Work / Life Issues

Looming child-care crisis could affect your employees

10/30/2023

Many of your employees may soon begin scrambling to find child care for their kids—if they’re not already struggling. That’s because as many as 70,000 child-care providers nationwide could be forced to close after $24 billion in American Rescue Plan federal funding ran out Sept. 30. Thousands of day cares have shut their doors since then.

Employees worry their pay isn’t keeping up with inflation…

10/16/2023

Over the last year, the impact of inflation and economic uncertainty has increased the financial stress employees feel. Only 42% of those polled rated their financial wellness as good or excellent, the lowest rate since 2010.

‘Selling’ benefits: 5 ways to repackage perks & increase participation

10/11/2023

The two keys to greater use of your work/life benefits: constant communication and the right kind of communication. Here are five suggestions to achieve those goals.

As bills come due, consider adding student-loan assistance benefits

10/02/2023

Many of your employees are about to face significant financial stress. After a three-year pause triggered by the pandemic, 43 million Americans must resume making payments on federal student loans this month.

Consider addressing menopause care with your company’s portfolio of benefits

09/27/2023

According to a new study by the Mayo Clinic, employees going through menopause are more likely to miss work, cut back to part-time status or even quit. That can mean losing employees at an age when their experience and talent are at their peak.

It’s almost open enrollment, so let’s talk wellness benefits

09/12/2023

The only tax-free wellness benefit is reducing the monthly premiums employees pay for their major medical coverage. But there’s a darker flipside to wellness benefits that some employees won’t like: surcharges on employees’ major medical coverage for those who smoke tobacco.

Retaining top talent, managing higher costs driving employers’ benefits strategies

07/17/2023

Eighty percent of employers surveyed by Willis Towers Watson said competition for talent is the top priority influencing their benefits strategy right now. The second highest priority: managing higher costs, cited by 67% of employers. Coming in third and fourth were a focus on inclusion and diversity (cited by 41%) and caring for employees’ mental health (39%).

What striking down student-loan forgiveness might mean for employers

07/03/2023

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Biden administration’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student-loan debt for millions of Americans was not legally permissible. The decision in Biden v. Nebraska has implications for employers as well as former college students.

Offer pay to play: Vacation stipends encourage staff to take time off to recharge

06/28/2023

This summer is shaping up to be the season of post-COVID vacations. Employers are actively encouraging employees to take long-delayed vacations. Some are even adding financial incentives in the form of vacation stipends. They are literally paying employees extra to go on vacation.

Child care costs working parents 27% of household income

06/21/2023

On average, working families spend 27% of their household income on child care, according to Care.com’s 10th annual Cost of Care report. For 59% of parents, the annual cost of child care will top $18,000.