National Business Digest

NATION

To save time, money, order stamps online

NEW YORK — Get out of line at the post office. There’s savings — of time and money — to be had online, at the United States Postal Service’s Web site.

You can buy stamps by the sheet and postage-paid priority mail envelopes. There’s an 8 percent discount on international Express shipping and a 5 percent discount for commercial priority mail.

Further, through the Post Office’s Click-N-Ship service and third-party vendors such as eBay Inc., Stamps.com or Endicia.com, consumers can print out postage, at whatever rate their envelope weight and destination requires, on a laser jet printer at work or home.

During layoffs, avoid some common mistakes

NEW YORK — The decision to cut jobs can be a painful one, but mistakes during that process can bring more troubles for a company down the road, an executive search firm says. Salveson Stetson Group offers these common mistakes to avoid during layoffs:

Not cutting deeply enough. Many companies try to lay off as few people as possible, when in reality business conditions may call for more significant action. A second or third round of downsizing can have a negative impact on employee morale.

Neglecting the “survivors.” The employees who stay often have to take on more work with fewer resources, and are still reeling from the loss of their colleagues. Let them know you appreciate their hard work.

Associated Press