How HR Can Make the Most of “Dead Week”

Is your office quiet that last week between Christmas and New Year’s? Chances are good it is; one survey found that 1/3 of U.S. workers planned to take the entire week as vacation, with nearly 70% expecting to take at least part of it.   But while the rest of your office might be relaxing…

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I’m A Diet Skeptic, And This Is How I Lost 20 Pounds

I am not a doctor. I didn’t even like science in school. What I am is a sixty-something guy who works in an office and has been highly skeptical of all diets – I think they’re fads – for my entire adult life. Diets all typically have a gimmick, may work for a while, but…

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Five Employee-Focused Programs to Enhance in 2020

The start of a New Year—and decade!—is the perfect time to kick off or refresh HR-related programs. As company culture becomes more important than ever for employees, the payoff that comes from programs that meet their needs can be huge in terms of retention. Don’t forget that with the New Year comes resolutions—and for some…

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Healthy Holiday Eating – Go Ahead, Indulge a Little

The holidays are here. The season of giving, spending, celebration, and for many, the season of high calorie overeating. According to a 2016 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American gains about a pound between Thanksgiving and the beginning of January. Even though the weight gain isn’t as high as…

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Dos and Don’ts For Handling Office Holiday Gift Anxiety

Office gift giving can be a source of holiday stress; in fact a recent study found that nearly 20% of millennials were worried they’d be judged by the gift they chose for an office gift exchange.   How do you decide what sort of holiday gifts are appropriate at the office? Here are some tips for…

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Five Tips for First Time Disability Insurance Shoppers

Long-term disability insurance. It’s not as immediate a need as health insurance, and you probably don’t think it works into your long-term financial plan as much as life insurance does. But it’s still really, really important. Long-term disability insurance is, at its core, income replacement. It can help you make ends meet when you’re unable…

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What is the Impact of High Student College Debt?

Student loans and the increasing size of their associated debt continue to grab headlines. The ongoing political environment and upcoming presidential election is significantly increasing the discussion of various proposals and ideas. From a historical perspective student loans are certainly not new. The debt levels, however, are even more evident when you look at the…

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Scheduling Tips for the Holidays

As we head into the busy holiday season, two forces converge—one, some workplaces get extra busy, and two, everyone is craving time off for their own personal celebrations. Here are some suggestions for helping manage employee time off so that everyone feels that they have been treated fairly—or as fairly as possible. (Remember that these…

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Benefits of Water (Other than Being the First Ingredient in Beer)

Dictionary.com defines water as a “colorless, transparent, odorless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.” Sounds a little boring, huh? Have you ever wondered why we really need it? Let’s dive in! It’s more than just a thirst quencher. It makes up 60%…

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Eight Ways to Find Part-Time Elves

As the holiday season rolls around, many companies find they need all hands on deck to handle an increased work load—just when many employees are requesting time off to celebrate with their family and friends. While the current low unemployment rate might make you wonder if you can find extra help, the good news is…

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Why you should get the flu shot this year (Even if you usually don’t)

Aches. Fever. Fatigue. If you’ve been bit by a flu bug, you know it. And believe it or not, these uncomfortable symptoms that typically accompany the flu are those that are experienced by the “lucky” ones. That’s because rather than just sending you to bed, severe flu can hospitalize or kill you. In fact, the 2017-2018…

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How Disability Benefits Can Support You

More than 155 million U.S. workers are insured for a disability through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. They receive this insurance coverage through their payroll taxes, or FICA taxes, as a part of the Social Security program. When those who experience a chronic health condition, injury or sudden medical crisis need support –…

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