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A ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ promise holds you hostage to another’s…

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

We recently discussed the real hazards of stamping "lifetime warranty" on your products. A close corollary to that is promising "satisfaction guaranteed" on your professional services. You might make that offer because you are proud of the quality of your services — so confident that your work will be above reproach that you are implicitly claiming that you’ll redo the work or refund to make the customer happy. Think about that outrageous promise. How can you possibly guarantee another’s happiness? Why hold yourself hostage to that?

Infographic: The business of fake supplements

Maggie Kimberl Pharmaceutical

It probably isn't surprising that 77% of supplements sold online are sold by Amazon — more than the top five specialty retailers combined. But what might be shocking is how many of those supplements are fake, expired, or mislabeled. This infographic outlines the loopholes that allow third-party sellers to sell unsafe supplements on Amazon as well as tips to avoid them.

Study report: Children and the coronavirus

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Since the start of the pandemic, researchers have been puzzled at how children have been spared by the same rate of COVID-19 infection as adults. In fact, new evidence shows that children carry high levels of the virus even without falling ill, which may impact the spread of the virus to others, especially those who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. One study, out of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, found that young children carry far more of the coronavirus than adults.

How to choose a health insurance plan for a small business

Amanda Kowalski Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Running a small business has a lot of demands, including everything from perfecting your products to fixing an overflowing toilet. But one of the trickiest parts can be finding the right health insurance for you and your employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, companies with 50 or more full-time employees or the equivalent in part-time employees have to provide health insurance to employees and their dependents or pay a fine. Smaller businesses with fewer employees, however, are exempt. So, should your small business provide insurance? That depends on several factors.

Podcast: Escaping a broken system through cash-based functional medicine

Jarod Carter Healthcare Administration

After Dr. Morgan Camp finished his medical residency, he accepted a position in a successful, cash-based functional medicine clinic where he got to work alongside experts in the field. He found early success and soon decided to open his own concierge medical practice, which attracted a good number of high-profile clients in the Bay Area. In this interview, Dr. Camp explains how he got started and what he's learned, including what worked and what he’d do differently if starting over again.

For public health, a momentous collision and missed opportunities

Keith Carlson Medical & Allied Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic took a new and surprising turn as October began when the President of the United States tested positive for the virus, as did many of his associates and direct contacts. At a volatile time during a highly charged election cycle, the collision of this novel coronavirus with the leader of what some dub "the only superpower on earth" is one that cannot be brushed aside. Can this direct meeting of the virus and such an influential leader deliver an outcome other than more missed opportunities and misinformation?

Survey: Skills shortage forces 31% of organizations to prioritize investment…

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The pandemic has forced many organizations to reconsider their projects for the rest of the year — and beyond. While a lot of plans have been put on hold, some companies have elevated IT training to a priority project. According to the 2020 Netwrix IT Trends Report, 38% of CIOs and IT directors now plan to invest in the education of IT staff, compared to 20% who had it on their top five list before the pandemic. We asked Ilia Sotnikov, VP of product management at Netwrix, to discuss this and some of the other IT trends revealed in the report.

Clear as muck: When the only thing that’s certain is more uncertainty

Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As we get to the end of what’s been a long and challenging year for most of the world, we can all look forward to … who knows? We are just under a month away from a presidential election that may or may not have a clear winner on election night. We’re expecting an effective vaccine to protect us from the virus in the next month or two — or maybe the next year, or maybe not at all. Virtually none of this is clear. Yet, we need to continue to move forward, run our businesses, support our customers, take care of our families. How do you maintain a sense of balance when nothing is certain? Here are a few suggestions.

US payrolls add 661,000 jobs; unemployment rate falls to 7.9%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

American employers created 661,000 nonfarm jobs in September after hiring 1.4 million workers in August, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. September’s jobless rate dropped to 7.9% from 8.4% in August. The jobs numbers reflect in part the easing of social restrictions and reopening of businesses to stem the spread of COVID-19. However, government employment, mainly in public education at the state and local levels, dropped in September from August.

Drug use rises among US workers amidst the pandemic

Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Lockdowns, social distancing, layoffs, and uncertainty about the future are well-documented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research also shows higher rates of substance use and misuse. A May 2020 report by Well Being Trust and The Robert Graham Center says, "The growing epidemic of ‘deaths of despair’ is increasing due to the pandemic — as many as 75,000 more people will die from drug or alcohol misuse and suicide."

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