What Employees Want: Praise and Recognition | Virginia Benefits Team

“What gets recognized gets reinforced, and what gets reinforced gets repeated.” -Unknown In today’s ultra-competitive work environment, the companies with the winning edge are the ones that have the best-trained and well-skilled staff. However, even the best employees cannot perform well (or may even jump ship) when they are not motivated enough. Praise and recognition … Continued

Workplace Wellbeing: 5 Recommendations from the U.S. Surgeon General | Virginia Benefits Consultants

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, recently released the Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Wellness to set a new standard for expectations of employers. In this new normal, Human Resources leaders must take some responsibility for the wellbeing of those who work in their organization. The report is comprehensive and includes research and data supporting the … Continued

Communication in the Workplace | Virginia Benefits Advisors

Today’s workforce looks markedly different than it did just 10 years ago. 1 in 3 workers in the US are millennials and this makes them the largest generation in our current workforce. The way this generation communicates makes it necessary for the office to adjust its messaging strategy. What was seen as top-notch communication tech … Continued

It’s Intern Season | VA Benefits Partners

Summer internships offer students opportunities to gain real-world experience and hands-on career development. Conversely, internship programs give employers access to highly motivated and educated young workers and give junior managers more experience training and supervising. There are benefits for everyone involved. However, there are some people risks that many employers overlook. One of the largest … Continued

Cybersecurity: Employees Are the First Line of Defense | Virginia Benefit Advisors

Cybercriminals are becoming more focused on users of company networks as a weak link in the security infrastructure chain. Secure web gateways, anti-virus tools, malware scanners, spam quarantines, and other technologies help filter out malicious content and defend against a growing variety of threats, but technology alone cannot stop humans from clicking on the wrong … Continued

How to Stop Procrastinating (Finally!) | Virginia Benefit Consultants

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? A 2015 study published in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy found that about 50 percent of people consider themselves “mild” or “average” when it comes to procrastinating. And about 20 percent of people view themselves as chronic procrastinators, meaning that they procrastinate in many different areas of their lives — work, … Continued

How to Stop Procrastinating (Finally!) | VA Benefits Agency

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? A 2015 study published in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy found that about 50 percent of people consider themselves “mild” or “average” when it comes to procrastinating. And about 20 percent of people view themselves as chronic procrastinators, meaning that they procrastinate in many different areas of their lives — work, … Continued

8 Tips for Handling Tough Employee Conversations | VA Employee Benefits

We all get cold feet when it comes to addressing difficult issues with colleagues in the workplace. It’s stressful, and you just can’t help but think of all of the ways that a well-meaning conversation could go sideways. You worry about the longer-lasting effects of a damaged work relationship but know that you must correct … Continued