ASHHRA Health and Wellness Pulse
BENEFITS
World at Work Plan sponsors have reservations about taking a more active role in encouraging specific levels of saving and providing retirement saving or income projections. Fiduciary concerns are a primary roadblock.
Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=78724 to view the full article online. Greg Stohr, Employee Benefit News In a ruling that may help investors press lawsuits over underperforming funds and excessive fees, the U.S. Supreme Court said 401(k) plans have a duty to monitor the investment options they offer.
Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/retirement/401k-plans-must-monitor-investments-supreme-court-rules-2746415-1.html to view the full article online. The OptumVoice Team, Forbes According to the 2013 Milliman Medical Index, annual medical costs for a family of four are now higher than a year of groceries.
Visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/optum/2015/05/06/why-you-should-educate-your-employees-on-financial-health/ to view the full article online. Paula Aven Gladych, Employee Benefit News "If employees are not well prepared for retirement, it should be a major concern for both employees and their employers," said Diane Swisher, senior communications consultant at Sibson Consulting.
Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/retirement/weighing-the-real-costs-of-retirement-age-employees-2746408-1.html to view the full article online. Karen Croke, Lohud Mark Rollins knows the impact volunteerism can have on a community, from the smallest works of individuals to the collective power that a large corporation can put behind the effort.
Visit http://www.lohud.com/story/money/business/2015/04/23/mark-rollins-volunteer-new-york-benefits-employee-engagement-retention/26208771/ to view the full article online. Andrea Davis, Employee Benefit News Whatever employers have spent to comply with the Affordable Care Act so far, some feel the costliest years are yet to come.
Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/health-care/employers-committed-to-health-benefits-despite-cost-fears-2746400-1.html to view the full article online. Richard Stolz, Employee Benefit News It’s a myth that older workers cost significantly more than younger workers, says AARP. And while such a conclusion might be expected from an advocacy group whose members fall into that demographic, it’s based on an empirical review of a variety of metrics for employee productivity and cost including employee benefits.
Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/employer-strategies/benefit-cost-gap-narrowing-for-older-workers-2746382-1.html to view the full article online. Gil Lowerre and Bonnie Brazzell, BenefitsPro There's no doubt about it: There's strong demand among both employers and employees for voluntary/worksite products. Buying intentions are strong and the untapped market potential is vast.
Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/05/18/on-board-with-voluntary to view the full article online. World at Work Most people from both Generation X and the baby boomer generation believe that the traditional definition of retirement is a "romantic fantasy of the past."
Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=78718 to view the full article online. World at Work An examination of the savings records of 4.4 million retirement plan participants at 553 companies found that 25 percent of employees miss out on receiving the full company 401(k) match by not saving enough – leaving an estimated $24 billion in unclaimed 401(k) company matches on the table each year.
Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=78723 to view the full article online. Alex Assaley, Employee Benefits News There's a lot more to employee benefits than just filling out a form for health insurance. From the retirement plan to health insurance to even some newer, more unique benefits such as transportation reimbursement or flex time, all aspects of your benefits package should be taken into consideration.
Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/retirement/providing-a-comprehensive-total-employee-benefits-package-2746250-1.html to view the full article online. Dan Cook, BenefitsPro Do companies want employee engagement? Or it is just something bosses want to believe exists? Because it may be that many employees don’t think their supervisors want them to be engaged in their work.
Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/05/18/gap-between-opportunities-for-managers-and-workers to view the full article online. 
CULTURE OF HEALTH
Scott Wooldridge, BenefitsPro Wellness benefits have become a mainstream offering for most large companies. Smoking cessation, nutrition, fitness and health screenings all have been embraced by employers as a way to address health care costs and improve employee loyalty.
Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/05/06/6-nontraditional-wellness-benefits-changing-the-ga?t=wellness to view the full article online. World at Work Can working parents really have it all, achieving success in both their careers and as parents? Seventy-eight percent of working moms and 83 percent of working dads say "yes," but the definition of success differs between the genders.
Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=78689 to view the full article online. Kathleen Lees, Science World Report New findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that financial incentives could help smokers quit more so than other preventative measures alone.
Visit http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/25672/20150518/could-financial-incentives-help-smokers-kick-the-habit.htm to view the full article online. Ron Shinkman, FierceHealthFinance Is there a connection between one's financial and medical health? That is something an online private insurance company will explore by providing consumers with a combined financial and health score.
Visit http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/there-link-between-financial-and-personal-health/2015-04-27 to view the full article online. Vik Bakhru, U.S. News & World Report Money woes can lead to mental and physical health declines, but taking action protects your body – and wallet.
Visit http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/04/29/how-to-protect-your-health-from-financial-stress to view the full article online. Jamie Nichol, Business 2 Community Countless case studies illustrate how employees who participate in wellness programs contribute to lower healthcare costs, decreased attrition and higher productivity.
Visit http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/5-methods-give-employee-wellness-program-new-life-01225899 to view the full article online. Jayne O'Donnell, USA TODAY The government has reversed its stance and said employer-sponsored wellness programs don't necessarily discriminate against workers. But businesses offering the plans to their employees are still struggling to show the programs can cut health care costs.
Visit http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/05/10/eeoc-wellness-programs-regulations-costs-benefits/26925485/ to view the full article online. Dan Cook, BenefitsPro Are most wellness plans designed to make people with health risks healthier? Whether or not that is the intent of plan designers, new research suggests that healthy employees don’t think wellness plans are worth participating in.
Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/04/27/5-reasons-employees-avoid-wellness-programs?t=wellness to view the full article online. Tom Murphy, Insurance Journal Employers may one day help determine if employees’ genes are why their jeans have become too snug.
Visit http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/05/07/367043.htm to view the full article online. eightWest Staff, WoodTV Many things can cause stress in our lives: Work, money, health, relationships. With so many sources of stress, it can be challenging to find time to relax and disengage. But if stress isn’t dealt with properly, it can have negative effects on your mental health down the road. That’s where Dr. Timothy Royer from Neurocore may be able to help!
Visit http://woodtv.com/2015/05/19/relieve-stress-to-boost-mental-health/ to view the full article online. Kevin Harrington, Forbes It seems every time we turn around, there is a buzz about "corporate wellness." I have heard it so many times that I wonder if people are becoming skeptical and leery of it being a marketing ploy. However, I know the importance of health in business as I practice a healthy lifestyle and know the positive impact on my bottom line.
Visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinharrington/2015/05/13/corporate-wellness-health-wellness-and-an-improved-bottom-line/ to view the full article online. Krista Yoder Latortue, Huffington Post The Blog Employee wellness programs are becoming an accepted and essential component of organizations. While studies continue to emerge regarding best practices for employee engagement, one thing is clear: Prevention is effective and has become the nucleus of wellness programs.
Visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/krista-yoder-latortue/the-secret-to-successful-_b_7100704.html to view the full article online. Dan Cook, BenefitsPro If all the young people in the U.S. who are currently obese maintain that status throughout their adult lives, the societal cost will be more than one trillion dollars.
Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/05/15/obesity-could-cost-society-1-trillion to view the full article online. |