Minneapolis, MN -- (SBWIRE) --05/11/2011 -- The Virtual Benefits Fair, a creation of Kathy Kacher, President of CareerLife Alliance Services, Inc, is a response to employers' efforts to reach out to an increasingly disenfranchised workforce.

Research from the 9th annual MetLife Study of Employee Benefits found that employees who report that they are very satisfied with their workplace benefits are about three times as likely to indicate that they are highly satisfied with their current job and feel more loyal toward their employer. The latest Watson Wyatt Communication ROI Study reported that effective employee communication is a leading indicator of financial performance and a driver of employee engagement.

The innovative Virtual Benefits Fair brings together employees and management to achieve a common goal ? to communicate about existing programs, while enriching them with educational seminars, interactivity and rewards. "We built this system with Human Resources and their budgets in mind", says Kacher, "organizations are having to find creative ways to continuously educate employees about benefits, and this tool will help them with that outreach."

The Fair, which is customized to represent each company's offerings, is visually engaging and interactive. Employees enter as if entering a real fair and proceed to tour their company's benefit programs from a show floor just like a trade show or employee benefits fair.

As they enter a benefit booth the employee can interact with the content, which can include information such as brochures, on-line enrollment, frequently-asked questions and direct communication with a benefits representative. Education sessions on topics ranging from wellness to 401K investment opportunities can also be viewed through the show education center.

Career/Life Alliance Services be sharing this unique communications system this month at the World at Work Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, CA.

About Career/Life Alliance Services, Inc.
CareerLife Alliance Services, Inc. (CLAS) is a leading provider of work/life and workplace flexibility consulting services. CLAS has created a variety of online work/life tools including the nations first on line flexible work arrangement tracking system and now the virtual employee benefits fair. Career/Life Alliance Services that has been serving corporate clients since 1987. To learn more about Career/Life Alliance go to http://www.clalliance.com.

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Minneapolis, MN -- (SBWIRE) --05/11/2011 -- A just-released Benchmarking Report on Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation sheds new light on employees' experience in the workplace. The report reveals that employees continue to struggle with the management of their daily lives. Almost 40% of those surveyed reported that in the past 30 days they were "sometimes to very often" unable to control the important things in their life. One in five respondents felt nervous and stressed "often to very often" in the past month.

The fact that hiring freezes are being lifted around the country could be good news for those nervous, stressed and overworked employees, many of whom may be thinking of leaving for less stressful jobs. A new Towers Watson* report says those jobs will be getting easier to find; 40% to 42% of companies polled anticipate increasing headcount, looking especially for professional/technical and critical skills.

What does this mean for Minnesota employers? "As the job market loosens, says Career/Life Alliance president Kathy Kacher, "many employers will see those stressed employees leaving for greener pastures. Those pastures include the ability to manage both their professional and personal life without negative consequences on the job. It means autonomy, trust, and a focus on results – setting measurable goals and allowing people to get their work done when, where and however it works for them, without being micromanaged. Companies all over the world are finding there's a huge payoff for that kind of management."

Kacher heads the Twin Cities When Work Works project, now in its third year. The project is part of a national campaign to engage the business community, and broaden awareness of the positive business and employee benefits of workplace flexibility. A When Work Works committee of volunteers is currently recruiting "Business Champions" to apply for the Alfred P. Sloan Award and join the growing group of best-practice companies willing to focus on creating a more flexible, supportive workplace. Those Twin City employers who do so will be honored next October at a special day-long celebration.

Study after study has proven that by providing workplace flexibility, organizations experience increased productivity, engagement, and reduced absenteeism. The ripple effect can impact real estate costs, health and wellness, and even HR compliance challenges. In the past two years nearly 30 Minnesota companies have participated in the When Work Works initiative and have been nationally recognized for their efforts to create workplace flexibility. Along with that recognition, participating companies receive a benchmarking report that compares their progress to that of other employers. It also reports on changing demographics and offers pertinent information about this area.

The 2011 When Work Works program was launched March 1, 2011, and the application process is open until May 27, 2011. Click here to see 2010 recipients, and for more information about how your company can apply and join in the celebration, e-mail Kacher at KKacher@CLAlliance.com.

* 2011 Recession, Recovery and Rewards Flash Survey; Towers Watson

Project Partners of When Work Works

About The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation was established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr., then President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation. For the last 12 years, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has funded six Centers on Working Families, one workplace center, and many other research projects to examine issues faced by working families. Many of the findings reveal that while the demographics of the American workforce have changed dramatically over the last 30 years, the American workplace has not changed as rapidly. With today's very diverse workforce, it is not surprising that now nearly four out of five working Americans, across age, income, and stage in life, want more flexibility at work. For more information, visit http://www.sloan.org.

About Families and Work Institute
Families and Work Institute (FWI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that studies the changing workforce and workplace, the changing family and the changing community. As a preeminent think-tank, FWI is known for being ahead of the curve, identifying emerging issues, and then conducting rigorous research that often challenges common wisdom, provides insight and knowledge, and inspires action. Since the Institute was founded in 1989, our work has focused in three major areas: the workforce/workplace, youth and early childhood. For more information, visit http://www.familiesandwork.org.

About Career/Life Alliance Services, Inc.
CLAS) has been providing work life solutions for a wide range of industry leaders since 1987. CLAS offers services ranging from employee benefits such as online Flexible Work Arrangement Tracking System, Virtual Employee Benefits Fair to comprehensive work-life and flexibility policy development, research, and a variety of consulting services. http://www.clalliance.com

About Society for Human Resources Management
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. http://www.shrm.org

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