employee benefits | Employee Benefits

May 7, 2015May 4, 2015

Legal Issues and Workplace Wellness Programs

Workplace wellness programs are benefits that employers offer voluntarily or mandatorily to their employees to promote wellness and fitness. Employees benefit from these programs that encourage employees to quit their unhealthy habits such as drinking and smoking and take up exercise.

The benefits of the workplace wellness programs can be helpful for both the employees and employers, if legally implemented. Employees benefit by becoming healthier; thus, reducing the risk of having more serious health problems. As a result, employers will pay lower costs for health insurance. Employers can also receive larger profits because of the increased productivity of their employees.

There are two types of wellness programs. The first one is voluntary. This program’s implementation is at the employee’s discretion to participate or not. Usually, there are rewards and incentives given to the employees who will participate. The second is mandatory. This requires the employees to undergo the wellness program. Mandatory wellness programs often penalize employees who will not participate.

Although both the employers and employees benefit on the wellness programs, legal issues may still arise. The implementation of the workplace wellness programs must comply with the state and federal law. These laws or acts are Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) requires the employers to keep the medical records of their employees. It is also their responsibility to keep their employees’ medical information private, only to use it in a legal way. Employees benefit from this because it allows equal opportunities and incentives for everyone who will participate in the wellness program.

Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) gives the employees the right not to disclose their genetic information. An employer must not request or require his employee to disclose such information. Medical family history is also included in the said information. Because of this, the employees are eligible to undergo the wellness program of their organization. They also have the right to receive the proper amount of insurance premium without disclosing their genetic information or family medical history.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits the employers to ask their employees on their disabilities. The disabled employees benefit from this because they still have the right to participate in a wellness program voluntarily without any fear for punishment.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act or (ADEA) is applied to workers who are over 39 years old. This act does not permit the employers to discriminate their workers based on age. Every wellness program must be flexible on age and health conditions of their employees.

It is recommended for employers, who want to establish a wellness program, to hire an experienced professional who will guide them. Employees should understand the legalities involved in the wellness programs implemented in their workplace.

April 29, 2015April 13, 2015

Why You Should Consider Employee Benefit Enrollment Software

As anyone with more than a handful of employees knows, enrollment and management of employee benefits is a frequently tedious, time consuming process. Between the constant fight to remain in compliance with HIPAA and other federal and state laws, open-enrollment periods that can keep HR professionals tied up for weeks at a time, and the usual demands of hires, fires and COBRA issues, you have a major man-hours project on your hands.

While good HR is vital, these hours invested don’t represent direct revenue to the company. Anything you can do to streamline your HR operation while still fulfilling the essential functions of the department is a plus.

That’s why more and more employers are turning to automation. Software developers are creating ever more specific solutions to common business problems – and there are now a number of “off-the-shelf” solutions specifically for employee enrollment.

In the right situation, and investment in technology can provide the following benefits for employers:

Decreased costs. Paper forms tie up two workers: The rank and file or management employee who has to fill them out, and then the HR worker or manager who has to instruct the worker in completing the forms, and who must then, in a separate process, enter the information into multiple insurance carrier portals and file them. Automation can save multiple man-hours per enrollment, freeing workers up to do more productive tasks.

Improved compliance. Software packages typically come with high-quality encryption and built-in safeguards against the accidental disclosure of personally identifiable information – a potential felony under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Penalties for even accidental disclosure are steep. And one slip-up accidentally sending the wrong Excel spreadsheet to the wrong person can result in severe consequences for the employer.

Using a well-designed software package can help segregate your employee benefit information from other files, and assist you with stripping out sensitive information in your reports – lowering your liability.

Lower error rate. Employers have been sued over manual input errors, where an HR worker accidentally mis-typed information from a paper form into a computer. By using an automated solution with a built-in employee verification system, you eliminate a significant source of potential error – and protect workers at the same time.

Improved Convenience. Many carriers or providers feature an online portal that employees can use to enroll and make changes in their coverage. For example, BenefitFocus offers a customizable interface that employers can brand with their own logo and company information.

Not only do employees enter their own enrollment information and select options from the benefit menu with a few clicks, but the portal itself streamlines communication with the employee: The employer can place messages, alerts and bulletins concerning their benefits right there on the portal, so employees get the relevant information precisely when they need it: When actively engaged in the process of making enrollment and benefit decisions for themselves and their families. This was the specific solution chosen by the State of North Carolina, which had to scale up their outreach to as many as 400,000 state employees and 270 agencies.

The advantage to employees was substantial. Adoption of an automated system, including an interactive portal, had the following benefits:

Employees could specify their own language preference.
Compare plans side-by-side
Update beneficiaries easily and quickly – without putting HR staff in the middle of the process, creating the possibility of error or delay.
Initiate changes to benefits themselves – again without tying up HR staff or company management.
Update personal information
Watch educational videos.

Improved Services. Automation can help your HR staff be more proactive about reminding workers of upcoming open enrollment and other deadlines: Some programs allow you to enter key deadlines and reminder dates in the system, alerting HR staffers about when it’s time to issue another communique to workers. Who wins? Everyone. Your HR operation becomes more efficient and pro-active. Your workers get more lead time to make important decisions regarding their enrollments.

Connect Workers with Benefits. Some platforms allow workers to log onto a Web platform to handle changes to their own plans. Normally, valuable benefits are “out of sight, out of mind.” But automation allows and encourages workers to get involved with the administration of their own plans, so they can see their value.

Smoother Open Enrollment Processes. Open enrollment doesn’t have to be ‘panic month’ for your HR workers and managers. A well-oiled and automated process can streamline your open enrollment processes tremendously – and reduce their spillover into operations. That means improved productivity for all workers – not just your HR people.

Reduce Paperwork. Online employee portals and in-house, HR-operated solutions both enable paperless, automated communication with plan carriers and vendors. At the same time, the employer’s exposure to HIPAA privacy violation is reduced, simply because there is much less paperwork to find its way into wastebaskets and out of the building, where personally identifiable health information could possibly be compromised.

Prevent Fraud. Some online enrollment portals, including Ebix’s Fringe Facts eEnroll Online solution, include an “audit check” option to verify dependent eligibility. This way, only individuals eligible for coverage are allowed to enroll in the plan, controlling overall plan costs.

More and Better Options. Some companies avoid certain kinds of benefits because they take too much trouble for HR workers to administer. For example, while many employers would love to offer their employees the benefit of flexible savings accounts, 401(k) loans, or a fully-stocked Section 125 “cafeteria” plan with all the fixings, some employers shy away from these options fearing an extensive commitment to ongoing administration. After all, if you offer a 401(k) loan option, or an FSA, you may find that your HR professionals could spend an inordinate amount of time explaining them, handling paperwork, and processing transactions. Some software packages fully automate these processes, allowing the employee to do everything online – leaving your HR workers free to pursue more profitable projects.

April 16, 2015April 12, 2015

Get the Most from Your Service Rewards Program

According to a 2013 employer survey conducted by Accelir, a human resource strategy advisory firm, 91 percent of companies include a service rewards program as part of their employee benefits package. In addition to traditional milestone awards for five, 10 and 20 years of employment, many of these companies are beginning to recognize employees after as little as one year of service.

It’s a smart trend considering the generational transition occurring in today’s workforce. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average tenure at U.S. jobs is currently less than five years. And the Millennial generation—born between 1981 and 1997—often stay with one employer for a maximum of three years.

While regular service rewards can boost employee engagement—and, therefore, productivity and profits—many companies put little thought into what their workers might actually want. They award customized pens, coffee mugs, and impersonal gift certificates—failing to maximize the potential benefits of their program as a result. Fortunately, there are other options. Consider these suggestions to get the most from your service rewards program.

Make it personal – If you’re going to take the time to recognize an employee for his or her years of service, put some real effort into it. Boilerplate letters, cards or emails addressed to “valued employee” aren’t going to cut it. Whether you do it yourself or have your assistant tackle the task, purchase a unique card that suits your employee’s personality. Make sure you include a personalized note that proves you are aware of his or her individual contributions to the company.

Give something they actually want – Sure, there are businesses out there that will provide you with a catalog of customizable service awards—from the aforementioned pens to wall plaques—and using them might make running your program a little easier. But you’re not going to get the results you want. Instead, find out what your employees really desire—then provide it. Take generational differences into account and stock up on a range of options.

Offer more than service awards – If you’re only thanking your employees for their hard work every five years, your business is likely suffering the consequences of disengagement. Even annual recognition—while certainly something to look forward to—may not be enough. Instead, look for reasons for frequent celebrations. Everything from birthdays, weddings and new babies to the achievement of quarterly business goals can merit a party.

When you make employee recognition and appreciation a part of your company culture, your business will naturally benefit. For additional tips on enhancing your service rewards program or any of your other employee benefits, contact us today.

March 31, 2015March 16, 2015

Considerations Before Adopting A Wellness Plan

Should employers concern themselves with the wellness of their workers? If employers want to spend less for health care costs, the answer is yes. This claim is based on many studies on big companies that adopt a wellness plan.

Doctors Richard Milani and Carl Lavie studied how a wellness program helps lessen the medical costs in a certain company with 185 workers. The employer implemented an exercise training and cardiac rehabilitation for his employees as a wellness program.

Some of the workers were classified as prone to heart problems based on their blood pressure, body fat, anxiety, etc. After 6 months, 57 percent of those prone to heart problems were reclassified as low-risk. It was observed that there was a significant decline of medical claim costs by $1,421 per participant.

Other companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, SAS Institute, Biltmore Tourism Enterprise, Chevron, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and others reported large wellness plan investment returns. Undoubtedly, as these big companies as show, adopting a wellness program really helps companies gain more annual yields.

Laying down a list of considerations in choosing a wellness plan provider would not give justice to the complexity of wellness issues. Instead, consulting a wellness expert should be the paramount consideration. Contacting or subscribing to a newsletter provider for assistance with workplace wellness plan is also an equally important consideration.

Nevertheless, a company must consider the following important points before adopting wellness program.

Consider how to make the workers participate in the wellness program.

Some employees do not want to participate in the program for various reasons. One might cite no interest in doing exercise. Others may say they are too busy to participate. And the rest are just lazy.

Mistrust over the leadership of the company is another reason some employees are reluctant to participate. Remember that a wellness program is an unusual mandate. Employees who have mistrust over the leadership may doubt as to the real intent of the program.

It needs a persuasive, passionate, and persistent leadership to make employees participate in a wellness program.

To avoid suspicion among employees, the employers must show that the wellness program is not all about greater annual yields. The program must be projected as purely for the health benefits of the employees.

Middle managers should play a vital role in persuading the employees since they are the closest to them. In addition, wellness program managers must learn to adjust to the behavior of the employees in the workplace. Not the employees to the wellness program manager. A wellness program manager must be friendly, collaborative, and methodical.

Consider gradual implementation of wellness programs

Wellness programs should not be implemented all at once. Remember that a wellness program is unusual for most companies. Sudden workplace culture shifts may produce culture shock.

The best way to start the program is by making a plan that gradually introduces wellness concerns to the employees. In implementation, patience is needed. Make monthly meetings, for example, that discuss employees’ concerns and wellness. Once employees are introduced to the importance of wellness in the workplace, they are ready to accept wellness program.

Consider that wellness is not just physical, but also mental as well as social.

This must also be considered in choosing a wellness plan provider. Not all causes of employees’ absences and unproductivity are brought by physical problems. People may suffer from adverse stress and depression. These two problems are not only mental but also social, affecting mostly family members, friends, and officemates.

In choosing a wellness program and plan provider, consider adding guidance counseling. To cite a concrete example, Biltmore Tourism Enterprises offers, as part of its wellness program, a nondenominational chaplain service. This service gives advice to the employees regarding divorce, and other family issues like death, grief, child rearing, etc.

Also consider adding “fun” factor to the programs. Remember that everybody loves to do enjoyable activities and are more likely to participate if it isn’t drudgery.

Consider making the wellness plan low cost or free.

Providing low-cost or free health and fitness services to employees is a good way to promote wellness. Putting an on-site fitness or recreation center is now becoming common to larger companies.

Organizing health fairs is also effective to provide free health services to employees. Providing healthy, tasty and affordable food or snacks for employees will definitely promote good health.

Some companies view the provision of free services to their employees as part of their wellness program.

Consider Partnership with Health and Wellness Institutions

Partnerships with these institutions is governed by a give and take attitude. For example, some companies who have developed a partnership with local health institutions sometimes participate in their local medical practices. The trainees in the local health institutions make use of the employees of the partner company as subjects, while the employees receive medical attention for free.

Consider Communication

Here is where the media and the Internet play an important role. Companies who had successfully implemented wellness plans made use of different communication strategies. For example, Nelnet includes wellness-related messages in its weekly emails to their employees. And H-E-B developed competitiveness among units and departments that vie with one another to have their health-success stories featured on their website.

The Internet is also an effective source of new information about wellness. Make use of it. Many newsletters nowadays are sent through emails. It is a good idea to subscribe to a newsletter provider that assists their subscribers with wellness programs.

March 18, 2015March 9, 2015

Should You Offer Your Employees Unlimited PTO?

It’s no secret that America’s workers are busy. Between family obligations (like sick kids or ailing parents) and necessary errands (like annual physicals and renewing driver’s licenses at the DMV), few can dedicate paid days off to real vacation time. Fortunately, some companies have found a way to remedy this situation. They call their solution “unlimited PTO,” and it combines paid sick days and personal/vacation days under one “paid time off” umbrella for employees to utilize at their own discretion.

So far, these vacation-generous employers are few. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), less than 1 percent of U.S. employers currently offer unlimited PTO. While many are small start-ups, the policies are gaining popularity among larger employers as well. Recent companies with unlimited PTO policies mentioned in the news include Best Buy, Motley Fool and Netflix. The SHRM reports that another 2 percent of organizations are considering adding an unlimited PTO benefit within the next year. Should you join them? Consider the following pros and cons.

Pro: Fresher, energized employees.

Unlimited PTO policies allow workers to take time off when they need it. Whether they’re coming down with a cold or could just benefit from a “mental health” day, a small break enables them to renew and recharge. You’ll have more employees working consistently at 100 percent rather than plodding along, suffering from burnout out.

Pro: Reduced administrative work.

PTO policies require employees to use paid time off “within reason” while giving them the freedom to take time away from the office at their discretion. This means you (or your HR department) no longer have to track days off against vacation and sick time balances. You also won’t have to “pay out” unused time when an employee moves on.

Pro: More attractive benefits package.

Today’s workers value flexibility, making unlimited PTO an extremely attractive benefit in the eyes of potential hires. But there’s more: not only may offering unlimited PTO help you recruit the best new workers, it will also increase current employee loyalty. This means less costly turnover.

Con: Potential for unequal opportunity.

You obviously cannot allow everyone in your company to take time off at the same time. But making sure every worker has an equal opportunity to use PTO can be difficult. Even the best managers may find it impossible to coordinate a fair and effective schedule.

Con: Not all jobs work with unlimited PTO.

Some jobs require workers to be present, making unlimited PTO difficult to implement. This can lead to resentment between employees or departments where one’s job works well within the policy paradigm and the other’s does not. Unlimited PTO may also not work well within an industry that is unionized or at large organizations with hundreds of nonexempt hourly workers.

If you’d like to explore using unlimited PTO—or another new benefit—to enhance your company’s employee benefits package, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about the latest popular options.

February 25, 2015February 10, 2015

Making Retirement Benefit Education Meaningful

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “meaningful” means “Having a meaning or purpose, full of meaning, significant.” It’s a concept that’s decidedly absent in much of the retirement benefit education employers provide their workers. Sure, they may cover all the bases, from how much a worker can contribute and how those contributions can be made to the basic options for investment of their funds and tax benefits of each. These facts are important. But they’re not as meaningful as engaging employees in a real conversation about their personal future.

If you’d like to make retirement benefit education at your organization more meaningful—and therefor impactful—consider the following suggestions.

Help Them Connect with Their Future Self

It’s easy to put off saving for retirement when you’re living purely in the present, consumed by your current wants and needs. Your workers may not be thinking about how the financial decisions they make today—from buying a $6 mocha latte to taking a European vacation—will impact their future. Fortunately, you have the opportunity to help them do so.

Ask your employees to imagine their retirement. What do they see? Are they traveling the country in a recreational vehicle? Are they living on the beach or in the mountains? Do they golf every day or spend time volunteering? How do they feel? Are they comfortable, happy and content? Do they worry about outliving their money? Once they make an emotional connection with their future self and what he/she will want and need, it will be easier for them to save for retirement.

Help Them Set an Achievable Savings Goal

Without a concrete savings goal, your employees cannot create a successful retirement plan. Unfortunately, most of them have no idea how much they will actually need. One 2013 survey found that 45 percent of savers believed they were not saving enough because they didn’t know how much money they would eventually need. Seventy-seven percent said they would save more if they knew how much today’s savings would be worth in future retirement dollars.

Instead of giving your employees a daunting goal to shoot for, help them find the answer to all those “how much?” questions. One way to do this is to choose a retirement plan vendor that offers online tools to allow your employees to model potential scenarios. They can then visualize how much they will need to save based on current rates to generate the future income they want.

Help Them Factor in Healthcare

Senior healthcare can take a big bite out of retirement savings. One 2013 study found out-of-pocket health-related expenses for a 65-year-old couple could be as much as $220,000 given average life expectancy. According to the study, most savers are only planning for $50,000 in healthcare expenses in retirement.

If you help your employees understand your employer sponsored healthcare plan as well as their future Medicaid and Medicare options, you will ensure they have a better picture of the benefits they will receive and the possible out-of-pocket medical expenses they’ll have to cover on their own. They can then incorporate this sum into their retirement savings goal.

If you’d like additional insight into meaningful retirement benefit education, contact your benefits advisor.

February 11, 2015February 10, 2015

Trends in Workplace Health Management Programs

When it comes to engagement, employers need to think about more than salary and vacation benefits. There is an inextricable link between employee engagement and employee health. So much so, in fact, that study results often reveal that employees who participate in health programs are as much as three times more likely to be satisfied in their work.

Nurturing this satisfaction—or engagement—is well worth the cost. Research from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that workplace health and wellness programs lead to significant reductions in lost work time—about 10.3 hours a year per participating employee. Employers also saved about $350 per year in healthcare costs per participating employee.

That’s enough to get anyone’s attention, and the use of such workplace programs continues to grow. The Optum Resource Center for Health and Well-being recently released a report on trends in workplace health management programs. Based on a survey of more than 500 human resource professionals at U.S. companies of all sizes, perhaps some of the findings—summarized below—will inspire you to create one at your organization.

Health management programs are prevalent in today’s businesses. On average, employers offer eight such programs. The larger the organization, the more programs they offer (5.2 average for small employers vs. 9.3 at large companies).
Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are the most common. Seventy percent of the surveyed employers offer them. Other popular programs are health/wellness websites (53 percent), health assessments (52 percent), wellness coaching (49 percent) and health/fitness challenges (48 percent).
More health management programs are available online (81 percent). Seventy-nine percent of the programs surveyed employers used had an onsite component.
Employers recognize the importance of establishing a “culture of health” in their organization. Sixty-two percent of the surveyed large company HR professionals said doing so is important. However, only 23 percent have actually done so.
Program budgets remain stable. Despite economic concerns, companies of all sizes report their wellness program budget have remained stable. More than 21 percent of employers actually increased their budget last year. Nearly 40 percent plan to increase spending on health management over the next three years.
Program administration is usually the most significant cost. This is followed by incentives, staff, communication, environment, program evaluation and other.
Most wellness programs have been in place for at least four years. On average, at companies of all sizes, wellness offerings have been available for about four years. However, more than 40 percent of large companies have offered their programs for more than five years.
Strategic planning is important. Nearly 50 percent of employers have established long-term strategic plans for their health management programs or—at minimum—an annual plan. Large employers are most likely to plan (73 percent), compared to midsized (44 percent) and small companies (43 percent).
Incentives for participation are common. More than 81 percent of employers offer incentives. Most spend an average of $167 per participant per year. The most commonly incentivized program offerings are biometric screenings, fitness challenges and health incentives. Incentives often take the form of contributions to a health savings or health reimbursement account.
Some employers reward their workers for achieving certain health outcomes. While most provide incentives to employees who complete wellness programs, 42 percent reward those who meet a health goal (such as losing weight or reducing blood pressure). In fact, the percentage of companies offering incentives for health outcomes increased from last year’s survey. The percentage offering rewards for program enrollment or completion actually decline.
More employees are participating in the health management programs offered. Fifty-five percent participated this year, an increase from 47 percent last year. Small companies have the highest participation rate (62 percent), while participation is slightly lower at large companies (54 percent) and medium-sized organizations (47 percent).
The success rate is quite high. Surveyed employers reported a 90 percent success rate for biometric screenings, 86 percent for onsite fitness centers, and 86 percent for health/fitness challenges.

As the Affordable Care Act continues to place an increasing focus on workplace wellness, companies across the nation are investing in health management programs. If you’d like to learn more about adding one to your roster of benefits, we’re here to help.

January 29, 2015January 26, 2015

Do Your Benefits Plan Documents Define Spouse Correctly?

During the summer of 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of United States v. Windsor and subsequently ruled that Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act—also known as DOMA—was unconstitutional. This portion of the act had previously prevented the federal government from recognizing marriages between same-sex couples, even when those couples lived in states that had legalized same-sex marriage. At the time of the ruling, this included 12 states plus the District of Columbia. The re-legalization of same-sex marriage in California—also by the Supreme Court—soon increased that total to 13.

For employers, the United States v. Windsor decision meant changes to employee benefit plans. These changes primarily related to the definition of spouse—something every benefits plan should cover—though it has impacted a few other plan procedures and policies as well. If you’ve yet to review your plan documents to correct related issues, consider the following:

If your company operates in a state where same-sex marriage is recognized, federal laws require you to treat same-sex and opposite-sex spouses equally when spousal benefits are offered.
In states recognizing same-sex marriage, employees no longer have to pay federal income taxes on your contribution to a same-sex spouse’s medical, dental or vision coverage. Additionally, your worker’s can make contributions to a same-sex spouse’s coverage on a pre-tax basis under an appropriate plan.
Businesses in states recognizing same-sex marriage must offer COBRA health insurance continuation coverage to same-sex spouses.
If you have an employer pension plan and operate in a state recognizing same-sex marriage, it must pay surviving-spouse annuities to same-sex spouses.
If you’re offering a 401(k) as part of your benefits plan in a state recognizing same-sex marriage, it must pay death benefits to same-sex spouses if they are beneficiaries.
Companies in states recognizing same-sex marriages must allow employees to take family and medical leave to care for an ill same-sex spouse.

More than a year after the DOMA ruling, it is still unclear whether businesses within states that do not recognize same-sex marriage need to adjust their benefits plan policies to comply with the new federal definition. It appears these employers can choose either approach (to recognize same-sex marriage or not to do so) but their benefits plan documentation needs to explain their chosen definition of spouse clearly.

Guidance issued by the United States Department of Labor in September 2013 would seem to indicate that choosing to recognize same-sex marriages within your benefits plan could be the most prudent decision. It stated, “The term ‘spouse’ will be read to refer to any individuals who are lawfully married under any state law, including individuals married to a person of the same sex who were legally married in a state that recognizes such marriages, but who are domiciled in a state that does not recognize such marriages.”

Would you like assistance reviewing your benefits plan language? We’d love to help. Please contact us anytime you require additional insight into benefits planning and procedures.

January 17, 2015January 26, 2015

Enhancing Your Wellness Program on the Cheap

A 2012 study conducted by Aflac, the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the U.S., found that many of today’s workers value workplace wellness efforts. In fact, 28 percent stated that company-sponsored tools to improve health and lifestyle yield greater job satisfaction. Other research has provided statistics on workplace wellness benefits for employers. One analysis of multiple published studies found workplace wellness programs result in an average 28 percent reduction in sick days. They also reduced health costs by 26 percent and workers’ compensation claims by 30 percent.

If you’re not achieving these types of results, it may be time to improve your workplace wellness program. Doing so doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either. Consider these enhancements you can make on the cheap.

Nail down a strategy.

As Benjamin Franklin once famously wrote, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Haphazardly throwing together a wellness program without determining exactly what you want it to accomplish—and the best methods to use to reach those goals—is never going to be very effective. Instead, think about the biggest health concerns in your workplace (you may want to survey your employees) and create a three- to five-year plan to address them.

Spend for data.

While you can develop a workplace wellness program that doesn’t cost a dime, spending a portion of even a small budget on data collection can be worth it. For example, hiring a vendor to conduct screenings will help you establish a baseline on the health and fitness level of your employees. Periodic re-screenings will help you gauge their progress and target new areas for improvement.

Take full advantage of your partners.

If you’ve hired a wellness program provider, solicit his ideas and consider his recommendations. You’re paying for his experience and expertise, so use it. Tap into your other benefits providers—from health insurers to 401(k) managers—as well. As part of their service, they may provide free resources you can use to enhance your wellness program, such as online educational tools.

Use free resources provided by government and non-profit organizations.

For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created the National Healthy Worksite Program, which you can access online. You’ll find information on training opportunities, training materials, and other tools and resources you can use when enhancing your workplace wellness program.

Make the most of key health areas.

If you want to get the biggest bang for your wellness dollar, focus on areas of health in which small changes often yield big results. These include increasing your employees’ physical activity and improving their nutrition. For example, you might encourage them to move more with daily-steps competitions, short exercise breaks or setting up an on-site gym. You could swap healthy snacks for junk food in the office vending machine, organize a company-wide weight loss challenge, or distribute a newsletter with healthy-eating tips and recipes.

Whether you want to fine-tune an existing wellness program to produce better results or have yet to add this valuable supplemental benefit to your company’s roster, I can help. Contact me today for more information on creating and managing your program.

December 12, 2014January 26, 2015

Are You Giving Your Team the Benefits They Really Want?

You’ve probably heard the old saying “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” It basically means that the loudest wheel (or in the case of a business, employee) will be given the most maintenance (or in this case, attention). While heeding this instruction may serve you well if you’re working on a bicycle, it could actually hurt your company’s benefits program. Why is this? The answer is simply because the desires of your most vocal employees aren’t always representative of the rest of your workforce.

The Danger of Misconception

If your employee benefits package is full of offerings the majority of your team doesn’t want, participation rates will suffer. The healthiest among them may not sign up for your health insurance plan, resulting in a smaller group (of potentially unhealthy workers) and driving up costs for your entire organization. They may opt out of supplemental benefits—such as life insurance—and increase the cost per participant of providing those opportunities. Even worse, unwanted benefits don’t enhance engagement. They do nothing to improve productivity or reduce employee turnover.

Fortunately, there are ways you can reach out to your workforce—including those who rarely speak their mind—and find out what benefits really matter to the majority of your staff.

Start With a Survey

You can use free or low-cost software such as SurveyMonkey to get a baseline reading on your employees’ opinions of your current benefits package. Basic questions you might want to ask include:

On a scale of one to five, with one being the worst and five being the best, how would you rate the benefits package at Company XYZ?
Given your personal situation, how would you rank the benefits provided within the package from least to most important? (Provide list of current benefits.)
What other benefits should Company XYZ offer?
Do you know how to sign up for benefits at Company XYZ?
How can Company XYZ make it easier for you to sign up for or utilize your benefits?

You can require employees to complete the survey or incentivize their participation by offering a prize. Make sure your workforce knows that the responses will remain confidential and anonymous.

Consider Potential Changes

If your employees indicate they are overwhelmingly satisfied with their benefits package, then congratulations! If not, it’s time to consider potential changes based on their responses. Enlist the assistance of your benefits advisor to investigate your options. You may want to choose a new employer-sponsored health insurance plan, replace less popular voluntary insurance with new options, or add a few supplemental benefits such as a workplace wellness program or group gym membership.

Make an Announcement

Whether you’ve made changes to your benefits package or are sticking with the status quo, you need to communicate the results of the evaluation to your workforce. Statistics show that most people need to receive a message seven times before they take action. Over the course of a few weeks, use a mix of mediums to announce company benefits information. Options include paycheck envelope stuffers, bathroom and break room posters, email announcements and group meetings with your benefits plan administrator. Contact your benefits advisor for additional suggestions.