Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 2 4 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E a $6,000 tax credit in 2024 and in each year thereafter through 2027. The University of Maine at Augusta Lewiston Center's Dental Assistant Program added three new dental chairs and a 3D x-ray machine to ad- dress its community outreach poten- tial and growing class sizes. The pro- gram used a portion of a $665,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental to make the updates. The Alfond Youth & Community Center in Waterville introduced NinjAdventure Zone, an indoor playground featuring a ninja obstacle course and climbing wall. Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor said that it received a $42,500 Special Event Grant from the Maine Office of Tourism to support the pro- motion of the Maine Science Festival. Aroostook Agency on Aging in Presque Isle received a $400,000 grant from the Maine Connectivity Authority to launch the Connectivity Hub project, aimed to empower older residents to become more confident and capable participants in an increasingly digital world. JOBS THE WORLD NEEDS. CAREERS PEOPLE LOVE. EXPERTISE THE MARKET DEMANDS. THEY ALL COME TOGETHER AT HUSSON. THEY ALL 1 COLLEGE CIRCLE | BANGOR, MAINE 207.941.7000 | husson.edu Building Bangor & Northern Maine Since 1952 www.nickoday.com | 207-989-7400 | 35 Airport Road, Brewer, Maine 04412 NICKERSON & O'DAY, INC. Constructors – Since 1952 Renovations and new construction are our specialty! At Nick O'Day we are skilled at building your project while your facility continues to operate. Pictured above, clockwise from left, are photos of Husson University's O'Donnell Commons, Presque Isle's Sargent Family Community Center, Bangor's Eastside Center for Health & Rehabilitation and Presque Isle's MicMac Community Wellness Center. NICKERSON & O'DAY, INC. is your "go-to" contractor for Renovations and New Construction! Q: How can we choose benefits package that will help us retain employees? ACE advises: A benefits package can be one of your best workforce retention tools, and there are likely more options than you realize. It is worth a look to ensure you are optimizing this tool. Your business can offer different plans and/or services, and it should not take an unreasonable amount of time to figure out which is best. Smaller employers may believe they are not ready to offer significant benefits, so they do not offer anything, or at most offer paid time off. They are unaware that there are benefits plans that support individuals' health and welfare that do not require employer contributions. The type of work your organization performs determines the best combina- tion of benefits. When the benefits package feels useful and meaningful, it can have a significant effect. A few things to consider: 1. Seek guidance from a benefits professional: These professionals take into account what your business does and what you can afford and provide you with a list of options. They can tell you what is feasible. 2. Ask your employees what benefits they want most: You may be surprised, and it will help you decide between options. 3. Explore the next best thing: If you cannot offer traditional medical cover- age, you should consider HRAs, individual accident, critical illness, cancer or disability insurance. 4. Set aside adequate time to weigh the options: Remember that the time spent making this decision is far less than the time lost replacing a valued employee. And if you can't personally spare it, ask someone to do a review and report back. A professional review, consideration of nontraditional options, and a one-pager for employees outlining available benefits will help you maximize this retention tool. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y A n g e l a H a n s e n , R a n g e C u l t u r e C o . The Association for Consulting Expertise is a nonprofit group of independent consultants who value "Success through collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Angela Hansen, president of ACE, is the co-founder and chief business officer of Range Culture Co., which provides practical tools for employers to retain valuable employees. Angela can be reached at angela@rangecultureco.com N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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