Everything Under The Sun: Berkshire Associates Takes Its Expertise To Conference

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Berkshire Associates Takes Its Expertise To Conference

So proud of Berkshire's three presentations at Conference.

If you own a business and want to outsource your human resources functions, you could call upon BERKSHIRE ASSOCIATES INC,, in Columbia, MD. One of their functions is to help companies build a balanced workforce, while managing applicant candidates, complying with affirmative action rules, keeping up with diversity data, offering professional training, and maintaining the compensation system.

In August, Berkshire Associates Inc. attended the ILG National Conference in Charlotte, NC, with the theme, "First in Flight: Soaring to New Heights in Compliance". The Conference featured Berkshire speakers in three presentations.

Lynn Clements, Berkshire's Director of Regulatory Affairs, joined Michelle Duncan and Jennifer Sida, from Jackson Lewis, to discuss "How to Design and Implement A Strategic Applicant Tracking System". Ms. Clements showed how a well-developed tracking system helps companies stay in compliance with regulations, while being able to attract the best candidates out there. The discussion also covered information storage, how to use screening questions effectively, how and when to search for candidates, and when to give pre-employment testing.

Lynn spoke again later along with Berkshire's President Beth Ronnenburg on "What Would You Do? Play Along as We Address Real World Affirmative Action Dilemmas". This was an interactive session which presented certain affirmative action problems, like responding to a revised scheduling and compliance issue, or handling one or more managers' resistance to hiring a candidate with disabilities. Members of the audience had electronic polling devices that allowed them to register their response to each issue. Then the speakers discussed how to handle current affirmative action issues and how the way an issue is handled affects a company's compliance strategies.

As conference members kicked back and relaxed in the evening, Berkshire Associates held a gathering on the rooftop of the HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS AND CULTURE. Guests were able to enjoy a cocktail bar, live music, catered southern cuisine, and a private viewing of the art exhibits. In addition, artist Taylor Berman painted two new pieces throughout the evening, as guests could stop and observe. A highlight was when the names of two guests were chosen to take home each newly-created piece.

The next day, Beth Ronnenburg, along with Ivy Latimer from CVS Health, discussed mergers and acquisitions from the viewpoint of affirmative action/EEOC. Attendees were taken step by step through a checklist process from due diligence all the way to transaction close.

Beth Ronnenburg and Lynn Clements at their presentation on affirmative action compliance.

Of course, Berkshire was also present on the exhibit floor and met many attendees. There were promotional giveaways along with prize drawings for two winners of $200 Amazon gift cards and two lucky winners of GoPro cameras.