How to help employees pay off their student loans

STUDENT LOANS: As anxious borrowers react to the?Supreme Court's ruling?to stop?student loan forgiveness, employees are once again faced with the financial burden of college debt. But with widespread financial stress already taking its toll on the workforce, will employees be able to manage yet another expense??

For some employees, there may be relief: student loan repayment benefits have grown in popularity over the last several years, spurred by the impact financial stress and debt can have on workplace productivity and financial well-being. While 17% of employers currently offer a student loan repayment program, according to the SHRM , almost half plan to do so in the future, separate research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute found.?Here's how one employer, Avangrid , is already making a difference in their employees' financial lives through a tuition reimbursement plan.

What the Supreme Court's ruling on student loan forgiveness means for employees

WFH: About a third of employees say they struggle to leave the house enough when working remotely, according to a recent survey from FlexJobs , while another third report feeling overworked. While remote work comes with many benefits — such as reduced commute time and improved sleep — workplaces need to be cognizant of maintaining a work-life balance and how employees remain engaged.?

Maintaining a designated workspace and break times can help create more distinct boundaries. Without clear spatial divides, remote workers — especially those living with family or roommates — may find it difficult to untangle their jobs from their personal lives.?Check out more tips from Flexjobs:

Read: For remote workers, time to get out of the house

FAMILY HEALTHCARE: To help its 500 employer clients meet the growing demand for offerings that help employees achieve having a family, Quantum Health has partnered with fertility and family-building benefit solution Progyny, Inc. , which is now part of Quantum's Comprehensive Care Solutions platform.?

"Healthcare is its own language to start with, let alone when you get into a speciality like family-building," says Shannon Skaggs , president of Quantum Health. "Unfortunately, patients throw up their hands and can't figure it out, and all they're left with is a brochure from open enrollment. There are not a lot of great solutions for equitable benefits for everyone trying to build a family. A group like Progyny leads us in this direction."

Read: Quantum and Progyny team up to provide inclusive family-building care