Some work stress ok in creative positions

Work stress is par for the course for creative leaders, according to new research from staffing firm The Creative Group.

Seven in 10 (70 percent) advertising and marketing executives interviewed said their job is somewhat or very stressful. But there's an upside: Nearly one-third (32 percent) of respondents claimed the more stress they experience, the better their performance; another 60 percent reported they thrive under some pressure.

"Stress can be a powerful motivator, inspiring professionals to make decisions, take action and get results. But all employees need time to relax and recharge," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. "Teams that are chronically overworked miss out on opportunities to strategize and come up with new ideas that will push the organization forward."

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "In general, how stressful is your job?" Their responses:

Executives were also asked, "Which of the following statements best describes how you feel workplace stress affects your productivity?" Their responses:

"While many executives are well equipped to handle workplace pressures, employees with less experience may need some support. Managers should check in regularly with staff to ensure they have the resources and guidance to do their jobs well," added Domeyer.

The Creative Group offers three tips to foster a healthy level of work stress among employees:

1. Ask staff for input. Touch base regularly with team members to ensure their to-do lists are reasonable. Help workers with time management and prioritization, and solicit feedback on how to operate more efficiently and effectively.
2. Encourage teamwork. When it comes to solving business challenges, two (or more) heads are often better than one. Foster collaboration in the workplace by providing plenty of opportunities for staff to partner with each other on initiatives.
3. Offer relief. Overburdened employees can quickly slip into autopilot, which can stall innovation. Provide project professionals or consultants who can assist core staff during peak activity periods.

About the Research
The survey was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 400 U.S. advertising and marketing executives.

AARP, Advocates and Legislators Team Up to Protect Thousands of Illinois Seniors

Illinois' ongoing budgetary and partisan differences are threatening the life and well-being of thousands of the state's most vulnerable citizens who may be left without critical services should Governor Rauner's proposed cuts to the Community Care Program (CCP) go through.

Taking swift action, AARP, SEIU, the Alzheimer's Association, Care Coordination Units and other advocates and service providers teamed up today in support of legislation – House Bill 4351 HA#1 - introduced by State Representative Greg Harris to protect vulnerable seniors, and ensure the Community Care Program continues to exist to allow seniors to stay in their homes with purpose and dignity and receive the critical services they need to prevent premature and costly institutionalization.

"Illinois' ongoing partisan and budget fights are hurting countless seniors and their families across the state. This needs to stop," said AARP Illinois Associate State Director for Advocacy and Outreach Lori Hendren. "The Community Care Protection bill ensures this critical program remains in existence, and that eligible individuals are still able to receive in-home programs and services. Cutting services is not the answer. Preserving the Community Care Program must be a priority for the Governor's Office, the legislature and our state."

"Protecting home healthcare eligibility for our growing population of seniors, and for people with disabilities, is a cost-effective measure that will ensure best outcomes," said State Representative Greg Harris. "These vulnerable people deserve our care and should not be subject to the uncertainty and instability of any political cycle. We should not take away the least expensive care from tens of thousands of seniors."

"Keeping seniors and people with disabilities in their homes, as this amendment does, saves taxpayers money and lends dignity to people who need a hand," said State Senator Daniel Biss. "These individuals didn't cause the long-term structural problems facing our state and I hope everyone agrees that they shouldn't be the ones who pay the price."

"While the details have not been fully made public, Governor Rauner's $200 million cut to the Community Care Program would surely bring unacceptable hardship to the 43,000 affected seniors," said SEIU Healthcare Illinois Vice President Terri Harkin. "The idea that such drastic cuts can be enacted without a corresponding destruction of care, via automation or outsourcing or unnamed 'efficiencies,' is unrealistic. The fact is, the CCP has saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the years by keeping seniors in their homes, instead of costlier nursing facilities. More importantly, it offers them the dignity and human connection that Gov. Rauner's unacceptable cuts would surely erode or eliminate altogether."

"The Illinois Adult Day Services Association and the Illinois Association of Community Care Program Home Care Providers ask that all members of the General Assembly support HB 4351 to protect seniors and disabled persons from yearly attacks on whether or not they are eligible for Community Care Program and DRS adult day services," said Cindy Cunningham, President and Advocacy Chair for IADSA and Legislative Chair, IACCPHP. "Serving fragile people in the community is what people want and costs about a third less than serving them in institutions.  We are grateful for Rep. Harris's leadership on this issue."

"Governor Rauner's action represents an enormous overreach of Executive Branch authority and would have a detrimental effect on the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people in our state," Erna Colborn, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Illinois and Central Illinois Chapters, said. "Given that 70 percent of Illinoisans living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia rely on in-home services, and that many of these critical services are provided by the Community Care Program, the Alzheimer's Association urges lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to put their most vulnerable constituents ahead of partisan politics and support this legislation."

"We appreciate the many years of efforts of the Department on Aging to serve all seniors eligible for the Community Care Program," said Bill Wheeler, Executive Director for the Illinois Council of Case Coordination Units. "We do not, however, understand how the recent CRP proposal could help given the fact that it would move 43,000 participants from the existing program and reduce their resources by 50%. Instead, we believe this would force more people into nursing homes at higher expense to the state."

"This bill provides statutory legitimacy and legislative oversight on a program being established by the Department on Aging that affects the lives of over 40,000 seniors in the State and as such provides the protection afforded these individuals under the constitution," said Robert W. Thieman, Executive Director of the Illinois Association of Community Care Program Home Care Providers.

Among other provisions, House Bill 4531 HA#1 would:

• Shield over 43,000 of Illinois' most vulnerable residents from partisan and budgetary differences;
• Codify the Determination of Need Score (DON) – a key measure determining the extent of an applicant's eligibility and need for services under CCP – at 29;
• Ensure that the CCP continues to exist to keep seniors in their homes as long as possible, preventing premature institutional care, and;
• Ensuring that individuals suffering from Alzheimer's, mobility issues, and other conditions requiring assistance, can continue to depend on CCP services.

According to the Illinois Department on Aging, Illinois is expected to have a 57 percent increase in the number of individuals 60 and older over the next 15 years.

Governor Rauner has proposed starting a new program called the Community Reinvestment program, which will cut nearly $200 million from CCP and in-home services in Illinois. The Governor's proposal reimburses providers at less than half the current rate; providers will not be able to provide the same services for less than half the money.

A coalition of advocates for seniors and the disabled community in support of the Community Care Protection bill include:

• AARP
• Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
• Addus HomeCare, Inc
• AIDS Foundation of Chicago
• Alzheimer's Association
• Citizen Action-Illinois
• Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE)
• Health & Disability Advocates
• Illinois Adult Day Service Association
• Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans
• Illinois Association of Community Care Program Homecare Providers
• Illinois Council of Case Coordination Units
• Illinois Partners for Human Services
• Legal Council for Health Justice
• NASW - Illinois
• SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana
• Senior Services Plus Inc.
• Shriver Center for Poverty Law
• Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL)
• Health & Medicine Policy Research Group
• Jane Addams Senior Caucus

AARP, on behalf of its 1.7 million Illinois members, commends Rep. Harris for his leadership and urges all members of the General Assembly to pass HB 4351, HA#1 into law.

Washington woman named new executive director of Peoria Park District

A Washington woman with experience directing athletic activities at the state and federal levels has been hired to guide the Peoria Park District.

Susan Knoblauch will begin her duties as district executive director on June 1, the Park Board announced.

Knoblauch will replace long-time executive director Bonnie Noble, whose retirement after 43 years with the Park District, including the last 24 at the top, is effective April 30.

“As we thank Bonnie Noble for her years of dedicated service to the Peoria Park District, we are excited to have Susie Knoblauch coming in as the next director,” said Park Board President Tim Cassidy. “As the Peoria Park District continues to fulfill its mission of providing quality recreational activities and facilities and conserve our natural resources in a fiscally responsible way, we look forward to Susie’s leadership together with the Districts’ excellent management team and employees for the further progress of our Peoria Park District.”

Knoblauch is currently director of activities and sports at the National Federation of State High School Associations. Her duties there include serving state athletic/activity associations by providing program initiatives for students involved in interscholastic programs. Also, she is responsible to align rules committee processes and interpretations, publish playing rules in sports for boys’ and girls’ competition, coordinating national meetings and conferences, serving as an advocate and liaison to national governing bodies and managing budgets for assigned programs.

While at the NFHS include she developed online courses for music directing and adjudication training, streamlined the coordination of national conference workshops and collaborated with national governing bodies to align rules.

Prior to joining Indianapolis-based NFHS, Knoblauch was administrator for several programs for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), including cheerleading, speech, drama, debate, music, tennis and journalism for 10 years. She was also coordinator of spirit activities and was the staff liaison for the state’s activity directors. Among her accomplishments at the IHSA, Knoblauch developed state tournaments in cheer and journalism, implemented online scoring for activity tournaments, administered the state’s online music entry and adjudication process and and implemented an adjudicators’ database to align with officials licensing.

Knoblauch, 50, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University and was a teacher and coach for 17 years at Morton High School before joining the IHSA staff. She graduated from Lowpoint-Washburn High School in 1984.

“I am honored and excited about the opportunity to provide leadership as executive director of the Peoria Park District,” Knoblauch said. “I want to thank the Peoria Park District’s Board of Trustees for having the confidence in me to work with such a talented staff. I would also like to thank Bonnie Noble for her years of dedicated leadership to Parks and Recreation and I wish her the best in retirement.

“Although I have some big shoes to fill, I look forward to advancing the mission of the Peoria Park District and to continuing the rich tradition of service. As someone who has benefited from parks and recreation programs, I know that they are essential to every community and it will be my charge to continue to provide quality leadership in these areas.”

Knoblauch is married to Herb Knoblauch, director of athletics at Washington High School.

The Dirt On Cleaning: Men Do More Than You Think

Dust and stains remain unavoidable adversaries for consumers worldwide. It's not surprising, then, that we spend a significant amount of time trying to keep our homes and clothes fresh and clean.

In Nielsen's new Global Survey examining home cleaning and laundry habits, nearly one-third of global respondents (31%) say they clean every day, and the same percentage (31%) say they do laundry daily, but cultural tradition, product availability, innovation and financial considerations mean that the tools of the trade are different around the world.

WHO CLEANS AND WHO BUYS

Today, 44 percent of respondents say the female head of household does the majority of cleaning. But that's not to say men aren't sharing in the load, as 17 percent of respondents say men do the majority of cleaning. Globally, 28 percent say house cleaning is a shared responsibility between the two heads of the household.

Responsibility for product purchasing largely mirrors who is doing the cleaning—with even greater female influence. More than half of global respondents (51%) say the female head of household buys the majority of cleaning products, nearly one-quarter (23%) say it's a shared responsibility and slightly fewer (21%) say the male head of household is responsible for the majority of purchasing

"The perception that home care is only women's work is inaccurate," saidSarah Peters, Nielsen Global Business Partner. "The female head of household remains a key stakeholder in the cleaning process in many homes, but as more men play an active role in housework, marketing strategies need to reflect a more balanced approach—from product innovations to marketing messages. This will require a deeper understanding of how each gender approaches the task of cleaning and where gaps in current offerings may exist."   

WHATS CLEANING UP ATSTORES AROUND THE WORLD

Modern retailers come out on top in every region as the self-reported place to purchase cleaning products. More than three-quarters (77%) of global respondents say they purchased household cleaning products from a large retail chain (such as a mass merchandiser or hypermarket) in the past 12 months.

E-commerce is an important channel inAsia-Pacific. Thirty-seven percent of respondents in this region say they have purchased household-cleaning supplies from an online retailer in the past 12 months, compared with 23 percent globally. Online shopping is particularly popular among online respondents inIndia(48%),China(43%) and South Korea(43%).

"Distribution is the top driver of product trial, and it is positively correlated with product volume," said Peters. "Presently, e-commerce accounts for only a small share of household products sales, but it is growing rapidly, particularly inAsia. As increasing economic prosperity in the region drives sales of household cleaners, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with both brick-and-mortar and pure-play online retailers will be important for capitalizing on this growth."

Respondents inAsia-Pacificare also inclined to shop at traditional stores. Four in 10 respondents in the region say they've purchased cleaning products from a small, family-owned shop during the past 12 months, 10 percentage points above the global average.

CONSUMERS COME CLEAN ABOUT PREFERRED PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

It should come as no surprise that efficiency and value top the list of most important attributes in a home cleaning product. Sixty-one percent of global respondents say performance (it cleans well) is very important when selecting a household cleaning product. In addition, more than half (54%) say good price/value is very important. Connected with efficacy are previous experience and trust. Four in 10 global respondents say previous experience is very important when selecting household-cleaning products, while slightly fewer (37%) say a trusted brand name is very important.

Secondary attributes should not be overlooked. Nearly three in 10 respondents say packaging that is easy to use or store (29%) or that comes in a size that fits their family's needs (28%) is very important. In addition, some consumers are leaning green. Twenty-six percent of global respondents say organic/all-natural ingredients are very important, and 24 percenty say environmentally friendly/sustainable packaging is very important.

Consumers purchasing laundry detergent also list performance as a top attribute when making a choice—59 percent say they seek detergents that are best at getting stains out. More than half (54%) say they look for high-efficiency products (i.e., products that require less water), and 46% say they're looking for detergents they can use on multiple types of items. Over one-third (35%) of global respondents say they seek detergents that don't contain harsh chemicals and slightly fewer (32%) want environmentally friendly detergents.

ABOUT THE NIELSEN GLOBAL SURVEY

The Nielsen Global Homecare Survey was conductedAug. 10 - Sep. 4, 2015and polled more than 30,000 online consumers in 61 countries throughoutAsia-Pacific,Europe,Latin America, theMiddle East/Africaand North America. The sample includes internet users who agreed to participate in this survey and has quotas based on age and sex for each country.