Lately, it seems I cannot escape the fact that 2016 is a presidential election year—even on sites like LinkedIn. I view LinkedIn as a business site for professional conversations and to share and read information which will improve one’s career. When I am in a professional setting or “polite company,” I believe that discussion about things like religious beliefs, political beliefs, money and sex are topics to be avoided. I apply this philosophy to professional sites like LinkedIn. If I would not say it to a colleague, I would not post it on LinkedIn. Yet lately, I continue to be surprised by the pictures of politicians accompanied by opinions and comments on LinkedIn. I don’t log into LinkedIn to view others’ political views (or religious views for that matter).

I often get asked by clients, prospects, and others in our community what is keeping us busy these days. Recently, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the pending regulation changes are a very hot topic. Clients are calling us frequently concerned about the pending FLSA regulations and what that means for their organizations.

You have an exciting work environment...people are running around like crazy, lots of energy and enthusiasm all over the place, and everyone is having a great time...except for one employee who doesn’t “get into that”. This employee is sitting at the desk, quietly doing his/her work. And you notice when you are in meetings, this employee rarely speaks up. Do you see them as a hindrance to your organization? Hopefully not!

With cold season in it's prime, I've been working with many of my clients recently to find ways to reduce the impact on both the business and employees. Options that will decrease the need for employees to see their primary care physician for simple issues like sore throats, allergies, flu, etc. How about you, are you looking for a tool that will provide your employees the health care they need that is cost-effective? Have you ever considered telemedicine? Telemedicine can play a role in changing the way we seek and obtain medical advice, diagnoses and prescriptions.

Compliance around FLSA laws and regulations is in the spotlight and will remain there for a while from the look of the current landscape. The old adage applies, ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire.’ Anyone watching events unfold can agree, the Dept. of Labor sees the smoke. The fallout from non-compliance is costly.

Many of us in the DC metro area experience the stress of dealing with the daily traffic congestion and long commutes in order to get to work on time, and I don't even need to describe what happens during a snowfall. Due to these stresses we face as well as the increasing number of millennials in the workforce, many employers are looking more seriously at telework options. This is an area gaining in popularity for various businesses and industries, and its usage is expected to grow. With the new technologies available to us, working from home is becoming a more viable alternative without the risk of employees losing touch with their employer and customers. Some employers do not realize there are also cost effective reasons for initiating a telework program. Listed below are four cost effective reasons for considering a telework program in your organization.