The Small Business Total Rewards Blog

January 1, 2026 Minimum Wage Changes

Summary: Return to office is not just a business decision. It is a Total Rewards decision that affects pay, time, and employee wellbeing. In this post, I break down why RTO often feels like a pay cut and how small employers can design commute conscious Total Rewards programs that employees can actually say yes to. Return to office is a Total Rewards decision, not just a policy When my LinkedIn post about returning to the office took off and crossed fifteen thousand impressio

Connect today’s economy to concrete moves in pay clarity, benefits value, scheduling, and time off so employees can plan their month, their life, and want to stay with your company. Summary Prices are up and media headlines talk about mass layoffs and AI replacing jobs. Even strong performers feel financially exposed and very uncertain about their career path with your company. Small Businesses and Startups can use company culture and Total Rewards to make money, time, and ca

Give managers a simple toolkit to explain pay, benefits, and PTO clearly. The cheapest retention strategy you can run. Summary People leave when they have to guess. Train managers and use this simple toolkit to explain pay, benefits, and time off the same clear way. It costs very little and pays back fast. Key takeaways Build a one-pager for compensation, a benefits cost snapshot, and a PTO playbook Rehearse a shared talk track for offers, reviews, and time off Measure manage

Summary Burnout shows up as rework, missed details, and slow decisions. Fix PTO with simple rules and add two mental health rest days so recovery is not a negotiation. Key takeaways Add 2 mental health rest days to your PTO policy Use one simple request process, predictable approvals, and named backups Model a “no contact” policy to protect rest days Table of contents Why rest days matter to performance Policy, process, and norms that make rest credible Plain-language handboo

A practical framework to standardize PTO, sick leave, and leaves of absence for small teams. Clear rules, one intake process, and clean communication that reduces burnout and legal risk. Paid Time Off for Small Businesses and Start-Ups Summary: Inconsistent time off rules create inequity and legal risk. Use this small business PTO framework to standardize accruals, approvals, sick leave, and leaves of absence. Table of contents Why inconsistent Time Off Policies hurt small bu