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Work / Life Issues

University finds partners for low-Cost lactation rooms

02/01/2008

At the University of California, Davis, new moms express milk in the privacy of janitor closets, utility rooms and restroom lounges. At least that’s what these rooms once were. Today, 34 8-by-8 nooks around campus are equipped with hospital-grade breast pumps, comfortable chairs, literature about parenting and pumping—and lots of baby pictures …

Toy-Stocked playroom invites employees’ kids to work

02/01/2008

When babysitters cancel on parents who work for Redmond Minerals’ corporate office in Heber City, UT, moms and dads tote their preschoolers to work, where the kids have their own playroom. Rather than have employees miss work to take care of their kids when day care closes unexpectedly, Redmond created the playroom eight years ago for a few hundred dollars …

Got mental health benefits? Spread the word

02/01/2008

According to the nonprofit Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, more than 40% of employees who work for organizations with mental health benefits don’t know anything about them. Yet they’re keenly aware when workplace stress takes its toll on their productivity and happiness …

Want healthy employees? Offer a flexible workplace

02/01/2008

The advantages of a healthier work force are many—fewer sick days, higher productivity and less-painful health insurance costs. But how can employers encourage a healthier lifestyle without nagging? One surprising way: allow flexible scheduling, such as job sharing, telecommuting and compressed workweeks …

7 ways to get the most out of Millennial employees

02/01/2008
In today’s workplace, many supervisors have to manage people from four different generations, all of which respond to different kinds of carrots, sticks and management styles. The breakdown: Traditional workers: born before 1946 Baby Boomers: 1946–1964 Generation X: 1965–1979 Millennials: 1980–1995 According to anecdotal information and research (see box below), managers in U.S. organizations are […]

Family responsibilities discrimination poses complex quandary

02/01/2008

When employers make employment decisions based on sex stereotypes about caregivers or favor employees who don’t have family responsibilities, affected employees can successfully sue for family responsibilities discrimination (FRD) …

5 trends will shape compensation & benefits in 2008

01/01/2008

You’re probably under pressure to reduce benefits costs as your organization tries to remain competitive in the marketplace. But don’t neglect your competitiveness in the race to attract and retain the best employees. They’re probably looking for even better benefits to offset static pay raises. Five key issues are emerging in 2008 for compensation and benefits professionals …

Work/Afterlife balance? Benefit helps staff plan funerals

01/01/2008

Your organization might offer (or have considered) a concierge service to help employees buy gifts, run errands and plan parties. The newest player in that field can help them plan funerals …

7 ways for employers—Big or small—To recruit & retain in ’08

01/01/2008

f you work for a large organization, get ready to fight with small ones for your employees. If you work for a small organization, get ready to spend more on the pay and benefits that will lure big-company stars over to your shop …

Options help Xerox staff cope with illness

01/01/2008

When illness strikes a family member, worry and stress can hurt job performance. Xerox helps employees manage complex diagnoses with a patient advocacy program …