The United States Unemployment Rate

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website gives you a clear idea of the United States unemployment rate in this country.  Certainly, it is the lowest unemployment rate for the last ten years in the United States and many economists predict the economy still has room to grow.

So, if employment is not an issue for many workers, what are some of the perks you can offer to attract and keep quality employees for your business?

Businesses across the globe understand that employees can make or break a business, which one do you want to be? What are some of the benefits you can include in hiring an employee for your business?

To read more about this and other stories, follow the links below.


The Smaller the Small Business, the Bigger the Insurance Discontent: J.D. Power

Not all small businesses are the same when it comes to customer satisfaction with their commercial insurance. There are actually widening satisfaction gaps among small businesses of different sizes, according to the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study.

The study found that the gaps in overall satisfaction among micro- (fewer than five employees) or smaller-size (five-10 employees) small businesses and larger-size (11-50) small businesses have never been wider. While there has been significant year-over-year improvement in overall satisfaction among customers in the larger-size group, there have been sharp declines in satisfaction among customers in both smaller-size groups.

“The small business market has been the best growth area for property and casualty insurance carriers in a stagnant, soft cycle marketplace,” said Greg Hoeg, vice president of U.S. insurance operations at J.D. Power. “Our data shows that the small commercial market is still ripe for competition. While looking at the small business market in aggregate shows relatively steady levels of customer satisfaction year over year, the serious gap between very small businesses and larger small businesses could present an opportunity for those carriers that get the small business formula just right.”


What Kind Of Small Business Employees Do You Need To Grow Your Company?

Many small businesses benefit from hiring employees. At some point, you may decide that you need more hands on deck at your company. When that time comes, you might not know where to start. You want individuals who will make a difference in business operations. What kind of small business employees do you need to grow your company?

Knowing what to look for in a candidate is not as easy as it might seem. After 30 years in entrepreneurship, I’ll be the first to admit that looking for employees to hire can be tough. When hiring an employee, you need to know what characteristics to look for.

What Kind Of Small Business Employees Do You Need To Grow Your Company?

There are many different types of employees in a business. Companies have leaders, followers, go-getters, and employees who do the bare minimum.

You will have employees who struggle from time-to-time or lose motivation. Highs and lows are inevitable in life. But with the right attributes, your employees will use their skills to grow your company.

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or ready to give a pep talk to your current workforce, consider the following characteristics.


 

Ohio Business News

business (5)Storing paper files in offices or warehouses is no longer done -we hope- but, when information in deleted so easily from a computer, we tend to wonder umm……, either way this is what is happening around Ohio this week.


Commercial kitchens: Can we stir up new food processing in Ohio?

In March, I was at a meeting in Champaign County, Ohio, when a woman asked me what I knew about community commercial kitchens.

Not much, I confessed, but enough to think they’re a great option for entrepreneurial small food processors and marketers.

Let’s say you have a great recipe for cheesecakes. You make them for every occasion and even give them as gifts. Pretty soon, people are asking if they could buy them from you.


Ohio women earn 75% of what men make, report says

As local leaders seek to improve the job outlook, national numbers again point to an income disparity between men and women nationally.

The National Women’s Law Center reports women working full-time make 77 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. The center pointed to a disproportionate concentration of women working in minimum wage and tipped occupations.


Cleveland VA office accidentally deletes nearly 500,000 loan documents

The regional Veterans Affairs office in Cleveland says nearly 500,000 electronic home loan documents were accidentally deleted in May.  The VA says the information included active loan files, along with appraisal and grant documents for veterans and service members who qualify for the Specially Adapted Housing. Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman issued a statement Monday saying that he wants more answers and what the office plans to do about the mistake.


Ohio Business News

business (2)With this post we bring you the latest news on what is happening in Ohio.


Internet cafés declared ‘illegal businesses’ in Ohio

Having solved all of the state’s other problems, the Ohio legislature has passed a bill outlawing that most foul of societal ills: the internet café.

As reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, House Bill 7, which passed the State Senate with a bipartisan vote of 27 to 6 on Wednesday, effectively cuts off the main source of income for Ohio’s internet cafés and is expected to put most of them out of business.


A. Schulman plans more restructuring actions overseas

Fairlawn-based A. Schulman Inc. has announced more restructuring plans, including more staff cuts, in its Europe, Middle East and Africa region due to the economic climate in Europe.

It also said it plans to sell a business in Australia.

The maker of plastic resins said the additional restructuring in Europe is expected to generate approximately $4 million in annual savings.


Energy efficiency fund to offer financing in Ohio

A new fund introduced in Ohio will mean dollars saved for small businesses and landlords alike, as well as greener buildings for businesses that otherwise have trouble finding the funding.


Recession or Recovery? Ohio Business News

business (11)The economy is always news around our nation.  Small owners surveyed may not agree whether the economy is recovering, but there is certainly more optimism about a recovery than before.  Read the articles below to discover what is happening around Ohio, our economy and new happenings in business.


Recession or recovery? Ohio’s small-business owners split

Ohio small-business owners are split over whether the U.S. and Ohio economies are still in recession or recovering, according to U.S. Bank’s annual small-business survey.

The survey polled 3,210 small businesses, including 203 in Ohio, across 25 states where the bank provides small-business services. The survey found that 45 percent of the small businesses surveyed believe the U.S. and Ohio economies are in an economic recovery.


Northeast Ohio small business owners are more optimistic about growth than their peers nationwide

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Northeast Ohio small-business owners see more opportunities to grow than their counterparts around the state and nation, according to COSE‘s latest small business monitor survey.


Popular locally brewed beer returns to Ohio

Wiedemann’s Special Lager will make its Ohio debut at Arnold’s Bar and Grill on May 17.
The event will include a delivery of the ceremonial first keg of Wiedemann in a horse-drawn beer wagon by Jim Tarbell.