Tuesday, April 14, 2015

[Challenge] Day #21 - Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

What is Employee Assistant Program or EAP? Is it about support to employee or only about counselling? What the benefit for employee and organization? 

Employee Assistant Program or EAP is a work-based intervention program design to enhance the emotional, mental, and general psychological well being of all employees and includes services for immediate family members. EAP used by organization to provide preventive and proactive intervention for the early identification the problem of employees that may affect performance and well being of them. The problems and issues are about relationship, health, trauma, substance abuse, gambling, other addiction, financial problem, depression, anxiety disorder, psychiatric disorder, communication problem, legal, coping with change, or anything about their personal life who may affect their performance.  

EAP is benefit for the employee and also to organization. EAP results a benefit for organization in term of lower medical costs, reduced turnover and absenteeism, and higher employee productivity. EAP programs include a brief counseling and consultation services, crisis intervention, assessment and referral, educational and training programs, and supervisory consultation. 

The main focus of EAP is to support employee and make them more satisfaction to their life. When they happy about their life, it will increase their performance and more productive at work, 

Generally speaking, Employee Assistance Programs provide value in three ways (An Employer’s Guide to Employee Assistance Programs). 
1. EAPs leverage the value of the organization’s investment in its workforce by: 
o Encouraging employee engagement. 
o Improving abilities of employees and dependents to successfully respond to life’s challenges. 
o Offering employees short-term problem-resolution services or referring employees and dependents to mental health treatment services when indicated.
 o Developing employee and manager competencies in managing workplace stress and improving work team performance.
 2. EAPs address the costs of doing business by: 
o Reducing workplace absenteeism and unplanned absences. 
o Decreasing workplace accidents.
o Lowering employee turnover and related replacement costs. 
o Facilitating safe, timely and effective return-to-work for employees after short-term and extended absences. 
o Reducing healthcare costs. 
o Improving the value of organizational investments in wellness and health promotion, self-care management, continuity of care and work-related efforts. 
o Increasing efficient use of health care through early identification, care management and recovery efforts. 
3. EAPs mitigate business risks by: 
o Reducing the likelihood of workplace violence or other safety risks. 
o Managing the effect of such disruptive incidents as workplace violence, injury or other crises and facilitating a swift return-to-work after adverse workplace events.
o Supporting disaster and emergency preparedness and minimizing disruption after such events.
o Smoothing the adjustment to mergers, acquisitions, site closures or other workforce change events.
o Reducing the likelihood of legal action or liability (e.g., maintaining business practices that promote a violence-free workplace). 
o Promoting and supporting drug- and alcohol-free workplace policies and programs.


In conclusion, EAP have provided value to employers, employees and families. EAP provide an array of services that include responding to emergencies, managing business risk, preventing and addressing workplace violence, reducing turnover, increasing morale, improving relationships with customers and managers, and training mangers to deal with complex emotional, cultural and diversity issues. EAP can enhance organizational performance and help organizations achieve their business goals. However, rapidly changing market forces and the evolving needs of today’s workforce present the EAP field with structural, measurement and service-delivery challenges. Recent studies suggest that employers who take a proactive approach to managing EAP succeed in sponsoring programs that provide high-quality and relevant services. Results also show that employers should successfully leverage employee assistance programs by coordinating the roles and responsibilities of their EAP with other health and productivity programs. Organizations need to clearly define the scope of covered EAP services, strategically align EAP activities within their human resources organization and leverage EAP performance data.

DAY 21 -- I will try hard to write

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

[Challenge] Day #20 -- NanoWrimo

What is NanoWrimo? Have you ever heard about that before? Did you finish the NanoWrimo?

Well, for you who don't know or never heard about NanoWrimo, I will tell you. NanoWrimo is National Novel Writing Month, an annual internet-based creative writing project that takes places during the month of November. This website brings all of the writer (professional and amateur) around the Worlds to write their novel project in one month. It challenges all the participants to write the 50.000 words (the minimum number of words for novel) from November 1 until the deadline at 11:59 on November 30.

Participants can write in any genre of fiction and language. The goal is to encourage, motivated, and get people to writing also make them enjoy all of the writing process (make draft, outline, how to overcome a writer's block, and finish the novel). The idea of this is simple 'to focus a completion instead of perfection'. Why? Because, they want writers to write a complete novel first before learn to perfect it. Means, they encourages writers to finish the draft and project before edit it. So, after the deadline (November 30), they also give a tools to help participants edit the draft.

To register, participants only required to fill the registration and their novel project (summary, genre, synopsis, and word counts). To win the challenge, participants must write an average of approximately 1.667 words per day. It will helps the participants to aim the goal and simply make them to start writing.

I already participated in this event for two years (November 2013 and November 2014). I did my best to write the novel. I know how hard to finish the draft and how a writer's block can be a real obstacle. But, I get help from the community in the NanoWrimo site.

I feel s grateful for the opportunity to learn and meet another fellow writers in this event. I feel so welcome and they inspired me to become a great writer. I think this is a good project. I learned about the important of finish something and how sometime, we only need a support and place to trigger our creative side. And, I learn that there are other people who have a similar dream as me and how hard they do to make their dream become true.

Writing is similar to art. 
You need passion to give the best for it.


DAY 20 -- 10 days to go, it is really surreal to me, to write for 20 days.
I really did the challenge

Saturday, April 4, 2015

[Challenge] Day #19 -- Oh My Disney!

If I asked you:
"Do you know Disneyland?"
"Have you ever heard about Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy?"
"Have you ever dream about fairy tale like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, or Snow White?"
"Do you remember the song of Mary Poppin, 'A Spoonful Of Sugar'?
"How many times do you read or watch the story of Disney?"

I can asked so many question about that and I believe you will answer yes to some of the question. Why I can be so sure? Because, I believe that in your life time, you had watched, listened, read about Disney's stories, or maybe went to Disneyland. 

Disney is one of my childhood story that make me realize about DREAM. The positive side from the entire Disney's concepts is about ACHIEVE YOUR DREAM. The life is full of happiness, curiosity, friendship, love, courage, faith, and all about hope.There will be always a protagonist and antagonist in life. You will meet a good people and bad people in your life. And, it depends on you to choose what will you do to your future.

I always think that Disney somewhat too full of fairy tale and it is like an imagination and not real. The life is not simple or easy like the story. The real life is more difficult and there is more problem in this life.

Then, I think again. What is the meaning from all of that stories? Is it really about of fairy tale? Is it really about the 'Happily ever After'?

I get the answer when I listened to Disney's song and when I decided to watched all the movies from Disney. I find out that:
"Yes, it is about fairy tale."
"Yes, it is about happily ever after."
"And, yes, it is about hope and dream."
"But, it is also about how to achieve your dream."
"It is also about what you need to achieve your dream."
"It also about life."

Why I can make those conclusion??

Because the stories taught me about that.

  • 'Cinderella' gives a lesson about kindness and courage. In our life, we will meet so many people. There will be a lovely people, a good people, or bad people. It is okay. We only need a courage in our heart and always be kind. Those will give us a power to take a step.
  • 'Snow White' and 'Ariel' give a lesson about dream. It is okay to have a dream. Dream is the powerful tool to motivate and make us do the best in our life.
  •  'Mulan' and 'Tiana' taught about work hard. We must do the best in our work to invest for our future. Dream is the first step but work hard is the next step. Without that, dream will be only dream and the future will never change.
  • 'Uncle Gober' gives a valuable lesson about the important of money. We need money in our life. We must earn the money with work hard but we must also know how to spend it. Used wisely and invest it. In that way, we can change our future.
  • Some of the stories ('Tangled', 'Frozen', 'Princess and the Frogs', 'Lion King', 'Beauty and the Beast', and many more) taught about uncertainty in life. Sometimes, we don't know what is life will give us. Where are we going and what must we do. THAT'S OKAY. Uncertainty is the only certainty and change is the constant. Friendship shifts, life choice change, family change. It is okay because all of that still true for your life.
  • All of the stories give a lesson about friendship. Friendships are about QUALITY not only a quantity. It is the time to make sure about our friendships. Will we already give the best to our friends? Why we become friend with them? And, will we promise to beside them in their lowest life?
  • If you hear the music, dance. 'Alladin and Jasmine', 'Belle and Beast', 'Snow White and Seven Dwarves', 'Aurora and the animals', taught about enjoy the music and dance in our life. It is about living in the moment. The future is the future. Don't be so rushed that you can't enjoy the here and now. Life is about fun, spontaneous, and enjoy every moment of it.
  • 'Winnie the Pooh' makes us realize about smiling. Whatever you do, whatever you feel, have a little time to smile. Find the joy in what are you doing. After all, life is too short to spend with a frown and gloomy face.
  • Last, but not least. ALWAYS TRUST YOUR HEART. Taking risks can be scary, but your gut know what's right. Whatever the case, whatever the choice. This is your life and you are the only one who knows what the best for you. 


In conclusion, I think Disney wants to teach about love, friend, and hope. But, the MOST IMPORTANT is to live the life with work hard, joy, and courage. Because, life is only once. It is so wasted to live in regret and frown. We are the only one that can decide our future.

Dream is a wish your heart make.
Cherish it and always fight for it. 


Days 19 -- Writing is become my life now.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

[Challenge] Day #18 -- Review Coursera

Did you like to learn? Did you want to learn any subject with free?
Have you ever hear MOOC? Or website like Coursera, Udacity, or EdX?

If you ever heard that website, I can tell that you know what are those website.

Those website are Learning Website with MOOC method. What is it MOOC?
MOOC or Massive Open Online Course is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. In this course, all of the materials such as filmed lectures, readings, quiz, and exercises was provided by interactive forums to support community interaction between students, teachers, and teaching assistants (TAs).

Coursera is one of the MOOC that massively used by every people in the world. Coursera becomes one of the biggest MOOC that dominate an online course. Coursera has the largest catalogs of courses from many subjects and well known university. It gives students so many choices to choose a subjects and have an experience to learn that subjects from the best universities in the world.

I already become the student for almost 2 years and I can tell that I get a new knowledge and also an experience from this type of learning.


Good Side:
  • It is easiest to login and become a new member
  • We can choose what we want to learn from any category (art, technology, social, etc)
  • It is good place to meet another friend (academia) from around the world
  • The site has a good organization to make the students learn the material effectively.
  • Overall, all of the subjects have
    • Syllabus and introduction to guide a new student and give information about a basic outline of materials.
    • A set of lectures (in form of video lectures). It will give students a 3-9 videos each week that include a concepts, basic problems, and examples about the topic for that week. Students are encouraged to discuss difficulties in the Forum.
    • A problem set/assignment/quiz that required to submit to give a grade for a following topic. Student can discuss the assignment with professor or teaching assistant and also a fellow student.
    • The assignment will be given for the following week after a new set of lectures are released. The same process is repeated for a 6-10 weeks.
    • At the end of the course, there will be a Final Exam as a final result from all of the topics that learned from entire weeks.
Need Improvement:
  • Too structured for some learners. You have to go at the pace of professor releases the video and assignment. It is difficult for a learner who didn't have time and want a flexibility to learn. Because, one you pass the assignment time, you can't get a certificate.
  • Need more variability in quality.
  • Must wait a while until the course you want is active.
But, for overall, I think this site is good for whoever want to learn a subjects (a basic subject) from well known university that best for the subjects.

If you love to learn, you can choose this site and try this type of learning. It is free and also you can meet a new friend from another country.

It is never late to learn. 
You only stop learning when you are dying.





DAY 18 -- Even if I didn't write for five days, I still try to finish this writing challenge

Friday, March 27, 2015

[Challenge] Day #17

Today, I feel a little bit magic in my life. So, I choose FANTASY theme as my story.

Here is the detail prompt. Like always, you can write your own story with this prompt:
Location: You are from a dying empire.
Character: You are a young soldier.
Detail: You befriend several mythical creatures.
Objective: You must find rare magical ingredients for a cure

Title: The Hidden Identity

“Kurokochi~ Kurokochi~ we missed you. Why you didn’t come for two days,” a kitsune who has a bright yellow fur with white stripes on his tail said while hugging one of leg the young apprentice.
“Kichan right, Tetsu-kun. Do you hate us now? Do you forget us?” this time, a beautiful woman with pink-haired said while hugging one of hand from the light blue haired soldier.
“Hey! Release him. Satsuki, Kise. You suffocate him.” the dark skinned man with dark blue eyes who also has an ears and tails that have a similar color as his hair yelled. He lifted a yellow kitsune and the girl.
“Dai-chan, meanie,” pouted the girl before smiles to the young soldier with heart eyes. “I am sorry Tetsu-kun.”
“It is okay Momoi-san,” replied a light blue haired apprentice with small that makes her fainted. “Momoi-san?”
“You always great Tetsu.”
“What do you mean Aomine-kun?”
Aomine laughs before he shakes his childhood friend. “Hey Satsuki, wake up.”
“Urgh, Dai-chan. I feel so happy right now.”
“Yeah….yeah…whatever. I don’t care too much.”
After that, they are bickering and arguing—forget about the other two who watch them with amusement.
“They are really a great friend right, Kurokochi?”
“Yeah they are Kise-kun.” Kuroko Tetsuya—a young soldier—said with small smile. “I am glad that I can meet the three of you. All of you are my best friend.”
“Kurokochi~, you’re my best friend too.”
The kitsune want to hug the boy before two loud voices interrupt him.
“Kichan, you cheater!” Shrieked Momoi Satsuki—a beautiful yuki-onna, at the same time Aomine Daiki—a half human and half wolf yelled. “You are a sly fox.”
The kitsune only grins before transform to his version of human—a handsome man with yellow hair and the similar color for his fox tail.
“It is your fault—bickering like an old-married couple.”
“WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!!!” Both of them yelled simultaneously.
A young soldier who watch that laughs and make a three mythical creature stop to see a boy. They were enchanted by the sight—they always have a special feeling to the boy—because he is the only human who doesn’t afraid of them and befriend them. They always feel safe, comfort, and happy to being around him. He never judges them or feels disgusted toward them. He is the first human who makes them like a real human being. So, they will promise to each other to always protect this young boy. Especially, after they heard a rumor among them who said something bad about this period of time.
“Tetsu-kun, you are so cute.”
“Stop it Satsuki. You always sidetracked with that. We have an important information for him right?”
“Oh yeah, you are right Dai-chan.”
“Important information? What is about? Aomine-kun? Momoi-san? Kise-kun?”
The three of them smirks in their own way before they talked at the same time.
“We have a valuable information to cure your beloved father.”
~^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*~
Writing is one way to express our feeling.


SEVENTEEN DAYS --- STILL WRITING AND TRY THE BEST

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

[Challenge] Day #16

Situation: Two characters meet awkwardly at a local gym.
Complication: Both characters are in bad relationships.
Theme: Compromise is necessary.
Detail: The two characters take dancing lessons together.

Title: Take My Hand
  
Sakura wipes a sweat with her towel and drink from her bottle. She goes to the bench and sits down while rummages the sport bag and take out a pink cellphone. She opens her phone and sighs when she reads the ten messages from her boyfriend.
"Is it necessary to send this messages? Why he never listen to me to not send so many messages like this?" Sakura mumbles while open the message one by one. Her frown deeper and her mood become sour. "Do you already eat? I miss you. Another I miss you. My work is busy. The clients are annoying. Another talk about his bad client. Why do you still dance? There is no future in dance. Quit the dance and find new future." Sakura read the messages and already become mad to his four-years boyfriend. She hates the way he belittles her passion. She hates how he always ignores her wish to trust her judgment about dance. She always hate the way he thinks his job much more better than another, especially when he compares his job with her dancing. Her passion to dance is bigger than anyone and she will give the best to her dance.
Sakura in the midway to close her cell-phone when she get another message notification. She smiles when she read the sender—Syaoran—her best friend and dance partner.
To: Sakura
From: Syaoran
Messages: I will come late. Must visit my girlfriend first. She is calling an emergency call. Sorry.
Sakura sighs--their practice time will extended and she will come home late. She feels tired to think how her boyfriend will give him another reprimand about the late. "Well, I can't do anything. I know how demanding Syaoran's girlfriend. I feel sorry for Syaoran to have a girlfriend like that," mumbles Sakura softly while reply the text.
To; Syaoran
From: Sakura
Messages: It's okay. Don't worry too much. I hope your girlfriend is okay. Give my regards to her.
She presses the send button and within minute comes the reply from her dance partner.
To; Sakura
From: Syaoran
Messages: Thank you. You are really the best. I will give you something as a thank you. What did you want? I will give you anything you want.
Sakura laughs. She can imagine the puppy eyes and an excited Syaoran. She doesn't know why he gets all of those energies. He is really like children.
To: Syaoran
From: Sakura
Messages: Anything? Are you sure?

To: Sakura
From: Syaoran
Messages: Yes. Anything. You tell and I give.

To: Syaoran
From: Sakura
Messages: You promise? Don't forget that right!

To: Sakura
From: Syaoran
Messages: Uh-oh...why I feel regret to say that. Can I undo my promise.

To: Syaoran
From: Sakura
Messages: No-no...you already promise. You can't step back from that. You are a man, right? Man never breaks his promises.
Sakura smiles while she sends that reply and she can imagine the troubled look from Syaoran. Those are proven by the amount of time he needs to send another reply. She chooses to reply one of the messages from her boyfriend when suddenly another messages from Syaoran come.
To: Sakura
From: Syaoran
Messages: Okay, okay. I never take my words back. Promise is a promise. I will give you anything you want. I just hope the beautiful lady Sakura remember my wallet and doesn't give me a hard wish.
Sakura stifles her laugh while typing another reply to her best friend.
To: Syaoran
From: Sakura
Messages: Ho-oh. Flattery will get you everywhere. Don't worry, I don't want anything expensive. Just come to the practice and I will tell you my wish.
Sakura closes her cell-phone and continue her dancing practice. She knows what the messages do to Syaoran—curious and anticipation—and she loves to give him a surprise. She practices her dancing with smile.
"I can't wait him to come."
Little did she know that her day become brighter after she chatting with her best friend.
~^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*~
The only thing you need is LOVE THE WRITING.
After that, all of the rest will follow.



WITHOUT REALIZE, 16 DAYS ALREADY DOWN. 
14 DAYS TO-GO AND I THINK I WILL DID IT.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

[Challenge] Day #15

The genre is still ROMANCE.

Here is the detail prompt:
Situation: A match on an online dating site pairs together two unsuspecting characters.
Complication: One of the characters refuses to talk about their past; the other character attempts to uncover their secret. Theme: Some things are always worth fighting for.
Detail: The relationship alienates one of the characters from their family.

Title: e-Romance: Maximum Connection

The class is really boring--professor is talking about some history and the great war, doesn't know that nobody really listen his lesson. In one of seat, there is a beautiful young woman. Despite her beauty, she is seating alone and she feels a staring from her classmate. She sighs before continues her notes. She can hear another whisper—loud whisper—from behind.
"Hey, look! Ice Princess is taking a note. I bet she only want to look good in professor's eyes."
Both of them laugh and continue to gossip. The person that they talked about close her eyes and squeezes hard the pen and mumble softly. "I hate this life of mine."
The rest of lesson continue in same manner--professor give a note, lesson, and talk for a long hour while his students pretend to listen, sleep, gossip, or really listen to the lesson. After that, the bell is ringing, the professor said goodbye, and like a bolt of lightning, a classroom becomes empty. Except for the lone young woman who takes her time to sit alone in her seclude seat.
She sits in silent and looks sad. She doesn't know what she must do and how to do to clean her name. A single tear drop from her eyes and she wipes it slowly. She is ready to stand up when her phone vibrates for a three times—a sign that she gets a new notification.
She takes out her phone and look to the screen. It is from 'Hope80'. A small smile appears in her face become wider after she reads the messages.
Hope80: Hi Shadow08, how are you doing today?
Hope80: Mine is busy.
Hope80: They give me another project to complete in one week.
Hope80: So, I want to say sorry if I can't attend our weekly chatting routine next week.
Hope80: ( )
Hope80: I really want to talk to you \(≧∇≦)/
Hope80: So, what are you doing now?
Hope80: Missed me? Because I missed you, even if we only talking in this chat ʃ(^O^)ʃ  ʃ(ˆ⌣ˆ)ʃ
This chatting makes her forget about her problem. She smiles and types a reply.
Shadow08: It’s like usual Hope80. They are gossiping about me and pretend I am not exists.
Shadow08: I love to talk to you.
Shadow08: It is so sad that we can't do our weekly chatting.
Shadow08: But, it is really good for you. You really did wait that project, right?
Shadow08: I am happy that you are the one who get that project.
Shadow08: I am sure you can make the best song.
Shadow08: I...
She stops for a moment before she continues a reply.
Shadow08: I miss you too (̯͡_̯͡ )
She face palms after she read her typing. "Why I write that? And those emoticons...I must be insane."
She will blame herself more if her phone doesn’t vibrate.
Hope80: You are so cute.
Hope80: I don’t know why your classmate is cruel to you.
Hope80: I hope I can be there with you to comfort and protect you
Hope80: Honestly…
Hope80: I really want to meet you.
Hope80: Do…you…
Hope80: You still don't want to meet?
Hope80: …..
Hope80: oops, it’s okay. I don't push you.
Hope80: I just curious.
Hope80: Don’t worry. I will respect your choice.
Hope80: Afterall, we are a best friend.(^^)
Hope80: Oh, I must go now. Talk to you later.  (^o^)
Hope80: Have a nice day and I will cheer you always.
Hope80: Remember, You have me in your life.

Like sunshine, it makes her warm and happy. She feels like everything will become okay. All thanks to a kind words of ‘Hope80’. Even if they only meet for a month, it seems like he knows how to make her day bright. He doesn’t push her, always talk to her, and give hope to live. She feels upset that she can’t grant his wish to meet her. She is afraid that ‘Hope80’ will hate her. So, for now, she feels enough to only chat with him. Her life is so much like a mess and she doesn’t want to drag her only best friend to her life.
~^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*~

I try a new way of writing. Hope this will be real enough to describe the reality. ^o^
There is no wrong or right in writing.
You just need to write and write.
Then, your wrong will become right.



HALF OF THE CHALLENGE--WILL TRY HARDER