HCW Benefits Blog

Help Employees Beat Workplace Stress

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:11:24 +0000

This is a guest blog post from our HR partner CAI. CAI is a trusted resource for N.C. employers for HR, compliance and people development.

Stress is a factor that drives top talent to competitors. Research shows that many employers are unaware that their former employees left to find less demanding positions. Companies should frequently check in with their staffs to gauge stress levels and take measures to reduce them.

Untreated stress can negatively impact an employee’s job and health. Stressed out workers experience low morale and are less productive. Those who are stressed can also feel frustrated, irritable and exhausted. They can have trouble focusing and may become ill or fatigued easily. To alleviate these symptoms, try using...

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North Carolina Wellness Gets an “F” in Nutrition and Obesity

Wed, 09 May 2012 13:19:04 +0000

Contributor:
Rob Krieg, JD, CEBS
Principal, Health & Welfare Consultant
Hill, Chesson & Woody

N.C. Prevention Partners has released their 2012 Prevention Report Card. While North Carolina is doing well with tobacco cessation measures with a grade of B, there is still a lot of work that is needed to be done surrounding nutrition (F), physical activity (D) and Obesity (F).

Some interesting findings in the survey this year include the fact that only 10.8% of adults in North Carolina eat the recommended five servings of fruits and...

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Employee Benefits Continuing Education – Perspectives from HCW Employees on the CEBS Designation

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:50:13 +0000

There are many choices out there for continuing your professional education. Choosing to become certified in a particular field officially recognizes professional achievement and having those credentials after your name creates a visible reminder (to clients, peers and your employer) of your expertise and commitment.

In the employee benefits industry, the gold standard of professional education is the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation, or CEBS. Some HCW staff members have these credentials after their name and we’ve polled them to see how worthwhile they feel this education is.

Why is the program you chose special?

Respondent 1: I am working toward the full...

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Healthcare Pay or Play Mandate 2014 — Do You Have Your Head in the Sand?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:09:00 +0000

Contributor:
Dax Hill
Principal, Health & Welfare Consultant
Hill, Chesson & Woody

There is a book titled “Hope Is Not a Strategy.” I believe this statement to be particularly true regarding the Healthcare Reform “Pay or Play” mandate. This regulation will require great attention as employers determine their future path in offering employee benefits.

As you are probably aware, the following penalties will apply to employers with 50 or more full time equivalent employees, effective 2014:

If you provide no group medical insurance: you will pay a $2,000 per employee per year penalty. The first 30...

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Create Highly Efficient Teams for Workplace Success

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:04 +0000

This is a guest blog post from our HR partner CAI. CAI is a trusted resource for N.C. employers for HR, compliance and people development.

You have worked on teams since grade school. Some of your experiences with teams have been rewarding, leading to success, and some have been unpleasant, leading to unresolved conflicts and missed opportunities. As an HR professional, you know that there are many teams within your organization. Knowing how to shape teams to benefit the productivity of your company will help employees reach business goals more creatively, collaboratively and efficiently.

Back in grade school, there was always at least one member of the team who did not want to pull his weight. In a company setting, laziness should not be permitted. A...

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Put Survey Data to Action – Results from the NC Healthcare Benefits & Cost Survey are Available!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:01:02 +0000

Contributor:
Renata Brophy, Triad Regional Manager
Hill, Chesson & Woody

It is crucial to know where your organization stands when compared to other North Carolina employers. Even more important is where you want your benefits plan to benchmark in relation to your overall strategic business objectives.

The...

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Hungry? Try Waking Up With Water! A Word from the HCW Wellness Committee

Stephanie — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:53:23 +0000

Contributor:
Elizabeth Williams
Administrative Assistant & Wellness Committee Member
Hill, Chesson & Woody

Did you know breakfast essentially means breaking the fast? When you wake up in the morning it’s important to get your body ready for the day and hydrate properly. Most people mistake stomach growling for hunger pains when actually your body could be craving water. Your body is made up of 25% solid and 85% water so why not get out of bed a drink a glass of water?

A study from The...

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4 Things to Watch During the Healthcare Reform Supreme Court Arguments

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:26:41 +0000

Contributor:
Laura Bibb, JD, GBA, Compliance Officer
Hill, Chesson & Woody

Today marks the start of the Supreme Court oral arguments over the constitutionality of healthcare reform. Your local sports bar won’t be airing the arguments on their big screens, but you can check out the arguments on C-Span’s website at the conclusion of each day. Make sure you have plenty of wings, chips & salsa, and your beverage of choice on hand!
...

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Can You Consume Healthcare Better?

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:27:08 +0000

Contributor:
Chris Tutino, Communications Specialist
Hill, Chesson & Woody

with

Theresa Lough, PHR, SPHR and Human Resources Manager
Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP

Consumerism refers to the “emphasis on or preoccupation with the acquisition of consumer goods.” With health services, it means getting the right care, from the right provider at the right price. With so many more of your hard-earned dollars in play (with HRAs, FSAs and deductibles), it only makes sense that you’d want to fully understand what you’re purchasing in order to be a wise consumer.

But, the basic laws of supply and demand do not exist in the...

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Improve Employee Engagement and Workplace Productivity with Delegation

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:04:48 +0000

This is a guest blog post from our HR partner CAI. CAI is a trusted resource for N.C. employers for HR, compliance and people development.

Delegation is a concept that benefits organizations in two specific ways:

Senior leaders and managers experience more time to focus on high-level activities, such as strategic planning and new business exploration, which helps them build a more successful business.
Employees receiving delegated tasks strengthen their skills, obtain diverse experience and demonstrate their capabilities to their supervisors, allowing them to feel empowered and engaged at work.

...

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