Seven Alternate Activities To Fire Up Your July 4

As states begin to re-open post-COVID, we are all eager for a celebration. However, with large group gatherings still mostly off-limits, it might be a “make your own fun” type holiday. And that not only will keep you safe and healthy but is also bound to save you money, compared with planning an elaborate trip…

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Do You Have the 2020 Facts on Disability Insurance?

Back in February 2020, few Americans understood the impact the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 would have on our business and personal lives. When the March stay-at-home orders first went into place, we pictured a return to life as we knew it within six to eight weeks. Yet, here we are, three months later, and we’re…

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Summer-Proof Your Exercise Routine: Six Tips for Fun and Safety

The heat is on – and that can make exercise challenging. But there’s no reason to put your exercise habit on hold just because of the heat. It is important, however, to take some precautions to keep it pleasurable – and safe. Check out our suggestions to feel the burn, but not get burned.  …

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Substitute Perks: How To Give Your Employees Benefits Even When You’re Apart

As the effects of COVID-19 caused offices to close and send workers home, they lost access to many of the perks they might have relied on for comfort and well-being. Given that employees routinely say that benefits play a large role in their job satisfaction, this deficit can lead to a loss of productivity, especially…

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How to Handle a Childcare Gap

The word “workplace” has a whole new meaning as more people than ever work remotely. And while the lack of commute can be a bonus, parents are finding they are struggling with childcare. In fact, almost half of parents with young children at home don’t feel as productive working from home. The childcare challenge is…

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Is Stress Affecting Your Employees? Here’s How to Help

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Work-related stress is the leading workplace health problem. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently included “burnout” in its new edition of the International Classification of Diseases, describing it as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” And the…

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Taking Time Off is Good for Employee Engagement

The pandemic hasn’t stopped summer from arriving! As vacation season kicks off, it is a good time for HR teams to encourage the value of taking a break. As we all know, vacations are important for emotional and physical health of employees. In fact, studies show that they build a far more engaged, happy, and…

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Seven Ways Employers Can Create Flexible Work Options

Competition for Talent Informs Trend in Flexibility as Benefit Option HR departments know all too well the fierce competition for top talent being waged today. And as you develop appealing compensation offers and benefits packages, there is one peak benefit that employees are clamoring for—and that’s flexibility. If you are still clinging to a fixed work…

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Six Health Benefits of Raising Chickens

Raising chickens has almost an infinite number of benefits. These benefits range from simple companionship to self-sufficient food production.   Raising and keeping chickens even has several health benefits that can positively impact those with mental or physical disabilities. In fact, several universities such as the University of Minnesota are utilizing therapy chickens during exam…

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Creating Inclusive Workplaces for Employees with Disabilities

By Gene Lanzoni Assistant Vice President Group & Worksite Marketing – Thought Leadership Guardian Life Insurance Company of America Making workplaces accessible to employees with disabilities goes well beyond physical modifications to the workspace. Employers should also actively seek to make jobs overall more flexible to meet the demands of a diverse workforce.   In…

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My Final Lesson About Mental Health in the “New Normal”

In observance of Mental Health Month, I’ve been writing on the lessons I’ve learned about mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic. (You can read about Lessons 1 to 3 here and Lessons 4 to 7 here.) The seventh and final lesson to living in the “new normal” following the easing of lockdown restrictions is in…

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Protecting Your Future with Disability Insurance

Author: Phil Bruen, vice president, Life & Disability, Group Benefits, MetLife The impact of COVID-19 on the workforce has only reinforced the importance of leave and the value of income protection offered through disability insurance. Many workers are without jobs or having their hours reduced, so employees are justifiably anxious about the pandemic’s economic effect…

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