Birthdays & Anniversaries

December/January Birthdays!  

WISHING THESE AMAZING PEOPLE A GREAT DAY!! 

Lynette Savidge, RDSM	12/3
Isabel Urquizo, GM Phoenix West	12/10
Terry Fitch, GM St. Clairsville	12/12
Dan Fritz, RVPO	12/15
Holly Young, GM Boston Framingham	12/16

Tamara Ross, Manager People&Culture	1/7
Angelica Paradise, GM Salem	1/19
John Ramirez, Director M&C	1/28
Ken Metzdorf, GM Cleveland Willoughby	1/28

December/January Workiversaries!   

WE ARE SO GLAD YOU’RE CAREER JOURNEY BROUGHT YOU TO RRI WEST!

Ethan Wheat

12/28 - 12 Years!

MIBE VIBE

We tend to look at life as constantly moving; ever busy (our never-ending quest for more time – see last month’s Mibe Vibe for more info on time!); and complicated.  We have this report due, and that email to respond to, we have to remember to get in rooms daily, we can’t forget to provide that new employee feedback.  And did you remember to check the emergency lights as you walked down the hall, oh yeah and your RVPO needs your daily OOO report, and oh crap, you need to make some sales calls if I want that portion of my 4th QTR bonus.  And don’t forget your daily MPR chart!  It’s a lot!!!  Or is it really?

Footers Catering, based in Denver Colorado, recently published the following article about slowing down and really focusing on what’s important. Continue reading for more!

It’s Not That Complicated: Erin Young, Footers Catering

Have you ever had someone cross your path that was just… well… different? These special people leave such a lasting impression that you cannot help but to change the way you live just by knowing them.  My Grandma Marie (or ReeRee as we called her) was as special as they came. And although she is no longer with us, she still has a lasting impact on my day-to-day life.

I recently put pen to paper as to why her presence was so remarkably different. You see, she didn’t have the most “successful” life as defined by today’s society. She lived in less than 5 homes her entire life, drove one car, had one partner, and traveled very little. She never won any awards, was never publicly recognized for anything, and yet my Gram was the most joyful, loving, kind and forgiving person I had the privilege of knowing. I’d like to share 10 simple reasons I witnessed to make my Gram who she was:

1. Eat chocolate daily. Yep, that right… daily! Don’t deprive yourself of this tasty goodness, and as Gram would say, “it’s good for you”. 

2. If you’re going to watch TV, make sure it is something that fills your soul. Gram was Ellen’s #1 fan, and although she may not have always known what day it was, she never forgot that Ellen was on at 3 PM.

3. Relax. Not only physically but mentally too. Slow down, breathe and trust that everything will work out. 

4. Go for a walk. Leave the air pods, podcasts, and music behind and just take in the sounds around you.

5. Laugh daily. This is free medication, and the side effects are oh so healing. 

6. Make eye contact and smile at strangers. We are all fighting a battle no one knows about. You never know what a smile will do for someone. 

7. Hug your loved ones. Like laughter, this is a free medication that will boost your energy.

8. Surrender control. Gram didn’t always have it easy and as each challenge came up, I watched her surrender and let go of the outcome she wanted.

9. Forgive quickly and often. And make sure you start with the person in the mirror. 

10. And last but certainly not least, dance! Gram was movin' and groovin' every chance she had, and the joy that came with it was contagious.

As easy as these may seem, I can honestly say that I am still working on mastering several. I hope one or two of these resonated with you and you will join me in enjoying the simple parts of life!  And if my sweet Gram were here today, and I were to ask her what the secret to living the way she did was, I feel confident she would say, “Dolly, stop trying so hard, it’s not that complicated”.

Back to RRI West

So back to us!  Tamara and Stephanie can often be heard around the New Albany office, saying “Keep it Simple Sister” or (KISS as it’s now written on Stephanie’s dry erase board).  We need to sometimes take a breath and take Gram’s advice that we need to not try so hard.  It’s OK to stop.  It’s OK to take a breath.  It’s OK to ask for help.  It’s OK to DANCE!  

And if you don’t believe Gram, or Tamara and Stephanie… maybe this famous quote from Ferris Bueller will resonate with you!  “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”!

4th QTR P&C Reminders:

PTO Balances:

PTO Balances for all GSRs were sent to each location at the beginning of October by Tamara.  Please remember that GSRs will only carryover 40 hours of PTO into the new year.

• Example A: Loretta has 56 hours of PTO and is unable to take any before the end of Dec 2024. As of Jan 1, 2025, her new PTO balance will be 40 hours. She will lose 16 hours.

• Example B: Antonio has 36 hours of PTO and is unable to take any before the end of Dec 2024. As of Jan 1, 2025, his new PTO balance will be 36 hours. All his hours rolled over.

W2 Address reminder:

Just a friendly reminder to have ALL employees (including you) to check their Paychex profile and update your address accordingly to ensure you receive your 2024 W2 in a timely fashion!  Additionally, you can opt in to receive your W2 electronically.

Holidays Coming Up!

• As a reminder, the next two holidays for GSRs are Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.  Per company policy, employees must work their scheduled shift prior to the holiday, and their scheduled shift following the holiday to actually receive the holiday pay.   This policy will be changing in 2025 to state: employees must have hours worked in the pay period to be eligible for the holiday. 

Veterans Day is November 11th!  Thank you for your service and all you do to make RRI West the best!

• John Chapman, GM Mt. Pleasant

• Michael Edwards, GM Hilton Head

• Michael Smith, GM Rockford

• John Myers, IT Helpdesk

• Lionel Butler, Maintenance Cleveland East Willoughby

• Emerick Espinoza, Maintenance Baltimore BWI

Be thankful in November for SAFETY!

Drowsy Driving Protection Week November 5th-11th

The National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® encourages everyone to prioritize sleep and only drive when they are alert and refreshed. Their goal is to help people get the sleep they need and reduce the number of drivers who choose to drive while sleep deprived. Want to learn more: https://www.thensf.org/drowsy-driving-prevention/  

Daylight Savings Time Ends November 3rd

Did you know that losing just one hour really has an impact on worker fatigue and safety?  Decrease in alertness, reaction time and decision-making ability all have the potential to affect our health and safety and the health and safety of those around us while at work, on the road or at home.  

No one believes that losing or gaining one hour of sleep due to a time change is going to upset employee circadian rhythms.  However, when employers are sensitive to the sleep needs of their employees, and the ways that shifting clocks impede their safety and productivity, everyone benefits. Companies should make sure not to put any critical activities on the day right after clocks change, when people might not be performing at their best. Realize that these are real effects and account for them when scheduling.  Source: www.assp.org 

Great American Smokeout November 16th

Did you know smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year? You wouldn’t be reading this post if you didn’t care about your employees’ health…and your job title means you obviously care about fire prevention. Here’s a great chance to cover both of these topics.