Employee benefits

Leaders at the 85 institutions that made the eighth annual ranking have found ways to navigate crises (there have been plenty this year) while also bolstering employee morale.

The about-face followed a swift backlash from affected employees, who earn more than $250,000 a year, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

Understanding that staff are dealing with new uncertainties surrounding the pandemic, some institutions have become more flexible with many of their traditional HR policies.

A look at what some of the nation's largest credit unions are doing to take care of those who take care of their members every day.

How mid-size institutions are making a difference for employees and keeping workers engaged during the pandemic.

With staff scattered between working at home and in the office, management at many institutions has taken steps to revamp intranets and launch employee-only Facebook groups to keep their workforce connected.

More than a dozen institutions made the ranking this year in this asset category range.

These seven institutions have found innovative ways to engage employees and help staffers through the pandemic.

The pandemic has forced the institutions on this year's Best Credit Unions to Work For list to be more flexible with their policies for how and when employees take time off.

The annual ranking, a collaboration between Credit Union Journal and the Best Companies Group, involves surveying employees and reviewing each institution's workplace policies.

The coronavirus has created unprecedented challenges for employers but these credit unions rose to the occasion.

The Baltimore institution said it would close on Nov. 3 with the intention that employees use the paid time off to participate in the democratic process.

CEOs during CUNA Mutual Group's Discovery conference discussed giving workers more time off and taking other steps to keep up employee morale.

The financial services industry urged Gov. Tom Wolf to reconsider guidelines that excluded their employees from receiving this benefit.

Financial firms should offer debt consolidation and faster payment services to help employees who may be struggling through the coronavirus pandemic.

Credit Union of Texas, based near Dallas, is believed to be one of the first in the industry to debut this perk.

The coronavirus has highlighted the issue of millions of Americans lacking access to high-speed internet at their homes. Financial services firms weren't spared from this challenge.

Axcess Financial is using stronger authentication, studying up on bad actors and planning to use a federal service that automates verification of Social Security numbers.

With more employees than ever working from home due to the coronavirus, credit unions' networks may be less secure than usual. But purchasing cyber insurance to help cover the costs if a breach occurs isn't as clear cut as it may seem.

Some institutions may want to consider self-insurance to lower expenses as the coronavirus cuts into earnings.