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The Caregiver Crisis at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

by LizStevens | Aug 19, 2020 | Blog

The caregiver crisis at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents need flexibility from employers to balance work duties and caretaking as many districts continue with virtual learning.

More than half of parents who quit their jobs and filed for unemployment benefits this spring said closures of schools and daycare facilities due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic forced them to quit, according to research by Morning Consult for the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Caregiving duties stand in the way of nearly 60 percent of parents returning to work, 41 percent of them specifically citing school closures. Parents said they would be more likely to return to work sooner if they had access to paid leave, or if they were able to work on a flexible schedule.

In light of the caregiver crisis, which is raging once again as many schools plan to continue virtual learning this fall, Mercer identified a number of creative strategies employers can use to provide meaningful support to working parents facing this difficult situation.

The Caregiver Crisis at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Parents are torn between caregiving and their careers. Sixty percent of parents agree it’s better to open schools later to minimize infection risk, even if students miss out on academics and social services and some parents will not be able to work, while nearly 35 percent say it’s better to open schools sooner so parents can work and kids can get services, even if there’s some risk of infection, according to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

If schools do remain closed, 51 percent of parents worry about losing income if they can’t go to work and 47 percent worry about not being able to pay enough attention to their children if they’re working from home.

Strategies to Support Working Parents and Caregivers

Mercer identified two areas of increased flexibility where employers can provide meaningful support to caregivers in their post on Creative Ideas to Support Working Parents During the Caregiver Crisis.

Flexibility at Work

There are several ways employers can offer parents some flexibility at work. Flexible scheduling, where employees have some control over when and how they get their work done, is the most popular option. Compressed workweeks, where employees work more hours in fewer days (for example, 40 hours in 4 days), could help employees who are dealing with hybrid school schedules. Allowing job sharing or reduced schedules could also provide employees with additional time to care for children, but it’s typically associated with a reduction in compensation.

Flexibility from Work

Consider how employees might be able to use PTO, vacation or sick leave, Family Medical Leave (FML) or other company leaves, then remind employees of the available programs and how they work. Some employers are also creating emergency COVID-19 pandemic paid or unpaid leave programs that allow employees to maintain income and benefits for a specified duration of time during the pandemic. When taking into consideration leave programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also important to review return protocols for employees who take leave intermittently or in blocks.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a complex caregiving crisis. Parents shouldn’t have to choose between employment and their children’s safety and employers shouldn’t lose top talent to school closures. Identifying ways your organization can provide the flexibility Mercer recommends to support working parents is crucial until a vaccine for COVID-19 is readily available.

How to Build Remote Work Culture to Support Virtual Teams

by LizStevens | Aug 12, 2020 | Blog

How to build remote work culture to support virtual teams. Four key factors employers should focus on when building a remote work culture.

Employees aren’t ready to rush back into the office just yet. Half of them, understandably, are still worried about the risks of COVID-19, according to a recent survey by Korn Ferry.

The good news is that nearly 65 percent of workers think they’re more productive at home anyways. In fact, roughly 75 percent of employees said that they’ve been able to maintain or improve their productivity at home in another survey by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The most challenging part of switching to a virtual workforce is building a remote culture that keeps employees connected and allows for fluid communication and collaboration at all levels.

How to Build Remote Work Culture to Support Virtual Teams

Strong remote work cultures streamline communications to help keep teams connected and on task. BCG recommends employers implement new systems, norms, and technologies to support four key factors (social connectivity, mental health, physical health and workplace tools) that build a strong remote work culture with success strategies including:

Identifying ways to maximize social connectivity among employees
Creating awareness, tools, and benefits that support the mental and physical health of all employees
Investing in and building capabilities to use the technologies, tools, and systems that enable employees to work and collaborate remotely
Measuring employee productivity in conjunction with employee perceptions
Ensuring that the transitions between respective team norms for onsite and remote are as smooth as possible, giving employees a cohesive experience that feels designed, not random

“While COVID-19 has caused great personal, health, and economic hardship, it has also presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvent the workplace,” said Debbie Lovich, a BCG managing director and senior partner. “And doing so will be essential if companies are to meet employee desires for flexibility while harnessing their potential for productivity and remaining competitive when it comes to recruiting and retaining the best talent.”

Remote Work Culture and Employee Recognition

Employee recognition is an important part of workplace culture and nearly half of employees have been frustrated about their efforts not being recognized in a remote work environment, according to a survey by Prodoscore. When asked how they would feel about a tool that would allow their daily contributions to be recognized versus only the end result, 80 percent responded positively.

“We were not surprised to learn that the majority of employees surveyed were not only open to giving employers visibility into their workday but welcomed it,” said Sam Naficy, CEO of Prodoscore.

When asked what would be most beneficial to their remote productivity, over 30 percent of employees said visibility software that identifies ways to be more efficient, 25 percent said collaboration tools and 21 percent said video conferencing.

Employees want their employers to find ways to recognize their hard work in a remote setting and they also want tools to help them communicate and collaborate with their teammates more easily.

According to BCG, even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over, 60 percent of employees want to maintain some flexibility in where and/or when they work. Many employers have started looking into ways to extend remote work offerings to reduce overhead costs, expand their talent recruitment pool, increase job satisfaction and bolster retention efforts.

It’s all the more reason to focus on building a strong remote work culture now and improved communication is key to achieving that.

When Should Employees Return to Work After COVID-19?

by LizStevens | Aug 5, 2020 | Blog

When should employees return to work after COVID-19? How to manage isolation timelines for non-hospitalized employees who have symptoms of COVID-19.

Reducing the risk of COVID-19 when reopening the workplace is the number one priority for employers and it’s hard to stay current with the latest recommendations.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently revised their isolation timelines for employees with COVID-19 who are not being treated in a hospital and managing their symptoms at home. In such cases, it’s now recommended that the decision to discontinue isolation be made using symptom-based criteria rather than the test-based strategy previously advised.

When Should Employees Return to Work After COVID-19?

Communicating with employees who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, following guidance from their healthcare providers and staying informed of public health updates is the best way to keep your employees safe when they return to work.

CDC Isolation Timeline for Non-Hospitalized Employees with COVID-19

Information from the CDC’s Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings:

Accumulating evidence supports ending isolation and precautions for persons with COVID-19 using a symptom-based strategy. Specifically, researchers have reported that people with mild to moderate COVID-19 remain infectious no longer than 10 days after their symptoms began, and those with more severe illness or those who are severely immunocompromised remain infectious no longer than 20 days after their symptoms began.

Therefore, CDC has updated the recommendations for discontinuing home isolation as follows:

Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue isolation under the following conditions:

At least 10 days* have passed since symptom onset and
At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
Other symptoms have improved.

*A limited number of persons with severe illness may produce replication-competent virus beyond 10 days, that may warrant extending duration of isolation for up to 20 days after symptom onset. Consider consultation with infection control experts.

Persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 who never develop COVID-19 symptoms may discontinue isolation and other precautions 10 days after the date of their first positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Are COVID-19 Liability Waivers Legal?

Fisher Phillips, a labor and employment law firm, notes that there has been an exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 workplace lawsuits with filings for discrimination, work-from-home or paid leave claims, retaliation, unsafe working conditions and lack of personal protective equipment.

In order to avoid COVID-19 workplace lawsuits, Fisher Phillips recommends employers:

Train managers to understand their responsibilities and employee rights.
Educate managers and HR personnel on the new leave law requirements.
Develop and communicate a comprehensive safety plan as employees return to the workplace.
Anticipate the various wage and hour responsibilities that might come into play as the pandemic unfolds.

Many employers are now asking employees to sign a liability waiver agreeing not to sue the business if they catch COVID-19 before allowing them to return to work. Employment lawyers agree that these waivers are unfair and largely unenforceable, but the Senate is working on a bill that would provide broad liability protection for employers against coronavirus claims.

Employers are determined to push their businesses through the coronavirus pandemic and employees are equally eager to get back to work, but making a safe return is what matters most. This is an unprecedented time and how employers react will have a significant impact on the reputation of their business as well as their efforts to retain and recruit employees.

What to Look for in a Financial Wellness Program

by LizStevens | Jul 29, 2020 | Blog

What to look for in a financial wellness program. Employers want to help employees meet their short-term financial needs during the COVID-19 pandemic first.

Employees are seeking financial guidance to help them navigate the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and take control of their finances

Nearly 60 percent of workers say that they or a close family member have been financially impacted by COVID-19, according to the latest Modern Wealth Survey by Charles Schwab. They’re 15 percent more financially stressed than they were before the pandemic and they think their increased stress might have a lasting effect on their wellbeing. It’s prompted many of them to start taking steps to improve their personal finances and employers are eager to help.

Financial stress is one of the top motivators driving organizations to invest in financial wellness programs and 40 percent say that addressing financial stress is a top reason for increasing voluntary benefits, according to a new survey by Buck.

“Financial wellbeing is clearly a top priority for employers,” said Brian Stitzel, U.S. Health Practice Leader for Buck. “Now, as we navigate the impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. economy, it’s even more critical. Workers who’ve had wages reduced, been furloughed, or re-hired after a period of unemployment, may need extra support. And employers recognize that using voluntary benefits to help meet these employee needs can benefit their organization by lowering costs and increasing loyalty.”

What to Look for in a Financial Wellness Program

Employees are concerned about missing mortgage or car loan payments, using credit cards to pay for everyday expenses, draining their savings accounts and withdrawing from their retirement savings in the next few months. Helping employees meet short-term financial needs to prevent scenarios like these is a top priority for employers.

When looking at the features of financial wellness programs, employers are most interested in:

68 percent of employers want to help employees budget and save
66 percent of employers want to help employees manage their credit card debt
59 percent of employers want to help employees deal with unexpected medical expenses
58 percent of employers want to help employees retire when they’re ready

Employers are also considering adding financial wellness benefits that support emerging employee financial needs:

20 percent want to add student loan guidance and refinancing
18 percent want to add a student loan repayment benefit
13 percent want to add hospital indemnity insurance
11 percent want to add long-term care insurance

It’s important that employers choose a financial wellness program that is flexible enough to meet the varying needs of their employees both now and as they change over time.

How Best Money Moves Can Help

Best Money Moves is a financial wellness program that provides all the guidance and support employees need to help them reduce their financial stress. It has tools and features that help employees measure their financial stress, budget for monthly expenses, pay down debt and plan for emergencies.

Employees can talk to trained professional financial counselors and educate themselves about everything from investing to co-signing loans and buying their first homes with access to a library of over 700 articles, videos and calculators.

Best Money Moves is also gamified, featuring a point-based rewards system where users earn points every time they log in, enter their information into their profile, work with their budgets, read articles and measure their stress. Each point translates into a chance to win a monthly contest.

Employers want a financial wellness program that is expansive, engaging and suited to meet each of their employee’s unique needs and they’ve found it in Best Money Moves.

If you want to learn more about how Best Money Moves can bring financial wellness to your company download our whitepapers and sign up for a demonstration here.

Challenges of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

by LizStevens | Jul 21, 2020 | Blog

Challenges of working from home during the coronavirus pandemic and what employers can do to help employees feel less stressed and be more productive.

Many employers are pushing back timelines for employees to return to the workplace as the number of new cases of COVID-19 surges in the U.S.

Working from home is the best way to keep employees who have the capability to do so safe. But it doesn’t come without its challenges.

Employees working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic grapple with distractions, the blurred line between work/home and they also have trouble maintaining a routine, according to research by JDP.

Employers can limit each of these drains on productivity and job satisfaction to lower the risk of burnout and keep the team connected while employees continue to work from home.

Challenges of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Here are the top challenges employees struggle with when working from home and what employers can do to help lessen their impact:

Distractions

54 percent of employees have more distractions at home
40 percent of employees find it hard to focus on work at home
15 percent of employees find it hard to focus on work with everything going on in the world

Employers can help employees limit distractions while working from home by being upfront about them. Discuss how typical distractions like pets, children and technology can pull from their focus and what they can do about it.

For example, employees with kids might set up a work station in a guest room rather than at a busy kitchen table or at a corner in a loud living room. Workers with pets could start taking a long walk with the dog before work so it isn’t as energetic and distracting later. Employees who are anxious about everything going on in the world could try turning off news notifications during work hours.

Every employee deals with varying distractions but prompting them to identify what pulls from their focus and helping them find ways to work around or work with it can make a big difference.

Lacking a Routine and Work-Life Balance

66 percent of employees are more likely to work nights and weekends when working from home
49 percent of employees found it hard to keep boundaries between work and home life
28 percent of employees are starting and finishing work later when working from home

Establishing a healthy routine and setting strong boundaries between work life and home life is critical to successfully working from home. It’s important for employees to have a set schedule when working from home but it’s also complicated because one of the major perks of remote work is having some flexibility over how and when they get their work done. Employees should aim to work on the same days for the same amount of time each week but remain flexible and communicate with employers if that schedule needs to be adjusted slightly for things like childcare, medical appointments or other responsibilities.

The Future of Working From Home

More than 80 percent of employers plan to permit employees to work from home on a part or full-time basis even after the coronavirus pandemic and over 40 percent of employers plan to provide more flex days and flex hours to improve the employee experience.

“As business leaders plan and execute the reopening of their workplaces, they are evaluating more permanent remote working arrangements as a way to meet employee expectations and to build more resilient business operations,” says Elisabeth Joyce, vice president of advisory in the Gartner HR practice.

The trend towards flexible work arrangements isn’t slowing down. If anything, it’s gaining speed and employers who consider how remote work and increased flexibility fit into their organization and how they can meet the challenges of managing a more complex, hybrid workforce position themselves for success.

How to Choose Your Benefits Package for 2021

by LizStevens | Jul 15, 2020 | Blog

How to choose your benefits package for 2021. How to determine which benefits are most important to employees and support a more productive workforce.

Employee benefits have undergone a remarkable transformation and have become a more important part of the employee experience.

The variety of benefits offered has expanded significantly, especially in the categories of health and wellness, and employees increasingly look for help from their employers.

Choosing the best benefits package for your employees is both critical and complicated. That’s why we’ve developed a simple, three-step strategy to help you identify the benefits your employees want most and formulate a communications plan to increase participation and engagement.

How to Choose Your Benefits Package for 2021 in 3 Steps

1. Audit Your Current Employee Benefits Offerings

Before you choose your benefits package for 2021 you’ll want to know more about how well your current benefits package was received:

Which benefits were used most frequently?
Did employees have any questions or concerns about the benefits being offered?
Did employees make any specific requests about benefits that aren’t currently offered?
Were employees confused about or unaware of any benefits?
Were any benefits ignored or underutilized?

If there isn’t an annual report for benefits engagement and performance, work with HR to create a process for it going forward. Historical data comes in handy whenever you’re making benefits decisions.

If a benefit is underutilized, it doesn’t necessarily mean that benefit should be scrapped. Nearly 60 percent of employees said their employer doesn’t offer mental health programs that meet their needs, or that the programs they do offer are too difficult to access or understand, according to a survey by MetLife.

The next step will help you determine whether an underutilized benefit is something that employees don’t value or if it’s a benefit that needs to be restrategized.

2. Get Benefits Feedback from Employees and HR

The best way to identify the most important benefits to employees is to get their direct feedback. A short employee survey that includes questions about benefits that appear to be undervalued and new benefits you’re thinking of introducing will lead to more confident benefits decision making on the part of leadership. Surveys with multiple-choice questions quickly determine which benefits are most sought after, and, if you include open-ended questions, employees will tell you why those benefits matter most.

Then, meet with your human resources team to review the survey results and get their benefits insight:

What questions do employees ask about benefits?
Have employees inquired about programs that the organization doesn’t offer?
What does HR think about the current benefits engagement process?
Are there ways benefits communication can be improved?

Including HR in the planning process gives you a better understanding of how benefits are managed day-to-day and where improvements can be made.

3. Improve Benefits Communication for Better Benefits Participation and Engagement

When it comes to successful employee benefits participation and engagement it’s all about communication.

Valuable information can no longer be effectively communicated through annual meetings or email data dumps. Sending shorter, bite-sized benefits communications over a longer period of time is a much more effective way to improve benefits understanding. Test different methods of communication, like text messaging, phone calls and instant messenger in addition to emails or meetings. Track participation, open and click rates to see which method is the best way to reach your employees.

Employee benefits account for nearly 30 percent of total compensation and over 60 percent of potential hires are interested in benefits negotiations when reviewing job offers. Developing better processes for reviewing and building benefits packages can help employers reach goals for benefits participation and engagement as well as bolster job satisfaction, recruiting and retention efforts in 2021.

The Caregiver Crisis at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Caregiver Crisis at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategies to Support Working Parents and Caregivers

Flexibility at Work

Flexibility from Work

More on Topics Related to the Caregiver Crisis at Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

How to Build Remote Work Culture to Support Virtual Teams

How to Build Remote Work Culture to Support Virtual Teams

Remote Work Culture and Employee Recognition

More on Topics Related to How to Build Remote Work Culture to Support Virtual Teams

When Should Employees Return to Work After COVID-19?

When Should Employees Return to Work After COVID-19?

CDC Isolation Timeline for Non-Hospitalized Employees with COVID-19

Are COVID-19 Liability Waivers Legal?

More on Topics Related to When Should Employees Return to Work After COVID-19?

What to Look for in a Financial Wellness Program

What to Look for in a Financial Wellness Program

How Best Money Moves Can Help

More on Topics Related to What to Look for in a Financial Wellness Program

Challenges of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Challenges of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Distractions

Lacking a Routine and Work-Life Balance

The Future of Working From Home

More on Topics Related to the Challenges of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

How to Choose Your Benefits Package for 2021

How to Choose Your Benefits Package for 2021 in 3 Steps

1. Audit Your Current Employee Benefits Offerings

2. Get Benefits Feedback from Employees and HR

3. Improve Benefits Communication for Better Benefits Participation and Engagement

More on Topics Related to Employee Benefits and HR Trends

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