COVID-19
July 12, 2022
The Hybrid Workplace is Here to Stay
One of the largest changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic to the workplace was the popularization of remote work. Industries that previously operated solely from offices realized almost overnight that they could operate without everyone under a single roof. With the pandemic on the wane and restrictions being eased, many workers have expressed interest...
June 17, 2022
Combating Rising Benefits Costs During Periods of High Inflation
The U.S. inflation rate has increased by 8.3% over the last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This has led to significant price increases across various consumer goods as well as employee benefits such as health insurance. In fact, one-third of U.S. employees have already seen an increase in their health costs...
June 15, 2022
The Shifting Workplace – The New Must-Have Amenity Spaces
The pandemic has brought on a new set of unexpected challenges for the Commercial Real Estate Industry. As many employers are urging their staff to head back to the office, they are being met with hesitancy, some reluctancy, and in the worst-case scenario, resignations. The pandemic has re-aligned workplace culture, and employee values, and has...
May 31, 2022
How Technology is Helping Lower Risks in Construction
Construction projects are becoming more complex, while the timeframes to complete them are shortening. On top of these challenges, supply chain troubles and labor shortages are raising the potential risks for builders, insurance industry sources tell PropertyCasualty360.com. “Each of these factors can increase business expenses and insurance rates, which underscores why it’s more important than ever for...
May 27, 2022
How Office Landlords Digitally Protect Their Tenants
The phrase “secure building” may evoke an image of a looming windowless fortress, defended by an armada of steely-eyed security guards and a tapestry of barbed-wire fencing. But most office buildings don’t share that kind of dramatic appeal. In this digital era, security for many buildings comes in the form of protection against hackers. Previously,...
April 26, 2022
Office Risk is Increasing as Workers Continue to Prefer Remote Options
Since the initial wave of the COVID-19 Omicron variant started to subside, people have begun to return to the office in larger numbers than we have seen since the start of the pandemic. But office owners are still trying to define “return.” In our 2022 commercial real estate trends overview, we explored the on-going struggle between...
April 21, 2022
CDC No Longer Enforcing Mask Mandate on Air Travel and Public Transit
On Monday, April 18, 2022, a federal judge invalidated the national mask-wearing requirement for public transit, airplanes and transportation hubs. In their decision, the federal judge for the Middle District of Florida said the CDC exceeded its authority to enforce mask-wearing. Initially, the mask-wearing requirement had been extended by the Centers for Disease Control and...
April 13, 2022
OSHA Launches Program to Protect Workers From Heat Hazards
On April 12, 2022, OSHA launched its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for protecting workers from heat hazards in indoor and outdoor workplaces. Through the program, OSHA will conduct heat-related workplace inspections before workers suffer preventable injuries, illnesses or fatalities. The NEP is effective on April 8, 2022, and will remain in effect for three years...
March 30, 2022
What to Expect From Commercial Property Insurance in 2022
Commercial property rates have seen double-digit increases for two straight years and Gary Wells, managing partner at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, does not foresee a notable drop any time soon. The 2022 outlook for this segment is still quite uncertain as severe weather events continue to present challenges for carriers, brokers, and clients. “We...
March 29, 2022
4 Reasons Why Companies Must Reimagine Employee Care
Employer benefits have a long and evolving history in the United States, with broader societal changes continually driving new advances in how companies take care of their workforce. In the 1920s, the federal government incentivized corporate retirement plans by making employer contributions tax-deductible, and in the following decades this benefit became a top negotiation item for increasingly...