Stressed employees are less productive employees. Research shows that workers under significant stress are more likely to take time off, get sick, or even quit. What can employers do to protect their employees from the effects of stress at work? According to Carolyn Lamparella, licensed professional counselor and program director for Preferred EAP with Lehigh ...
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Perspectives
Insurance brands ramp up the funny to compete
When GEICO introduced the gecko mascot with a British accent in 1999, they fired off the first jokes of what has become an all-out battle to build insurance brand preference using humor as a main ingredient.
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Four tips for overcoming the talent crisis
While a low unemployment rate is considered good news for many workers, it may present challenges to small business owners who might find it difficult to identify and hire skilled candidates.
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Think interest rates are low now? Just wait
Do you remember when banks used to pay a reasonable sum for cash deposits? It may seem like quite a while ago, but money market investments used to yield between 3% and 4% while a 13 month CD could earn you a whopping 4.5% or even 5%.
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McDonald’s marketing savvy had kept kids coming back for generations
The McDonald’s Happy Meal turns 40 this month, and the nostalgia for those “happy” memories of unboxing a toy surprise with a side of fries is the backbone of a promotion McDonald’s is running in November.
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How a boom in personal health devices, from Fitbits to iWatches, is changing the face of health care
The booming wearables market is transforming the health care industry as patients use smartphone apps, the Apple Watch, Fitbits and Garmins to track their heart rate, check for heart arrhythmia, and monitor physical activity, sleep patterns and hydration. And they’re getting smarter.
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Ask John Dame: Managing conflict, and when to say ‘yes’ to work at home
I am at my wit’s end. Two of my best leaders have decided they do not like or trust one another. This is a new development. Their solution is to not speak to each other. This drama is driving me crazy. What should I do?
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Investing? Ignore the heart, listen to your head
Successful investing is only one percent intellectual and 99 percent behavioral. Even if you think you know what you’re doing as an investor—the intellectual part—you still face a huge challenge in the area that matters the most: the behavioral department.
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As cyber crooks focus attention on real estate, agents are advised to protect their clients’ identity
Richard Boas Jr., president of the Lancaster County Association of Realtors, has been giving real estate agents the same advice for years now: Don’t take any sensitive data from a client that you don’t need. “As Realtors, we are paranoid about identity theft,” said Boas, who also is an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeSale. “There ...
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The Whiteboard: CVS Health talks the talk, walks the walk
Five years ago CVS changed the drug store landscape. They announced they would no longer sell tobacco products in their pharmacy stores and that they were changing their corporate name to CVS Health as part of a “broader healthcare commitment.” In essence, they created a new category of business and challenged their competitors to follow. ...
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The Whiteboard: It’s time to call China what it is – a repressive dictatorship
For more than three decades, companies in the United States have attempted expanding trade with China, motivated by low labor costs and the market potential of the world’s most populous nation. Promoters of China trade have promised that increased trade would eventually democratize China. That sounds good, but it isn’t working.
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Guest view: Build workplace friendships on positivity
Recently, a co-worker was telling a story about a former mentor of hers who once said to her, “You know why I like you? Because you and I hate the same people.” We had an awkward chuckle over the shock and aggressiveness of that statement, but, it reminded me of Brene Brown’s concept of Common Enemy Intimacy.
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Getting it together: How businesses are connecting with their communities by encouraging volunteerism
A number of area businesses are focusing on community outreach programs. AAA Central Penn, which launched AAA Cares in June, is among them.
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