By Joseph Appelbaum, Potomac Companies, Inc.

Many employees do not understand the benefits that their employers work hard to offer them. According to a 2018 report, 50 percent of employees surveyed said they understand their benefits, compared to 77 percent understanding in 2015. In the 2018 State of Employee Benefits survey, 37 percent of respondents indicated their employer provided no education on benefits. Granted, benefits and health insurance has become more complex in three years, with regulatory changes, increased high deductible health plan (HDHP) implementation, and the changing individual mandate. This increased complexity, however, can be mitigated through rigorous employee education and judicious use of human capital management technology. When employees do not understand benefits (and perks, such as career development and recognition programs), they tend not to “appreciate their value” and are more likely to seek employment elsewhere. 

By Jennifer Owens, Arlington Community Foundation
​
​It is no secret that business leaders are wired to look for opportunity in every challenge. But ‘challenge’ does not begin to capture the magnitude of what our community, and communities around the globe, are enduring today. All business leaders - corporate and nonprofit - are having their skills and mettle tested. Still, as this crisis unfolds, we are seeing many examples of the creative and nimble ways that our corporate community is working hand in hand with our nonprofits to clear obstacles and support the people most in need in Arlington. Here are just three of the many examples of the power of solutions-oriented partnership and collaboration that are improving lives in Arlington today:

By Hannah Dannenfelser, ​Arlington Community Federal Credit Union & Todd Ihrig, ​Avantax Investment Services

​Crisis situations often shine a spotlight on the best aspects of our society.  Simultaneously, these situations also highlight where we have room to improve and opportunities to fill gaps.  As with many previous crises, our first responders and health care professionals continue to step up and put others before themselves.  We have seen tremendous acts of kindness and generosity and we are all sacrificing in both small and big ways in service to the community health.
 
We know that this situation has put an entire segment of our community at risk.  In a 2018 survey, the Federal Reserve found that nearly 40% of American adults could not come up with $400 in an emergency.  It isn’t hard to imagine that many of these same adults are being directly affected by a Covid-19 pandemic that, for them, is quickly turning from a broad global crisis into a very personal financial crisis.

By Maggie Richardson, Phoenix Bikes

At Phoenix Bikes, a dynamic nonprofit bike shop in south Arlington, 2020 has been about growing organizational impact. Our mission is to educate youth, promote bicycling and build community, which we accomplish through free youth bike mechanics programs, volunteer opportunities, and events. As the year began, we were juggling new ambitions as well as changing staff dynamics. Our Education Program Manager, Raymond Duran, had just taken on a management role after Natalie Slater, Youth Programs Assistant, came on board. 
 
With more capacity to tackle bigger projects, the youth programs staff and Executive Director Emily Gage were eager to take our youth programs to the next level. The central question was “What comes after Earn-a-Bike?”