Why You Need a Remote Work Strategy

Why You Need a Remote Work Strategy

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest news on flexible workspaces, student loan assistance, and calibration committees.

Flexible workspaces used to be the stuff of startups, but companies all over the world are now adopting more flexible approaches to where people work to meet the changing needs of the workforce. And in return they’re benefiting from higher productivity, retention, and even profits, according to a recent study from IWG.

Most employees work remotely at least once a week and more than half work at a location outside the office for half the week or more. Over 90 percent of companies offering flexible workspaces are confident that their remote workers are productive while on the move and almost 60 percent agree that it improves job satisfaction.

It’s time to develop a remote work strategy that offers your employees the flexibility to get work done without having to be in the office every day.  

What we’re reading: 

Hulu makes bold benefits move. The streaming TV company is going to match employee student loan repayments up to $1,200 a year. Find out how it can increase productivity and retention.  

Benefits outsourcing done right. When it’s done right benefits outsourcing can reduce costs and free up time for your HR and benefits teams. Here are 5 steps to success.

Build trust with employees. Research shows responding constructively to employees issues builds loyalty, but it’s not always easy. Ask the right questions.

Hold on to key software and IT Talent. Highly skilled employees, like developers, often leave a company in 2 years or less. Use these 4 tips to retain tech talent.

What are calibration committees? Calibration committees help with evaluations by limiting manager’s bias through macro-level performance review. Learn more about the process.

Not sure how to improve company culture? Take a look at how other companies got it right. What have these 10 companies done to develop great company cultures?

Handle employee termination gracefully. Termination is an uncomfortable situation all around, but it can be unavoidable. Check out these 11 termination tips.

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

 

You Need to Focus on Improving Retention. Here’s How:

You Need to Focus on Improving Retention. Here’s How:

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest news including retention, wellness benefits, and sourcing parties.

There’s a lot to learn from Jobvite’s recent survey – especially with the lowest unemployment rate in 17 years.

One thing we learned: An alarming 82 percent of employees are open to new job opportunities even if they’re happy with their current position. Since turnover can cost up to six months of an employee’s salary, you need to do all that you can to find and keep top talent. Strategize your recruitment and retention efforts to create a successful team.

Here are two pieces of advice that will have the biggest impact on retention.

  1. Company culture is key. Nearly 90 percent of employees agreed company culture is important. More than 30 percent of employees would be willing to take a 10 percent pay cut for an improved company culture. Additionally, a third of those who left a job within 90 days said it was because of a bad company culture. So, take an objective look at your company culture and ask for suggestions on ways to improve it. (Hint: Polls and prizes are your friends when it comes to generating helpful suggestions from employees.)
  2. Focus recruitment efforts on your more successful employees. Most employees found their jobs through friends or professional connections. Less than 20 percent said they found their position through community forums or alumni networks. Ask your employees to recommend qualified people in their networks. Consider offering a gift card for successful candidates who accept an offer.

What We’re Reading:

Sourcing parties are a rising recruitment trend. Instead of reaching out to candidates directly, sourcing parties link hiring managers, recruiters, and employees to strategize collectively. Find out how it works.

How do you know if a new hire will be a good fit? Find out what motivates them and see how their personality traits fit in with your current culture. Learn more about improving new hire retention.

Open recruitment to remote workers. Fewer employees are willing to relocate for a job which limits your pool of candidates. Why it’s time to develop a remote work policy.

Where can your employees recharge? Rooms where employees can take a break from work and renew their energy improve productivity. Different kinds of ‘recharge rooms’ and why they work.

Develop a wellness program that’s worth it. Your wellness program has to be strategic for it to improve productivity and retention. Ask yourself these questions.

Self-service HR. Employees want self-service HR tools so they can complete tasks like viewing payroll information and updating personal information themselves. Give employees what they want.

Cross training as a strategy to boost retention. If you want happier employees have them work smarter, not harder. Try this simple method.

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

What Are the Latest Trends in Benefits Strategies?

What Are the Latest Trends in Benefits Strategies?

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest news including digitized benefits programs, the best 401(k) plans and tips for retention.

Are your benefits keeping up?

Most employers agree that managing benefits is increasingly complex, which explains the tremendous growth in outsourced technology for HR.

The 5th annual Guardian Workplace Benefits Study found that 8 in 10 employers outsource at least 1 benefits-related function. Roughly 40% of employers plan to expand cloud applications, use a new platform/software, or integrate more functions to their current technology in the next 3 years.

There’s no sign that digitized outsourcing of employee benefits is going to slow down anytime soon. Review your benefits program to make sure it stays competitive as technology continues to transform HR functions.

Digital transformation is critical. Learn about the technological growth reshaping business management. Ready for more?

How does your 401(k) plan measure up? The best 401(k) plans do 5 things to boost employee retirement savings. See if your plan holds up.

Effects of the opioid epidemic on the American labor force. Employers are hit hard with diminished labor forces, compromised productivity and higher healthcare costs. What can you do about it?  

Boost employee loyalty. By focusing employee investments you can increase retention and job satisfaction. Read about the three things that matter most.

Make the most of exit interviews. Take advantage of exit interviews to improve retention strategies. Questions to ask.

Keep a great company culture. One of the toughest retention challenges employers face is maintaining a culture that employees want to be a part of. Here are 3 tips to help.

Should you foot the bill? Walmart is the newest company to offer a tuition program for relevant degrees. See how it correlates to retention and engagement.

Set new employees up for success. It’s important to build trust between your team and a new employee. Avoid these 5 pitfalls.

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

Retirement Research Will Blow Your Mind

Retirement Research Will Blow Your Mind

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest news on retirement, student loan debt assistance, and retention.

Will your employees be ready for retirement?

The Federal Reserve’s recently published report shows some improvement in the economic well-being of U.S. households, but it also highlights some startling concerns. More than 60% of Americans are not on track with retirement savings. Nearly 25% skipped necessary medical care because they couldn’t afford the cost. These findings echo results from an NHP survey finding that almost 75% of Baby Boomers are delaying retirement due to unforeseen medical expenses.

What can you do about it?

Ensure that your employees fully understand any and all healthcare or retirement benefits you offer. Giving them access to an agent they can direct their questions to is helpful, but it would be even more beneficial to have company meetings with an agent to address any concerns and go over any changes in plans offered. This will alleviate some of their financial stress and in turn make for a more productive office.

Employers helping with student loan debt. Hundreds of companies are starting to offer student loan assistance benefits to lure new talent and address this $1.5 trillion national concern. Learn more about this developing trend.

Personalized support boosts retention. Employees want more than a paycheck and a benefits package, they want support from their employer that makes them feel cared for as an individual. Find what works for your employees.

Financial incentives for healthy employees. Many organizations offer financial incentives for employees who voluntarily sign up for fitness challenges because being physically active reduces absences and medical costs. Four ways to make fitness incentives work.

The untapped talent market that’s shaking up recruitment. There are 3-7 million potential employees from underserved communities that are likely to stay with a company twice as long as Millennials. Here’s the research that backs it up.

How do your employees feel about the office aesthetic? Employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace are healthier, happier and most importantly – more productive. Give employees an office they want to be in without breaking the bank.

Are you recruiting on Facebook? LinkedIn is a great social media platform for recruiting, but Facebook might be even better. How it can be an effective strategy.

Should you give your employees cash to quit smoking? Smokers cost employers $3,000-$6,000 more per year than a non-smoker. Why it might be less costly to pay them to quit.

IRS changes 2019 HSA contribution limits. With growing concern over the costs of healthcare the IRS raised contribution levels to HSAs for 2019. What does this mean for you?

 

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

Wait Till You See the Results From SHRM’s Employee Benefits Survey

Wait Till You See the Results From SHRM’s Employee Benefits Survey

In the Best Money Moves Roundup, we run down the latest news on employee benefits, retirement and workplace legislation.

The Society for Human Resource Management’s annual survey tracks trends in employee benefits. Here are our top 3 takeaways from SHRM’s 2017 report:

  1. Wellness benefits work. Most employers agreed that their wellness program reduced healthcare costs and improved employee health.
  2. Standing desks take the cake. Standing desks have increased 30% over the past 5 years. It is the highest increase of the 300+ benefits included in the survey!
  3. Flexibility is attractive. More flexible work arrangements – like casual dress and telecommuting – were ranked one of the most effective recruiting strategies.

Now is the perfect time to evaluate your current benefits. Do your wellness benefits meet the needs of your employees? Do you have a financial wellness program? No time like the present to take a look at what’s working and what your employees value most.

Employers can now bar worker class-action lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that employers can enforce arbitration agreements signed by workers, even if those accords bar group claims. Read more about the ruling and if it’s relevant to your company.

Could zero-based budgeting work for you? Some companies are switching to a zero-based budgeting approach to sustain a lower cost structure. See if your organization could benefit from ZBB.

ROI for supporting breastfeeding moms. Employers who invested $1 on a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers saved $3 on average. Find out why it’s worth the investment.

401(k) contributions at a record high. Information reported from the first quarter of 2018 shows just how important 401(k) benefits are to employees. How this record could be attributed to workplace managed accounts.

Amazon’s “Pay to Quit” program. Once a year Amazon offers full-time associates up to $5,000 to leave the company. Why it’s working for them.

Social media use at work lowers retention. It isn’t killing productivity like employers think it is, but instead social media use at work exposes employees to other opportunities which can lower retention. Here are some solutions.

High workplace drug use. Findings from more than 10 million drug tests showed the highest rate of drug use in the workplace in over a decade. See the full results breakdown here.

Benefits of break time. Regular downtime helps employees be more productive and think outside of the box. Find out how it works.

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