Custom Communications

Wellness Expands to the Financial Arena

hancock.jay — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:44:41 +0000

Wellness programs have crossed the line from “nice to have” to “must have” as part of a competitive benefits package. And these programs are evolving. To date, most wellness offerings have focused exclusively on health, but this is about to change. You can now add “financial wellness” to the mix.

According to the MetLife 10th Annual Study of Benefits Trends, “nearly half (49%) of employees surveyed say that because of the economy, they are counting on their employer to help them [...]

Met Life Annual Study of Employee Benefits Trends

hancock.jay — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:26:44 +0000

Benefits Drive Employee Satisfaction, Loyalty

Employee loyalty is at a seven-year low, according to MetLife’s 10th Annual Study of Benefits Trends, released last week. The study also reaffirms the strong connection between employee benefits satisfaction and job satisfaction, while employees who are dissatisfied with their benefits are more likely to “want to work elsewhere.”

Other studies show that the better employees understand their benefits, the more they value them.

These conclusions are a mandate for effective, targeted benefits communications. Are you [...]

Onboard or Over Board?

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:51:13 +0000

Companies spend a lot of time, money and energy recruiting and hiring the right people. And, it’s getting harder and harder to actually find the right talent. So the stakes are high for getting your new employees on board, acclimated and feeling part of the “team,” as quickly as possible.

What are some ways to onboard employees effectively and avoid sending them overboard into a sea of confusion, frustration and isolation?

Start Before their Start Date

Begin the onboarding process before your employee [...]

Good Health Just Is Not Enough

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:57:21 +0000

While most people would list good health as one of their top priorities in life, few behave that way. Case in point…a recent survey conducted by a major HR consulting firm showed the following results:

Over 30% of companies that offer health risk appraisals report more than 50% participation—yet one-quarter report participation levels of 10% or less. While 16% of employers surveyed say 50% of employees participated in biometric screenings, nearly an equal percentage report participation rates of 5% or less. Participation rates [...]

Final Summary of Benefits and Coverage Regulations

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:57:08 +0000

The long awaited regulations clarifying group health plan requirements for the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) have arrived. As you may recall, these regulations are contained in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The IRS, Department of Labor, and Health and Human Services agencies issued the final regulations. Here’s the skinny…

Key Date: September 23, 2012

This is the effective date for the following SBC requirements:

Open Enrollment

Communication requirements for participants during annual enrollment take effect for open enrollment periods beginning on or [...]

Tried and True Wellness Communication Strategies

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:24:24 +0000

We are always looking for the next best practice approach to help our organizations accomplish their wellness goals and corral health care costs; the silver bullet for good health and cost management. What can we do to help employees make a commitment to health improvement and actually stick with it!

But, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, maybe you don’t have to look beyond your own backyard.

The tried and true principles of effective communication apply to wellness programs, as [...]

What? Start Communication Planning Now?

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:09:40 +0000

The holiday break is never long enough. You just finished up 2012 annual enrollment, addressed the last few administrative hic ups and made sure the new ID cards arrived at employees’ homes on time. But there is no rest for the weary! It’s time to start thinking about your 2012 benefits communications—now. Here’s why.

It takes time to nurture employee engagement, change behaviors and sustain positive employee relations. Effective communications are essential to realizing these goals. Planning and strategy are essential [...]

2012 Annual Enrollment

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:33:23 +0000

It’s not too late to get the word out Annual benefits enrollment is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to help your clients execute a successful enrollment communications campaign. What can you do that will make a difference at this late date? We have some ideas for you!

Take these steps to make sure your clients get the most value from your benefits advice and have a successful 2012 annual enrollment.

Brand Their Benefits Creating an effective benefits brand doesn’t have [...]

Open Enrollment with an Eye to the Future

admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:18:18 +0000

Right now, most of us are focused on 2012 benefits enrollment—implementing benefit changes, preparing communications, scheduling employee meetings. This is all good. But you don’t want to forget some of the longer-term implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPAC).

Of key concern are the proposed regulations for a Summary of Benefits and Coverage. Here are a few facts:

What is the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)? The SBC (also called the “uniform summary of coverage”) is a communication that [...]

Avoid Zombie Open Enrollment

admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:48:57 +0000

Don’t go into “zombie” mode as you start thinking about open enrollment communications! It’s tempting just to dust off last year’s materials and move forward on auto pilot, zombie like, especially if you don’t have a major change to communicate.

Annual enrollment, however, is a great opportunity to reinforce the value of your benefits program. Use your creative brainpower to come up with new ideas to get your employees’ attention and message across.

Employee Benefit News (EBN) recently asked its readers—plan sponsors, [...]