Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Rosie Ward, Ph.D. We hope you enjoy Rosie’s wisdom and perspective. 

Our world is fundamentally different today than it was just a few short years ago. Consequently, the “rules of engagement” are changing for organizations. Workplace culture not only shapes the quality of the entire employee experience; it is also your brand in the marketplace. Now more than ever, it is critical to rethink the importance of culture and how you are creating the conditions for both organizational and employee wellbeing to thrive.

As we shared in May 2017, OSHA delayed the enforcement for the final rule on respirable crystalline silica in construction until September 23, 2017. But what does this mean for employers in the construction industry?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Justin Maust, President and Founder of Leader Legacy. We hope you enjoy Justin’s wisdom and perspective.

Your personal and team success hinges on one primary skill…your ability to identify and solve your issues. In my 7 Practices For Building Powerful Teams, Remove the Ripple is the 6^th practice.

“Houston, we have a problem!!” I’ve got lots of energy. I’m passionate. I run hard. However, behind closed doors, I’ve been known to procrastinate.

As many of you are aware, OSHA issued a final rule related to the tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses. Though there have been some delays, OSHA is now accepting electronic submissions of your injury and illness reports.

Certain employers, as specified below, are required to submit the information from their 2016 reports electronically by December 1, 2017. We encourage you to check with your state’s OSHA consultation division to confirm their guidance on this regulation.

Kylene Polhamus, OD, co-authored today’s blog. She is an optometrist with Boling Vision Center with specializations including treatment and management of ocular disease and pediatrics.

A total eclipse once signaled the end of the world—or at least a message from God. Though a total eclipse may not seem so significant today, it is still a big deal. Those who have experienced one describe it as night falling—suddenly—in the middle of the day. It gets so dark that the stars appear in the sky, summer insects strike up their evening chorus, and birds fall quiet. You can see beads around the dark moon and maybe tongues of red fire around the edge of the sun. And it’s over in minutes.

In less than two weeks, on August 21, 2017, America will experience its first total eclipse in 38 years. It will travel from coast to coast, which hasn’t happened in nearly a century, cutting a “path of totality” across the middle of the continent. Although Indiana is (just) too far north to experience the total eclipse, we can experience a partial eclipse. In South Bend, where we’re writing, the eclipse will begin at 12:57 p.m. and last nearly three hours. At 2:22 p.m., the moon will cover 88% of the sun. (You can check this information for your own location here.)

That will be something to see—but not without proper eye protection.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Rosie Ward, Ph.D. We hope you enjoy Rosie’s wisdom and perspective. 

Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn’t publish an article on the “war on talent” and the need for recruiting and retaining good people. Setting aside the irony of referring to attracting, engaging, and keeping good people as a “war,” it is important for companies to pay attention and work to close the gaps from where they are and where they need to be for their organization and its people to thrive; otherwise, they will struggle to find good people and grow – let alone survive.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer of the Southwest Michigan First Group of Companies. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Each year, I get to welcome a group of local, future leaders to “my house,” our offices at Southwest Michigan First. Recently, I found myself being a bit overwhelmed at the opportunities each of these kids has in front of them. The generosity of the Monroe Brown Foundation has arranged for each of these dynamic young people to not only receive a tremendous internship with an innovative company, but also a college scholarship.

I consistently have great conversations with most of these young people but one that stands out was not the one that thanked me for the free food or for helping the Monroe Brown Foundation. It was the young lady who asked, “Other than education, what else should I do to succeed?”

Core values are the heartbeat of your organization. You likely have values that address topics such as respect for all people, individual dignity, and trust among team members. But every day your organization can face threats to your values. These threats can come in the form of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, favoritism, and gossip.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Dan Asleson, President & CEO of the YMCA of Michiana. We hope you enjoy Dan’s wisdom and perspective.

Isn't it strange, that princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common-folk like you and me,
Are builders for eternity? 

Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, a Book of Rules;
And each must make 'ere life has flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone. 

R.L. Sharpe

I was young (17 years old) when I first heard this poem and decided I would commit it to memory. I fell in love with the simplicity and beauty of the first stanza. We are all builders, regardless of one’s roots.

And I figured at that young age whatever tools I had in my bag would be enough to build whatever I set out to build. And they were. Those tools did me well over the next two decades. I was definitely making stepping stones, moving up in my career, and taking increasingly greater positions of leadership at work and in the community.

As much as you plan to prevent workplace injuries, it is important to create a plan to reintegrate injured employees into your workforce should an accident occur.

We often hear the term “light duty” used with return-to-work programs. But light duty has begun to carry a negative connotation. Some people believe the injured employee isn’t pulling their weight or is just doing made up work that isn’t beneficial or helping anyone. I encourage you to shift your mindset. Instead of light duty, I suggest you use one of these two terms as you speak with your employees about your return-to-work program – Modified Duty or Transitional Duty.