Let’s start off on the right foot

“We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph.” – Eli Wiesel

The skinny

There are a few workplace trends that employers can’t ignore like the gender wage gap, output vs hours and the importance of reskilling.

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Explain pls.

Sure, let’s break it down. First, the growing gender wage gap. Because of the pandemic, many organizations have adopted a hybrid workplace model. Aka: you can work from anywhere with wifi. However, many CHROs are reporting that among their workforce populations, men are more likely to return to the office vs women.

Why?

It’s complicated. But women tend to take on more household responsibilities and therefore may want to WFH for more flexibility.

Well, that sounds good...

Yes, but good for who? We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again; WFH and flexible work practices are likely here to stay, but there may be some unseen bias at play. A recent survey revealed that 64% of managers believe that office workers are higher performers than remote workers.

No fair!

Exactly. And b/c managers think office-peeps are higher performers, they may give them higher raises or compensation than those working from home. However (here’s a nanananabooboo moment), data analysis shows the opposite is true. Full-time remote workers are 5% more likely to be high performers than those who work full-time from the office.

Connecting the dots.

Yes, basically men may run away with a bigger piece of bacon because of this bias and perpetuate further workplace inequities.

Ok, what else?

Speaking of flexible. The next thing #trending will be output vs hours. The truth is, 9-5 is so 2019. Only 36% of employees were high performers at organizations with a standard 40-hour work week.

Um, so more employee surveillance?

Hard pass, buddy. Less is more in this situation. Meaning, less surveillance/micromanaging and more flexibility is the jewel-toned key we need here. Organizations that offer employees more flexibility on when/where/how they work see 55% of their workforce as high performers.

What about skillz?

Right. The number of skills that employers are looking for has risen dramatically. They’re stuffing so many “must haves” in job descriptions it’s like Twitter bursting with Bernie memes, and a lot less cute. Analysis shows that companies listed 33% more skills on job ads in 2020 vs just 3 years ago.

Yowza.

Indeed. In order to upskill employees, many creative companies are bringing in the big guns. Or, should we say the big…Minecraft…things…anyway, you get it. Start thinking about creative ways you can start upskilling your employees to fill those hiring gaps.

Further reading: No, hybrid workforce models won’t dilute your culture.

 Scary fact: 30% of the skills needed 3 years ago will soon be irrelevant.

The skinny

Some employers who offer EAPs are seeing low utilization and starting to reevaluate options for better solutions.

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Why?

Well, EAPs have basically become the “Ask Jeeves” of mental health support. Although many employers use EAPs to cast a large supportive net to employees who are looking for help, utilization rates are extremely low. And with only 1.8%-6.9% of employees using EAPs at $30-$50 a pop, that’s some major $$ washing down the drain.

Eap…

For real. But good news is, there are so many more personalized options to help employees, many employers are finding it easier to offer targeted benefits for all life-stages and mental health needs. 

Like?

Well, let’s back up. There has been a major shift in the acceptance of mental health in recent years, paving the way for more employees to talk about their struggles in the workplace. This has created a shift in how and when employees get support, driving to a more preventative approach and potentially mitigating the need for an EAP to be the one and only solution.

Totes quotes: “I wonder if we have we now reached a point where employers can take a step back and say, ‘Am I providing my employees with a robust selection of personalized benefits that collectively support them during each of the most critical parts of their life?’ If the answer is yes, then should that still include an EAP?” – Katie Lynch, Founder of Apiary Life. 

Date with data: ¾ adults regularly feel stressed and 40% of full-time US employees say they were either burned out or close to it. 

Double date: In a December 2020 survey, 86% of HR and benefits leaders said mental health became a higher priority for their company.

 Further Reading: Helping employees cope when they hit a wall.

The skinny

4 might be the magic number when it comes to creative teams, productivity and problem solving.

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Foursome?

Right, like Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion. Or, John, Paul, George and Ringo? Or, Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte (well, actually, my bad not any more), How about: these mean girls? Or maybe, you’d prefer getting the Led out?

 Ok, ok got it.

Anyway, famous groups of four are everywhere as you can see, and they might have a thing or two to teach us about creative problem solving. Just like GameStop.

Like?

More is not always better. For example, one CEO found that putting more or less than 4 people on a project produced less ideas and fewer innovative processes.

Four-ocious?

Fierce. Good ideas require risking bad ideas. Creativity is an intimate process and if the team you put together is too large well, some may stifle their good ideas for fear of rejection. Or, they may feel self-conscience about a half-baked idea and not say it out loud. More people = more potential rejections = more fear.

**Tinder flashbacks**

I swipe right on your ideas! One of the best ways to build a creative, high performing team is to mix it up. Put people together that may not work together all the time to tackle an issue. Keep conversations open with virtual chat functions and idea folders and never self-deprecate an idea. I.e. “this might be dumb but…”

Dig further: Lessons from The Beatles biggest failure.

Now a break from the news… Two words: snow panda.

Compliance Corner Employers have important decisions to make around COVID Relief and their Group Health Plan.

Here’s something to…

• Consider: FLSA class actions will likely “explode” in 2021.
• Read: 10 must-read business books for 2021.
• Hope: that your office isn’t this dirty.
• Watch: All about you, tips for your next RFP.
• Count: What can Biden do for health care in first 100 days?
• Expecto patronus?: Harry Potter TV series.
• Plant: Some milkweed, asap!
• JIC: Your cat may need a COVID vaccine.

Benefits Pulse at a glance

The numbers of furloughed employees increased again this week.