Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1467917
38 PalletCentral • May-June 2022 palletcentral.com coverage without having to change plans," he said. "And it's become a popular option, probably because of COVID fears. " Student loan reimbursement is another hot benefit. Many companies are taking advantage of existing tax deductions and new incentives available thanks to legislation before COVID that not only encourage helping their employees pay down student loans but also provide for other types of educational assistance. Sure, there's a chance that the government may one day forgive some of the college-related debt that is burdening so many workers. But for now, many employers are stepping up and offering to help pay down loans using such services as Tuition.io and Savi. "ese are powerful platforms," said Alan Kaplan, who runs executive recruiting service Kaplan Partners in Wynnewood. "It's a bit of a differentiator because a lot companies are still not doing it. And I believe many young people graduating with so much debt really appreciate it." Finally, consider the fringes. Kiley's company offers fringe benefits through Fringe, where employees are given points by her company and then can use those points to choose from more than 130 different types of fringe benefits offered on the platform ranging from gym reimbursements and lunch stipends to financial wellness apps and life and career coaching. "You can offer these benefits on your own, but it takes a lot of administrative time, which is why we enjoy the Fringe platform," she said. "We also use it as a reward system instead of just a benefit platform and our people love it." One other thing worth mentioning, because it's overlooked by so many employers and their workers: education. "Too many of our clients aren't fully leveraging what they have," Deninno said. "I tell them to let me come in and brag to their employees about all the benefits their company offers because they're probably not aware of them all." Gene Marks, business consultant, appears regularly on various news channels where he discusses financial, economic and technology issues that affect business leaders today. He owns and operates the Marks Group PC, a successful firm that provides technology and consulting services to small- and medium-sized businesses. He also writes books and newspaper columns specifically geared towards small- and medium- sized companies.