Monthly Archives: March 2020

  1. Homeschooling Tips and Tricks

    Homeschooling Tips and Tricks

    As a busy professional, it can often be difficult to make an abrupt transition to working from home without sacrificing productivity, communication, and focus.

    Add in the challenge of homeschooling one or more children and you’re suddenly faced with a seemingly insurmountable task. We won’t claim there’s a “silver bullet” to make things easy. But we’re happy to say that there is a wealth of resources, tips, and insights available to make homeschooling your children - while also working remotely - more manageable.

    In other words, with a little bit of research, a plan, and a positive attitude, you can help ensure that your children keep learning at a high level.


    How to Homeschool Your Child while Working Remotely

    1. Leverage Online Resources

    In times like these, the Internet is good for more than just c

    Read more »
  2. 5 Tips for Working Remotely

    5 Tips for Working Remotely

    Like many of you, the team here at Luxor has quickly transitioned from an office environment to working remotely due to a state mandate to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

    As expected, we’ve collectively enjoyed the cuddly dogs and cats laying at our feet, fresh pots of coffee within an arm’s reach, not to mention the 30-second “morning commute” from our living rooms to our desks. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been challenges to our “new normal.”

    Specifically, a typical home is full of potential productivity killers like a fridge full of tasty snacks, shows waiting to binge-watched, and (for many) the added responsibility of homeschooling kids while their schools are closed.

    Since we’re all making this adjustment together, we want to share our top working from home tips. The ultimate goal, of course, is for all of us to enjoy the comforts of working remotely without sacrificing productivity.

     

    Working from Home Tips for Succ

    Read more »
  3. Lower Your Employee Healthcare Costs Through Smart Office Design

    Lower Your Employee Healthcare Costs Through Smart Office Design

    Between tariffs, fuel prices, and the rising cost of goods and services, it’s arguably more expensive than ever to run a company.

    But the most notable challenge to businesses large and small is the ever-increasing cost of employer-sponsored health insurance.

    According to the Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation, the average US employer’s yearly health insurance contribution has risen to almost $5,000 per employee, and almost $14,000 per family. If that’s not disconcerting enough, Entrepreneur Magazine wrote that this 50% premium increase over a 10-year period shows no signs of slowing down.

    It’s important to note that these figures merely represent a nationwide average. As a business leader or HR professional, you know that if your company sees a spike in insurance claims among your employees, you will likely pay much more than the national average.

    And the costs don’t end with

    Read more »
  4. Whiteboards: Your Secret Weapon for Kaizen Processes and LEAN Initiatives

    Whiteboards: Your Secret Weapon for Kaizen Processes and LEAN Initiatives

    Regardless of industry, efforts to reduce waste, enhance safety, and improve processes are vital to staying competitive in today’s marketplace. For this reason, forward-thinking corporations across the US have implemented continuous improvement processes, sometimes known as LEAN Management Systems.

    If you’re not familiar, a LEAN Management System (also often referred to as an LMS) is an initiative to improve quality, cost, speed, people, and safety by engaging everyone in systematic problem-solving. The system helps an organization to identify issues so everyone in the organization can understand the “why” and in turn help improve the way business is done. LEAN creates transparency, supports communication throughout all levels of the organization, and involves team members by focusing on organization goals, aligning actions with business results, and establishing accountability.

    You may have also heard of the term Kaizen. This refers to continuous improve

    Read more »
  5. 5 Office Design Trends that are Reshaping Workplaces

    5 Office Design Trends that are Reshaping Workplaces

    In order to compete in a global market, the American workforce continues to grow more tech-savvy, data-driven, and analytical.

    Future forward companies, meanwhile, continually seek new and innovative ways to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of their employees. Naturally, in addition to upgrades in processes and digital productivity tools, the modern office has undergone some significant evolutions.

    For any company seeking to increase market share, keeping pace with these trends is vital for a number of reasons. First, the top talent in any given profession is likely to place a strong emphasis on workplace environment when considering employers. Second, a workplace environment that fosters wellbeing, creativity, and productivity can help a company bring out the best in their employees.

    What are these trends? Here are five examples:


    • Reduction of Noise and Distractions

    It’s been about 2

    Read more »
  6. Luxor Case Study: Ed Farm

    Luxor Case Study: Ed Farm

    Overview

    Launched in early 2020 to serve communities in Birmingham, Ed Farm is “…the signature program of TechAlabama, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that seeks to encourage, inspire, and ignite children and adults to discover and explore technology, learn to code, and pursue STEM careers.”

    Carrying out its mission to “…equip educators in schools and communities with innovative tools and strategies that support active learning for all students,” Ed Farm currently offers three programs. These include:

    • “Pathways,” which is a free course for adult learners that teaches Apple’s “Swift” programming language as well as employability skills.
    • A student fellows program that empowers middle and high-school students to, through participation in year-long, challenge-based learning experiences, actively solve real-world problems in their community.
    • A teacher fellows program that identifies teachers in the community who are pas
    Read more »