Spring has finally seemed to make its way to Michigan, but as the weather turns warmer along with it comes spring storms and the possibility of tornados. While tornados can occur any time of the year, they are especially common during the late spring and early summer months in Michigan. As one of nature’s most violent storms, they can devastate homes, businesses, and property in just seconds. The most violent tornados may have wind speeds of 250 mph or more and may last for...
According to new research from Group Risk Development (GRiD), stress and stress-inducing situations are the main cause for short term employee absences. What can employers do to improve this statistic?
Opioid addiction and related deaths are all over the news, along with all the rhetoric about marijuana, but those are not the only drugs out there which are becoming problems. Cocaine is making a comeback, and according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, cocaine is second only to opioids when it comes to drug related deaths.
In the aftermath of the Parkland school shootings, it was suggested that arming teachers would be a significant step to creating a safer school environment. However, a Gallup poll of 500 K-12 teachers dissuades that idea. In a separate question, just 1 in 5 teachers agreed that arming teachers and staff members would make schools safer. Moreover, approximately 75% of U.S. teachers do not want to carry guns in school, and they overwhelmingly favor gun control measures over security...
Drug testing laws vary from state to state, and sometimes from city to city. It seems almost every day something is in the news about marijuana laws, and those laws are not always as simple as medical vs. recreational marijuana. New legislation has been passed in several states in 2017, and if your company has offices in other states, it is critical that you know the laws for each of your locales. Following are some of the updates from 2017:
The switch to daylight saving time last weekend may result in more yawning in the office and a potential dip in productivity. It’s amazing the effect that losing one hour of sleep can have on us. Are you or your employees dragging this week?
According to recent federal data analysis, suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years with increases in every age group except older adults. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics reported in 2016 that U.S. suicides overall totaled nearly 45,000 and was a 35% increase compared with 10 years earlier. While the overall suicide rate has climbed, so has the number of employees that choose...
The days of winter are passing, but in a month with so much cold, snow, and grey days, it can feel like we are stuck in Groundhog Day, just like the character Phil from the movie. Phil’s prediction for the weather, “It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life” has February written all over it. Some workers may be feeling the effects of these cold, gray days in this final stretch of winter.
Here we are in the second week of January– many people had extended time off the last few weeks in December, so theoretically most people should be well rested. So why are so many of us tired at this time?
Drug testing is an important step in the hiring process, and in many cases, in continuing employment. The more you know about the testing process and requirements, the better prepared you are to administer the process for your company. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” So what should you be prepared for?
With November arriving, so has the official start of the flu season. An outbreak of the flu in the workplace can cause significant reduction in productivity. Employers should educate their employees on how to avoid the flu and how their sick policies apply should an employee get sick.
A recent study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University may provide employers another reason to look closely at mindfulness training for their organization. Their research showed that mindfulness exercises can reduce the body’s response to biological stress. Specifically, the researchers found that acceptance, or learning how to be open and accepting of the way things are in each moment, is essential for the stress reduction effects.
A recent survey by the American Psychological Association shows that stress in America is at an all-time high. While main sources of stress for more than 66% of the respondents tend to be about our country’s future and political issues, money and work still tend to be major stressors.
Why should I run background checks on my applicants? What do other employers check on backgrounds? These are questions that I get quite often from our customers. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ― Benjamin Franklin.
On Thursday President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) directing specific federal agencies to review the Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulatory framework. The EO has no direct immediate impact on repealing ACA, but instead embraces the philosophy that federal agencies through regulatory power can shape the offerings and framework that are in the ACA market. “This [EO] will direct [departments] to take action to increase competition, increase choice, and increase access to...