Standing desks were being hyped as a cure-all for the sedentary nature of the way most of us work today, but a new study says otherwise. Curtin University in Australia has found standing desks can lead to “discomfort and deteriorating mental reactiveness” with prolonged use.

Standing Desk Research Study

In the study, the researchers found acute negative health effects during two hours of prolonged standing. The participants experienced increased discomfort in the low back, lower and upper limbs (to varying degrees) and lower limb swelling.

The result of the study impacts companies of all sizes. Even small businesses are trying to curb the negative effects of sitting all day in the office, and standing desks have been used to combat the problem.

Professor Alan Taylor, a physiotherapy expert at Nottingham University, told the Daily Telegraph, “The bottom line is that this expansion has been driven more by commercial reasons than scientific evidence. But the evidence is catching up and it’s showing there are some drawbacks.”

The Result

The Curtin University study looked at 20 individuals (7 male, 13 female) working at standing desks for two hours. All of them reported a clinically meaningful increase in discomfort. And although the study had a small number of participants, it backs previous studies with large numbers of individuals.

The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study in its September 2017 issue involving more than 7,000 people on the effects of occupational standing. In that study, workers who stood more at work were twice as likely to develop heart disease as opposed to those that sat more often.

As far as cognitive functions, there was a statistically significant slowing in reaction time from the Sustained Attention to Response Test results, as much as 78 ms over the two hour period.

Balance

The study is quick to point out the clear association between excessive sedentary behavior and negative health outcomes. This includes increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and cancer, as well as musculoskeletal disorder concerns.

Finding the right balance is key to ensure you are doing all you can to safeguard your health against the negative effects of sitting or standing for too long.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Standing Desks Still Lead to Discomfort, Slower Mental Reactiveness, Study Says” was first published on Small Business Trends

After a promising start to 2018, there’s been drops in both new small business jobs and wage growth in February, according to a recent report by business services supplier Paychex and businesses analytics provider IHS Markit.

February 2018 Small Business Employment Statistics

The Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch for February reveals the job market at small businesses is tightening. There are fewer new jobs, wages are going down slightly and the amount of hours worked per job are going up.

This index uses a baseline figure of 100. If the index is above, it shows job growth. However, in February, the Small Business Jobs Index is 99.77. This represents a one percent  drop from last year at this time and a 0.11 percent decline from January 2018. This month marks the eighth in a row where the national index has been below 100.

The 12-month hourly earnings growth metric fell too. It was 2.74 percent in January and stood at 2.67 percent in February. Wages averaged out nationally at $26.41 per hour.

However, weekly hours have been steadily climbing year over year for 15 months.

The numbers can be at least partially explained in the ongoing search for qualified employees.

“The results of the Small Business Jobs Index over the past year are evidence of the tightening labor market,” said Martin Mucci, Paychex president and CEO in a company release.  “As the growth in jobs stabilizes because of challenges in finding qualified employees, we expect to see business owners making positive changes to wages and benefits.”

The regional jobs breakdown has the South  in first place with an index of 100.34, the only region with an index over 100. The West leads in wage growth among regions averaging $27.52 per hour.

Washington was tops for state small business employment growth and Arizona was the leader for state  hourly earnings growth. Seattle bumped Denver as the number one metro when it came to  small business employment growth with a one month growth rate of 0.88 percent.

For earnings growth, Western metros outshone the rest of America by a fair margin.

When it comes to industries, construction is enjoying steady employment growth with an index of 100.38 in the last quarter and has been on the upswing for the last six years.   Leisure and hospitality enjoyed the best hourly earnings growth with a 3.79 percent year over year gain.

The Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch is released monthly. It derives data from  approximately 350,000 Paychex clients.

Paychex is a provider of HR, payroll, retirement and insurance services for business while IHS Market provides information, analytics and solutions for industries worldwide.

Image: Paychex

This article, “Small Business Jobs Growth Continues to Struggle, Paychex Report Says” was first published on Small Business Trends

The third annual report dedicated to telecommuting shows a growing trend toward working  remotely among American workers in a variety of industries. According to the report, more industry segments now offer some form of remote work arrangement to their employees, either full or part-time.

2017 Virtual Vocations Year-End Report and Telecommuting Statistics

The 2017 Virtual Vocations Year-End Report has gathered comprehensive data on telecommuting trends in the United States. The report reveals the top states with remote workers, the companies hiring them and the best industries for telecommuting jobs along with who is performing these jobs.

Small businesses, who employ the majority of the workforce in the country, are also switching to remote workers in greater numbers. Hiring remote workers for bookkeeping, HR, marketing, web development, IT and other positions makes increasingly more financial sense by reducing company overhead.

The data for the report was compiled from a list of over 40 telecommuting job categories and more than 6,500 new remote employers, with a total of over 10,000 employer profiles.

Telecommuting Statistics

Who is Working Remotely?

According to the  report, 20-25 percent of U.S. workers telecommute at least part of the time. And the number among professionals is increasing. An overwhelming 80 to 90 percent of professionals want to work from home at least on a part-time basis.

According to the data gathered, 42.3 percent of telecommuters care for children or family members, 48 percent are over 50 years old and 82.3 percent have received a post-secondary diploma or degree.

Of those currently working remotely, 39.5 percent earn at least $71,000 per year and 50.4 percent work as independent contractors. When qualifying the benefits of working from home, 74.3 percent of telecommuters stated they have experienced an increased quality of life. Another 83.5 say they have saved on the expenses associated with working outside of the home (e.g. lunches, clothing, gas, etc.).

Top States

California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois were the top states for remote work, accounting for 23.26 percent of all job posting in the Virtual Vocations database for 2017. The country was divided into West Coast, Southwest, Midwest, South, Gulf Coast, Mid-Atlantic and New England regions for the purposes of classifying the data from the report. Top states for telecommuting opportunities were California, Texas and New York.

Top Companies

The top 20 companies offering telecommuting opportunities included companies across many industries including healthcare, IT, banking and insurance. UnitedHealth Group took the top spot, but Oracle, Salesforce.com, and U.S Bank were also on the list.

Finding the Right Mix

For small businesses, the key is deciding whether the obs you are hiring for require workers to be on the premises or whether hiring telecommuting workers saving you overhead and giving them greater flexibility is a viable option. For example, your company conducts business almost exclusively online, web designers, marketers and other workers may be able to operate best as telecommuters saving you money for office space.

On the other hand, the servers in your small restaurant or a barista in a small coffee shop can’t really do their jobs from a laptop while sitting on the coach in their PJs.

If properly managed, the money you save can be directed to investing in other key operations more important for your business.

Images: Virtual Vocations

This article, “Up to 25% of Americans Now Work Occasionally from Home Even at Small Businesses” was first published on Small Business Trends

We’re at the start of a new year, and for many the beginning of a new fiscal year. So now is a great opportunity for small business leaders to pause and consider how they’re progressing on efforts to create a better and more inclusive work environment for their employees. There’s a strong business case for diversity that small businesses simply can’t afford to ignore.

Companies that embrace equality in the workforce can enjoy real and tangible financial gains. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates gender parity could add $12 trillion to the global economy, and suggests gender diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to financially out-perform their peers. Similarly, ethnically diverse companies are 35 per cent more likely to do the same.

It’s clear that leaders who prioritize more diverse and inclusive workforces elevate the effectiveness of their businesses, the satisfaction of employees and their overall success. In fact, a recent Salesforce report, “The Impact of Equality and Values Driven Business”, revealed that employees who feel their voice is heard at work are nearly five-times (4.6X) more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work, and employees who say their company provides equal opportunities are nearly four times (3.8X) more likely to say they are proud to work for their company.

So how can today’s small business leaders foster a culture of equality? Here are some key ways to get started:

Hire Talent from all Walks of Life

In business, as with anything else, you don’t know what you don’t know. Companies with a workforce where everyone thinks and looks the same are limited to the narrow experiences their employees share, whether from a cultural, gender or skillset perspective.

Bringing diverse voices into the mix can help your company glean insight into customers, foster new ways of thinking and innovating, and increase the likelihood that bad ideas will be challenged earlier on. Adding diversity means everything from including creatives in technical discussions (and vice versa) to broadening your talent base make up.

A good way to start is to prioritize diversity and make inclusive hiring a mandate. Seek out candidates who might have the will, but don’t yet have the skill, and find alternative ways to bring new thinking into your environment. It’s not just about ticking a box. It’s about making sure that your employees, from all walks of life, are included in discussions and feel they have earned a seat at the table.

Diversity plus inclusivity sets companies apart, and knowing that more than one third of the working-age population will belong to a visible minority group, and that nearly half of all Canadians could be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant by 2036, the time to put this combination into practice is now.

Ensure Everyone’s Voice is Heard

We’ve all heard stories about the brand new intern who pipes up with a great solution to a problem or a quiet employee who changes the course of a company with an innovative idea, but these scenarios simply aren’t going to happen if meetings are conducted in a way that people feel their voice or point of view isn’t going to be heard.

Some organizations address these situations by making meeting etiquette a part of clearly defined workplace culture statements. These statements might, for example, include clear language about giving everyone a chance to participate and offer input in meetings – without interruption. Or they might ban using laptops or other electronic devices in meetings that would otherwise distract employees from giving their undivided attention to colleagues while they’re speaking.

Everyone should have a right to add value to meetings; no one should be made to feel invisible. If employees feel respected, they can be solid contributors to the company’s mission.

Understand the Impact of Unconscious Biases

Biases are created based on our upbringing, personal relationships and experiences. Often, they’re subtle or hidden. But they can still come to the forefront at times and influence our interactions with employees.

Business leaders committed to creating a culture of equality must look at ways to reduce the effects of unconscious biases, and the best way to do that is through awareness and education. Start with yourself and lead by example.

It’s also important to look at ways to reduce unconscious biases at work. Consider creating educational videos, webcasts or podcasts to raise awareness of the issue and train employees on how to identify and understand the impact of unconscious bias. Online learning tools like Trailhead, for example, offer free and interactive learning paths which can train participants on the business value of having a diverse, inclusive workforce.

To succeed today, equality and diversity need to be a priority for every small business leader. The good news is that it’s never too early to start thinking about how to create a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Republished by permission. Original here.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Why Equality and Diversity Need to be SMB Priorities” was first published on Small Business Trends

Everyone has a formula for doing a business “right.” You know that when you start your business, there’s a right way to build your list, fund your ideas, post on your blog, and do any number of things.

In fact, there are so many things that you’re supposed to do — and do right — that it can be paralyzing. You might be so paralyzed that you don’t even get started in the first place.

Start Your Business Now

Here’s the good news: You can start your business without doing everything right. Sometimes it’s about what you can handle right now. Here’s why:

What Do You Have Available?

Most of us, when starting businesses, don’t have a ton of resources. It would be great to be able to segment emails and set up fancy ways of dividing your audience. But can you afford the software? Or do you just need to start with a low-cost general newsletter?

From web hosting to web design, you might have to make do for now. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s even true of marketing copy and your social media attempts. I look at some of my early business decisions and work, and I cringe.

But I worked with what I had, started from where I was, and eventually built a successful business. And, even today, everything I do isn’t “right.” Sometimes you just need to do it and move forward.

Nothing Will Ever Be Completely Perfect

You can always improve. No matter the situation, complete perfection is impossible. Marketing copy always needs tweaking. Your prices might not be right where they need to be. Maybe you don’t have your system down just right. No matter what it is, you will never be completely ready to start your business.

If you wait until you can do something totally right, you will never get started. Yes, you need to take some time and thought as you move forward with a business. But at some point, you just have to take your risk.

To a certain extent, all business has some measure of risk. You need to accept that and go for it at some point.

Get Creative

Another good reason to start your business before you feel like everything’s right or you’re completely ready is that it sparks your creativity. You are forced to find creative solutions to your problems when you don’t have everything you need.

Scarce resources often lead to innovation. Take the time to find unusual and creative solutions to your problems. You might be surprised at what you can come up with — and how successful you can be. Plus, it might take you in an unexpected (and maybe even better) direction.

Remember: A Business is a Work in Progress

When you start your business, it’s important to remember that it will always be a work in progress. Market conditions, the economy, your audience, and technology are just some of the things that are always changing. Your business needs to be flexible enough to recognize that.

You will always be making changes to your business. So get started. And learn as you go.

Republished by permission. Original here.

Image via Due.com

This article, “Waiting for the Perfect Moment to Start Your Business? 4 Reasons the Time is NOW!” was first published on Small Business Trends

According to recent data, the newly passed Tax Cuts and Job Act does contain provisions small businesses can take advantage of with some strategic planning. This is what a new infographic by Micah Fraim, CPA reveals.

Congress passed the $1.5 trillion tax bill with temporary tax cuts for individuals and permanent tax breaks for corporations in November 2018. But businesses will be impacted differently according to size, income, industry and a number of other conditions.

For small businesses, it’s necessary to categorize your particular situation and find the right expert to take advantage of the new rules in the tax bill. Michael Trabold, director of compliance risk for payroll and HR firm Paychex, told Small Business Trends, “We’re cautioning folks in small businesses that there’s an awful lot of rules about how this is all going to play out that are going to be very specific to your own situation.”

New Tax Plan Explained

With this in mind, here are some of the things you should look out for according to the infographic by Fraim.

First, the pass-through income deduction rate is one of the provisions with the greatest potential for small businesses. With the right strategic planning, small business owners can get 20 percent deductions on income received from pass-through entities.

The deductions are capped at 50 percent of the wages paid or 25 percent of wages paid plus 2.5 percent depreciable capital assets, whichever is greater. The new provisions have some caveats, including business classification and overall income levels, as well as some deadlines.

Sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs and S corporations are classified as pass-through entities when it comes to federal income tax. This is because they are not subject to income tax. Owners are taxed directly individually on income with profits and losses taken into consideration.

Some of the other provisions in the new tax law include the limitation of business loan interest deduction to 30 percent. This means the earnings of a business before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Deductions of net operating losses have also been reduced along the adjustments of R&D expenditure. You can take a look at the infographic below for more details.

Getting the Right Help

Even though you may have become familiar with the old tax law, there are too many changes in the new tax bill which may jeopardize your tax liability. Until you know the ins and outs of the new bill as it applies to your business, consult with your tax expert.

Trabold stress the point best, explaining, “The business is always ultimately accountable.” So make sure you have the best help possible to get you through the upcoming tax season.

Images: Micah Fraim CPA

This article, “How the New Tax Law Affects Your Small Business (INFOGRAPHIC)” was first published on Small Business Trends

Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) and Lyft have come together to provide non-emergency transportation to the patients of healthcare providers as part of their workflow.

The announcement of this partnership comes after rival Uber recently announced a similar service. Both platforms are addressing the growing problem of keeping medical appointments due to lack of transportation. In the US, 3.6 million people face this challenge, with lower-income patients missing or rescheduling more appointments.

Integrating transportation as part of a medical firm’s workflow gives patients an added value service for ensuring they make all their appointments. For physicians with small practices, this is a great way to increase business by marketing to communities with limited resources.

In collaborating with Allscripts and its Open platform, Lyft has partnered with a company in the healthcare sector which provides information technology solutions to advance clinical, financial and operational results.

Gyre Renwick, Vice president of Lyft Business, explained the partnership in a press release.  Renwick said, “Through a seamless integration of Lyft’s API and Allscripts’ EHR system, we’re empowering clinicians to eliminate transportation barriers for millions of people across the country by making it easier to get to and from medical appointments with Lyft.”

Allscripts and Lyft Partnership

As part of the partnership, Allscripts is going to integrate its Sunrise electronic health record (EHR) with the Lyft Concierge API so healthcare providers can request rides within their own platform. The Sunrise system has an automated workflow capable of scheduling a ride on Lyft once it identifies a need for transportation.

When a patient is in transit, the care team can use the tracking board to monitor the patient’s status with real-time notifications of pickups and estimated time of arrival.  This integration will include 2,500 hospitals and 45,000 physician practices with 180,000 physicians. An estimated seven million patients will be reached.

Real world use cases of this solution by American Medical Response, American Logistics Company, CareLinx, GoGo Grandparent and One Call have already delivered solid results. On its official blog, Lyft reports this has resulted in improved patient experience, decreased wait times and reduced costs.

Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Lyft Follows Uber, Launches Healthcare Ride Program To Help Small Practices” was first published on Small Business Trends