The Root Cause of the Great Resignation Is Not What You Think | Chicago Employee Benefits

Theories abound about why workers are leaving their jobs in record numbers in 2021 and thus creating what pundits are calling the Great Resignation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August. These resignations continue to be higher in food service, retail, and education. One popular opinion … Continued

Exploring Year-Round Benefits Engagement | Chicago Benefits Group

Just as with any good, healthy relationship, communication with employees is key. Only communicating with employees regarding their benefits package during open enrollment will most definitely result in them not taking full advantage of all it has to offer. In an effort to assist employees in understanding and maximizing their benefits, companies should use a … Continued

In Depth: The Future of Work Part 2 | Illinois Benefits Firm

The future of work is now. You’ve probably heard that being said since the onset of COVID-19 and the growth of remote work. Well, it’s true and as the nature of how work gets done changes, so too does the way HR’s function plays out. In part 1, we took a look at current trends, … Continued

In Depth: The Future of Work Part 1 | Illinois Employee Benefits Agency

The hardest thing about the future of work is defining the concept. The chief reason has to do with change. It’s constant with new technologies coming online at an increasing pace and changing the way people complete their work. If the data is to be believed, what HR knows about work is quickly disappearing. Korn Ferry predicts … Continued

5 Tips for Building Trust When Employees Return to Work | Illinois Employee Benefits Consultants

The day where people return to normal routines around work doesn’t seem as far off today as it did just a few weeks ago. As politicians itching to “re-open” the world look at ways to revive normalcy, companies now have to do the same as they consider operational needs and employee safety. As the work … Continued

Ask the Experts: Service Dogs and the ADA | Chicago Employee Benefits

Question: We have a new employee in our call center who has a service dog. She came to her interview and trained without the dog, but is now asking if she can bring her dog to work. Do we have to accommodate her request? Answer: The first step will be to determine whether the dog … Continued

Solving Problems – While Increasing Employee Satisfaction | Chicago Benefits Advisors

“Design thinking” is a fairly common term. Even if the phrase is new to you, it’s reasonably easy to intuit how it works: design thinking is a process for creative problem solving, utilizing creative tools like empathy and experimentation, often with a strong visual component. The term dates from 1968 and was first used in … Continued

Ask the Experts: Marijuana and the ADA | Chicago Benefits Brokers

Question: Is medical marijuana use protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? If so, what accommodations would be considered reasonable? Answer:You are not required to accommodate medical marijuana use under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Even though medical marijuana is legal in many states, under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), marijuana is … Continued

Everyone Wins When Growth Is The Goal | Chicago Benefits Firm

It’s a dilemma. On the one hand, today’s buzzing, multifaceted working environments challenge employees more than ever before. On the other, these same working environments are often also overwhelming and stressful. Sometimes it seems like success means mania—but this doesn’t have to be the case. More and more frequently, experts urge offices to focus not … Continued

Leadership, Now With More Humility | Chicago Employee Benefits

More and more, we are learning that scientists, marketers, programmers, and other kinds of knowledge workers lead office lives very similar to famous innovators like Watson, Crick, and Franklin, who discovered the structure of DNA. How so? All of these people live work lives structured around progress in meaningful work. And when this progress occurs, it … Continued