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#JobSearch : Lost Your Job?  First Steps First. Great Ideas to Get Through the Unemployment Period.

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Nothing is more worrisome than being out of work and dreading the bills coming in the mail that you can’t afford to pay.  Scarier yet is not having funds for job shopping (gas money or interview clothing).  Here are some ideas to help you get through the unemployment period and make time without a job work to your advantage.

Your full-time job while unemployed is applying online for jobs. Once you lose your job, you should immediately research your state’s unemployment benefits options.  In some states, a two-week waiting period must be reached before application; in other states, you may be eligible on the first day of unemployment. You must file for the benefits. In most states, you may do so online via an Internet-based application. The state will require forms completed pertaining to the circumstances leading to the job loss. Be truthful. If you were fired, state the honest reason. Not all states deny unemployment benefits for being fired unless the termination was for extreme reasons (e.g., embezzlement, equipment destruction, theft, avoidable OSHA-related safety incidents, or vandalism).

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Regardless of the waiting period, the employment commission in each state is one of the best places to search for a new job.  Many companies post job openings to comply with the EEOC mandate for the 3-5-day public posting of positions, and they can do so for free. The state also supplies job listings within an easy commute to your city and surrounding areas.

Apply directly to public job openings – some companies will allow resume uploads into their Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS), even if there are currently no job openings (this is called ‘resume farming’  by recruiters). Alternatively, apply online by uploading your resume to proprietary resume databases, e.g., Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Indeed, or USAJobs.gov (resume loading for the job seeker).

You don’t want a blank space on your resume where you were unemployed if you can avoid it. Recruiters are not fond of seeing extended periods of unemployment (the UNNA syndrome – Unemployed Need Not Apply). However, after the 2009 housing crash and the COVID pandemic, they are more used to seeing these phenomena of long periods of unemployment. The good news is that there are two rich opportunities to add content to your resume, allow you to meet new people, and network for new employment opportunities.

First, offer your time or assistance to non-profit organizations or obtain training to enrich your job skills. Many small non-profit organizations (NPSs) are desperate for grant writers, volunteers, mentors, and specialists. There is a shortage in these skills for many small NPOs who can’t afford to pay salaries for these job skills – your local paper may run lists of NPOs needing assistance.

Second, if you can’t do the education or training and can’t offer assistance as a volunteer, the next best activity is to go into business for yourself as a consultant. Shop the market for companies needing your skill set as a 1099 consultant (a local city business license may be less than $50).  You never know when your skills sets may turn into a more realistic method to replace that lost salary.  Recruiters will note you didn’t let the dust settle after a job loss and view you as a more viable candidate.

While you are unemployed, get the training (or education) you didn’t have time to take while you were working, and add industry or trade certifications to the achievements on your resume. Take classes to advance your education beyond the courses or degree you last achieved.  There may be inexpensive adult education classes in your city that provide insight into a fresh new topic for you. Computer skills are one of the hottest training needs in any industry. If you gain insight into how software or a process works, it will move you ahead of the job’s competition.

As you achieve the training, education, or volunteer work, add it to your resume as the most recent ‘employment’ activity.  The longer you are unemployed, the more obvious the non-productive activity and the less viable a candidate you become to recruiters.  Filling that gap with volunteer activities, education or training, and/or part-time consulting work demonstrates you are still a viable and highly qualified candidate.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., is an associate of First Sun Consulting, and the owner of D. Boyer Consulting – providing resume writing, editing, and publishing consulting services. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or http://dboyerconsulting.com.  

Bio: Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., manages and operates a consulting firm in Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach (Dahlgren), and Gloucester, VA.  Her background is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry.  She is the author of 940+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women’s studies, genealogy lineages, and adult coloring books.  Her books are listed on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

 

FSC Career Blog | September 19, 2022

 

#YourCareer : The Great Resignation. Survey: 55% of Americans Indicated they were Likely to Look for a New Job in the Next 12 Months. Great REad!

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You have probably heard the term – “The Great Resignation” (credited to Texas A&M University professor Anthony Klotz). Awareness of this phenomenon didn’t start during the COVID pandemic in 2020, but the virus did have a part in exacerbating the voluntary unemployment numbers. About 22 million jobs were lost in March of 2020 during the lockdown. 

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) noted unemployment rates have stabilized to about the same as before the COVID quarantine, while the number of job openings is parallel at about 10.4 million in August of 2021.  The (volunteer; non-farm) resignation rates had a low in 2009 at 1.2%, but over the last 8-11 years have reached a rate of 3% (as of September 2021), according to the USBLS.  That is 4.4 million workers voluntarily leaving their jobs – the highest since the USBLS has been keeping records of ‘quit’ rates.  Almost 24 million workers have voluntarily left their employers since April 2020.

Is this a sign of a failing economy – or – a sign that workers are searching for a higher quality workplace environment, better pay, and/or growing workers’ ‘power to choose’ their employer of choice?  What has changed outside the COVID pandemic effects, especially since vaccinations have been available to the general public over the last nine months?  Was the trend already there and hidden by the ‘stay at home and prevent the spread’ government advisory?

A survey conducted by Bankrate (July 2021) found 55% of Americans indicated they were likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months.  A January 2021 Microsoft international survey found more than 40% of workers are likely to job shop in the next year, and a May 2021 survey by Prudential concluded 48% were seriously considering what type of job they wanted.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Did the COVID quarantine exacerbate the joblessness? Or did the pandemic force workers to reconsider their careers, employers, and the work environment? Did work at home employees during the quarantine decide they preferred to telecommute? Were essential workers ‘overworked’ with staff shortages?

These elements and questions are one of the foundation elements of why the ‘quit rate’ is increasing.  Worker burnout prompted people to seek a better work-life balance in positions.  Employers who demanded employees come ‘back to work’ after the telecommute situation proved effective found workers are searching for new telecommute-based jobs.  Fear of the virus for those who refused or could not take the vaccine prompted workers to seek more ‘work-at-home’  jobs.  The pandemic and resulting quarantine prompted workers to rethink priorities, including personal and work-life balances.  Employers who mistreated the workers or failed to enable a comfortable,  rewarding environment, matching ethical values, or better compensation, benefits, or promotional opportunities were the first to see employees quit.

Employers are rethinking what they need to offer to new hires in working conditions, compensation, flexible scheduling, or telecommute opportunities. The service industry was the hardest hit, with 5.3-5.5% resignations in June 2021. Meanwhile, the United States Postal Service is attempting to fill 40,000 temp worker positions for the upcoming holidays (Nov.-Dec. 2021).  The federal mandate for COVID vaccines for health care and government (as well as government contractor) workers by the current administration will add to the unemployment rates and create even more job openings.  State mandates for teachers and state workers will force those with acquired immunity to the disease and anti-vaxxers to be laid off, with massive worker shortages resulting in the medical and academic fields.

 The COVID quarantine taught people, globally, what they could live with and without.  The pandemic has caused folks to rethink their priorities.  The massive number of newly created or current job openings is making workers seriously consider looking for new jobs with opportunities that match their work-life balance, commute needs, and promotional goals – as well as vaccine requirements.  The COVID-related labor market will continue to drive people to quit their current jobs to explore better opportunities for years to come.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting – provides resume writing, editing, publishing, and print-on-demand consulting. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@me.com or visit her website at www.dboyerconsulting.com.

Bio: Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., has been an entrepreneur and business owner for 20+ years, with a successful business and consulting firm (CEO) in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach, and Gloucester, VA.  Her background experience is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry. She is the author of 903+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women and gender study, genealogy and family lineages, quotes for motivation and self-improvement, and Adult Coloring Books.  Her books can be found on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

FSC Career Blog – November 17, 2021

Your #Career : #SalaryNegotiations – If You Can’t Get The Salary You Want, Here Is What Else To Negotiate For..If you Can’t Get the Money you Desire, Here are Some Things That you Could Negotiate for Which would Compensate for the Lower Salary.

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You have been interviewing for months, endured the inquisition of 10 interviewers and risked losing your job by sneaking out of the office numerous times, but you have finally received the offer. While you are excited to have been offered the job you had your heart set on, the salary—unfortunately—was less than you had hoped for.

This happens all the time. It is easy to get discouraged or insulted and walk away from the offer in a fit of righteous indignation. Before you do that, take a deep breath and keep on reading.

When people think of negotiating compensation, they primarily focus on the salary component. In a perfect world, if you are deemed an appropriate fit, the company should pay you what you are worth. The reality is that we are far from a perfect world. The prevailing argument is, “What difference does an extra $5,000 mean to the company?” While I am not an apologist for big corporations, the question ignores the concept that large, global corporations employ hundreds of thousands of people. That $5,000 (also, consider while you may be asking for $5,000, others see $20,000 or more as a reasonable ask) multiplied by the total number of employees starts to add up to some hefty expenses.

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Additionally, the less the company pays you, the more money the CEO and executives have to put into their own pockets. After all, have some sympathy; these fat-cat executives have bills to pay too! Do you think it’s easy to maintain five homes in beautiful places, yachts, private jets, private schools for their kids and fancy vacations to exotic locations?

It is a challenging situation when you want the job, but the company won’t budge on the salary. Your ego tells you to decline the offer because the money isn’t where you thought it should be, but your heart wants to say “yes”. If you can’t get the money you desire, here are some things that you could negotiate for which would compensate for the lower salary.

  1.  While most companies have set standards for the amount of time allocated to vacation, personal and sick days, there is room to negotiate a little extra time off. Those extra days are worth money, as you receive the same salary for fewer days at the office. Also, it is good for your mental and emotional health to have some more days off to recharge.
  2.  Ask the human resource department if there is some flexibility in the working hours. It may be worth a lower salary if you are able to drop your children off at school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. In fact, that type of flexibility is priceless. This holds true for other circumstances that would make your life easier—to not have to schlep into the office for the usual, mandatory nine-to-five workday.
  3. In addition to the extra time off, you could request an option to work from home one or two days out of the week. The chance to avoid the annoying commute and its accompanying wear and tear on your body and soul is worth a fair amount of money.
  4. Some firms offer the benefit of contributing toward higher education in your field or student-loan repayment assistance. Check to see if the company has any of these programs.
  5. If you are moving to accept this position, find out about the company’s relocation program. Large corporations usually have set plans whereby they help cover the costs of selling your home and purchasing a new house, movers and ancillary expenses. Additionally, they usually offer similar assistance for renters.
  6. Certain industries—particularly tech and small growing companies—offer stock or option plans. Find out if you could participate. Getting stock or options in a fast-growing company could be incredibly lucrative. Imagine the incredible wealth that was generated for early employees of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft or Netflix by sacrificing some salary for stock.
  7. Usually companies have an annual review. Part of this performance review would include a yearly increase in salary. Request a mid-year review, in addition to the annual review. If you exceed expectations, they may be inclined to enhance your salary without having to wait an entire year.
  8. Review the company’s benefit plan, which may include a 401K plan, pension, health, dental, gym membership, life insurance, vision, commuting vouchers, severance package if you are discharged and other coverage. Check to see what your co-pay will be. If the benefits are strong, it could be worth thousands of dollars to you.
  9. A higher-level title is worth a lot of money in the future. Some firms are rigid with their titles and others are fairly loose. If you are able to obtain a Vice President (VP) title—as opposed to an Assistant Vice President (AVP) designation, it is worth money for when you are looking for the next job. It also makes you look better to your co-workers and gives you some extra bragging points to your family and friends.
  10. If you are leaving any money behind, ask for an upfront bonus to cover any bonuses, unvested stock or retirement plans that you are walking away from.
  11. Having the privacy and sanctity of your own office, instead of residing in a cubicle farm, is worth a few thousand dollars a year.

So, before you walk away from the offer, make sure that you have fully investigated and negotiated for all these and any other available remunerations, benefits and perks in lieu of the salary increase.

 

Forbes.com | June 8, 2018 | Jack Kelly , CONTRIBUTOR

Your #Career : 8 Companies That’ll Take You to Exotic Locations… #TravelPerks & #InternationalTravel are Offered by #Companies in Nearly Every Industry Enabling #Employees to Fill their Passport while Being #Productive .

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Why work in a bland cubicle when you can work in Cancun, Punta Cana or Hanoi? Travel perks and international travel are offered by companies in nearly every industry enabling employees to fill their passport while being productive.

Whether you want to work in hospitality, communications, the armed services or sales, here are 8 cool companies with open roles that offer the chance to travel the world.  Polish your resume and grab your sunscreen — your next career adventure awaits!

Axis Communications
Exotic Destinations/Details: Axis Communications has a Kickoff Event once a year – most recently to the Bahamas, last two years in Cancun, before that Puerto Rico. Plus trips to Sweden within your first year for onboarding at HQ. Trip locations have included Jamaica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Sweden, China & more.
What Roles: Distribution Account Manager, Solutions Engineer, Business Development Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist, Database Coordinator & more.
What Employees Say: “Benefits, optional travel, lenient staff, friendly employees, Bagel Fridays, tuition reimbursement, ability to work from home, guidance from managers, the list goes on!” —Current Employee

See Open Jobs 

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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WeWork
Exotic Destinations/Details: With 320 offices in 62 countries, WeWork enables employees to work from Shanghai to Santa Monica. Employees also enjoy company events and retreats like WeWork Summer Camp and Summit, nightly programming for professional, educational, and social events in every city.
What Roles: Billing Associate, Real Estate Transaction Manage,r Enterprise Account Executive, Audio Visual Engineer, Community Lead, VP of Total Rewards & more.
What Employees Say: “I had outstanding and empathetic team-members. I love how chic the office spaces are. Makes coming into work more enticing. I was reasonably paid and since the company is still young, there are many opportunities to set yourself apart. I definitely took advantage of all the free food and coffee. I flew out to 4 major cities throughout my time there and Summer Camp was awesome.” —Former Member Technology Specialist

See Open Jobs 

3M
Exotic Destinations/Details: “Through our 3M Impact program, diverse teams of 3Mers travel to communities around the world. There, they spend two immersive weeks collaborating with a local nonprofit organization, social enterprise, or government agency to contribute to a solution for a pressing social or environmental issue.” Locations have included: Mexico, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia & more.
What Roles: Marketing Specialist, Area Sales Executive, Account Manager, Project Engineer, Financial Analyst, Senior Clinical Specialist & more.
What Employees Say: “3M is an outstanding company with a very strong innovative culture. I enjoyed my role there and really respected the people I worked with. They are well positioned for years to come. 3M prepared me for significant growth in my career and gave me a unique perspective of business development strategies.” —Current Key Account Manager

See Open Jobs 

Department of the Army
Exotic Destinations/Details: “Are you looking for a job where you will have opportunities to travel the world, work in a field that you are passionate about and have benefits for you and your family? Well, look no further. The U.S Army is now offering full time and part time jobs to people who want to do more with their life. You can make a career out of the U.S Army and retire in 20 years.”
What Roles: Foreign Language Teacher, Public Affairs Specialist, Aviation Operations, Cyber Operations Specialist, Aircraft Electrician & more.
What Employees Say: “Best career ever. Pros: The relationships and opportunities to travel and meet people. Also discovering new cultures.” —Former Employee

See Open Jobs 

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Airbnb
Exotic Destinations/Details: “Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 192 countries.” The company gives each employee a $2,000 travel coupon (or $500 every quarter) each year to use for seeking their own adventures in any of the over 34,000 cities that the company operates.
What Roles: Luxury Retreats Program Manager, Home Consultant/Property Inspector, Luxury Travel Advisor, Experience Expert, Public Policy Manager EU, Guest Experience Trainer, Trust and Risk Management Manager & more.
What Employees Say: “Beautiful office space, talented co-workers, amazing meals and perks (such as travel coupons). Founders are sincere and seem to really care about the culture – demonstrated with initiatives that engage all global employees once a year.” —Current Employee

See Open Jobs 

Lonely Planet
Exotic Destinations/Details: “Want to skydive in Ecuador? Travel on the cheap in Chile? Avoid getting devoured by Komodo dragons on your honeymoon? You’re not alone. Lonely Planet provides essential tools for the independent traveler, including published books and, very soon, a slew of sexy new apps and services.”
What Roles: Travel Writer (Freelance), Marketing Executive, Analytics Developer, Mobile QA Engineer, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Content Producer & more.
What Employees Say: “Lonely Planet is full of people who are passionate about travel and are determined to stay innovative. Executives are open to your ideas on how to move the company forward. Office culture is creative, fun, and laid back.” —Current Employee

See Open Jobs 

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Power Home Remodeling
Exotic Destinations/Details: At Power Home Remodeling, sales representatives are treated with monthly opportunities for performance-based rewards, such as luxury vacations, high-end electronics, gift cards and tickets to concerts and sporting events. Activities have included whitewater rafting, go-carting, concerts, pool parties, NBA games, golfing trips and hiking in destinations like Cancun, Colorado and beyond.
What Roles: Sales Representative, Project Manager, Special Events Intern, Staff Accountant, Inside Sales Representative, DevOps Engineer & more.
What Employees Say: “Power allowed me to move to the city of my choice. They gave me a relocation bonus. Power has amazing all inclusive trips to Mexico at the end of the year. Everyone is on the same team, and no one will go behind your back to improve their situation. Overall, since I started working here 4 years ago, they have delivered on all their promises.” —Current Pre-Install Inspection Manager

See Open Jobs 

NetJets
Exotic Destinations/Details: “NetJets operates more than 800 planes co-owned by its clients and offers its services in the US, Europe, and the Middle East.”
What Roles: Pilot, Contract Compliance and Operational Performance Specialist, Flight Coordinator, Fleet Supervisor, Aircraft Delivery & Resale Manager, International Trip Planning Customs Coordinator & more.
What Employees Say: “Incredible environment- collaborative employees, great benefits and compensation, and supportive, approachable leadership team. Employees have a great passion for the Company and are dedicated to the 20/20 Flight Plan which sets a great direction for the Company, employees and customers. This was not in place with previous management. The Company is clearly trying to establish expectations and direction for all employees and align them with something pretty great!” —Current Employee

See Open Jobs 

 

Glassdoor.com | March 26, 2018 | Posted by 

#Leadership : IKEA Introduces Trailblazing Parental Leave Policy in Retail Sector…Sad but True: The U.S. is Still One of only Four Nations in the World that Fails to Guarantee the Right to Paid Maternity Leave.

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Sweden, on the other hand, is unequivocally the sweetest country for working moms or dads, lavishing parents to a whopping 480 paid days off per child. Several top companies here in the U.S. are finally starting to catch up with the progressive Scandinavian nation, particularly in the tech sector.

Most recently, IKEA expanded its paid benefits to up to four months for new parents — a major breakthrough for a company in the retail industry. Last year, Netflix unveiled a trailblazing unlimited paid leave policy for new moms and dads, inviting them to take off “as much time as they want” in the year following the birth or adoption of a child. Software giant Microsoft also upped its parental leave offering. Adobe quickly followed suit, doubling the paid maternity leave it grants employees.

The message is clear and long overdue: American companies are finally grasping that workers with families require more flexibility than ever before. To get the best out of them — and to keep them from jumping ship — employers must step up and seriously support their charges, and not just in the workplace. On the homefront, too. It’s a smart business move, one that we hope goes viral, coast to coast.

Here are 14 leading U.S. companies offering exceptionally generous parental leave policies:

IKEA

Swedish furniture company IKEA has expanded paid benefits to up to four months for parents with a newborn in their lives. The policy applies to dads, moms and adoptive or foster parents, and to both salaried and hourly employees as well.

Extended paid leave like this is not as common in the retail sector as it is in industries such as technology and finance. For example, Wal-Mart offers 90 days paid maternity leave and 14 days paternity or adoption leave to salaried employees. Target doesn’t commit to any paid parental leave policies.

 

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Etsy

Image credit: Bloomberg | Getty Images

Started in April of this year, Etsy announced it will be giving parents up to six months of paid parental leave. Not only that, but the company has gone so far as to offer new adoption and surrogacy benefits as well coaching programs for new parents and their managers.

“It was the most important way I could have spent that time. Building a company is a team effort that includes the immense support we get from our families,” said Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson.

Spotify

Image credit: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/Stringer | Getty Images

With its roots in Sweden, it’s no surprise the music streaming company offers an awesome parental leave policy. Spotify offers six months of paid leave to full-time moms and dads across the globe. Employees are also offered flexible work options such as the ability to work from home or a part-time schedule upon their return.

The policy is “born out of a Swedish culture that places an emphasis on a healthy work/family balance, gender equality and the ability for every parent to spend quality time with the people that matter most in their lives,” writes Spotify’s chief HR officer Katarina Berg.

Netflix

Image credit: Shutterstock

The 18-year-old Los Gatos, Calif.-based streaming media provider offers new parents unlimited paid leave for one year. The pioneering policy enables them to take off as much time as they want during the first 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child. They also have the choice to come back part-time, full-time or to “return and then go back out as needed.” Not bad on top of unlimited vacation time. The company went even further in early 2016 to include hourly workers in the policy as well.

Related: Netflix Sets a New Standard With Unlimited Parental Leave

Adobe

Image credit: Adobe | Facebook

Starting Nov. 1, the multimedia software juggernaut will provide 16 weeks of paid time off for primary caregivers, “allowing new parents more time to spend bonding with their children.” The generous policy, available to Adobe’s 6,000 U.S. workers, will be extended to mothers and fathers who become parents “through childbirth, surrogacy, adoption or foster care.” With combined medical and parental leave, birth mothers who work at the San Jose, Calif.-based company — which views its employees as its “most important assets” — will be eligible for a total of up to 26 weeks of paid leave.

Twitter

Image credit: Twitter | Facebook

Birth mothers receive a none-too-shabby 20 weeks of paid maternity leave at the eight-year-old company. Meanwhile, new fathers and adoptive parents at Twitter get 10 weeks paid time off. Further cementing its commitment to supporting families with children, the San Francisco, Calif.-based tech social media mammoth also hosts new parent and new parent-to-be roundtables on a quarterly basis. During the meetups, moms and dads ask questions about leave and swap war stories from the messy trenches of parenthood.

Related: Twitter: What Went Wrong

 

 

Google

Image credit: Google | Facebook

Google, which will soon morph into Alphabet, grants biological moms 18 weeks of fully paid and vested maternity leave. Mothers who experience complications during childbirth are given 22 weeks paid time off. Primary caregivers, regardless of gender, are eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid baby-bonding leave, adoptive and surrogate caregivers included. Non-primary caregivers can carve out up to 7 paid weeks off.

On the heels of its maternal leave expansion from 12 weeks to 18 weeks in 2007, Google reported an uptick employee retention. “It just felt like the right thing to do,” a company spokesperson told The Atlantic. Additional perks for parents include priority placement at Bright Horizon child care centers across the U.S. and $500 in “baby bonding bucks.”

Cool fact: Google’s first employee to go out on maternity leave is current YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. She has taken a total of five parental leaves since joining Google in 1999.

Johnson & Johnson

Image credit: Johnson & Johnson | Facebook

Perhaps best known for its baby products, Johnson & Johnson sure knows how to take care of those who take care of babies. New parents, whether by birth or adoption, who work for the 129-year-old consumer products conglomerate are privy to grocery and laundry pick-up services. Mothers get all of up to 17 weeks of paid leave and fathers nine weeks. The Brunswick, N.J.-based legacy brand’s recently expanded parental leave policy extends to parental units of all stripes — maternal, paternal, same-sex or adoptive. Time off can be spread outover the first year following birth or adoption.

Related: Johnson & Johnson Just Gave New Parents Seven More Weeks of Paid Leave

Facebook

Image credit: maxpro | Shutterstock

Facebook, and its hot photo-sharing subsidiary Instagram, furnishes all new mother and father employees with 17 weeks of paid leave. Additionally, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based social media behemoth provides a $4,000 “baby cash” stipend for each child adopted or born.

 

We’re curious as to how long founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg will head out on leave when he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, welcome their first child, a baby girl. Zuck can divvy it up over a year or use it all at once, that is unless the head honcho is an exception to the rule. Facebook also subsidizes adoption programs, child care, and, somewhat controversially, surrogate parenting, sperm donation and egg freezing initiatives.

Goldman Sachs

Image credit: Goldman Sachs | Official Website

Per its policy published on its official website, Goldman Sachs provides new moms with 16 weeks of paid leave. That includes four weeks of parenting leave at full pay for primary caregivers. Fathers and non-primary caregivers are eligible for four weeks of paid leave. Paid surrogacy and adoption leave is also offered for up to 16 weeks. Breastfeeding new mothers at the New York City-based global financial services firm enjoy around-the-clock access to lactation consultants and are privy to use on-site lactation rooms.

Related: The Ban on Talking in the Elevator at Goldman Sachs Can Finally Go Away

Reddit

Image credit: Reddit | Facebook

Reddit, which has been struggling to clear a path following a string of controversial leadership decisions, offers new mothers and fathers 17 weeks of paid parenting leave. The San Francisco-based company allows for leave to be taken within the first year in two-week stretches at minimum. Like Zynga, HubSpot and Groupon, the troubled social-sharing platform also offers unlimited vacation time.

Bank of America

Image credit: Alexey Rotanov | Shutterstock

The global banking giant boasts a progressive family “life management” program, offering employees who have worked at the company for at least a year up to 12 weeks of paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave. If more time is needed, workers can take up to 14 weeks additional time off without pay.

When it comes to adoption, the Charlotte, N.C.-based banking giant goes above and beyond, reimbursing eligible employees up to $8,000 per legally adopted child. BofA also pays for up to 25 days of childcare center babysitting for kids ages six weeks to 12 years of age, should the primary caregiver be temporarily unavailable during work hours (as in out sick or on vacation). It also reimburses employees up to $240 a month per child for childcare costs incurred while working.

Related: Randi Zuckerberg’s Simple Secret for Juggling Career and Kids

Microsoft

Image credit: Microsoft | Facebook

On Nov. 1, Microsoft will roll out its most expansive parental leave policy yet. Piggybacking the tech industry trend, the Redmond, Wash.-based global software colossus will lengthen its maternity and paternity leave to 12 weeks at full pay, with an additional eight weeks of paid leave for birth mothers. Leave can be taken all at once or in intervals. Birth mothers also have the option to go out on short-term disability during the two weeks leading up to their due dates.

Related: The 7 Books Bill Gates Wants You to Read This Summer

Yahoo

Image credit: KAREN BLEIER | Getty Images

In 2013, after giving birth herself, CEO Marissa Mayer installed a parental leave policy letting mothers take 16 weeks paid leave and fathers eight weeks. The company also offers them an additional $500 to help with any expenses related to the newborn.

 

Entrepreneur.com | December 8, 2016 | Kim Lachance Shandrow

 

 

#Leadership : The Surprising Ways Employee Benefits Will Change in 2016…Smart Companies are Helping their Employees Worry a Little Less about Life Transitions & the Exorbitant Cost of Education.

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When it comes to employee benefits, it’s easy to feel like nothing changes. The calendar flips to January, and you often just retain the same benefits you did the year before. You wind up feeling grateful as long as the costs don’t rise.

Free- Women at Luch

But in a few important ways, the benefits you’ve come to laconically accept will be changing in 2016. Bruce Elliott, manager of compensation and benefits at the Society for Human Resource Management, says the main trends pertain to worker education and family-leave time.

Whether you similarly change your own array of offerings this year or not, it’s vital to stay up on what’s coming down the pike. Not only might it help you better attract and retain top talent, you might actually get wind of cost-savings you never knew about. With this in mind, the following is a look at the latest benefits trends poised to give you something to consider in the new year.

Education and Leave

More employers will follow the lead of PricewaterhouseCoopers, says Elliott. The giant accounting firm announced last year that it would pay up to $7,200 in student debt for employees–as much as $1,200 a year for six years. He also sees companies emulating partnerships like the one Starbucks has with Arizona State University, in which Starbucks will reimburse part- or full-time employees’ pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

As for family leave, Elliott expects companies to go the route of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company, which recently extended paid leave for new parents, and announced it would let employees take both their babies and their caregivers on business trips–on the company’s dime. The parent-friendly moves are part of a larger trend that began to make waves in 2015. Netflix, for example, now gives new parents unlimited maternity or paternity leave during the first year after the child’s birth or adoption. Amazon, Microsoft, and Adobe also extended their leave policies, though none went as far as Netflix.

Why is all of this happening now? Two reasons. First, notes Elliott, benefits like this help in recruiting and retaining female employees. Second, it’s election season. “The candidates on both sides of the aisle are talking about this more, and you can bet it’ll be a campaign issue later on,” he says.

Of course, large companies aren’t the only ones that need benefits to win recruiting battles. Often, it’s fast-growth, entrepreneurial companies that are on the cutting edge of new benefits offerings, since they are adding talent at a breakneck pace to keep up with the burgeoning demands for their services.

 

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Mobile Health

Lyft VP of people Ron Storn knows all about the pressures of adding staff quickly. At the end of 2014, the car-sharing startup had about 380 employees. Today, it has more than 700. What’s more, it’s a dispersed group of 700. Whereas the company was once based only out of its San Francisco headquarters, it’s now building offices in Nashville (customer service) and Seattle (engineering), not to mention 10 to 15 other regional offices.

When Storn thinks of benefits that will emerge in 2016, one of the first trends he thinks of is health care benefits that are mobile-friendly. For example, Lyft is partnering with a company called One Medical Group, a provider of technology-enabled primary care. The partnership gives Lyft employees 24/7 access via mobile app to a virtual care team, which can help them treat allergies and renew prescriptions without an office visit. One Medical also offers same-day appointments with doctors in more than 40 cities. A benefit like that is ideal for Lyft, Storn says, because there are so many employees who are either traveling or new to a particular city. “It’s great for our employees because of the convenience,” he says. “They can go to a new city and have fewer distractions, not worrying about what doctors to see.”

Mind and Body Fitness

Joris Luijke, VP of people at Grovo, is another human resources expert who knows all about recruiting and retaining in fast-growth environments. Grovo, which is based in New York City, creates employee-training videos for clients like Sotheby’s and SurveyMonkey. It has 190 employees, raised $15 million last year, and has raised more than $20 million overall. Mind you, Luijke has only been at Grovo for three months. But he was previously vice president of human resources at Squarespace, which has raised more than $80 million. Before that, he was vice president of talent at Atlassian, which had one of the strongest IPOs of 2015 ($460 million). So he knows what it’s like to compete for high-stakes talent.

Ask Luijke about benefits you’re likely to see more of in 2016, and the first thing he speaks about is a new, more specialized focus on employee fitness and emotional well being. For example, a standard fitness benefit might be something like reimbursement for a gym membership. But Luijke sees companies making a focal point of fitness–going out of their way to make sure a stressful, full-time job doesn’t come at the expense of exercise and eating right.

Grovo, for example, employs a full-time personal trainer. Employees can sign up for one-on-one advisory sessions with him, or simply take his classes at the in-office company gym. The company also has a dedicated nap room for relaxing, meditating, or actually napping. “There’s this real movement to making emotional and physical health more of an explicit part of the employee benefits,” he says. Luijke further makes the case that your company will see a lasting ROI if you make a large investment in the health of your employees.

Flexible Hours

When it comes to family leave, he also sees a trend in which employers do more than just provide paid time off. Like KKR, which pays for employees to take their babies and their caregivers on business trips, Luijke envisions a benefits scenario in which companies become more thoughtful about employee reintegration into the workplace, after an extended time away. One possible solution he foresees is simply allowing employees to work three or four days a week before returning to full-time schedules.

If, after reading all this, you find yourself wondering what steps to take to attract talent with novel twists on your benefits, both Luijke and Storn have some straightforward advice: Ask your employees. Survey them. Talk to them. Do it regularly. Lyft, for example, found out about One Medical because a handful of employees were using it on their own anyway. After learning about it from employee surveys, Storn became convinced that it was the right thing for the growing company to do.

PUBLISHED ON: JAN 25, 2016