The most-read stories on creditunionmagazine.com during 2009.

Service principles that lead to ongoing member loyalty.

As large-scale health-care reform is debated in Washington, many credit unions are taking a “wait-and-see-approach” with their immediate health plan situations. This is dangerous given continued double-digit increases in group plan premiums for 2010.

Cohesive, well-balanced CU teams prevail.

Mind training has several benefits for employees and employers.

Take nine steps to make sure negativity and burnout don’t cause your team to mentally check out.

Common law establishes that directors have fiduciary duties, generally divided into two categories: Care and loyalty.

Corporate culture changes when two CUs combine.

New ADAAA provisions reinstate a broad scope of protections.

CUs prepare to put pandemic plans into action.
 

The ultimate goal in the eyes of many business leaders is that their organization would be a learning organization—constantly growing and investing in being creative and innovative to achieve great business results.
 

In a tight market, why not go beyond the traditional two-page resume to showcase your background and the kind of deliverables you could bring to a new position?

A recent Time article claims the 401(k) plan is "a lousy idea, a financial flop, a rotten repository for our retirement reserves.” Uff dah to that.

A training needs analysis can help determine what employees need to learn to effectively perform their job duties.

Executive coaching has become a service many credit union leaders use for professional development. An executive coach is typically an objective observer from outside the organization who can impartially examine the credit union, the roles played by various individuals, and the expectations placed upon them.

With Congress and the administration pursuing the most active agenda in a generation, the stakes facing credit unions are monumental. Credit union leaders gathering for the Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) 2010 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) will hear from policy makers, speak out on critical issues, and ensure the credit union difference is understood on Capitol Hill. The GAC takes place February 21-25 at the Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.

Keep honest people honest by limiting opportunities for dishonesty.

How can credit unions know whether their staff training programs are on the mark? By conducting a training needs analysis (TNA) to determine what employees need to learn to effectively perform their jobs.

The economic downturn is causing some credit unions and their executives to reconsider their nonqualified deferred compensation and retirement arrangements. That could be a mistake.

CUNA’s Community Credit Union &Growth Conference isn’t just for community credit unions. It’s for every credit union looking to capture membership potential.

 

With more than five decades in the credit union movement, Rita Haynes has faced her share of challenges.

The current recession put a lot of retirement plans on hold, and the retirement plans of credit union CEOs are no exception.

Your credit union is sprinkled with bright, empowered, innovative people known as Rudolphs (so named after the holiday character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) because they can shine the light exactly where the organization needs to go.

Want to preserve your credit union’s intellectual capital? Consider a knowledge management system that captures, centralizes, and stores information to help members find what they need and make employees more efficient.

It used to be that simply offering your employees a 401(k) plan with the basic features was enough. But in the post financial crisis era, it’s important to measure your plan’s success and take appropriate action when needed.

Preserve your CU’s intellectual capital with a knowledge management system.

Need to slash costs and boost efficiency? Try these “sure-fire” technologies, advises Jackie Buchanan, executive vice president/chief information officer for $1.3 billion asset Genisys Credit Union, Auburn Hills, Mich., and vice chair of the CUNA Technology Council.

CUs turn to nonmonetary rewards during times of budgetary restraint.

Know the difference between compensable and volunteer time.

Four of 10 CUs plan to forgo raises this year to survive tough economic times.

Nearly 40% of credit unions plan to freeze wages during 2009.

Learn about pressing human resource issues from CUNA’s E-Scan.

Although each individual’s circumstances are different, taking a loan against 401(k) retirement savings carries the same risks for each participant—most notably the financial penalty associated with the loan. However, there are other important reasons why borrowing from a 401(k) plan can be a bad idea.

Understanding how magicians create illusions on stage can show us how negative illusions are created at work.

Say goodbye to compliance worries with tools from two CUNA strategic alliance providers.

Business continuity plans must address many risks, including H1N1 flu outbreaks.

What should a credit union do if an employee defaults on a credit union loan?

Today’s economic realities, a record number of discrimination charges, and recent legislative changes are causing more credit unions to log time in court.

For some people, the only draw to meetings is the doughnuts.

CUs walk a fine line when disciplining employees for personal behavior.

Pay close attention to the Supreme Court’s decision on retaliation.

CU CEOs deal with low morale from SEG layoffs.

Uncertain times deliver tough HR answers.

With pay discrimination, each paycheck is a new filing opportunity.

Develop and communicate strong antifraud policies and procedures.

Nine “act-now tips” to neutralize layoff fears and prepare for an uncertain employment future.

What do employees know about credit unions, and how does that influence their member interactions?

Changes aim to ease family and medical leave administration.

Credit unions should be aware the Labor Department published a final rule to update its regulations under the 15-year-old Family and Medical Leave Act.

Many employees dread performance reviews. But when they're done properly, staff actually like them.