COVID-19 has changed the way we do business, where we spend money and even how we eat. Some provisions of federal law have changed, too, including a provision allowing for a full tax deduction on business-related food and bevearge expenses incurred in restaurants. The pandemic has rocked nearly every industry, but especially food services. According […]
Thinking about retiring or selling your business? With some careful planning and professional advice, your business might be worth far more than you think. Or you might have unrealistic expectations. Many professional advisors across numerous specialties put themselves forth as business appraisers, business valuation specialists or some similar moniker. There are professional certifications and designations […]
Internal blockages to business success come in many forms: bad management, inadequate pay, ineffective hiring practices, lack of teamwork, negative culture, poor onboarding and training and team members whose bad attitudes prevent them from performing at consistently high levels. That’s not to mention inconsistent quality of products, less than effective systems and procedures, poor customer […]
A labor shortage coupled with a tsunami of resignations has employers struggling to maintain a stable roster of employees. Beyond offering higher pay, better benefits and more flexibility, what can employers do? A demographic previously excluded due to blanket criminal background checks could provide a solution. Moreover, second-chance hiring opens doors for employers and applicants […]
Robert Frost observed in his 1914 poem “Mending Walls” that good fences make good neighbors. Well-written employee handbooks, policies and procedures similarly help employees understand their roles, rights and responsibilities while providing a framework for productive employer-employee relationships. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) gives employees the right to engage in protected concerted activities […]
You’ve probably heard the saying: “Hire for skills and fire for attitude.” This means bad attitudes far outweigh the skills people bring to their positions. Failing to take corrective action puts a company at risk. Most businesses have a number of skilled team members, many with decent and even great attitudes. They come to work, […]
You probably have a number of activities in your workplace that are repetitive, process-driven and require specific performance. These are the sorts of activities that should be documented in the form of policies and procedures (P&P) or standard operating procedures (SOP). Your P&Ps and SOPs have many applications. But one thing all P&Ps and SOPs […]
The holidays are here. So is COVID-19. A sharp increase in cases occurred in Mesa County in November 2020 — some might argue the first real wave of illness. A year later, illness levels are rising again. Mesa County has seen a steady increase in COVID-19 illness levels since early August. In recent weeks, the […]
They’re universal questions: What does the future hold? What does it mean for me? While challenges remain, the outlook for Mesa County appears bright with sustainable growth for years to come. Mesa County has been affected over its history by a series of boom-and-bust cycles. But the community also has enjoyed steady economic growth as […]
When Monument Health was launched in 2016, health care costs were considerably higher on the Western Slope than the Front Range. Primary Care Partners, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and SCL Health St. Mary’s Medical Center joined in an effort to align incentives and take a more innovative approach to lowering costs. Five years later, I’m […]