Shawn Linam started her career training astronauts to use the robotic arm on the Space Shuttle. In 2001, she co-founded Qwaltec, a satellite operations and mission readiness firm, which she doubled in size in two years. Headquartered in Tempe, Qwaltec has an office in Maryland as well as employees in California, Colorado and New Mexico. It has subcontracted on projects with the … [More]
Paid Sick Leave Impacts Preventive Care
More than 20 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act and do not have to pay for 15 preventive screenings recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Yet, despite this advantage, many are not utilizing these lifesaving screenings and are contributing to the nation’s soaring healthcare costs, which reached a whopping $3 … [More]
Stress Relief where Tech and Healthcare Intersect
Buzzies is a new wearable technology that can reduce a person’s stress in as few as 30 seconds. Created by neuropsychologist Amy Serin, Ph.D., and launched last December by her Phoenix-based company The Touchpoint Solution, these non-invasive devices use patent-pending neuroscience technology to not only relieve stress and anxiety but improve focus and performance, reduce … [More]
Avoid a Costly Flu Season
When it comes to flu season, both employees and employers are at risk. According to the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 20 percent of the U.S. population suffers with the flu each year. The loss of employee earnings is estimated at $16.3 billion annually and the overall economic burden is roughly $87 billion. Given that the flu can … [More]
How Much of Arizona’s Economy Goes South?
Trade with Mexico has been a hot topic for the past few years. That currently still holds true, but the tenor of that discussion has changed. Given the differing attitudes emanating from the various national and state policy makers, In Business Magazine is taking a look at cross-border trade’s place in Arizona’s economy. WalletHub recently conducted a study to gauge the … [More]
Corporate Tax Reform: It’s Not Big Business vs Small Business
Reforming the U.S. corporate tax system could provide a major boost to U.S. economic growth and competitiveness, but progress continues to stall due in large part to small-business advocates who claim that corporate-only reform is unfair and economically harmful. Our studies have found significant flaws in their arguments. Corporate tax reform is one of the most important … [More]
Driven by Computer
My test ride last month in a self-driving car was boringly uneventful — which is exactly what the goal was. Waymo’s cars first hit the streets last April after logging one billion miles in a simulator where common and uncommon scenarios were imagined and tested, aiming to program the cars to drive like a responsible adult and not careen like a ride at Disneyland. One billion … [More]
E-Fraud Risk in Global Retail
Online shopping has become a mainstay for consumers. In 2016, e-commerce spending exceeded $22 trillion. By 2025, an additional 1.8 billion consumers will enter the market, spending an estimated $30 trillion. Because the Internet is a borderless world, international e-commerce is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. In fact, just 40 percent of e-commerce sales … [More]
A Business’s Accountability in Human Rights Violations
Corporate human rights abuse is a topic getting more and more visibility, and most companies today are aware of violations across the world and are keen to not promote such abuses. But how much of a duty does a company have to actively monitor whether its activities lead to human rights abuses? Do companies face legal or reputational risks if they don’t take steps to actively … [More]
Omni-Channel Engagement Trending for 2017
Online-offline connected experiences will be the focus in 2017 as chief marketers, largely not satisfied with the current state of omni-channel engagement, work toward bridging that disconnect. According to a recently released study from the Chief Marketing Officer Council, one of the biggest challenges for marketers in 2017 will be understanding the connected customer journey … [More]
New Year’s Business Resolutions
It’s that time of year again for business owners to think about change, improvement and new achievements for their company in 2017. We know from research that 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail, but rather than say, “Why bother?” try going about those resolutions in a more effective way. The following “secrets to success” are culled from more than three decades … [More]
Loving Well, Sans Weirdness
While integrating love in business may sound nice as a theory, the real question is how to do it without it getting … weird. Of course, like anything in life, love can be a bit messy. But, for the sake of everyone, it doesn’t have to be mushy. Loving well and fostering such a unique culture is helped by these simple steps. Build Authentic Relationship It all starts with … [More]
Offering Healthcare to Multigenerational Workforces
As employers work to refine their annual benefits offerings, a central challenge they face is providing the right mix of care and preventive services for an increasingly age-diverse population. For the first time in modern history, four generations are in the workforce, each with different needs, desires and resources. Employers are being challenged to better understand … [More]
Address the Risk of Data Breach
More than 90 percent of data breaches worldwide involve small and medium-sized business organizations. Data breaches result in increased global economic debt — and the reality is, hackers attack anyone, with few to no exceptions. The governing body of the payment card industry (PCI) is the Standards Security Council that includes the major card brands, who addressed card … [More]
The Employer Shared Responsibility of the Affordable Care Act
After considerable fits and starts, the employer responsibility provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are now in full play. While implementing regulations and related notices can be complex, business owners should understand the basics in order to avoid penalties, identify the best-suited healthcare solutions for their workforce and remain … [More]
Personalized Systems Enhance Fire Safety
Technology has advanced the fire alarm industry from blaring horn strobes to intelligent voice communication. The trend is to provide more information and give directions, replacing the traditional “make a lot of noise and flash some lights to drive everybody away from the fire,” says David Burns, production manager with Siemens, a multifaceted engineering company. A key … [More]
Avoid Salary Surprises with Federal Overtime Rule Change
The U.S. Department of Labor’s changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act scheduled to go into effect on December 1 raises the federal minimum salary level for overtime pay for FLSA-covered workers to $913 per week, or $47,476 annually. The rule change announced this past spring has many companies already making preparations; the following tips will help businesses ensure they … [More]
Politics in the Workplace: A Primer for Arizona Businesses
‘Tis the season for contentious conversations, as the 24-hour news cycle is in overdrive with Clinton, Trump, immigration policy, Black Lives Matter, LGBT rights and healthcare concerns, to name just a few. The proper handling of hot-topic politics in the workplace should be paramount for all employers during this fiery political season, as these emotionally charged political … [More]
