Introducing RISQ Consulting’s new blog, The Vantage Point! Get ready to learn about more than “just insurance”. We have experts on our team that know so much more than premiums and paperwork! At RISQ Consulting, we are proud to say we focus on educating ourselves in many areas of the business world, not just insurance. This quest for knowledge has inspired many of our team members to dive deeply into fascinating areas such as business technology, organizational management, team psychology, employee engagement and more! The Vantage Point is our way of sharing simple tips and valuable insights with you. Please enjoy!
LATEST BLOG POSTS
Read more +19 January 2021 in BlogReady. Set. Shop! Earn 10% Cash Back at 1,000+ Stores.
By Joshua Weinstein, Employee Benefits President I’m a minimalist by nature. I believe everything you own is a relationship you’re in that requires maintenance. That said, many things spark joy and should be kept around, even if they require TLC. When new “things” are needed, I try to maximize my purchasing power. Heck, we so
Read more +13 January 2021 in BlogVolunteer Time Off: The Benefit That Gives Back
By Alison Nelson, Sales and Marketing Coordinator We’ve all heard of paid time off, but what about volunteer time off? Volunteer time off (VTO) is an increasingly popular employee benefit that businesses are offering as a way to demonstrate how seriously they take social responsibility. Offering VTO is also a way to recruit and retain
Read more +04 January 2021 in BlogWorkers’ Compensation Trends to Watch in 2021
By Dena Lythgoe, Senior Account Executive & Partner I can hardly believe it but 2020 has finally come to a very long awaited and welcomed close. With the new year upon us professionals of all industries are offering predictions, trends and opportunities for 2021 and the insurance industry is no different. All business owners
Read more +16 December 2020 in BlogEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
By Tonya Mott, Vice President of Operations My colleague recently turned me onto the book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown: https://gregmckeown.com/book/ I was hooked after reading these two questions: Is your time being hijacked by other people’s agendas? Are you busy but not productive? YES, the answer is, YES!! After I
Read more +08 December 2020 in BlogVirtual Workplace Holiday Parties
By Dena Lythgoe, Senior Account Executive & Partner All of us throughout the world have experience vast changes in 2020. The world is not yet back to the ‘normal’ we have grown knowing and now with the holiday season upon us we seem to be searching for ways to remain close to our loved ones
Read more +18 November 2020 in BlogCruise Season Cancelation
By Dena Lythgoe, Senior Account Executive & Partner Alaska offers majestic mountains, abundant wildlife, and outdoor adventures which bring tourists from all over the world primarily by cruise ship. In 2019, two times the population of Alaska residents came to Alaska on a cruise ship. In 2020 all cruising was put to a screeching halt
Read more +17 November 2020 in BlogHow to Tell if Distance Learning Is Working for Your Kid
By Casey Kirkeby, Strategy Consultant 2020 is a crazy time to be alive. We’re dealing with a pandemic, politics, economic uncertainties, and so much more. This article hit home for me because I have a kid in school and, like many others, we are doing distance learning. My son is going to be 8 years
Read more +10 November 2020 in BlogA Layman’s Guide for When Sh!t Hits the Fan
By Jennifer Outcelt, Account Specialist I think we can all agree that this year has been comprised of many fans, and many propelled sh!ts. It sucks, and we are all struggling to wipe ourselves clean. Many of us are now struggling in a way that feels SO unfamiliar that it’s difficult to identify how we
Read more +03 November 2020 in BlogStress Is a Mess, it Plays to be Board
By Bailey Penrose, Employer Services Account Manager I’ve been fighting heartburn the last few days (weeks, months, etc.) Stress has been a constant, and inconsiderate, guest lately. Quite possibly most of us have had to reach liberally for the Tums, Rolaids, or stomach soother of choice this year. As we get ready to head indoors
Read more +21 October 2020 in BlogSocial Inflation, Low Interest Rates, Rising Catastrophes: Recipe for a Hard Market
By Dena Lythgoe, Senior Account Executive & Partner When you think of a perfect storm, many thoughts may come to mind. You may be reflecting on an emotional storm you’ve encountered, a trifecta of issues and problems all coming down at once. You also could be thinking of Mark Wahlberg as the hunky deckhand glistening
Read more +13 October 2020 in BlogOverheard on Zoom: Not a Horror Story
By Ashley Snodgrass, Executive Account Manager In the age of online meeting exhaustion, there are loads of horror stories about embarrassing things that happened over Zoom. Not long ago, I read a blog post of a person who accidentally saw a coworker’s husband naked on Zoom. Yikes. The second-hand, or even third-hand, embarrassment is unbearable.
Read more +22 September 2020 in BlogBlue Zones: Thank you Zac Efron for Educating Me on Longevity
By Aimee Johnson, Account Executive First, I have to admit that, yes, I have been watching Zac Efron’s new series on Netflix, “Down to Earth” and it has become a guilty pleasure! And no I am not of the generation that swooned over Zac and High School musical. I can honestly say I’ve never
Read more +15 September 2020 in BlogCampsite Recommendations in Alaska for 2021: Start Reserving Spots Now!
By Tonya Mott, Vice President of Operations I know you’re probably thinking it’s way too early to start thinking about booking campsites for the 2021 summer but I promise, you are wrong. Let this blog post be a warning that if you want to camp at the most beautiful campgrounds and get the prime spots
Read more +01 September 2020 in BlogLook Back to Get Ahead
By Bailey Penrose, Employer Services Account Manager I don’t know about you, but being encouraged to stay at home during these turbulent times has really upped my YouTube consumption. Quite possibly Google should start paying me a portion of ad-revenue based on the uptick. One thing I find myself binging are the videos released by
Read more +28 August 2020 in BlogWhy Say Lot Word, When Few Word Do Trick?
By Ashley Snodgrass, Executive Account Manager I’m the first to say I can be a little long winded. I’ve made many efforts over the last few years to try to be more succinct, but it is quite challenging. Because of this self-criticism, I am envious of others who are able to convey their message concisely.
Read more +11 August 2020 in BlogThe Power of Words – Surprisingly Our Least Powerful Tool for Communication
By Alesha Combs, Account Manager I began working from home in March of 2020. One of the first things I noticed during this transition was the shift from popping into a colleague’s office, or by their desk, to say good morning or ask a question, but instead increasing my utilization of emails, texts, phone calls,
Read more +29 July 2020 in BlogSurprise Billings
By Diana Stewart, Executive Account Manager Surprise billing happens when a patient with health insurance is treated at an out-of-network hospital or when an out-of-network doctor assists with the procedure at an in-network hospital. Bills for such services can range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars. “Surprise” out-of-network bills have come under
Read more +14 July 2020 in BlogThe New Normal – Is it Here Yet?
By Andrew Kupperman, RISQ Consulting Employer Services and Workforce Technology Consultant, SHRM-CP I’ve written a few blog posts about change in the past, as I believe the ability to adapt to new challenges is one of the most important skills you can possess in life. But what happens when an event occurs that forces you
Read more +30 June 2020 in BlogEurope Was Cancelled, So I Bought a Unicycle
By Joshua Weinstein, President of the Employee Benefits & Employer Services Division My daughter was married in the fall of 2019, and my gift to the newlywed couple was a family trip to Europe in 2020. COVID-19 hit, so the trip is on pause. So, I decided to dip into the trip savings fund
Read more +23 June 2020 in BlogEmpower Kids to Reach Their Goals With Goally
By Alesha Combs, Account Manager How do you handle distracting colleagues? You know the ones I’m talking about. They ask you a million questions, half of which they already know the answers to, or could figure out on their own. They’re loud, even when you’re in the middle of a scheduled call or Zoom
Read more +16 June 2020 in BlogPlanning a Wedding During a Pandemic
By Shayla Dablemont, RISQ Consulting Individual and Family Benefits Consultant Planning a wedding is stressful enough by itself. Now let’s throw a pandemic into the mix! Most couples put a lot of thought into the specific day they choose to tie the knot. We wanted ours to be as close to our anniversary as possible
Read more +09 June 2020 in BlogCreating and Sustaining an Innovation Culture is Tough
By Tiffany Stock, Vice President of Marketing & Client Relations Here at RISQ, we strive to be thought-leaders and pride ourselves on being innovative, flexible and nimble. A big focus of our culture is on innovation and breaking down the silos on what we do and how we do it. This is one of the
Read more +03 June 2020 in BlogStripping Ain’t Easy
By Angela Baker, Account Specialist Refinishing a piece of furniture is a great way to save money while updating a piece you love. It’s really popular right now to paint classic pieces every color from black to white and everything in between. The popularity and ease of using chalk paint or milk paint makes it
Read more +28 May 2020 in BlogParallel Pandemics: COVID-19 & Tick-Borne Diseases
By Tonya Mott, Vice President of Operations The month of May is Lyme Disease Awareness month so I figured it’s the perfect time to advocate for my loved ones suffering from the disease and spread awareness. Last May I wrote a blog post describing my good friend’s battle with Lyme disease and shortly after
Read more +27 May 2020 in BlogRock With Me, Knoll With Me
By Jennifer Outcelt, Account Specialist It’s been about 6 months since the Coronavirus hit our radar. Since then, our work lives (awe, let’s face it, our WHOLE lives) have been turned upside down. Our time is now spent pivoting our goals, engineering endless workarounds, avoiding people (while desperately wanting to be near them), and frankly,
Read more +19 May 2020 in BlogWhen You Run Out of TV to Watch, Try This New Way of Reading
By Ashley Snodgrass, Executive Account Manager The single greatest improvement to libraries in the last few years, is the addition of digital libraries. Digital libraries allow you to check out eBooks and audiobooks online, which enables you to easily read and return books. If this sounds like a hassle, it is not. It is
Read more +12 May 2020 in BlogSo I Asked My Job, “Will you be my Valentine?”
By Andrew Kupperman, RISQ Consulting Employer Services and Workforce Technology Consultant, SHRM-CP I know we’re past Valentine’s Day, but have you ever heard someone say, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”? If you have, I’m curious as to what your reaction was. Did you laugh in
Read more +12 May 2020 in BlogA Hallway with Locked Doors
By Bailey Penrose, Employer Services Account Manager I read a short article years ago about the concept of ‘liminal space’. ‘Liminal’ is translated from its Latin root as ‘threshold’, and in this concept refers to a beginning or ending marked by traveling through a physical space. When you pass through a door, enter an
Read more +05 May 2020 in BlogISO Laughter and Self-Care Tips during “Hunker Down” Order
By Tonya Mott, Vice President of Operations I don’t know about all of you but life got serious real quick. Looking back about a month ago I’ll never forget my coworker asking me, “Do you really think we’ll have to close the office”. I said, “No way, but we’re prepared if it comes to
Read more +29 April 2020 in BlogNew Tool for News Junkies
By Ashley Snodgrass, Executive Account Manager Are there still any news junkies out there? In light of recent events, I know plenty of folks who say they can’t read the anxiety-inducing news. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, I had friends and acquaintances who refused to read the news because of constant barrage of
Read more +21 April 2020 in BlogParents Are Not OK
By Aimee Johnson, RISQ Consulting Account Executive Working in employee benefits during a pandemic equates to clients needing more than ever. This is a great thing as it presents a tremendous opportunity to show our worth – and we are worth it (in my not so humble opinion). The problem here, is that my 11-month
Read more +16 April 2020 in BlogQuarantine With a Teen
By Jessica Carlson, RISQ Consulting Employee Benefits Consultant Since school has changed to distance learning, and I am working from home, I have been with my 14 year old for the last three weeks and will be for the foreseeable future. This will either tear us apart or bring us closer. I for one would
Read more +08 April 2020 in BlogLive Life at the End of the Leash
By Shayla Dablemont, RISQ Consulting Individual and Family Benefits Consultant “A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk” – O.A. Battista Fido does more for you than just provide companionship. As if you really need more reasons to cuddle your furry friend, one of
Read more +31 March 2020 in Blog9 Ways to Stay Connected During Social Distancing
By Casey Kirkeby, RISQ Consulting Strategy Consultant Humans are social creatures and even the most introverted need some type of social interaction from time to time. For example, I am an extroverted person that loves to go to networking events with large groups of people and support the business that is showcasing it’s location. Any
Read more +10 March 2020 in BlogTuition Reimbursement- Helping Employees with Their Financial Goals
By Casey Kirkeby, RISQ Consulting Strategy Consultant When an employer hires their first employee, benefits are on their mind. There are so many employee benefits out there that it is quite overwhelming to talk about all of them in one blog. There is telecommuting (remote workers), Telemedicine, New Parent Leave, Lactation aid for new mothers,
Read more +02 March 2020 in BlogThe Most Popular Employee Benefits- Are You Offering Them?
By Alison Nelson, RISQ Consulting Sales and Marketing Coordinator The average initial cost to hire and train a new employee is $4,129 (SHRM). So how do you reduce turnover and retain your employees? Well, one way is to offer competitive employee benefits. A colleague recently sent me an interesting article that ranks the 15 most
Read more +24 February 2020 in BlogMy name is Jennifer and I am a DOOFUSS!
By Jennifer Outcelt, RISQ Consulting Account Specialist In your youth, did you vow to never, EVER be like your parents? And now, do think your parents are some of the most remarkable people you’ve ever known? I recently had a child of my own and the thought dawned on me, “How can I learn from
Read more +17 February 2020 in BlogKeep Your Team with Stay Interviews
By Ashley Snodgrass, RISQ Consulting Employee Benefits Executive Account Manager You may have heard of Exit Interviews, to find out why employees left after-the-fact, but have you heard of Stay Interviews? Stay Interviews are tools managers can use to find out what employees like about their jobs, why do they choose to stay, and what
Read more +05 February 2020 in BlogThe Magic Castle Hotel – The Power of Moments
By Tonya Mott, RISQ Consulting Vice President of Operations and Partner I heard The Magic Castle Hotel creates powerful moments for their guests. In 2018 it was showing up on Trip Advisor as the #1 traveler ranked hotel in all of Los Angeles. When I do a search now it’s showing up as #6,
Read more +28 January 2020 in BlogPet Bereavement?
By Natasha Kwachka Recently I went through something very difficult, the loss of my sweet kitty. She fell ill and we had to make an awful decision that left not only myself but my children heartbroken. After many tears and lots of snuggles I made the choice to let my sweet girl depart this earth
Read more +21 January 2020 in BlogClient Events – The Key to Engagement and Loyalty!
By Tiffany Stock One of my favorite things about what I do at RISQ, after working directly with our clients, is spearheading the development of client events. Whether it is a social event, educational event or a combination of the two, the responsibility that I have gives me a lot of energy and creates
Read more +03 January 2020 in BlogRecording in the Workplace
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s MyWave Connect portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login. Overview Is it against the law for employees to record private conversations with co-workers, supervisors or
Read more +30 December 2019 in BlogKidnap and Ransom – The Liam Neeson of Insurance Policies
By RISQ Consulting If everyone had Liam Neeson’s special set of skills from the Taken series, there would be no need for kidnap and ransom (K&R) insurance. Unfortunately, K&R scenarios are a real-world possibility for many high-profile executives and individuals traveling abroad. What is Covered K&R policies cannot prevent an abduction or pay ransom
Read more +19 December 2019 in BlogHouse Passes Spending Bill That Would Repeal Some ACA Taxes
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s MyWave Connect portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login. Overview On Dec. 17, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term continuing spending resolution to prevent
Read more +16 December 2019 in BlogSigns You May Not Have Enough Business Interruption Coverage
By RISQ Consulting Natural disasters, vandalism, fire, and many other factors could impact your business unexpectedly. How long could you survive a full or partial shutdown? Days? Weeks? Months? We understand that losing access to your business hurts the bottom line, so we provide a range of business interruption insurance options. By evaluating your
Read more +12 December 2019 in BlogDOL Issues Model Health Care Transparency Disclosure Documents
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s MyWave Connect portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login. Overview The Department of Labor (DOL) has released the following three model disclosure documents related to a
Read more +09 December 2019 in BlogHow Your Credit Score Can Affect Your Insurance Premiums
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s MyWave Connect portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login. Your credit score is one of the most influential factors when it comes to financial outcomes in your
Read more +05 December 2019 in BlogWhat Does PB&J’s Have in Common with Creating a LEAN Culture at RISQ?
By Tonya Mott Here is an update on our LEAN Journey; I wanted to summarize where we started and what is next for us at RISQ. As you may recall in recent blog posts: We started with the “why”, why would we want to be LEAN and what’s in it for the company and
Read more +25 November 2019 in BlogHealth FSA Limit will Increase for 2020
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s MyWave Connect portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to health
Read more +18 November 2019 in Blog7 Things You Need to Stop Doing To Be More Productive
By Tonya Mott On my “Less Doing” journey I came across this article, 7 Things You Need to Stop Doing To Be More Productive, Backed by Science (Click here). I promise that I’m not a lazy person. For me this journey has been about doing the things that give me energy and make me
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