Recent surveys on healthcare have taught us one major thing – healthcare costs are expected to rise.  A survey completed by Willis Towers Watson reports that employers are seeking new strategies to manage rising health care costs, which are expected to grow by 7.7% in 2025. Instead of raising employee premiums, many companies are focusing on cost-saving measures like improving health plan designs and offering access to higher-quality care at lower prices. There is also a trend...

ASE recently released its 2024-2025 Salary Budget Survey, offering a comprehensive view of salary trends, pay structure adjustments, and incentive-based compensation programs among employers. This data provides key insights into the challenges businesses face in an uncertain economic environment.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in how employers think about workplace benefits. Traditionally, benefits packages have focused on healthcare, retirement plans, and paid time off. While these are important, there is a growing recognition that financial wellness is a crucial aspect of overall employee well-being. This realization has prompted employers to reevaluate and expand their benefits offerings to better support their employees' financial health.

The 2024 ASE Compensation Survey provides a detailed look into salary trends across Michigan, reflecting the dynamic nature of the job market and economic conditions. With data from 411 employers covering 545 positions and over 95,000 incumbents, the survey offers valuable insights into wage growth, economic influences, and compensation practi

In the realm of remote work, the necessity of taking a lunch break often gets overlooked. Just like in traditional office settings these breaks are crucial for the health and productivity of remote workers. Let's explore why lunch breaks matter for those working remotely and how they contribute to overall well-being and efficiency.

Employee turnover, the process where employees leave their positions and are replaced by new hires, holds significant implications for businesses. Excessive turnover can disrupt workflow, hinder productivity, and incur substantial costs associated with recruitment and training.

In the age of remote work, the home office has become the new norm for many professionals. The appeal of flexible schedules, no commute, and the comfort of familiar surroundings has drawn countless workers away from traditional office settings. Amidst these conveniences, however, lies a lesser-discussed challenge: loneliness.

Companies often face the challenging task of workforce optimization, which may involve layoffs or downsizing. While these decisions are never easy, offering outplacement services can provide many benefits for both employers and employees. There are advantages of embracing outplacement services as a beneficial approach to employee transition during layoffs.

In today's competitive business world, companies with internships or co-op programs are reaping significant benefits. These programs not only contribute to the development of a skilled workforce, but also serve as a strategic investment in the company's future by fostering talent, innovation, and long-term success.

In the competitive landscape of the modern job market, companies are constantly looking for innovative ways to attract and retain top talent. While traditional benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off remain essential, forward-thinking companies are now exploring unique and creative perks to stand out.

Striking a balance between work and personal life has become increasingly challenging. As employers strive to be more inclusive and flexible, the concept of floating holidays has emerged as a valuable tool to help employees maintain a balance.

Paid parental leave is a critical policy that provides employees with the opportunity to take time off work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child while receiving a portion of their regular pay. While many countries around the world have implemented paid parental leave policies, the United States has been slow to catch up.

As organizations plan for the future, one important aspect that requires careful consideration is salary budgets. Anticipating and forecasting salary trends is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, maintaining competitiveness in the job market, and ensuring the financial health of businesses.

Earlier this month, ASE released the results of the 2023 Compensation Survey. What makes our survey unique is the employer-reported benchmarked data – with a 65% constant sample (companies who report year after year.) This year’s results show larger than normal wage growth due to inflation and other economic factors.

In recent years, the concept of unlimited time off has gained attention as a progressive approach to employee vacation policies. This innovative policy grants employees the flexibility to take as much time off as they need, without strict limitations. While it may sound appealing, it is essential to examine the advantages and disadvantages of unlimited time off to understand its potential impact on employees and organizations alike.

As the world continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are planning to bring their employees back to the office. It is important to remember, however, that the pandemic has changed the way we work and interact with one another. As a result, many companies are looking for ways to ensure that employees are comfortable returning to the office and are able to work effectively with their colleagues. One way to do this is through the use of personality tests.

ASE’s 2022 Post-Pandemic Remote Work Survey, released in November of last year, found that most companies that call for in-person work require two to three days to be onsite. Many companies have been flexible in that approach, allowing employees to decide on which days they want to work from home and which days they want to work onsite.   

Like it or not, employers should start to prepare for pay transparency.  Pay transparency is when employers are open about the salary they offer to both present and potential employees.  Some employers are being forced to share more due to recently enacted legislation.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, many employees began working from home. Although some companies have gone back to in-person work, other companies have realized they are able to function just as well remotely, without any negative effects on productivity.

While not a widely offered benefit, student loan repayment programs may be growing in popularity.  According to Forbes, there are approximately 44 million individuals that have student loan debt. 

As you put together your 2023 holiday calendar, have you considered Juneteenth? Since June 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day (“Juneteenth”) is recognized as a U.S. federal holiday.  According to a survey performed by Harvard Business Review, only 41% of U.S. workers were aware of Juneteenth prior to 2020.   Why the date, June 19th, you ask? On this date in the year 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Texas to announce that the Civil War was over, and...