In my last blog, I mentioned how we make a big deal of the month of October as National ESOP Month. We celebrated our GESOP, Gibson’s ESOP, all month long. It culminated with our major event: GESOPtoberFest!

Workplace violence can happen anywhere…and at any time. No one is immune. It comes in many forms from threats or acts of physical violence and verbal abuse, to homicide or active shooter incidents. Training your employees to develop a mindset of situational awareness can help better prepare your organization.

500 million Tweets are sent each day. That’s a lot of conversation. Should you be a part of it?

Twitter can be a useful social network for companies and individuals. It provides opportunities for brand building, brand awareness, customer service, driving website traffic, content sharing, and more. But how do you know if it is the right social media platform for you and/or your company?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jeff Rea, president and CEO of the St. Joseph County (South Bend, IN) Chamber of Commerce. We hope you enjoy Jeff’s wisdom and perspective.

On January 11, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered his second State of the Union Address to Congress. Kennedy had taken office just one year prior, and now had the opportunity to address Congress and the country. The address is something that has become an annual review of what’s happening in the country and a look forward to what lies ahead.  

Strategies for managing health care costs are a critical topic for employers…and it won’t be going away anytime soon. There are discussions on the value of transparency in health care pricing, the role of consumer driven health plans, and how to help employees make educated health care decisions. Beyond these techniques, what else can be done to get and keep your employees healthy?

Machines can significantly improve production and efficiency. But they do not come without risks. The moving parts, sharp edges, and hot surfaces are hazards to workers. Many machine-related injuries can be prevented with the proper use of safeguards. It is important to understand what dangers machines present and what elements are needed to implement effective safeguarding practices.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jory Fitzgerald Kelly, president and CEO of Family & Children's Center, the parent company of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. We hope you enjoy Jory’s wisdom and perspective.

Last week I had the chance to talk to a couple hundred Boys & Girls Club Members, alumni, volunteers, and supporters at our 40^th Anniversary celebration. My message was simple: Dare to dream and work hard to get there.

Like with anything on the Internet, social media does not come without its risks. We’ve discussed identifying the risks associated with social media use, as well as the risks of your employees on social networking sites. But if you allow these risks to stop you from engaging in social media, what will you be missing out on? Are there risks associated with NOT using social media?

You often hear insurance commercials touting all sorts of discounts – good student discounts, safe driver discounts, multi-policy discounts, and the list goes on. Sometimes it can seem quite overwhelming. Which discounts are you eligible for on your automobile coverage? What about your homeowners policy? Are you missing out on some credits? Would you qualify for additional credits if you added some simple devices to your home or car?

You would not sign a contract without reading it first. And this means a lot of reading if you are a contractor. So, how are you managing this review process? Do you understand all the implications a contract could have on the future of your business?

Most companies will say they review all contracts with the help of their attorney. This is the optimal path, but we need to throw a wrinkle in it. When was the last time you involved your insurance broker in that review process?

You trust your insurance broker to review a key contract you utilize every year: your insurance policy. They ensure your company’s risk is properly transferred to the insurance carrier using the most up-to-date coverages, endorsements and enhancements available in the market. But when it comes to reviewing and updating insurance requirements in a contract, the insurance broker is often left out of the picture. Now your attorney is forced to be the legal expert AND the insurance expert.

The modern contract review process involves a meeting between your attorney and insurance broker on an annual basis at a minimum. This collaboration helps ensure you are properly addressing all risks you face before you sign a contract.

Let’s look at some common scenarios in which this updated contract review process could have prevented significant losses.