We all hate the feeling of coming down with a cold or flu while at work. But for businesses, office illness is, in fact, a financial concern. The flu results in 111 million sick days a year, which comes to $10.4 million in direct medical costs for American businesses. How can businesses improve their employees’ health and avoid unnecessary cost? Make an office plan. For … [More]
Employers Can Lower Diabetes Risk
According to the CDC, the average business owner spends roughly twice as much on employees with diabetes as on healthy employees. But those costs are shrinking thanks to a little-known and rarely used wellness program that was designed to help employees get healthier. The latest version of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program, Prevent T2, was launched last year by the CDC to … [More]
Technology Is Improving Expense Report Auditing
How common is expense report fraud? According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ “2016 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse,” 85 percent of all business fraud schemes involve some form of asset misappropriation, with expense fraud making up about 14 percent of such schemes. Obviously, this is a costly problem. Before the prevalence of expense … [More]
Global Talent Mobility Is Strategic Priority
The 22nd Talent Mobility Trends Survey, which explores how employee mobility is transforming to better support overall corporate growth strategies, found senior human resources leaders are approaching talent mobility with a new sense of purpose and support from the top. Sixty-three percent of respondents to this survey by BGRS, a leading provider of talent mobility solutions, … [More]
The Surprising Truth about Humans and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is not new but, suddenly, everyone seems to be talking about it. We have hit an inflection point with computing power and data that is finally allowing for commercial applications of this technology, and that’s what all the excitement is about. It’s only going to get faster and better from here on out. Along with talk about the new possibilities, … [More]
Prepare for Open Enrollment
With Open Enrollment upon us, this is a good time for employers to help their employees understand the options they will be committed to for the next year. Here are five tips to help them. 1. Know one’s open enrollment dates. Open enrollment isn’t the same or at the same time for everyone. For the more than 177 million Americans with employer-provided coverage, many … [More]
Business Travel Fraud Schemes Technology Is Squashing
With business travel spend reaching more than $318 billion in 2016, fraud potential is at an all time high. However, new advances in travel expense management technology combined with proper internal controls can help businesses reduce fraud and control their travel costs. Here are three fraud schemes businesses can now curtail with smart applications of … [More]
HSAs: More than Healthcare
Employers struggling to provide meaningful benefits to attract, retain and assist their employees can look to Health Savings Accounts. This year has been filled with uncertainty regarding the Affordable Care Act, and repeal and replace efforts, but HSAs have a bright future with all the recent healthcare reform proposals looking to expand their use. HSAs are popular with … [More]
Opioid Abuse Costs Businesses Millions
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]
