Employers are offering more and more voluntary benefits—and workers want these benefits. A recent study showed that nearly one third of eligible employees were signing up for voluntary offerings (that’s a higher participation rate than in earlier years). Amy Hollis is the national leader of voluntary benefits for HR consultancy Willis Towers Watson. She recently…
The “Sunday Scaries” Are Real, But You Can Help Your Employees Avoid Them We all know that Friday feeling, but unfortunately, it’s followed all-too-soon by its evil twin, the Sunday Scaries. Not familiar with that term? Sunday Scaries is that general anxiety that the weekend is over—and you’re about to start another week. The truth…
It’s a new year, a new beginning. We’re feeling refreshed after a season of holiday cheer and celebrating with family and friends. Maybe some of us ate and drank a little too much. And maybe we spent our entire year-end bonus on presents that the kids are already tired of playing with. But we all…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Annual enrollment will soon be underway for many employees. During this time, workers choose benefits they feel are most important to protect their health and financial well-being. Understanding the benefits your employer offers and their associated costs are most likely key considerations for you. In this post, I am going to focus on one…
Every HR professional aspires to create a happy and engaged workforce. You might be surprised to find that one of the top ways to do so is to encourage a strong mentorship program. An overwhelming 91% of workers who have a mentor say they are satisfied with their jobs, and more than 40% who didn’t…
