Owner-managed and family-owned businesses are often faced with the quandary of how to effectively motivate their teams to build and maintain value for the enterprise. Incentivizing employees for the long haul can be confusing territory, and owners should know that options are available in the gray area between cash bonuses and equity ownership. Offering creative packages that link employees to the growth of the company can have an immediate, positive impact on a company's cultural and financial future.
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Last year, the Western world experienced the twin surprises of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election. Elsewhere, geopolitics will play out in 2017 through numerous elections, the possibility of succession in several countries, continued economic polarization, and more. Multinational organizations must be aware of, and prepare for, such political and economic risks in both developed and developing markets.
The potential economic and development gains from gender equality are vast and well-documented—and yet they are currently being bypassed. This joint report with the United Nations Foundation explores the market potential of advancing gender equality. By investing in companies offering products and services that promote gender equality, investors can earn the “return on equality,” seizing profitable, under-tapped market opportunities. In fact, narrowing the global gender gap could add U.S. $12 trillion in annual gross domestic product.
The acceleration of technological innovations and the challenges associated with adapting to them seem to point toward a tumultuous future. That future appears to be approaching faster than ever. Companies are finding it harder to maintain their positions in industries that are increasingly subject to disruption. And while investors may not be able to pinpoint precisely which companies or industries will lead the disruption—or fall victim to it—they should do what they can to plan to take advantage of these opportunities when they arise.
The list of national retailers that have filed for Chapter 11 protection in recent years with the intention of reorganizing but instead wound up liquidating. Remember Circuit City, KB Toys, Borders, Linens-N-Things, and Sports Authority? All gone. Earlier this month, The Limited, an apparel chain dating back to the 1960s, became the first retail casualty of 2017 when it announced it would be liquidating all 250 of its stores. Others are sure to follow.
Marie Tillman was thrust into the spotlight on April 22, 2004, when her husband, former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, was killed in a barrage of friendly fire in Afghanistan. Only a week after Pat’s death, as donations from strangers poured in to support the Tillmans, family and friends decided to establish The Pat Tillman Foundation in honor of Marie’s late husband. "Having the foundation to focus on was such a gift," said Marie. "I was able to take the time to heal because I knew I was doing something positive.”
The dynamic of having an exciting company with immediate needs juxtaposed against the uncertainty of the company’s growth or other changes in the coming years requires a thoughtful and practical approach when it comes to negotiating lease terms. The issues to consider for these types of leases are not just an “us versus them” or a “millennials versus older generation” polarization. For these types of leases, both the landlord and tenant must communicate expectations and deal-breakers early in the process.
Seventy-seven percent of employees want voluntary benefits. But with so many options available in today's market, it's crucial to choose the right benefits, based on your employees' demographics, claims history, and expressed wants and needs. A good place to start is to know the trending voluntary benefits and when top employers are offering them.
All business owners will transition their business at some point in the future. Whether it is a transfer within their family, such as to the next generation, or to an existing business partner or employee, or sold to a competitor or outside investor, transition will occur. Just as successfully run businesses do not happen overnight, transitioning well cannot happen without devoting the necessary focus and intentionality.
In a competitive global marketplace, employers across the United States spend countless resources attempting to set themselves apart and claim their share of available business opportunities. Against that backdrop, it is easy to understand why employers will do everything possible to protect the confidential information they have created and the goodwill they have built with their customers. Employees are a critical element in building that success, but they can also be well-positioned to undermine such efforts when a relationship turns sour or where they are courted by a competitor.