DECEMBER 2019 | FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM
An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today
WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY
The risk factors you need to address to avoid workplace injuries
How Kastle Systems can help you find the right security solution The former mayor of Kansas City talks about how he brought his city into the future
Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association
www.vpppa.org An association of passionate people dedicated to safety and health excellence in the workplace.
What to Do About the Ergonomics Issue Employees work in inherently safe environments and are not likely going to get hurt on the job, right? Not quite. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 1 in 3 workers’ compensation claims that result in paid time off are related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health classifies MSDs as soft-tissue injuries caused by sudden or sustained exposure to repetitive motion, force, vibration, and awkward positions. Ergonomics is the science of matching the workplace conditions and job duties to the worker. MSDs happen when ergonomic programs are nonexistent or ineffective at protecting workers from harm. Effective ergonomic programs counteract the potential of MSDs by addressing risk factors such as awkward postures, overhead work, wrist deviations, etc. Addressing the ergonomic risks within a formal health and safety management system is the key to protecting every worker everywhere against preventable MSDs. You can take that to the bank instead of the emergency room. n J.A. Rodriguez, Jr., CSP, SGE, Chairman of the Board, Voluntary Protection Program Participants’ Association
Why Modern Ergonomics Lacks Common Sense
Alison Heller-Ono
MSPT, CDA, CASp, COESP, CIE, CPE, CMC, President and CEO, Worksite International, Inc.
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n 2020, employers face an ever-changing, complex work environment. The challenges are significant, ranging from new employment laws; to changing work schedules that allow employees to work from anywhere at any time; to a deepening, multi-generational workforce. Beyond the human aspect are the rapid advances in technology, which we all must embrace. Employers must take these factors into account as the socio-technical system of work evolves,
becoming more complicated in the next decade. A common theme is the need to work in a safe, healthy, and productive manner. To achieve harmony within the complexity of work, employers must embrace organizational ergonomics. It’s been over 70 years since the science of ergonomics was first used to influence the way we work, however, ergonomics is neither intuitive nor sensical. For it to change, the science must be commonly taught and practiced. Unfortunately, we are not there. There is evidence of the lack of integration of sound ergonomic principles all around us. Walk into any new building in the United States and while it may look beautiful, trendy, and modern, chances are it is far from ergonomic. A critical error Most employers fail to invest in a consultation from an ergonomist when designing their workspaces. Instead, they take the advice of either an architect and/or designer, who cares more about an area’s appearance than its function. Or they go online and purchase ill-fitting, inferior, cheap, and foreign-made products. These decisions may make business sense, but miss the mark in achieving a human-centered design that meets the needs of employees. As we move into the 21st century, organizations should know and embrace the value of good office ergonomics, and should integrate and practice it at all levels daily. By doing so, employers will achieve a truly ergonomic, healthy, and productive workplace. n
Publishers Peter Tobitsch, Dalila Radoncic Business Developer Joelle Hernandez Managing Director Luciana Olson Lead Designer Tiffany Pryor Designer Kayla Mendez Lead Editor Mina Fanous Copy Editor Dustin Brennan Director of Sales Shannon Ruggiero Director of Business Development Jourdan Snyder Director of Product Faye Godfrey Content Strategist Vanessa Rodriguez Cover Photo Tiffany Pryor All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today. FOLLOW US: @MEDIAPLANETUSA
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Presents
Registration opens in February 2020
PLEASE RECYCLE
SAVE THE DATE August 25–28, 2020 Orlando World Center Marriott | Orlando, Florida
www.vpppa.org/symposium 2 • FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM
MEDIAPLANET
SPONSORED BY KASTLE SYSTEMS
7 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING OFFICE SECURITY Moving an office? Had a security breach? Upgrading office security to protect staff? Here are important security system considerations:
Will the security system protect staff from internal and external threats? Quickly grant/deny user rights and track credentials. Is it user-friendly? Security should be a workplace benefit, not a hassle. Can it perform for today’s standards and 10 years from now? Systems must last and evolve with technology. Who monitors and maintains it? Security is only as effective as the people who run it. Is it cyber-secure? Physical and cyber security are not separate — servers running on your network are vulnerable. Is reporting easy and accurate? Track exactly when and where someone is in your office. Can it manage your visitors? Control when visitors can enter and where they can go (before they arrive). Kastle Systems can help you find the right security solution. Visit kastle. com/office-security/ Kyle McAdams, Marketing Director, Kastle Systems 4 • FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM
These Safety Hacks Can Help Secure Your Company Secrets
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ost people don’t think about office security on a daily basis, until it becomes a major news event. These are some tips you can apply in your workplace to make you and your coworkers just a bit more secure: Do your own shredding Where do you keep your secrets? Most companies keep the majority of them digitally but at times they need to be printed. Once printed, where do they go? My guess is your office has a shred bin; a locked box where the contents will be destroyed by a third-party company. If so, you have clearly identified to everyone (including insider threats) where you are keeping your secrets: in a thin plastic box with a cheap lock. Do your company a favor, buy a shredder and shred your own secrets. Keep it clean Do you know who walks around your office at night? How often are cleaning crews, building maintenance staff, and contractors in your space? What’s on your desk? Would you be upset if it was gone in the morning or if someone took a picture?
Requiring a clean desk policy is a simple and effective improvement that helps both the company with security and with general office appearance. Protect yourself from yourself Cultural and community variations exist from location to location and company to company. However, one thing is always consistent; insider threats happen. Did cash go missing? Was an account lost to a competitor and then your employee went to work for them? Did a groundbreaking company secret left on your kitchen table wind up in the background of your kid’s selfie? Creating a culture of security with education for all employees, testing, training, and the support of company leadership is the best way to combat these types of insider threats. Make it clear what will and will not be tolerated. Help employees understand what the intentional and unintentional results of their actions may be. A bit of good security hygiene goes a long way. Start with the basics and when you’re ready for more, call an independent security consultant. n Michael Glasser, CPP, PSP, PCI, CISSP, CEH, President, Glasser Security Group LLC
Why Small- and Medium-Size Businesses Need to Care About Cybersecurity Most small- and medium-size businesses believe they do not have to worry about cybersecurity, feeling they’re too small to be the target of an attack. However, digital security needs to be a priority for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
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hen many businesses think about information security or cybersecurity, a few things come to mind: Our company is too small. There’s nothing we have that’s worth hacking us over. We don’t know where to start. It’s too hard. We don’t have to worry because we have an IT function to take care of that. None of this could be further from the truth. As a small or even midsize business, you are still a target and you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there were 30.2 million businesses registered in 2018. Malicious actors (we don’t call them hackers anymore) are opportunists and like to go after easy targets, much like how burglars target houses without security monitoring stickers in the windows. They realize that most of those 30.2 million businesses aren’t practicing basic security safeguards, thereby making them easy targets. Oftentimes, without proper security measures in place, businesses won’t even realize they’ve been hacked. By the same rules Small businesses are also required to comply with the same laws and regulations as larger companies when it comes to personal data. This includes “consumer data,” which is all data supplied by a customer. This is the most easily understood sensitive information, such as credit card data and health information. In other words, businesses can no longer
claim ignorance. All businesses are required to apply safeguards around the sensitive data (including consumer data) and computing environment. So what are you, as the owner of a small or midsize business, supposed to do? You may not have the resources available to invest in a largescale security operation. The good news is you don’t have to, you just need to invest the appropriate amount into a security initiative that protects the data and environment according to the size of your company, and amount of data you collect, process, and store. So how do you do that? Apply security safeguards appropriate to the size of your business and scope of potential security risk. There are many resources available for businesses, ranging from self-help free models to a comprehensive security service models. Additional resources The SBA has a wealth of resources presented in an easy-to-understand way, including explanations of common threats, how to assess your business risk, cybersecurity best practices, and even training. One last piece of advice offered to all businesses is to stay educated on the topic of cyber and information security. With new laws, regulations, and attacks announced frequently, it is important to stay informed. Find a good business news source, and watch for cybersecurity and privacy news-related stories. n Candy Alexander, CISSP CISM, International President, Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
SPONSORED BY DOCUWARE
Going Paperless Can Save Your Company Reduce costs, increase productivity, and secure your data with a document management system. Less than 20 percent of companies have become fully digital despite the advantages. “We have customers saving 36 man-hours a month and $22,000 a year by digitally managing their documents,” notes Dr. Michael Berger, president of DocuWare Group, a provider of digital document management solutions. With the right partner, you can set up a document management system (DMS) in four simple steps: 1. Define objectives “Go step by step so that you’re not doing everything at once,” advises Dr. Berger. 2. Define the scope Analyze existing processes to understand your existing workflow and needs. 3. Consider features Base features on both current and future requirements. 4. Find the right partner DocuWare offers pre-configured solutions that allow companies to set up a DMS quickly. The paperless office isn’t just the future — it’s the best decision your business can make. Contact us at DocuWare.com to learn more. Jeff Somers MEDIAPLANET • 5
If you work in an office, you may be used to eight-hour (or longer) days spent nearly motionless, staring at a screen. We consulted with Jillian Michaels, TV personality, health and fitness expert, and creator of the My Fitness app, about some ways to get moving throughout the workday. What is the correlation between a person’s physical fitness and their productivity? To be honest, I really don’t see one. I want to tell you I do but I have known many productive people who are very unhealthy. I would say that
there is absolutely a correlation to feeling healthy and strong physically, and having more confidence in the workplace. I think this allows people to take more calculated risks, put themselves out there, and excel. What are a few easy and convenient exercises someone can do throughout a normal workday to increase activity? I recommend the obvious first: stand, don’t sit. Pace when on the phone. Deliver messages in person to get the extra steps as opposed to using email. Take the stairs, not the
elevator. It’s all the obvious stuff but it adds up over time. Then I also recommend quick sets of exercises. So maybe doing 10 squats or 20 alternating lunges while standing next to your desk five times a day. Ten push-ups on your desk done several times throughout the day. Ten dips off your chair again done several times throughout the day. I do this a lot when I can’t get to the gym, and by day’s end I’ve usually done 100 squats, 100 pushups, and 100 lunges. While it isn’t perfect, it’s a heck of a lot better than doing nothing and I’ve wracked up at least an extra mile in steps. What role does physical wellness play in employee well-being? Physical fitness helps people to have more energy, improves their mood, and empowers them in all facets of their lives. Helping ourselves and others to care about health sends a message of community, comradery, and empowerment. n
PHOTO: DON FLOOD
Planning a Healthy Workday With Help From Jillian Michaels
How to Be Productive and Be Heard in Today’s Workplace Julie Morgenstern Author, “Organizing from the Inside Out”
As technology adds distractions and shortens attention spans in the workplace, effective time management and communication skills are at a premium. We asked the experts about the keys to improving and getting the most out of these abilities in today’s office. What type of organizational products should employees have to ensure they are properly managing their time?
Brant Pinvidic Producer, Documentary Filmmaker, “Why I’m Not on Facebook” and “Why I’m Not on Pokemon GO”
Julie Morgenstern: There are many options available for keeping track of to-do lists and organizing your time. So many choices, in fact, it can be overwhelming. The key is to find the one that works best for you — one that allows you to set and keep posi-
6 • FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM
tive habits, and does not further complicate or add more chaos to your day. For some, that is a digital calendar, for some it may be something you keep on paper. Why is clear-cut communication so important in the workplace? Brant Pinvidic: The workplace is, for the most part, a relationship-based ecosystem. Clear-cut communication in the office is more
important now than ever as the attention spans of your co-workers have steadily gotten shorter. You are going to need to influence the people in your workplace, and a simplified, clear, and concise message or communication is by far your best chance of success. Today, people in the office that blather on and can’t deliver their ideas in a clear and concise manner will find themselves alienated from their co-workers. n
How Kansas City Became the Most Connected City in America A willingness to work with private entrepreneurs and companies gave Kansas City the smart tools to become a city of the future. We spoke to former KC mayor Sly James about the partnerships and strategies that made this possible. Public-Private Partnerships are providing communities with new tools and ways to address their infrastructure challenges. How have you used your role as mayor to help the city embrace new technology and innovation? As mayor, I’m able to convene top talent across sectors, and provide the public support that encourages them to collaborate on innovative and sustainable solutions to chronic problems in
our city. For example, our Innovative Partnership Program challenges entrepreneurs to develop, test, and demonstrate innovative solutions for the city to improve the quality and efficiency of its services and operations. Through this partnership, the city agrees to test and evaluate those solutions using city infrastructure data. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to expose their products and services to a broader base, potentially attracting new clients. The city
benefits by having the chance to try the new technology at no cost. Most of the time, the biggest problem with smart cities is not knowing where to start. How did Kansas City become a hub of innovation that eventually earned it the nickname “The Most Connected City in America?” Along with Kansas City, Kansas, we were fortunate to be selected as Google’s first Google Fiber city in 2011, and this
brought several fiber providers to our community to take advantage of the creation of fiber conduit and other developments throughout our city. We now have over 8,000 miles of fiber that the city owns as a result of this boom and about 5.5 million miles of fiber in the metro area. Once a community has a high capacity network on which to connect, the phone starts ringing. With rapid urbanization and populations booming, how can leaders of the
public and private sectors, as well as citizens, do their part to make every American city successfully connected? Don’t overestimate or overemphasize what new innovations and technologies can accomplish — they are simply tools that allow us to serve our citizens better and we need to use them wisely. What it’s really all about is engaging with each other to understand how we can work together more efficiently and equitably. n
Why Smart Cities Are the Way of the Future The benefits of smart cities are plentiful but many challenges stand in the way. It’s increasingly obvious that our cities are our future. Right now, more than half the world’s population lives in urban centers and it’s predicted that number will be near 70 percent by 2050. That represents both a challenge and an opportunity. “As consumers develop more aptitude and use of technology in their everyday lives, cities will be asked to adapt to new behaviors and social expectations,” said Katie Meyer, smart city policy advisor and program man-
ager at Cincinnati Bell, a telecommunications service provider. A smart city is an urban center that uses information and communication technologies like WiFi to engage its citizens, increase efficiency, and support exclusivity. Public-private partnerships Companies committed to serving their communities, like Cincinnati Bell, can be powerful partners for municipalities that want to bring the benefits of a smart city to their citizens. “Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) allow communities to identify where each partner
can best facilitate their role in the solution,” said John Putnam, director of the smart city program at Cincinnati Bell. Putnam sees the smart city as inevitable and stresses that there are several components to a successful implementation, the most important of which is the PPP. “Local governments must ensure the planning and implementation of smart city solutions happen holistically,” he said, “with input from the community, and with partners, in order to achieve the maximum outcome.” n Jeff Somers MEDIAPLANET • 7
How Kansas City Became the Most Connected City in America A willingness to work with private entrepreneurs and companies gave Kansas City the smart tools to become a city of the future. We spoke to former KC mayor Sly James about the partnerships and strategies that made this possible. Public-Private Partnerships are providing communities with new tools and ways to address their infrastructure challenges. How have you used your role as mayor to help the city embrace new technology and innovation? As mayor, I’m able to convene top talent across sectors, and provide the public support that encourages them to collaborate on innovative and sustainable solutions to chronic problems in
our city. For example, our Innovative Partnership Program challenges entrepreneurs to develop, test, and demonstrate innovative solutions for the city to improve the quality and efficiency of its services and operations. Through this partnership, the city agrees to test and evaluate those solutions using city infrastructure data. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to expose their products and services to a broader base, potentially attracting new clients. The city
benefits by having the chance to try the new technology at no cost. Most of the time, the biggest problem with smart cities is not knowing where to start. How did Kansas City become a hub of innovation that eventually earned it the nickname “The Most Connected City in America?” Along with Kansas City, Kansas, we were fortunate to be selected as Google’s first Google Fiber city in 2011, and this
brought several fiber providers to our community to take advantage of the creation of fiber conduit and other developments throughout our city. We now have over 8,000 miles of fiber that the city owns as a result of this boom and about 5.5 million miles of fiber in the metro area. Once a community has a high capacity network on which to connect, the phone starts ringing. With rapid urbanization and populations booming, how can leaders of the
public and private sectors, as well as citizens, do their part to make every American city successfully connected? Don’t overestimate or overemphasize what new innovations and technologies can accomplish — they are simply tools that allow us to serve our citizens better and we need to use them wisely. What it’s really all about is engaging with each other to understand how we can work together more efficiently and equitably. n
Why Smart Cities Are the Way of the Future The benefits of smart cities are plentiful but many challenges stand in the way. It’s increasingly obvious that our cities are our future. Right now, more than half the world’s population lives in urban centers and it’s predicted that number will be near 70 percent by 2050. That represents both a challenge and an opportunity.
“As consumers develop more aptitude and use of technology in their everyday lives, cities will be asked to adapt to new behaviors and social expectations,” said Katie Meyer, smart city policy advisor and program manager at Cincinnati Bell, a telecommunications service provider. A smart city is an urban center that uses
information and communication technologies like WiFi to engage its citizens, increase efficiency, and support exclusivity. Public-private partnerships Companies committed to serving their communities, like Cincinnati Bell, can be powerful partners for municipalities that want to bring the benefits of a
smart city to their citizens. “Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) allow communities to identify where each partner can best facilitate their role in the solution,” said John Putnam, director of the smart city program at Cincinnati Bell. Putnam sees the smart city as inevitable and stresses that there are several components to a
successful implementation, the most important of which is the PPP. “Local governments must ensure the planning and implementation of smart city solutions happen holistically,” he said, “with input from the community, and with partners, in order to achieve the maximum outcome.” n Jeff Somers MEDIAPLANET • 7