cal-OSHA. Contact Cal-OSHA Consultation Services (P.O. Box 420603, San Francisco, CA 94142; 415-972-8515) or visit the Department of Industrial Relations home page.

The California semiconductor industry has instituted self-imposed ergonomics standards. To find out about those or to join the industry's nonprofit research and trade group, contact Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, or SEMI (805 E. Middlefield Rd., Mountain View, CA 94043-4080; 415-964-5111; www.semi.org).

Fast Money: Partners Crack 401(k) Nest Egg for Start-up Money

If you want to explore ways to raise capital for your company through a 401(k) plan, it's going to take some legwork. One good way to get started is to visit the Web site maintained by HR Investment Consultants (www.401ksearch.com). The Baltimore-based firm maintains a comprehensive database of information relating to 401(k) providers (especially those that specialize in small-company plans). While you may not want to sign up for its provider-search service (a tad pricey at $650 for a six-month subscription), the site is worth checking out for its valuable library of recent article extracts relating to 401(k)s as well as for referrals to other useful sources. The firm's phone number is 800-462-0628.

Obits: Labor-Union Disharmony Silences Symphony

Symphony executive directors are usually either businesspeople with little musical background or arts professionals without business experience. Either type will appreciate the wealth of information about music and business available from the American Symphony Orchestra League, or ASOL (1156 Fifteenth St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005-1704; 202-776-0212). Particularly useful is The Orchestra Resource Notebook, a series of papers on management, taxes, and finances for symphony orchestras, each of which costs $25 for nonmembers.

As nonprofits, symphony orchestras face the typical problems of fund-raising, managing volunteer boards, and projecting accurate budgets. Books and audiotapes are available on those topics (and more) from Jossey-Bass (800-956-7739). Ask for the Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Public Administration Catalog. It's free.

Bob Frey, CEO of Cin-Made, a for-profit manufacturer in Cincinnati, used open-book management to negotiate a tricky labor contract with his employees. He wrote about what he learned from his successes and failures in the September-October 1993 edition of The Harvard Business Review. Reprints of the popular story "Empowerment or Else" are available at $5 each ($10 minimum order) by calling 800-988-0886 or contacting HBR's Web site.

A book that wins good reviews for helping establish positive union relations is Beyond the Walls of Conflict: Mutual Gains Negotiating for Unions and Management, by David S. Weiss (Irwin Professional Publishers, 630-789-4000, 1996, $30).

Jump-Start Your Business

Those cowed by Doug Hall's knee-buckling fees can learn more about his creative philosophy by reading his two books written with David Wecker-- Jump Start Your Brain (Warner Books, 800-222-6747, 1995, $12.99) and The Maverick Mindset: Finding the Courage to Journey from Fear to Freedom (Simon & Schuster, 800-223-2336, 1997, $23).

For different perspectives and developments in the field of creativity, consider joining the Creative Education Foundation (800-447-2774). A $50 annual membership includes the monthly newsletter Creativity in Action. The foundation can also provide a free catalog listing dozens of books about creativity, including Optimize the Magic of Your Mind, by foundation board member Sidney J. Parnes (Bearly Limited, 716-883-4571, 1997, $18.95). It also hosts creativity conferences, such as the annual Creative Problem Solving Institute, in Buffalo, which will meet from June 22 through June 27, for its 43rd gathering. The cost is $695 per person; group discounts are available.