A survey by the National Safety Council taken in March revealed that 70 percent of businesses say that narcotic painkillers have affected their business. The NSC recommends incorporating the following steps to monitor the use of opioids in the workplace: A clear, written policy: Together with a company’s legal department, a policy should be put in place — similar to a … [More]
Standing Workstations Revolutionize Workplace
Stand up if you want to be healthier and more productive! Quite literally, thousands of employers across the nation are helping employees stand up to be more productive and health aware by transforming the workplace with standing and height-adjustable desks. Much more than a trend, height-adjustable desks are sweeping workplaces not only because of the potential increases in … [More]
At Risk for ADA Lawsuit?
Theresa Brooke, one of the most prolific ADA plaintiffs in the country, has returned to Phoenix after an 18-month hiatus and begun filing another wave of lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act against the hospitality industry. Arizona hotel owners remember Theresa Brooke — she sued more than 125 of them in 2015 for failing to install wheelchair-accessible pool … [More]
Headline News Impacts Real Estate
From state and local budget impasses and halted infrastructure repairs to the debate and delay on healthcare reform, political polarization has far-reaching effects on the economy and nearly every community — as well as its real estate. Global uncertainty has a parallel paralytic effect, from Brexit to immigration bans, which bring new challenges to diplomacy, international … [More]
Sick-Leave Equality
Sick-leave laws vary from state to state, which presents fairness issues for multi-state businesses that most small and medium-sized businesses do not face, explains Bryan Hum, an attorney with the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), which represents the largest employers in the country across all industries (10,000 or more employees): how to make the best policies for their … [More]
Keep Your Call Centers, We’ll Keep Our Tech
With excessive sales jobs cluttering the job market in Phoenix, fresh tech talent is moving away from Phoenix in search for more promising positions. Over 2017, Phoenix can expect big companies to move into the region seeking its business-friendly, affordable environment. However, rather than bringing in favorable opportunities for fresh tech talent, more back-office jobs in … [More]
Healthcare Fallout on Small Business
Employers Need a Stable Individual Insurance Market by Andrew Cavenagh The Affordable Care Act’s (Obamacare) health insurance exchanges are poised to collapse. By 2018, nearly 40 percent of all counties nationwide are expected to have only one insurer participating in the exchanges. More insurers are expected to leave the exchanges in the coming weeks. Tens of thousands of … [More]
Risky Role Models – Sexual Harassment Is No Joke
The massive media coverage of President Trump’s Twitter attack on “Morning Joe” host Mika Brzezinski brought to the fore an important point for business to keep in mind: Companies and employees should be aware that just joking at work about President Trump’s tweets could get their company sued for sexual harassment. Typically, a person can quote the President of the United … [More]
Navigate Recent International Trade Policy Developments
Since the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, U.S. international trade policy has undergone several momentous changes, and more developments are on the horizon. Most recently, the continued viability of international trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been called into question, as well as the U.S. … [More]
When a Business’s Reputation Is on the Line
Whatever happened to the attitude that “the customer is always right”? The airline industry has been taking its hits lately, thanks to several mishandled passenger interactions: pulling a doctor off an overbooked flight in Chicago, a dispute over a carried-on stroller in San Francisco, a couple booted off a flight in Maui when they put their baby in a seat purchased for his … [More]
The Costs of Democracy
The courts decided long ago that money is an important component of political speech. Campaigns need it to succeed and citizens need it to raise their voices during the election process. After all, a campaign advertisement on television reaches a lot more people than a megaphone at the local park. So, how can citizens and businesses use their resources to influence the … [More]
Data Held Hostage – a Growing Problem
Ransomware is a form of malware that targets a user’s critical data and systems for extortion. Typically, ransomware encrypts data with a key known only to the attacker until a ransom (usually in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin) is paid. After the ransom is paid, the attacker will sometimes provide a decryption key. The FBI reports that approximately 4,000 ransomware … [More]
Employer Alert: Paid Sick Leave Required
On Nov. 8, 2016, Arizona voters enacted Proposition 206: The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act, increasing the minimum wage and requiring virtually all employers to provide paid sick leave to their part- and full-time employees. The paid sick leave portion of the Act goes into effect on July 1, 2017. Below are a few key changes that employers need to be aware of, as they … [More]
More Dollars from Data
According to Buckminster Fuller’s “Knowledge Doubling Curve,” human knowledge doubled approximately every century. Today, it is estimated that human knowledge is doubling every 12 to 13 months. IBM is estimating that, with the build out of the “Internet of things,” knowledge will double every 12 hours. The explosion of information is clearly accelerating. Data is flooding … [More]
Impact Investing – Making a Difference in the Community
More jobs. Affordable housing. Sustainability. These are among the many areas in which impact investing has been put to use, not only in Arizona but also around the country and world. There has been a growing demand for this type of investment, as more people are looking for ways to not only earn a return on investment, but also to put their money toward making the world a … [More]
Top vs. Bottom Performers: What Role Does Technology Play?
Our IT firm was curious about the role technology strategies play in separating exceptionally successful firms from those that are stagnant in growth. We reviewed the business practices for dozens of local small and mid-sized businesses ranging from 20 to 500 employees, and we took an in-depth look at everything from mitigating risk and developing IT standards to budgeting, … [More]
Occupancy Efficiency
While talent continues to reign supreme on the list of top concerns for companies today, a new survey of corporate executives underscores the challenges they are facing in today’s economic environment. Of the 176 Americas executives surveyed by CBRE Group, Inc., 52 percent named economic uncertainty as a top-three concern, up from 36 percent in 2016. As a result, 87 percent … [More]
Employee Retirement Plans Are for Small Businesses, Too
Small-business owners probably think they have enough headaches already, what with meeting payroll, dealing with government regulations and pleasing customers. After all, setting up a retirement plan for their employees is just extra red tape and possibly expense — headaches that they can do without — right? But creating such a plan is more doable than they may realize and … [More]
