Risk exists in every line of work. Whether you’re a banker or a construction worker, there are inherent risks you must identify and manage. In construction, risk management is extremely vital as it is about keeping people safe. It’s not inconceivable that someone could die on the job. It is, therefore, important you develop a comprehensive and effective risk management strategy.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Thomas Gryp, President & CEO of Notre Dame Federal Credit Union. We hope you enjoy Tom’s wisdom and perspective!

The world today seems obsessed with the topic of leadership. Specifically, what skills are necessary to rise through the business ranks to become a good, inspirational leader. The fact that there continues to be an insatiable appetite for material on this topic, strongly implies that the definitive answer to this riddle still remains elusively out of reach.

This year, I turn 60. Whether that labels me as being “over the hill” or “still in the prime of my life,” is a matter of perspective. What I know for sure however, is that the road I have already trodden is much longer than the road that still lies ahead. Throughout this journey, I have experienced several unconventional truths and momentary flashes of enlightenment about leadership not often discussed in traditional business literature. That is what I would like to share with you today.

The saying goes “April showers bring May flowers,” but storm season can sometimes do more harm than good when it comes to your foliage. Fallen trees can result in significant damage, so this is the ideal time to review what is covered by your insurance policy when it comes to the damage they cause.

Here are five different scenarios involving fallen trees and your homeowners insurance policy:

When an emergency strikes, will you and your employees be ready to respond? Do you have an emergency action plan in place? Even if you have a written plan in place, will everyone react according to the plan?

Having a plan is critical, especially in an emergency, but it won’t do you any good if your employees don’t know how to respond! You can help lead the fight by effectively communicating and training your employees on what the plan is and how to respond in case of emergency.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Amish Shah, President & CEO of Kem Krest. We hope you enjoy Amish’s wisdom and perspective.

As a curious youngster my favorite word was “Why?” and the most disheartening response was “Because I said so!” While parents have every right to give direct commands without providing further details, (and frankly it would be exhausting if you had to debate every decision), an answer without context and understanding always leaves people unsettled and dejected.

Why is timely reporting important for workers’ compensation claims? If you, as the employer, report claims in a timely manner you’ll see faster treatment for the injured employee, the prevention of injury exacerbation, and even future accident prevention. You’ll also likely notice lower costs.

Spring brings rising temperatures, extended daylight, and blooming flowers. Though the cold weather and icy road conditions of winter are gone, it’s important to remember that the spring and summer months have their own hazardous weather conditions that require preparation.

“This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy and that hard.” – fiction writer Neil Gaiman

You’re reading my hectoblog. That’s means #100 in case you slept through the metric system lessons in school. A solid hundo. The Benjamin of blogs. My blogging century club.

I’ll sleep when I’m dead.

Maybe you’ve used that phrase or heard a colleague or friend utter it. In the midst of our busy lives, sleep often falls by the wayside. But the reality is - sleep isn’t an option. A recent British survey revealed that people who sleep less than six hours a night have a 13% higher mortality rate than those sleeping at least seven hours.

Many factors contribute to sleeplessness such as family worries and financial concerns, but one factor that stands out above others: work. The work we do can affect the quality of sleep we get. It can impact how much free time we have, how anxious we feel, and how tired we are.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Terry Bush, Director of HR Services at Kruggel Lawton CPAs. We hope you enjoy Terry’s wisdom and perspective.

I’ve been fortunate to be in the accounting profession my entire career thus far. It's incredibly rewarding and also a bit ironic. Rewarding in that I get to work with talented, motivated, enjoyable people every day, something for which I feel very lucky. Ironic in that my academic background is human resources, and I wasn't planning or expecting to join this industry.

Countless people have influenced my life, mostly for the good I’d like to think. Perhaps I’ve discarded memories of those whose impact wasn’t positive or hopefully I’ve forgiven them. At any rate, lately I've been thinking about some of the people who have had the most significant and positive impact on my career. These individuals have taught me so much. Taking the time to reflect on these relationships has been quite valuable.