Article Abstract:
More employers are including work and family policies in their recruitment packages. This is in response to the increased number of mothers who work outside of the home. Ninety-five percent of employers provide disability leave to pregnant women; 52% provide job-protected, unpaid leave for women; and 37% provide job-protected, unpaid paternity leave for men. Many companies focus on the costs of providing leaves, while ignoring the consequences of not doing so. The consequences of not providing parental leave may be less directly apparent, but they manifest themselves though higher turnover and lost productivity. Companies developing a parental leave policy should find out what employee needs are, find out what parental leave benefits other companies in the industry are offering, evaluate possible components of the leave policy, draft the policy, communicate the policy to employees, and develop strategies for managing work during leaves.
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Article Abstract:
The Employee Suggestion Program (ESP) at McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. started at the beginning of this century, but was revitalized in 1980 to cope with the need to improve the way the company was doing business. Thus, the 'Five Keys to Self-Renewal' were adopted which involved human resource management, strategic management, participative management, ethical decision making, and productivity-quality improvement. Quality circles were formed, and a suggestion tracking system was developed by using Application System software from the IBM Information Network. The software improves telephone response time, improves program management, and produces a monthly suggestion program savings report for the company. ESP has saved the company over $2.5 million in 1985, has doubled employee suggestions for over three consecutive years, and has revealed problems at the technical, process, and personnel levels.
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Article Abstract:
Flexible or 'cafeteria' benefit plans require effective explanation for maximum employee benefit and employer cost control. To make smart choices, employees need to know not only what their benefit plans include, but how external factors like taxes influence outcomes. Employers can help employees sort through choices in key areas like: medical coverage, benefits for dependents, retirement plans, life insurance, and vacations. It helps to avoid jargon, or to explain key concepts like imputed income and replacement pay ratios. When there are use-or-lose provisions to reimbursement accounts or vacations, trade-offs need clear explanation. Some employers provide manual tools like worksheets or computerized assistance. By providing employees with the tools for understanding their benefits, the employer may spend substantially less, including the cost of communications programs.
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