Health care is expensive and often confusing. No doubt about it. But it is also immensely important. Benefits offerings are a major factor in employee recruitment and retention. So how do your benefits stack up to others in your industry? Are your offerings competitive? Are they the best option for your team? How do you determine if your benefits measure up?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jesse Lyn Stoner, business consultant, coach, former executive, and bestselling author. We hope you enjoy Jesse's wisdom and perspective.

As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, said “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

OSHA estimates that 5 million U.S. workers are required to wear respirators. These respirators protect workers from cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or even death caused by insufficient oxygen, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. Despite the abundant use of respirators, the standard for respiratory protection has been the fourth most frequently cited OSHA standard from 2011 to 2014.

“CrossFit is a cult,” many say as an accusation to someone they know who is part of the sport. The cult reference has more to do with the community created in the Box, CrossFit lingo for gym. The workouts are designed to forge elite fitness. They are challenging, physically and mentally, pushing you out of your comfort zone and demanding results you think impossible. This is how I start my day, at 5:30am, at least 4 days a week. I love the intensity, irreverence, attitude, and culture.

Have you watched HGTV and been inspired to take on your own home improvement projects? Regardless of whether you are doing the project yourself or hiring a contractor, you probably spent countless hours deciding on the specifics, picking out materials, and turning your vision into a reality. But once the project is complete and you are enjoying your renovated home, many homeowners forget a critical step…to notify their insurance advisor of the upgrades!

Have you ever visited Mile Marker Zero in Key West, Florida? It’s at the end of Highway 1, a road that starts in Fort Kent, Maine, and travels approximately 2,300 miles down the East Coast to the intersection of Fleming and Whitehead Streets in Key West.

“Wellness” and “wellbeing” are synonymous. But “wellness” has been diluted in the marketplace. Traditional workplace wellness is flawed. It has an intense focus on physical health and unrealistic expectations. It’s often based on ineffective incentives. Incentives may help encourage participation, but are they leading to engagement in the wellness programs? Doubtful.

Blog updated on March 27, 2017 to reflect most recent data.

According to Express Scripts’ 2016 Drug Trend Report, national prescription drug spending increased just 3.8% in 2016, down from 5.2% in 2015 and a whopping 13.1% in 2014. This may very well come as a surprise to those who have witnessed prescription drug claims jump from 18-20% of their total medical and Rx spend to 35% and greater. Don't worry, you're not alone! 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Larry Linne, entrepreneur, advisor, and author. We hope you enjoy Larry's wisdom and perspective.

A business leader exists in a perpetual world of chaos. Issues and pressures from employees, vendors, professional advisors, clients, innovation, strategy, and execution all dance around in the leader’s brain. This chaos can bring a leader to a point of becoming powerless and ineffective. However, this chaos is also what provides the opportunity to do something GREAT, something worth writing about.