Do Healthcare Incentives Really Work?

In 2009, Safeway CEO Steve Burd wrote a piece for the Wall Street Journal touting the results of his company’s healthcare incentive program.  The program, which focused on tobacco use, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, rewarded healthy employees by charging them less for their insurance.  Burd’s efforts received so much support that they inspired the Safeway Amendment.  Now a part of the Obama administration’s healthcare plan, the Safeway Amendment allows companies to reimburse employees between 20% and 50% of their insurance premiums if they participate in the company’s wellness program.  Efforts like Burd’s and the Safeway Amendment are sparking a conversation and giving American workers an opportunity to discuss the merits of incentivized workplace wellness.

To continue reading, click here.

A buyout, a reorganization and the new face of job security

WATERFORD, N.Y. — Momentive Performance Materials sprawls near the banks of the Hudson River, just outside Albany, N.Y., its silver silos and windowless sheds nestled in the low, rolling hills. Men who work there see deer on the road as they drive their pickups to work.

Inside the plant, the tranquility vanishes. It’s not just that the workers are handling toxic, explosive chemicals. That’s par for the course in silicone manufacturing. Many Momentive employees have been at the company for decades, back when it was part of General Electric. They accept the risks in exchange for a steady, sizable paycheck.

To continue reading, click here.

How To Get Along With Your Work Colleagues

Colleagues are like family. We are thrown in with them, but we have no say in who they are. If you’re lucky, you’ll like your family, but what family doesn’t have that one uncle you just can’t abide or that sister who borrows your clothes and never returns them? The same issues crop up in an office environment. However, if you lose the plot with colleagues, you could end up losing your job or facing disciplinary action, so it’s best to find ways of getting along with them. Here are a few suggestions.

To continue reading, click here.

Safety Issues in Today’s Workplace

Safety issues are an important topic in today’s workplace, especially with the rise in accidents in places of work and business. Accidents may often be small, but they can also lead to life-altering results such as mutilation and even death. The most common type of safety issue in workplaces relates to tripping and falling, however, there are many other causes to be considered. An organization with a superior policy for dealing with safety issues should be considering topics such as ergonomics and the arrangement of the space so that the tasks best fit the people who complete them.

To continue reading, click here.

Disabled Workers Still Face Discrimination in the Workplace

Unfortunately, physical changes made to make a business more accessible to impaired visitors do not translate into a more tolerant workplace for disabled employees.

In the 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, the world has advanced enormously in accommodating people with mental or physical impairments. Buildings are more accessible; offering automatic doors, wheelchair ramps and added room for maneuvering. Many businesses now offer lower countertops and employers have installed higher desks to assist disabled persons. The implementation of handicapped parking places today make it easier for disabled people to get in and out of public or commercial structures.

To continue reading, click here.

Working With a Disability

Having a disability doesn’t need to keep one from having a productive career. Many people with disabilities can work and the jobs they can hold vary with each individual’s abilities and limitations. What’s important to remember is that no one but the individual, in consultation with his or her healthcare professional, has the right to decide what job he or she can hold.

There are several laws which protect the workplace rights of Americans with disabilities. Included are several sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These sections prohibit federal agencies from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities, require contractors and subcontractors who have a contract with the federal government for $10,000 or more annually to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities, prohibit recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in employment and in their programs and activities.

To continue reading, click here.

How to Have a Productive Meeting With Your Boss

Meetings with the boss can be stressful and sometimes they don’t seem to accomplish much. However, clear communication with your boss is essential if you want to do your job well. You can, and should, communicate with your boss regularly in an informal way, greeting your boss in the hallway or chitchatting in the break room. At times, though, you will need to have formal meetings with your boss to clarify your job duties, receive instructions about tasks you need to perform, decide how to solve problems on the job or update your boss about your progress.

To continue reading, click here.