As an employer, you want your best and brightest employees to be happy. But did you know that for most people, money can’t buy workplace happiness? Research shows that keeping employees happy is more than just paying them a good — or great — salary or giving them a raise.

According to one new survey, more than half of workers earning a salary of $75,000 or more consider themselves ‘generally unhappy’ at the office. Other studies show that higher-income workers aren’t necessarily any happier than those earning moderate incomes. So what does make people happier at the office? Here are three things that research tells us employees nationwide and in a variety of industries are looking for from their jobs:

Respect. One survey found that ‘respectful treatment of employees at all levels’ and ‘trust between employees and senior management’ ranked higher than compensation, benefits and job security among employees. Surprised? Researchers say that creating a more ‘human-based workplace’ can pay a big role in employee happiness — and ultimately retention — in companies of all sizes. Employers who are genuinely interested in their employees and their unique goals and challenges and make an effort to help with career development are rated much more highly than employers that show less of an interest.

Less conflict. Studies also show that workplace conflict is a major reason why the best and brightest employees leave companies. That includes unresolved conflict among co-workers and between employees and management. Few of us like conflict and most workers find conflict at work a distraction or at worse, a reason for seeking employment elsewhere.

Flexibility. One study by global accounting firm PwC found that workers who have flexibility, such as the option to work at home at least one day per week, have significantly higher job satisfaction than those who are not allowed some choices in when, how and where they do their work. Even those who are allowed to work at home when they have a sick child — or take time off for family obligations without feeling guilty — are more likely to be happy at work. Time off without guilt and flexible schedules are prized by employees in all types of positions and industries.

It’s been months of uncertainty and upheaval. Across the nation, businesses are trying to get back on track even though the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak is not yet over.

What’s the new normal going to look like? Here are a few ways that the global pandemic has fundamentally changed the way U.S. companies do business:

Businesses will have a renewed emphasis on continuity. In good times, it’s easy to let the process of identifying and effectively managing potential risks slide. And we had good times as a nation until early this year! The U.S. was experiencing the longest economic good times on record — starting in 2009 — until it was abruptly and wholly stopped short by COVID-19. The outbreak has once again put the spotlight on being prepared for the unexpected and making organizations more resilient. As companies get back on track, they will undoubtedly be beefing up contingency plans, developing risk management programs, re-evaluating insurance coverages, diversifying supply chains, and making plans for a host of unexpected events. The global pandemic was a hard lesson in being prepared for the unexpected.

Telecommuting has taken hold. How many of your company’s employees are working at home? The percentage of people working remotely increased dramatically with the advent of social distancing. There’s traditionally been a lot of skepticism among business leaders about telecommuting and many have been reluctant to invest in initiatives that support remote work. But during the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies found that remote work was a success — employees not only are happier working at home at least part of the time (as countless studies have shown), they are as productive, or even more productive. It’s something research has supported, but experiencing it first hand makes all the difference.

Many companies are now examining how remote work can fit into their business models going forward. Companies aren’t likely to go to a 100 percent telecommuting model and many industries can’t have people working at home, of course, but those that can are more likely to continue with telecommuting by allowing some employees to work at least part of the time at home. If your business has telecommuting workers, you need to make sure your insurance program adapts to the changing risks of having some employees working off-site.

Companies will make innovation a priority. There are so many examples in recent months of companies trying innovative new strategies to stay afloat — and succeeding. There are the local distilleries that shifted to making hand sanitizer, the fitness studios that developed online classes, the grocery stores that expanded into grocery and hot meal pickup/delivery, and scores of other businesses that found new revenue streams and customers by getting creative. Companies had to learn — or revisit — how to be adaptable, nimble and innovative. And many succeeded in ways they never would have imagined. Those that have had success with innovation in recent months are likely to continue to focus on innovation long after the coronavirus threat is over.

Video meetings and conferences will become more popular. A necessity during the COVID-19 outbreak, virtual gatherings, like remote work, will likely outlive the global pandemic. That’s not to say that old-school trade shows and conferences are a thing of the past. It’s just that companies have realized the virtual meetings and conferences are oftentimes a viable alternative to meeting in person, can save time and money and have a definite place in business today.

Businesses will re-focus on customer needs. Whether a company is B2B or B2C, their customers have been affected by COVID-19 to at least some degree. In many cases, what’s important to a company’s customers has changed. Now, more than ever, a human touch, and qualities like empathy, authenticity and emotional intelligence are vital. The customer experience — and customer service — has never been more important. People are stressed and worried — and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. Customers, now, more than ever, want to talk to real live humans who can help them. Now, more than ever, it’s important to make strategically right decisions to serve your customer base. How you treat your customers now will be remembered for years to come.

At Accurate Protection, risk management and preparing for the unexpected is our specialty. We work hard to provide your company with peace of mind through a customized risk management and insurance plan designed to protect your assets and financial future. Change happens but our service remains constant. We’re here when you need us! Visit our website: https://accurateprotection.com/

 

Every evening, it’s the same. You are determined to leave on time. Yet again, you find yourself finishing one more thing, answering one more email, or talking to one more co-worker. Or perhaps you spend a few hours every weekend catching up on your to-do list.

Either way, it adds up: Americans on average spend 47 hours a week at work, more than any other industrialized country. Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers. Four in 10 Americans said they work more than 50 hours every week, with two in 10 working more than 60 hours.

Yet the research is clear: Long hours — working in the morning, evenings and weekends — is not only hard health-wise on the person doing all that extra work but it doesn’t pay off to the degree that workers and their organizations expect. John Pencavel of Stanford University is one of many researchers who have found that output falls sharply after a 50-hour work-week — even more sharply after 55 hours. Other studies show work weeks of 50 or more hours can lead to a variety of health issues. With that in mind, here are some goals you may want to consider:

Don’t work more than 10 hours each day. Several studies show that more than 10 hours of work a day dramatically increases your risk of cardiovascular and other health issues. One study concluded that working 10-plus hours each day results in a 60 percent increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Stop sitting so much. It’s difficult when you work in an office not to sit all day. But studies show that it’s hazardous to our health to sit for eight to 10 hours a day. Make it a goal to stand up or walk around for several minutes once every half an hour or hour. Take a walk during your lunch hour, in the morning and/or in the evening.

Schedule times to unplug from work. That means no work-related phone calls or email for specified times throughout the week. Consider making at least part of your weekend a time you don’t do any work. The key is to set specific times and stick with them — even if it’s only an hour at a time.

Take vacations. Americans take on average only 16 days of vacation each year, down from 20 days a year. More than half of all Americans do not take all of their vacation time each year. Studies show that vacation time — even if spent at home — helps us recharge and boosts our productivity. Take time off — and encourage your employees to do the same.

Telecommuting is definitely taking off as COVID-19 disrupts our traditional ways of doing business. For companies, it solves the problem of social distancing and keeping employees from getting sick. And studies show most employees love working at home at least part of the time.

Yet allowing employees to work at home can expose your company to risks that you don’t encounter when your workforce is physically located at your company’s facilities. At Accurate Protection, we specialize in working with companies to better manage ever-evolving risks. That’s why we wanted to share with you some great ways employers can better manage the liability risks of remote workers:

Create a telecommuting policy. Setting clear work-at-home guidelines and communicating them to employees can help prevent misunderstandings. Make it clear that you have the right to rescind their work-from-home privileges at any time and for any reason. Have all employees review and acknowledge your company’s telecommuting policy.

Re-evaluate your insurance coverage. Make sure your insurance program effectively addresses the unique risks of having some of your employees working remotely. (We can help with that.)

Make sure employees are using secure wi-fi. All of your employees should be using private and secured Wi-Fi networks while working remotely. Using an unsecured network — public wi-fi — can put your company’s private information at risk. Require anyone who uses public wi-fi to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which keeps their web browsing secure.

Make sure employees are using devices that are secure with up-to-date firewalls and anti-virus software. This applies to laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It’s your responsibility to keep your customer and client information safe.
Use secure virtual meeting rooms. Make sure that private conversations and presentations cannot be monitored by unauthorized third parties.

Make sure you’re complying with federal wage and hour rules. To avoid violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers should require non-exempt employees working from home to record the time they work each day and stick to the hours they should be working each day. Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay whether they are working at your company’s facility or at home, so it’s important that employees know they must adhere to their normal working hours and that they are prohibited from working additional hours without your approval.

Make sure you’re classifying workers correctly for workers compensation insurance. When employees switch to working from home, some workers compensation insurers may want to change classification codes. As an employer, it’s important to know that you could be potentially be held liable if an employee is hurt on the job and employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation if they are hurt while working at home.

We’re here to help your company better manage its risks. Want to learn more? Visit our website: https://accurateprotection.com/.