b'(continued from page 6) environment. Once the hallmark of only small and "hip"Laundry service, dry cleaning pickup/drop-off, and technology companies, flexible work arrangements aremeal providers that can deliver hot, family-sized, growing in popularity. In fact, flexible scheduling istake-home dinners may help employees save both now offered by many larger, more establishedtime and worryand stay focused on the job. organizations as well.Financial planning/education Some examples of flexible work programs include:For many people, money worries can be distractingFlex schedules: work hours that are outside the and time consuming. Consider inviting a local norm, such as 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 financial professional into your office to provide a.m. to 5:00 p.m. counseling sessions for your employees. While youCondensed work weeks: for example, working four don\'t necessarily have to pay for any services 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days provided, simply offering the opportunity to get such help during work hours will be appreciated by yourTelecommuting: working from home or another workforce. remote location Involve your employeesJob-sharing: allowing two or more employees to The best benefits are those that meet the needs of "share" the same job, essentially doing the work of your employees. Before making any assumptions, one full-time employee (e.g., Jan works Monday solicit ideas from your employees and then conduct a through Wednesday noon, while Sam works survey to see what benefits they value the most. Wednesday afternoon through Friday) Consider putting together teams of associates to helpPart-time or a combination: allowing employees to with the idea generation and execution. By involving cut back to part-time during certain life stages, or your employees in the decisions that matter most to use a combination of strategies to meet their needs them, you demonstrate that you value their time, efforts, opinions, and hard work. Allowing your employees to tailor their work schedules National Compensation Survey, March 2019 based on their individual needs demonstrates a great Kaiser Family Foundation, 2019 Employer Health deal of respect and can generate an enormous amount ofBenefits Survey loyalty in return. Even if your business requires employees to be on-site during standard operating hours (such as a retail establishment), having a process inIMPORTANT DISCLOSURES place that supports occasional paid time off to attend toBroadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. outside obligations can have tremendously positivedoes not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement effects. These obligations might include doctors\'advice or recommendations. The information appointments, family commitments, and evenpresented here is not specific to any individual\'s unexpected emergencies, such as a sick relative. Inpersonal circumstances. some cases, these benefits have no costs associated withTo the extent that this material concerns tax matters, them, while in others, the costs may be minimal (e.g.,it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be the price of a smartphone or laptop to help employeesused, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding remain productive while on the go).penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer Social activitiesshould seek independent advice from a tax Sponsoring periodic activities can help workers relaxprofessional based on his or her individual and get to know one another. Such events don\'t need tocircumstances. take much time out of the day, but can do wonders forThese materials are provided for general information building morale. Bring in lunch or schedule an officeand educational purposes based upon publicly team trivia competition or group outing. If you work inavailable information from sources believed to be a particular industry in which colleagues share areliablewe cannot assure the accuracy or common passion, consider organizing events aroundcompleteness of these materials. The information in that interest. For example, a sporting goods retailerthese materials may change at any time and without could close up early on a slow-business afternoon andnotice. go for a hike or bike ride. Concierge services, discounts You may also be able to negotiate with other local companies for employee discounts and services. 8'