| Alan Turing once said, "We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done." That quote seems to sum up this very moment in time. Surging COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant add another layer of uncertainty and reiterates the need for workplace support plans to be communicated. In the vein of more to be done and January being Financial Wellness Month, a recent Betterment 401(k) study found that "financial benefits are a top priority for employees above in-office perks and vacation time." Plus, 83% of employee respondents view the offering of financial wellness benefits as a signal their employer values them. Find more from this study and other Top Reads below.
Be well! – Kacey Larsen, Workplace Wellness Insider Editor TOP READS More articles. Visit our website for additional trend stories, research, case studies and more. STAT OF THE WEEK  Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) examined the lost time costs for employers based on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of June 2021. Obviously, there have been surges since that time, and IBI now estimates the lost time cost to employers over the past 22 months to be over $78.4 billion.
RESOURCES OF THE WEEK The Role of the Communicator. In the fall of 2021, Ragan Communications partnered with research consultancy HarrisX to conduct the CEO-Communicators Competencies survey. The findings reveal how CEOs and Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) view the other's role and responsibilities plus what they value most in their interactions. The full report shows where these leaders align and differ.
Ragan's Top Case Studies in Employee Communications & Culture. The case studies Ragan Communications has compiled in this book run the gamut of communications challenges in the year of the COVID-19 pandemic—from staying in touch via intranet and email in the age of working from home, to championing diversity and empowerment in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the unrest that followed. You’ll discover how dozens of organizations took on unique challenges and thrived. UPCOMING Employee Communications and Culture Conference Feb. 16, 2022 - Virtual How to Improve Your Organization's Mental Health Initiatives & Outcomes
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