It’s that time of the year when companies are renewing their employee benefit plans. Lots of members and friends in my personal network are learning the not-so-jolly news💸 that they will either have to contribute more for the current healthcare coverage, or they will have to compromise for a downgraded health plan.

A few tips to share on how to make the best of your job benefits:

• 🧮Do the math: figure out the actual amount that you will receive after all the healthcare and other benefit deduction. Here’s a great calculator that can help you do the math and balance your 2022 budget.
• 🧐Brainstorm alternative: if your deductible is increasing, does your employer offer flexible spending accounts to offset some costs? If both you and your partner are working, maybe compare the health benefits and see if it makes better sense to switch to the better option. If you feel like you’re running out of options, you can also start looking for other companies that might offer better benefits.
• 🙋‍♀️Ask for advice: it can be very overwhelming to figure out these terms and conditions. Go to the HR or benefit consultant for clarifications. Ask your own tax adviser. And if necessary, talk to your employer directly if you have concern about your shrinking paychecks.

What are your experiences when choosing your benefits? Any smart savings tips?

#benefits #worklifehacks

A recent study by Eco Business showed that workers who get sufficient daylight see an uplift of up to 40% in productivity!

That's right! Exposing yourself to more natural sunlight (sitting by a window, going for a walk outside, etc.) can have incredible benefits on your productivity and work quality.

So, the next time you're hitting a midday slump, try swapping your 3rd cup of coffee with a few minutes of sunshine! 🌞

Have any other #worklifehacks? Share them in the comments below!

@Robyn Miller asked a question about lunch breaks at work. Here is a great resource to learn how to protect your rights including:

• Personal rights regarding pay, break and rest periods, sick leave
• Basic rights to a safe, clean and sanitary environment

Join Robyn’s conversation to explore how to protect and advocate for your rights in the workplace.

#worklifehacks

Paid time off is an important part of employee benefits that you should review carefully and make the best use of it. We have a great resource that helps you examine and manage your paid time off benefits. I think there are two critical elements to think about:

• Planned paid time off: this usually involves your travel or vacation plans of the year. Make sure you are proactive in planning your calendar and let your team know in advance to coordinate the work flow.
• Unplanned paid time off: this usually means sick or other personal situations that come up. Communication again is the absolute key especially during the time of pandemic. We see lots of members taking sick leaves but experiencing many miscommunications with their employers that end up losing wages or even jobs. That’s why it’s also very important to communicate proactively and clearly about the workplace policy (which could be subject to constant changes due to the current COVID situation). Make sure everything is documented through paperwork or emails. And also explore other potential benefits such as short term disability insurance to see if there can be some safety net to pay the bills.

Learning more about your benefits and rights can help you maintain your work life balance while ensuring your job security. How do you usually manage your paid time off?

#worklifehacks

When I grew up, I was told that it was a virtue to set the bar high and be an overachiever. But after I actually started my career, I realized how unhealthy it was to be too harsh to myself. I love these tips shared through NPR to break the cycle of being mean to yourself. Particularly on “talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend”.

Have you been harsh to yourself? How do you “lower your standard”? Let’s practice self love in the new year!

#watercooler #worklifehacks

As @Janice Reed shared last week about how to snap out of the post holiday blues, one of the options is to consider switching jobs. I’ve seen many people job search while being employed. I was pretty open with my last employer about my decision to leave and was very lucky to get their blessing and support. There are definitely some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Explore the opportunities in your current company
• Keep things off the radar especially avoid using company resources
• Don’t bad mouthed your current employer
• Use your network actively

What are your tricks for job search while being employed? Any success or lessons learned? #worklifehacks #jobsearch

Is it too early for spring cleaning? If it’s hard to stay motivated and productive in the first week of 2022, why not try decluttering your workspace, computer files or even work calendar? Here are some benefits for getting organized at work:

• Create comfortability
• Improve productivity and creativity
• Boost confidence

Do you have any foolproof tricks for decluttering and getting organized? #worklifehacks

Parents and guardians often face an uphill battle when it comes to balancing work and childcare. Here are 3 trustworthy services you can use to find quality child care that will help make their lives easier to manage.

1. Winnie
   Winnie is an online marketplace for daycare and preschool options near you! You can join a community of parents and take advantage of their extensive search options - including drop-in daycare options and facilities with “odd hour” scheduling.

2. Care.com
   Care.com is one of the world’s largest online platforms for managing family and childcare. You can find caregivers near you and connect with them safely through the app to coordinate conversations and interviews. You can also get advice, access reviews, and request background checks.

3. Urban Sitter
   Urban Sitter is a one-part social network and one-part caregiver matchmaking service. You’ll get sitter recommendations based on who you know and where you are. You’ll also see the most popular and highly recommended sitters from parents across school, neighborhood, religious, or parents groups.

"Like" this post if you found it helpful and follow me for more #worklifehacks! 👏

It’s still the beginning of the new year and many people are reflecting on their financial and career plans. One of the common things that cross our mind is wondering if we are being underpaid. I found this really cool resources with tools and suggestions to find out if you’re underpaid. If you do think you’re underpaid, we have a great article about how to ask for more money if you’re thinking about advocating for a raise.

Do you feel that you’re being underpaid? What are your ideas to boost your incomes?

#worklifehacks

Have you ever experienced a moment of self doubt? Either you don’t feel enough or competent to do your job? Or you don’t think you’re qualified to land a dream job? I would say these thoughts have crossed my mind at least once a week so you’re not alone!

This video suggests 8 proven ways to boost your confidence:

• 🥳Learn to celebrate yourself
• 🤓Learn something new
• 👃Smell great
• 🛑Limit TV
• 🎸Play music
• 🏋️‍♀️Workout daily
• 🎮Play simulation games
• 💪Help someone

I’ve found learning something new, working out daily and helping someone very helpful in boosting my confidence. I'm very intrigued about the smell and might add a fragrance on my holiday wishlist🎁. How many have you tried from this list?

We also have a great article to discover your strengths using the ⭐️S(ituation) T(ask) A(ction) R(esult)⭐️ method that you can use for job search as well as performance review.

Have you ever felt that you’re short of confidence? Have you tried any tricks to boost your confidence?

#advice