Take an axe to company communication problems for good, and . . .

Help Your Employees Be Happy, Healthy, and Productive with Your Own

Easy, Customizable, and Completely Editable Company Newsletter

Dear Workplace Professional: Your business—every business—has two critical needs: 1) Maintaining good internal communication and ensuring personal problems of employees don’t harm the company. A company wellness newsletter is critical for this purpose, but most companies can’t manage one. Keeping up with this task is a nightmare. Ask anyone who has ever tried. I have solved this problem! My name is Dan Feerst. Ten years ago, I created a turnkey company newsletter with a completely editable and customizable format in MS Word and MS Publisher. It allows you to have the personalized workplace wellness newsletter you want and need, but without the cost or trouble of doing it yourself. The newsletter is FrontLine Employee. I want to give you a free, three-month trial so you can see how perfectly it fits with your company and how effectively it will help your employees. Three million employees in thousands of organizations—including the employees of Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington, dozens of military installations, universities, hospitals, and workplace counseling providers use FrontLine Employee—even the U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. Air Force Academy use the content of FrontLine Employee. You can join them free for three months.

Easy, Simple, Effective, and Completely Unique

Each issue of FrontLine Employee delivers concise, actionable information, tips, how-tos, expert guidance, and step-by-step approaches to resolving work-life problems and issues most employees face. Not just anyone can write such a newsletter. Freelancers may lift material from the Internet or press releases, but only a real pro—someone who has worked in the trenches, dealing with severe employee problems and crises—can offer the insight to motivate employees to take action to improve their lives. I write from this perspective and formulate every article to keep employees looking forward to the next issue. My goal is to have employees think how content in articles apply to them.

Articles Employees Need (and Employers Want)

No articles in FrontLine Employee discuss the mundane. Your employees will resist a newsletter with the same old “off the shelf” articles. Articles like the “five most important vegetables to eat” or “why you should exercise 30 minutes a day” are boring. Employees already know these things.

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FrontLine Employee is fast reading, with punchy articles of between 80 and 275 words. My experience has shown that articles within this range are much more likely to be read in their entirety. There are no long-winded articles. The result is that employees stay glued to content, and best of all, are more likely to act on it. Employees want articles that make them feel energized, give them hope, and excite them about taking another shot at solving a problem. Employees dream about the workplace being less negative, having higher morale, and everyone treating each other with more respect. They want fewer conflicts and better skills at dealing more effectively with difficult people—especially customers, patients, and the public. Your employees crave the ability to get more done in less time, feel better about their boss, solve eldercare dilemmas, parent their child or teenager better, save money, worry less, be more assertive when it is necessary, and have better coworker relationships so they experience more job satisfaction. I write with every one of these goals in mind and target the following crucial topics during the year: Workplace Communication: handling conflict, personality, and control issues; dealing with difficult people and attitude problems; negotiating and increasing cooperation; getting a point across, being assertive; improving listening skills; etc. Worker Productivity Tips: managing time, organizing work, setting priorities, stopping procrastination, remembering things, stopping interruptions, completing work, etc. Family, Home, and Community: thinking "green"; knowing about consumer product safety; parenting children and teenagers, safety at home, eldercare issues, family stress, budgeting tips, increasing marital harmony, work-life balance, etc. Personal Fitness and Emotional Wellness: exercising, getting more energy, improving nutrition, understanding mental illness, self-diagnosing conditions, seeking professional help. Personal Effectiveness and Goal Achievement: getting more done, improving self-awareness, motivation and using inspirational thinking, planning ahead, sticking to New Year resolutions, managing money, developing mediation skills, staying positive, etc. Team Building: holding better meetings, reducing conflicts, improving communication, staying cohesive, being a team player, getting more done, sharing the work, etc. *Improving Relationships with Your Supervisor: communicating better, knowing what the supervisor wants, completing assignments, making an impression, knowing how to “read between the lines,” planning for better performance reviews, etc. Hot Productivity and Health Topics: learning about health issues in the national news, preventive health tips, alcoholism and drug abuse, where to get more information about specific conditions; giving and getting support; practicing self-help; finding unique resources, etc.

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Stress Management: using stress management tips, avoiding burnout, making self-assessments, recognizing signs and symptoms, etc. *Using the Employee Assistance Program: learning about use of the EAP, confidentiality, what the EAP can do, when to use the EAP. Workplace Safety, Injury Prevention, and Recovery: avoiding shortcuts, preventing injury, thinking safety, building a culture of safety, think about safety, getting back to work sooner, etc. Customer Service and Related Stress: proper attitudes, dealing with difficult customer behavior, staying positive, keeping customers happy, reducing stress.

Text, PDF, and Easy, Editable Formats

FrontLine Employee is ready to use immediately when it arrives via e-mail. It’s two pages. You don’t need to do a thing. However, it is also 100% editable and customizable. You can add or edit articles, change frequency of distribution, or move articles from one issue to the next. FrontLine Employee is editable in MS Publisher and MS Word with graphics. You can also get a PDF, create your own PDF, or let us customize one for you. And if you already have a newsletter, but just need content, choose the text-only option. You can change the name of FrontLine Employee, and as an option, we will gladly design a corporate, very professional masthead with your chosen name for the top of page 1. You can upload FrontLine Employee to your Web site, e-mail it to employees, or print as many copies as you need. Send an e-mail with an embedded link, and every employee will be able to view your current issue with one click.

Important: Do not accept the argument that employees have “too much to read” or let it intimidate you into only using a quarterly, 4-page newsletter. Monthly is the way to go. I know you agree that employees deserve more. Frontline Employee is 50% more content per year than a quarterly publication. It reads faster and it completely read. FrontLine Employee arrives a week before the month of issue. You will always be relaxed getting it out. There’s never a rush. There are no embarrassing late issues or missed issues. No one will ask, “What happened to that newsletter we use to get.”

Subscriber “Hot Line” As a FrontLine Employee subscriber, you gain access to the Subscriber Hot Line. This advantage allows you to suggest content for future articles. What’s going on in your workplace? If it’s important to you, it may be important to everyone. This lets me know.

The hot line helps me zero in on the topics you and other subscribers feel are most vital to employees. Are there grief issues or downsizing issues? Is disrespect a problem? Is tardiness

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a chronic concern? Is employee empowerment a major concern. I use almost every suggestion that subscribers offer because they are almost always applicable to every workplace.

Phone Me at 1-800-626-4327 for a FREE, Three-Month Trial Start a free, three-month trial subscription now by faxing or mailing page 4 of the enclosed brochure. You can also phone me personally at 1-800-626-4327, I will e-mail the current issue right away. I answer my own phone because I am not big impersonal company. You will finally experience what it’s like to have an employee newsletter of your very own. Your employees will anticipate receiving it, and you can be certain that you will have in place low-budget, HIGH-IMPACT resource targeting the key issues your employees and organization face.

FREE BONUS!

If you decide to send or fax payment with your order, I will send a CD with $255 worth of work-life-productivity tip sheets in editable formats. I will send my most popular topics! Each one usually sells for $17. They are great for passing out to employees. Topics include resolving coworker conflicts, building teams, stopping disrespect, taking initiative, managing anger,

balancing work and family, parenting teens, and more.

My Personal 100% Money-Back

Anytime Guarantee!

There is simply no question that FrontLine Employee will be loved by your employees. If for any reason FrontLine Employee isn’t as fantastic and awesome as I have described, I will gladly refund your entire subscription price, no questions asked.

I look forward to helping you and your employees!

Daniel A. Feerst, MSW, LISW-CP

1-800-626-4327 P.S. Remember! Pay nothing to start a FREE trial subscription, but if you send payment with your order, you will instantly e-mail 15 of my MOST POPULAR and original employee tip sheets, a $255 value. Phone 1-800-626-4EAP for faster service, or fax page 4 of the enclosed brochure to 843-884-0442.

M ultiple studies related to

eating fruits and vegetables

seem to point to a previously under

emphasized benefit—reduced risk of stroke. The benefit

appears to be due to a reduction in blood pressure and

cholesterol associated with eating fruits and vegetables.

Researchers examined studies involving a total of about

250,000 people. Each pointed to similar results: eating

more fruits and vegetables (with an emphasis on fruits) re-

duces risk of stroke. Examine your health habits and family

risk of stroke, talk to your doctor, and dive into a cornuco-

pia!

Source: American Psychiatric Association

H oliday parties are a great

way to connect with your

coworkers and supervisors

on a personal level. While the

mood may be festive, it’s important

to remember that your behavior

during office holiday parties is also

a reflection of you as an employee. Don’t let the lingering

memory everyone takes from this year’s holiday party be

an embarrassing one about you. As a business function, a

holiday party can be your opportunity to shine by creating

goodwill among your staff members. It can also be an op-

portunity for you to meet the CEO and other senior execu-

tives of your company whom you might not have met be-

fore (or not have had opportunities to speak with, perhaps

about that one great idea of yours!)

Memories from the Office PartyOffice PartyOffice PartyOffice Party

Fortify Your Brain with Fruit

O ne-fifth of Americans suf-

fer from a diagnosable

mental disorder during any

given year. The exact causes of

mental disorders are unknown,

but an explosive growth in research has brought us closer

to the answers than ever before. Like physical illnesses,

mental illnesses have a biological component to them: in-

herited dispositions interact with triggering environmental

factors to produce mental illness. Understanding this fact

has taken much of the mystery and stigma out of mental

illness and has led more people to seek help. State-of-the-

art treatment for mental illness is very effective—as effec-

tive as treatments for high blood pressure, cancer, and ar-

thritis. Contact the EAP to learn more.

Important Notice: Information in FrontLine Employee is for general information purposes only and is not intended to replace the counsel or advice of a qualified health professional. For further help, questions, or referral to community resources for specific problems or personal concerns, contact your employee assistance professional.

Wellness, Productivity, & You!

YOUR EAP PROVIDER EAP services for DA/DOD employees and military

retirees as well as family members of soldiers, DA.DOD civilians and military retirees.

ASAP Services are confidential. For more information

or to schedule an appointment call XXX-XXX-XXXX

Employee Assistance Program

U.S. Army Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program

Imprinting Ideas —

Let Us Help You Layout Page One—FREE!

Taking the Mystery Out of Mental Illness

AcrEDF4.tmp 1 8/30/2010 4:29:53 PM

N o one knows the exact

financial loss of

chronic email check-

ing, but it may extend

greatly beyond the time used

to take a peek. Interrupted concentration, dealing with non-

urgent emails, a sudden impulse to surf the Web about unre-

lated matters, and lost ideas all get thrown into the cost mix.

Gain better control over email checking by closing out of

your email program, turning off the mail’s “in” sounds, using

a computer disconnected from the Internet, choosing only

specific times of day to check email, and considering

whether you need more help, or even professional counsel-

ing, to stop obsessive email checking.

$

Important notice: Information in FrontLine Employee is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the counsel or advice of a qualified health or legal professional. For further help, questions, or referral to community resources for specific problems or personal concerns, contact an employee assistance or other qualified professional.

D ebt relief services, credit re-

pair, and advance fee loans

flourish in a tough economy, often

with the help of slick and compassionate

advertising. Many companies lure consum-

ers, only to take more money from them

after initial marketing. The Federal Trade

Commission gets the most complaints about debt collectors.

Many violate the law. Know your rights. Did you know that it

is illegal for a debt collector to phone you again immedi-

ately after you hang up on them? They can’t call before

8 a.m. either, or phone your workplace if they know it is in-

convenient.

I f you begin feeling

pressured and frazzled

this holiday season be-

cause of too many obliga-

tions and high expecta-

tions for what must occur,

take a moment and decide

(if it is not too late) what

the holidays really mean to you. What made past years spe-

cial? See if you can include those things on your “must

haves” list while limiting some less significant events.

Choose specific times during the holiday season when you

find personal time to relax and do what you want to do.

Check your reflexes and watch the urge to ask, “Quick!

What’s next on the list?” every time things quiet down.

Wellness, Productivity, and You!

December 2010

Y ou don’t have to go to a

health food store to learn

about complementary and

alternative medicines (CAM).

The federal government runs one of the largest websites on

the subject, with discussions on hundreds of therapy and

treatment options. From “aromatherapy” to “yohimbe bark,”

you will find it discussed at www.nccam.nih.gov, even if no

scientific evidence exists to support the use of an unusual

medicine or therapy. You will find helpful discussions about

the science, risks, and controversies associated with many

complementary and alternative medicines, some which you

may not easily learn any other way.

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Stress Takes a Holiday

Checking Email Again

Debt Collectors Knocking????

$

Source: http://www.ftc.gov/debtcollection

W hen you give positive feed-

back to your coworker, be sure to include the “ABCs”

of doing it effectively. “A” stands for “Affirmation,” “B”

stands for “Be Specific,” and “C” stands for “Contribution.” Start

with a positive statement that (“A”) affirms your coworker’s ac-

complishment(s)—“Great job!” Then, (“B”) be specific to let your

coworker know you are sincere and not simply “being nice”.

“Wow, Susan! I loved your presentation. The three examples you

gave of how we can better serve our customers were new and

refreshing.” This type of positive feedback is even more affirm-

ing. But you can go still further. Acknowledge Susan’s (“C”) con-

tribution so she knows she is valued. For example, add, “I could

see everyone’s eyes light up with new insights. I am glad you

were the one we picked as our trainer.” By putting yourself in

Susan’s shoes, you can see how she will feel positive about her

presentation, you, her job, and the organization. This example of

positive feedback shows how it can be a force for good. It also

underscores how adverse a lack of positive feedback can be if it

is ignored or, worse, withheld, when it is obviously deserved.

A s long as the Inter-

net exists, there will

be no shortage of scams to sell

everything from books to pills promising

people their addictions can be “cured.” Many

scams promise a return to controlled behavior, not

abstinence. This is a dead give-away to the scam. To

keep billing your credit card is mission #1, which

could be for expensive super-vitamins, etc. This busi-

ness principle is called “continuity income.” Most

successful scams employ it. Initially, you may be en-

ticed only to request a free pamphlet or inexpensive

book that discusses the “cure.” This is your entrance

into a sales “funnel.” These companies rely on des-

perate customers. Addictions are not shortcomings

requiring a secret formula, but are associated with

complex, physically caused, and neurologically ex-

plained phenomena. Recovery programs and tech-

niques that are time-tested, though more complex

than a pill, do work best for most, and are highly

teachable. Contact a medical doctor, professional

counselor, or employee assistance professional to

learn about effective ways to treat addictions.

December 2010 FrontLine Employee

Making Positive Feedback Perfect

I f you drink alcohol, stay safe

this holiday season by follow-

ing a few guidelines: 1) Eat

food to slow the absorption of al-

cohol. Foods high in protein, like

cheese, work best, but any food in your system will help. 2) Steer

clear of carbonated alcoholic beverages and “shots” to avoid

rapid absorption of alcohol. Carbonization increases pressure in

your stomach. This speeds the absorption rate of alcohol. 3) Un-

derstand your body’s reaction to alcohol. Don’t be fooled into

believing that not “feeling it” after you’ve been drinking means

that you are “okay to drive.” Not “feeling it” leads many people

with a high tolerance to drink more alcohol than their peers. This

leads to higher blood alcohol content (BAC) than for those in the

group who react to “feeling” alcohol sooner by drinking less.

The one with the highest tolerance could have the highest BAC in

the group, despite appearing unaffected! Never drive after drink-

ing.

Holiday Alcohol Use & You

RRRR udeness is prompted by a

state of agitation, disappoint-

ment, or anger. The customer

who displays rudeness is usually in more pain than the

recipient of the rude behavior. If you work with cus-

tomers, you have likely been confronted by rudeness

periodically. Learning to view rudeness from this

“person in pain” perspective is a key to better coping

with it. There may be short-term relief for acting

rudely, but there is usually a rebound, which leaves

the customer feeling worse. Understanding rudeness

can help you detach from it personally, permit you to

be more empathetic toward your customer, and help

you appreciate the influence and value of your cus-

tomer-service role.

Responding to Rudeness

Forget the Easy Addiction Cures

$

WHAT SUBSCRIBERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

“By the way, emailing these newsletters is GREAT. So easy to edit, turn around, and send. Thanks for your help. Happy Thanksgiving." Sue Kerner, Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Nashua, New Hampshire - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “We enjoy your articles each month and I thank you. I can't say enough about the two FrontLine publications we subscribe to. We are a small company who is a provider of EAP services to small and medium companies." Marylee Nunley, V.P. of Operations Resource Management Services Peoria, Illinois - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “The newsletter is a great hit with our EAP companies and their employees." Sylvia Darlington Network Services Centre St. Michael, Barbados - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "By the way, I am thrilled with the FrontLine newsletters. Excellent resource for both my supervisors and employees. Happy Thanksgiving." Elizabeth Robinson University of Connecticut Farmington, CT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "After downsizing, right-sizing, or whatever, I now provide direct services to over 10,000 employees with no other EAP staff. FrontLine Employee (and FrontLine Supervisor) enable me to have some type of newsletter. It is a most valuable tool." Ken Seaton, Civilian Employee Assistance Program Administrator Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Bremerton, Washington - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "This month, October '01, your two newsletters were right on target. The FrontLine Supervisor addressed the specific issues I have been helping my customers and clients with the past month. A great reinforcement." Keith Crochiere, Co-owner EAP Network Taunton, Massachusetts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "A great resource, especially when you need to work out a newsletter in a hurry!" Bud Wassell Solutions, Inc Meriden, Connecticut - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "The FrontLine Employee has been a big success for the promotion of the EAP. I have received several phone calls from employees to the EAP asking questions about the information. Keep up the good work!" Employee Wellness Associates Green Bay, Wisconsin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Our employees call me immediately if the FrontLine Employee is not in their office on the designated day of arrival." Melvina MacDonald Tallahasee Memorial Hospital Tallahasee, Florida

"Our companies have thoroughly enjoyed receiving the FrontLine Employee. We have had several compliments and the requests for more copies." Carolyn Rohrig, DIRECTIONS Lincoln, Nebraska - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - — - - -

"After years of struggling with the newsletter arena -- a fantastic solution! We can now promote our EAP services as state-of-the-art." Marylee Nunley RMS, Inc. Peoria, Illinois - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "A great way to keep in touch with employees and give them useful information. Money well spent!" Tom McMahon U.S. Postal Service Omaha, Nebraska - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "I am always one to share good products with other peoples in our Native communities and beyond. By doing so, it permits One Feather EAP as a nationwide EAP provider to serve our contracts in good ways. As an integrated piece of our programming, WorkExcel EAP products have been very useful to the employees, Tribes, Nations, and communities we work with and for." Rodney Haring, Ph.D., LMSW (enrolled Seneca) One Feather Consulting, LLC http://www.onefeatherconsulting.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Thanks for your speedy reply. Your newsletters are of great value to us and our clients." Eileen Crochiere EAP Network Taunton, Massachusetts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I currently subscribe to both Frontline Newsletters and find them most beneficial." Ken Sipes, Director United Family Services EAP Charlotte, North Carolina - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "The FrontLine Employee makes me look like a genius!! All of our client companies love the publication, so please don't ever stop publishing it. I could never do it on my own." Bill Hoey, LCSW, CEAP Family Services Woodfield Bridgeport, CT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"We value our relationship with you and really like the newsletters." Debra Ontiveros, Director WellConnect El Paso, TX

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"Aloha, Dan – I sent out the February Frontline Employee yesterday and got a call today thanking me for the excellent articles. She wanted to know more information on one of the stories – the Pennsylvania weight loss study – and I was able to Google the information and send her the links, but she was very thankful for the information!! Thanks for helping us look good once again!"

David Mitchell Child and Family Service - Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dan has conscientiously developed software programs designed to assist EAP’s with their clients. We have found that his programs which we use for our website trainings are of superior quality featuring color graphics, and relevant information. His programs are user friendly and address all of our training needs. Dan makes himself available and has skillfully assisted me when implementing his programs. I enjoy working with Dan and look forward to adding additional programs to our training website.

David Hugo, D. Hugo and Associates, Inc. "We have found the EAP Frontline Employee which we renamed, "rEAP the Benefits" to be the greatest way to keep our Employee Assistance Program visible to our employees over the years. They look forward to receiving it and will contact us if we are late sending out to them. The articles wonderfully address timely issues in the workplace. Carol Boone, Ed.D. , CEAP EAP Administrator State of Tennessee Government “Frontline Employee” has been a huge hit – and has opened more doors with the HR people I’m developing relationships with (all over the state) than you know. Drive on and keep up the great work! Heck yes! Of course you can use my “testimonial” and my name. In fact, I’d be very glad if you did. Yes, yes, yes! Stan Meloy, Ph.D. State of Ohio Employee Assistance Program