Student Loan Repayment Employee Benefits: Congress to the Rescue

Student Loan Repayment Employee Benefits: Congress to the Rescue

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

Student loan repayment assistance is the hottest employee benefit of 2017. Employers already know their employees are struggling with student loan repayment and many offer repayment assistance as an employee benefit.

Now Congress is leaning in to help. A soon-to-be-introduced Senate bill would amend the IRS code to add a tax break for employers’ contributions to student loan payments, like the existing tax exemption for employer contributions to their employees’ education costs. A similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives last month and has strong support from 46 co-sponsors from 16 states.

Here’s how this new tax benefit would help employers and their financially-stressed employees.

Which employee benefits do your workers want? Perks are an integral part of any employee retention plan, but how do you know if you’re investing your benefits budget in the right places? According to a Gallup survey, these are the 11 benefits workers want most.

Retaining Millennial employees is trickier than attracting them to your company in the first place. If you want to hold onto them, you have to understand why they head for the door. Understanding the Millennial mindset.

Are your employees struggling to manage their finances? A few quick reminders from employers can help. Try these three simple budget saves.

Most workers hope their next job change will be to a better position with higher pay, but that’s not always the case. University of Michigan researchers found that older workers who make a late-life job change find themselves in a lower-status version of the work they were already doing. But that’s not always a bad thing.

What workplace stressor hurts your employees most? A recent survey by Paychex found that more than half of employees stress about working overtime and the impact on their families. Long or erratic hours, lack of control and lack of resources also made the list.

Company values and vision are important to creating a workplace that retains employees. That’s why making sure your candidate shares your company’s values and vision before you hire them reduces the chances they’ll leave.

New hires are also more likely to leave when they find the job doesn’t fit their expectations. New employee onboarding programs help new employees understand their position and company and reduces their desire to leave. How to provide a more accurate picture of the position.

Employees are less likely to leave if they feel their efforts are recognized and appreciated. That makes employee recognition programs essential to keep turnover – and the costs associated with it – to a minimum. These are the three pillars to effective employee recognition.

Your employees may not plan to retire when you think they will. A new survey from CareerBuilder found that half of workers aged 60 or older either don’t plan to retire until at least age 70 or don’t think they’ll retire at all. Here’s why they’re staying in the workforce.

 

Have something to add? Email info@bestmoneymoves.com.

It’s hard to stay on top of everything in the news. That’s why each week our Best Money Moves newsroom will bring you the most important news in financial wellness, employee benefits and financial stress. We hope you like the information and, if you do, please spread the word. For midweek developments, follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.

How Will Trumpcare Change Your Employee Benefits Package?

How Will Trumpcare Change Your Employee Benefits Package?

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

President Trump has been clear about his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act – otherwise known as Obamacare – and replace it. But what will Trumpcare look like and what will it mean for the thousands of American businesses who provide healthcare benefits to their employees?

Trump has been vague so far about what his plan would entail and how it would differ from current healthcare industry regulations. This means employers can’t plan ahead for any changes the administration may put into place which would affect their employee benefit offerings.

On his first day in office, Trump made his first move to weaken Obamacare by signing an executive order for government agencies to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of” any part of the law that imposes a financial burden on government.

Here are five ways Trump’s healthcare policies could impact the employee benefits industry.

New year, same financial problems. Many Americans resolved to get their finances in order in 2017, but three-quarters still report feeling financially stressed, according to Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Other studies show more than one in four Americans feel threatened by debt collectors. Learn how severe the problem is for your employees.

A federal judge ruled Monday that healthcare giant Aetna lied last year when the company said its decision to pull out of the Obamacare exchanges was strictly a business decision. Judge John D. Bates wrote in his ruling that the move was a ploy to dissuade the Department of Justice from filing suit to block Aetna’s controversial merger with Humana. That merger – which would reduce competition among health insurance providers in many areas – is now in trouble.

It also signaled a possible problem with the Anthem/Cigna merger, which is under review by a different judge.

Do you know how all of the fees on your credit cards work? If not, you’re not alone. About 50 percent of Americans don’t understand everything in their credit card agreements, and that can lead to financial stress that spills over into the workplace.

What in the world is a “bleisure trip”? Also known as a “bizcation” or “workcation,” these are business trips that also include some personal time, as opposed to vacations where employees spend time checking email or finishing assignments that didn’t get done during regular working hours. Encouraging bleisure trips may help employees avoid burnout, especially if they’re otherwise reluctant to take a vacation.

While many companies think a fridge full of snacks and a few bean bag chairs will attract Millennial employees, that may be changing. The oldest Millennials are settling down, getting married and having children, which means they’re becoming more interested in their healthcare coverage and life insurance than healthy snacks and lunchtime foosball tournaments. Here’s how you can rework your company’s benefits package to fit these changing needs.

How expensive is employee turnover? According to a recent survey from Quinlan & Associates, some banks are incurring turnover costs of up to $1 billion per year as employees walk out the door. What can they do to stem the tide of leaving talent?

Some employers offer student loan repayment as an employee benefit, while others help students avoid debt in the first place. Companies including Starbucks and Chipotle are teaming up with colleges to help their employees earn a degree without racking up insurmountable student debt burdens. Learn how these programs could help your workforce.

A recent study found that 95 percent of HR executives think burnout is the biggest thing hurting employee retention, so 2017 is all about improving employees’ experiences at work. Here are four management trends we’ll see this year in the fight against burnout.

Corporate wellness programs are shifting focus from physical to mental health with things like financial stress management and mindfulness taking top priority. Read more about the top 10 corporate wellness trends for 2017.

Have something to add? Email info@bestmoneymoves.com.

It’s hard to stay on top of everything in the news. That’s why each week our Best Money Moves newsroom will bring you the most important news in financial wellness, employee benefits and financial stress. We hope you like the information and, if you do, please spread the word. For midweek developments, follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.

Do Employees Understand Their Benefits Package?

Do Employees Understand Their Benefits Package?

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

Do employees understand their benefits package? A new study from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America found that less than half of workers have a good understanding of how their employee benefits work and how to best use them.

As a result, 79 percent of working Americans surveyed said they feel serious concerns related to their finances. This in turn makes them more distracted and less productive at work because their minds are on their own financial stress rather than the task at hand.

So what can employers do to help their employees reduce financial stress and build financial confidence? Read on for four ways businesses can help improve employees’ financial outcomes and lower their level of financial stress.

Tech-savvy Millennials can bring a fresh perspective to a company, but their tendency to job-hop can also bring HR headaches. A recent study found that two-thirds of Millennials plan to leave their current gigs in the next four years. Try these three strategies to make your company a place where young workers will want to stay.

Got an open executive position at your company? You don’t want to hire just anyone to fill important leadership roles. This is why many companies look beyond submitted resumes and start recruiting potential candidates who already have another position. Here’s how you can poach (and keep!) top talent in your industry.

While the improving housing market is great for homeowners, millions of potential buyers are finding themselves priced out of the market. Help your employees combat housing-related financial stress.

Are your company’s employees happy with their benefits plans? They may not be, according to a new study by the Transamerica Center for Health Studies. Learn why the study found a communication disconnect between employers and their workers regarding benefits satisfaction.

Everyone loves to be told they’re doing a good job, and getting kudos from a coworker may be even more impactful than hearing it from a manager. Here’s how coworker recognition programs can help improve your bottom line.

Employee wellness programs can be a big investment with great payoffs over time, but only if the program is a good fit for your company culture and employees. Make sure you don’t forget these four often-overlooked steps when building your wellness program.

Keeping employees engaged in the workplace is essential for retention. If they don’t feel connected to their company and coworkers, they’ll be more likely to jump ship if another offer comes along. These are the factors most likely to boost employee engagement this year.

We use self-service portals to do everything from online banking to buying concert tickets. But did you know these online portals can also be time- and money-saving tools for your employee benefits programs? Read up on seven ways these tools can simplify your HR processes.

Which perks are most appealing to today’s employees? Top employers are branching out to entice talent with everything from corporate outings to house-cleaning services to “Whiskey Fridays.” Steal these ideas from Facebook, Google and Netflix.

 

Have something to add? Email info@bestmoneymoves.com.

It’s hard to stay on top of everything in the news. That’s why each week our Best Money Moves newsroom will bring you the most important news in financial wellness, employee benefits and financial stress. We hope you like the information and, if you do, please spread the word. For midweek developments, follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.

Should Employers Require Unconscious Bias Training for Employees?

Should Employers Require Unconscious Bias Training for Employees?

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

As many HR professionals work toward building more inclusive and diverse workplaces, accounting and consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers has announced it will mandate unconscious bias training for all of its employees. The move, initiated by Chairman Tim Ryan, came as a response to news coverage of the deaths of black men shot by police and the ensuing discussions about race.

The program will be developed by a leading researcher on unconscious bias from Harvard University to help employees understand how split-second decisions can impact their coworkers and how members of other racial or gender groups may perceive situations differently. Here’s how the company hopes the program will change its workforce.

What matters more to employees: promotions or raises? According to an October 2016 study, about two-thirds of employees (63 percent) say they would rather get a promotion with no salary increase than stay in the same position but get a raise. Here’s why.

Are managers in your company keeping secrets? A study conducted late last year found that 64 percent of employees think their leadership isn’t being completely transparent with them and many feel increased transparency would help boost their productivity. Learn how keeping secrets can slow your workforce down.

While real estate prices may stabilize slightly in 2017, housing costs are still one of the biggest sources of financial stress employees face. Employers can take small steps to help employees reduce this stress.

Say goodbye to the nine-to-five and the commute. As employers search for new perks to offer new hires, “flexible” jobs – jobs that offer flexible hours or the option to work from home – are becoming more common. But sometimes flexibility needs a more formal policy behind it.

January is a great time to think about wellness, but companies should keep this focus year-round. From tax time to back-to-school season, there are a myriad of things in and outside the workplace that can drag your team down. Watch out for and address these year-round stressors.

Company restructuring can be rough on employee retention. The stress and uncertainty of the transition can easily drive your top talent away in search of a more stable work environment. These nine strategies will encourage employees to stick around through the changes.

More companies are taking a holistic approach to employee wellness. These programs now add financial components to existing physical and emotional wellness initiatives, add technology for easier access and focus on better HR communications to increase awareness and participation.

The healthcare industry faces a lot of uncertainty in 2017 – particularly regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act – and that uncertainty is strongly felt by women. Here’s what the next year could mean for women’s healthcare in the workplace.

Heightened media attention regarding mental health issues is leading some employers to reexamine how they handle mental health issues in the workplace. Keep these three things in mind when evaluating your company’s mental health policies.

 

Have something to add? Email info@bestmoneymoves.com.

It’s hard to stay on top of everything in the news. That’s why each week our Best Money Moves newsroom will bring you the most important news in financial wellness, employee benefits and financial stress. We hope you like the information and, if you do, please spread the word. For midweek developments, follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.

 

How to Help Your Employees During Financial Wellness Month

How to Help Your Employees During Financial Wellness Month

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

The holidays are over, and everyone is now heading back to work. January is typically the time for New Year’s resolutions, which means many people are looking for ways to eat healthier and exercise more.

But it’s also National Financial Wellness Month, a time to focus on the health of your finances and reevaluate your spending and saving strategies.

One of the most common financial wellness benefits offered by employers is a 401(k) plan, which encourages employees to plan for their financial stability in retirement. These nine 401(k) financial wellness best practices can help your employees better understand their retirement plans, reduce their stress and worries surrounding retirement and help them plan more effectively for the future.

When it comes to communication about employee benefits, Millennials overwhelmingly prefer in-person conversations, but the majority of benefit program managers favor email as their way to communicate with employees. Learn more about the best way to communicate with your employees about benefits.

A French court last week ruled that employees have the legal right to ignore work emails outside of their normal working hours. Union organizers say the ruling will help improve employee health and reduce stress and burnout. Learn more about how the ruling will impact employees and employers.

What’s your employees’ biggest cause of financial stress? GoBankingRates did a survey to identify the biggest sources of financial stress by state. Here’s what they found.

The new year comes with a new set of challenges for employers. In particular, many employers will struggle to retain top talent in a fiercely competitive job market this year. Here are four strategies to keep your employees from leaving.

The newly sworn-in U.S. Congress wasted no time in starting the march to repeal the Affordable Care Act this week. On the first day of the new congressional session, Republicans introduced a resolution that could allow them to repeal any parts of the law with tax or budget implications. Learn more about what comes next and how it might affect your health insurance coverage.

About 70 percent of employees spend more than 40 hours per week in the workplace, and almost half say they do it to finish work they didn’t have time to do during their normal workday. That’s a recipe for burnout and turnover. Focus on these five things to reduce burnout and help your employees be more productive.

Offering employee training programs not only improves productivity, but also encourages loyalty and job satisfaction. Unsure which training programs will work best for your employees? Start out with one of these three types.

Nonprofit organizations often have high turnover rates as a result of stressful work and low pay. Some nonprofits, however, are finding ways to reverse that trend and convince their employees to stick around. These are their five secret weapons in the battle to retain employees.

When employees feel that their managers trust them, they’re more empowered to take charge of their work and be more innovative. This means building an environment of trust in the workplace is good for business. Take these 10 steps to create a culture of trust in your workplace.

Did you find this Best Money Moves roundup useful? Please let us know. Email us at info@bestmoneymoves.com.

It’s hard to stay on top of everything in the news. That’s why each week our Best Money Moves newsroom will bring you the most important news in financial wellness, employee benefits and financial stress. We hope you like the information and, if you do, please spread the word. For midweek developments, follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.