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AI has changed how email and search work, but it has not made either less important. See how targeted email, Storefront SEO, AI-ready content and re-marketing are helping specialty insurance companies generate more agent conversations and submissions in 2027.

This post originally appeared at Open Forum. To build a successful organization, there needs to be a variety of people playing different roles in order for things to run smoothly. Some of these roles are easily defined while others may have more confusing boundaries, such as the difference between a manager and a leader. You can be a manager and a leader at the same time, but just because you're a phenomenal leader doesn't guarantee you'll be a great manager, and vice-versa, so what's the real difference? In his book On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis writes about a few crucial differences between a leader and a manager. Here are some key differentiators from the book, as well as insights from Gene Wade, founder and CEO of UniversityNow, and late management guru Peter Drucker. 1. The leader innovates whereas the manager administers. This means that the leader is the one who comes up with new ideas and moves the rest of the organization into a forward-thinking phase. This person has to constantly keep his eyes on the horizon and develop new strategies and tactics. He needs to be knowledgeable about the latest trends, studies and skill sets. "You got people who are just going to work instead of thinking about why they're doing what they're doing, and then you have the leaders," Wade says. On the other hand, a manager maintains what has already been established. This person has to keep her eye on the bottom line and maintain control or else there might be disorder within the organization. In his book The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management: Lasting Lessons from the Best Leadership Minds of Our Time, Alan Murray cites Drucker as saying that a manager is someone who "establishes appropriate targets and yardsticks, and analyzes, appraises and interprets performance." Managers understand the people who work alongside them and know which person is the best person for specific tasks. 2. The leader inspires trust whereas the manager relies on control. Wade says that a leader is someone who inspires other people to be their best and knows how to appropriately set the tempo and pace for the rest of the group. "Leadership is not what you do—it's what others do in response to you," he says. "If no one shows up at your march, then you're not really a leader." And if people do decide to jump on board because you've inspired them, then it means that you have created a bond of trust within the company, which is essential especially if the business is rapidly changing and needs people to believe in its mission. As for managers, Drucker wrote that their job is to maintain control over people by helping them develop their own assets and bringing out their greatest talents. To do this effectively, you have to know the people you are working with and understand their interests and passions. The manager then "creates a team out of his people, through decisions on pay, placement, promotion and through his communications with the team." "Managing a project is one thing, empowering others is another thing," Wade says. MORE HERE http://www.businessinsider.com/3-things-that-separate-leaders-from-managers-2012-9 Put U.S. Risk to work for you. We have the product expertise, speed to market and commitment to service you can rely on.

When it comes to quoting and issuing builders risk, commercial structures are often in a league of their own. Between the complexities and time involved, and the coverage variations from provider to provider, these structures can be challenging for even the most experienced agent.

Builders risk policies often vary by provider, which makes navigating and interpreting coverage a challenge. Helping your clients protect their financial investments requires a comprehensive understanding of the risks they face, as well as the policies and endorsements in the market. In US Assure’s 30-minute webinar, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of five specialty coverages to help you better advise construction clients to avoid financial devastation.

Builders risk policies often vary by provider, which makes navigating and interpreting them a challenge. Helping your clients protect their construction investments requires a comprehensive understanding of all the risks they face, as well as the policies and coverage endorsements available.

Although many women work through their pregnancies without difficulty, some of them with physically demanding jobs or complicated pregnancies might seek accommodation at some point. However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not define pregnancy as a disability or disorder, but as a natural process related to reproduction. If pregnancy is not a disability, are pregnant women entitled to accommodation? What about women with pregnancy-related impairments? Are they covered by the ADA Does the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) entitle pregnant women to the accommodations they need to continue working during pregnancy? Are there state laws that entitle pregnant women to accommodation? These are the types of questions are being examined by the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and other women's legal organizations. According to NWLC, both the ADA and the PDA often require reasonable accommodation for pregnancy. Let's start with the ADA. The regulations interpreting the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) state that pregnancy-related impairments can meet the definition of disability if they substantially limit a major life activity. Pregnant employees with impairments that meet the definition of disability will be entitled to an accommodation under the ADA. Because the ADAAA has broadened the definition of disability to include many temporary and less severe impairments, more workers with pregnancy-related impairments will now qualify for direct coverage. In addition, the interaction between the PDA and the ADA will often result in a heightened duty to accommodate even pregnant employees who do not meet the ADA's definition of disability. NWLC argues that the PDA requires employers to treat pregnant women at least as well as other employees with similar limitations in their ability to work. Because the ADA requires employers to accommodate a wider variety of medical conditions, pregnant women will often have similar limitations to people who are entitled to accommodations under the act - which means that they'll be entitled to accommodations as well. For example, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has made it clear that the ADA requires reasonable accommodation of a temporary back injury that leaves an employee unable to lift 20 pounds for a few months. Because pregnant workers must be treated as well as employees with similar work limitations, a worker who has been instructed not to lift weights of more than 20 pounds because of her pregnancy must also be accommodated, according to NWLC. To ensure that employers' legal obligations to provide accommodations are unmistakable, the NWLC and a broad coalition of groups from the health, disability, and women's rights communities are urging Congress to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) - draft legislation which states that pregnant women are entitled to reasonable accommodations that can be provided without undue hardship to an employer. These are the same types of accommodations that are available to people with disabilities under the ADA. In addition, some state laws already give pregnant workers' rights to workplace accommodations, as described in a recent report by Equal Rights Advocates. Accommodating pregnant employees is also in the financial interest of employers. The NWLC provides several sound business reasons why employers should accommodate their pregnant employees in the same way that they do for workers with disabilities. Data show that the costs of these accommodations are likely to be minimal, and that providing them will have bottom- line benefits to the employer: including reduced workforce turnover, increased employee satisfaction and productivity, and lower Workers Compensation and other insurance costs. Despite the legal and financial arguments, some employers are still not accommodating pregnant employees. This is why the EEOC recently identified "accommodating pregnancy-related limitations under the ADAAA and the PDA" as a priority area for itsenforcement efforts through 2016. If you are an employee who was not accommodated during your pregnancy or you believe you were discriminated against on the basis of pregnancy, the NWLC would like you to share your story. Employers interested in sharing their experiences accommodating pregnant employees or in consulting about best practices are also invited to contact NWLC, at [email protected]. Keep in mind that when it comes to providing accommodation ideas, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) consultants will brainstorm accommodation ideas for anyone with any type of limitation, including limitations related to pregnancy, whether or not the ADA covers the condition. So, if you're an employer trying to accommodate pregnant employees, or a pregnant employee looking for accommodation ideas to offer your employer, feel free to contact JAN for assistance! -Linda Carter Batiste, J.D., Principal Consultant with comments from the National Women's Law Center P.S. Speaking of job accommodations, HRThatWorks members can join us for a joint webinar with JAN on Providing Accommodations for Employees with Mental Health Impairments, to be held March 20th at 1PM EST by going tohttps://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/324256449.

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If you're using "contingent workers" -- on a part-time, temporary, or contract basis -- be aware that these employees face a greater risk of occupational injuries and illness. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) reasons for this higher vulnerability include the tendency to outsource more hazardous jobs, lack of experience and familiarity with operations in a dangerous workplace, inadequate protective equipment, and limited access to such preventive measures as medical screening programs. The chances are that temporary workers have a wide variety of experience levels (due to high turnover) or have had the benefit of formal safety programs. Also, bear in mind that even though the safety of contract workers is the legal responsibility of the contractor, the OSHA General Duty Clause could be interpreted to make you responsible for protecting everyone in your workplace. To help meet this obligation, and bolster workplace safety compliance we'd recommend that you take these steps: Include safety requirements in the contract, even if only to state that the contractor must comply with OSHA requirements. If the contractor doesn't follow safety rules, you can force compliance or stop work for breach of contract. Set the safety compliance ground rules up front, during orientation or before they start work. Share accountability. Although an accident caused by a contract worker might not be your legal responsibility, it's still your problem. Don't leave safety compliance problems for the contractor to solve alone. Offer assistance. Explain all hazardous conditions or processes during the initial project orientation and stress any rules and restrictions, such as hot-work permit requirements, lockout/tagout, and confined spaces situations and needs. Document communications with contractors. Give the contractor(s) a document or form to sign when resolving specific safety problems or for conducting inspections. Read the OSHA Multi-Employer Citation Policy. OSHA published an enforcement and compliance directive (CPL 02-00-124, December 10, 1999) laying out its citation policy for multi-employer worksites, which includes contractors. Finally, don't forget that most contingent workers will only be in your workplace for a relatively short time. This only adds to the urgency of getting them up to speed on your company's safety policies and practices as quickly as possible. Contact our office today for more information. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.