A few weeks ago I was heading to a morning meeting with a client. My home is just off an old federal highway that connects me to their small town about thirty-five miles away. It runs through several “lake villages” and some pretty scenery.

There is also an interstate running east/west between us. It’s about five miles south to access the interstate and then another five miles north again to get to their plant. I have always taken the interstate because I know at just under 80 miles per hour I will more than make up the extra distance. It has to be faster and I don’t leave time in my schedule for “pretty”.

Most large organizations provide health and safety training, but first aid and CPR is often overlooked. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states: “In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.” This applies to any industry of any size: construction or general, large or small.

America has a financial crisis that extends far beyond Washington D.C. According to a recent white paper issued by Purchasing Power, 44% of full-time employees worry about their personal finances during work hours. In addition, 29% of full-time workers said they spend time dealing with their personal finances during work hours, and of those, 46% spend an average of 2-3 hours per week at work dealing with their financial issues. While this is certainly a costly productivity and engagement issue for employers, it is also a health issue.

You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. Where did such profound words come from? Well, cartoon hero Ziggy, of course!

One of our core values at Gibson is Optimism Reigns. We can’t deliver the very best client experience if we’re acting, communicating, or even thinking in a negative, defeated manner. We know that attitude and outlook have a direct impact on the results of our employee-owned company.

Workers’ Compensation Reform achieved a huge victory earlier this summer with the signing into law of HB 1320, an act that the American Insurance Association feels ‘addresses problems which have been steadily mounting in Indiana for years.’

Indiana Governor Mike Pence penned the legislation which, effective of July 1, ensures a fee schedule with a maximum reimbursement rate of 200% of the Medicare rate for treatments and procedures to workers’ compensation claimants by medical service providers. While those are the provisions of the new legislation in a nutshell, there are plenty of other considerations Businesses need to be aware of, particularly considering the imminent arrival of Health Care Reform.

What Exactly Is Workers Compensation?

Many companies realize their most important asset is their brand. A brand influences the perceptions of clients, potential clients, partners, staff, the media and, of course, the general public. So managing and maintaining that image can be considered one of the most important elements of a business process.

Recently I sat down with our new operations executive, Jerry Scott. He is working closely with our Commercial Risk Management team after many years on the “buyer” side of the equation. His background includes years of senior level work in operations, human resources, and leadership development.

As he began to debrief on his experiences and observations since coming on board, our discussion turned to Gibson’s leadership legacy including my personal leadership style and strategy. He talked about something called “Level 5 Leadership” – I vaguely remembered reading about it in Jim Collins’ book Good to Great a number of years ago.

Around 3.3 million people are injured at work each year in America. In many cases they spend days, weeks, or even months out of work as a result of those injuries. Some never return to work. Because of this, it’s critical to develop a culture that believes all accidents are predictable, preventable, and unacceptable.

Where Do We Start?

The IOM (Institute of Medicine) defines patient centered care as: "Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions."

“It’s summer, summer, summertime, time to sit back and unwind,” read the lyrics from Will Smith’s appropriately titled anthem “Summertime”. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love music. You’ll find a pretty eclectic mix on my iPod. I especially like music from the 80s and 90s and this one from 1991 always reminds me of my first full summer after getting my driver’s license.

It got me thinking about other songs and some key lyrics that so aptly tell a story, feeling or emotion. I thought I’d take Mr. Smith’s advice on this blog – it is summertime after all - to sit back and unwind. I’ve listed a few of my favorites below and what they mean to me. I’m betting you know many of them, but maybe not all.

Do me a favor and share your favorites also!