by jeffp | Oct 3, 2017 | Employee Benefits
Employees spend a lot of time at the workplace. As an employer, you want them to feel right about their time there. Happiness in the workplace pays dividends. Knowing the current staff wants, needs and concerns can help improve workplace morale and productivity. Each workplace is different. Asking employees key-questions can help gauge employee attitude. To improve the workplace ask employees these five questions:
1. Are they happy?
On a scale of 1-10, how happy is the employee to be with the company? This question can help sound employee attitudes and opinions about the workplace. How employees feel about their environment will impact employee retention and company output. Improve attitudes and improve the bottom line.
2. Is there room for advancement?
Employees who feel as if they cannot grow with a company are more likely to leave. Employee retention is valuable, saving time and money training new staff. Employees with something to work toward are more apt to remain with the company.
3. Are employees feeling acknowledged?
Everyone likes to know they are doing a good job. Recognition and appreciation from peers and management will boost morale and efficiency. Recognizing employee accomplishments will build loyalty and rapport, helping further improve the workplace.
4. If they could change one thing at the company…
As with any question, prepare to receive the answers. Beware: employees may take this opportunity to speak candidly. Poor supervision, unpleasant environment, lacking benefits and other concerns may come to light. It is important to remember employees are merely answering the question. View comments as constructive criticism; a means to improve job satisfaction and productivity.
5. Given 3 words, how would they describe the company?
Limiting employees to 3 words means they must choose their words carefully. This uncovers what employee find most important. With such a small limit on the number of words, employees must be direct in their answer.
Asking these questions will help generate genuine responses. Creating a culture of communication takes time but employers must take the lead. Good communication in the workplace translates to a better work environment, and better business.
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by jeffp | Sep 23, 2017 | Employee Benefits
Employees want more than a job, they want financial security and well-being. Benefits are a big concern for employees and their families. Companies eager to attract the best talent need attractive benefits packages. Today’s workforce faces new challenges requiring modern benefits solutions. Tom Woods, Senior Vice President of Sales at Fidelity Investments says the answers lie in bundled benefits packages.
Student-loan debt is at an all-time high. Employers enter the workforce years behind in debt. Additionally, an increasing number of adults are sacrificing retirement savings to pay their children’s tuition. Retirement is no longer the certainty it once was. Offering benefits programs targeting modern concerns helps employees secure their own financial future. Optional benefits such as debt assistance, loan payback, and retirement are available.
Employees entering the workforce with college loans face huge financial challenges. As a solution, Woods suggests employers offer student-loan administration programs, helping employees budget their savings and payments. Companies can be creative when crafting benefits. Woods says his own company recently added a plan to help pay student debt. Beyond incredible popularity with employees, the package serves as a valuable retention tool as well.
Studies have shown workers value these types of modern programs more than traditional 401k programs. Millennials and Gen-X worry about modern AND future financial obligations. They want to make sure they can plan for comfortable retirement, taking that into account when shopping employers.
Other innovative benefits options include Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s). Fidelity, evaluating their own company, noted significant employee interest in this program. Enrollment is increasing with younger employees at the front. Fidelity also noted increased interest in managed accounts. Woods stated enrollment increased over 13% since 2016. The majority of employees interested in managed accounts were older, with high incomes.
Woods says those who need the benefits most are the ones who aren’t using them. Most employees using money management strategies and financial planning are already secure. They feel comfortable investing their money in the future because they enjoy financial security now. It is the younger, busy employees Woods expressed concern over. Young employees are generally overextended without the time, ability, or desire to plan their financial future.
The modern employee has modern financial needs. Employers who want to offer attractive packages have many things to consider. Woods says focusing on four core employee needs categories can help employers tailor their packages. These four employee needs categories are:
- Health and Safety
- Economic Wellness
- Workplace Fulfillment
- Sense of Productivity
Ultimately, the goal for any benefits program is to maximize value in all four categories. Employees want to feel valued, and they want to know they have a future. Businesses can attract top talent with employee benefits programs offering value and security. Increased employee retention means less time and money spent on training and recruiting. Talk to an expert today to see how benefits can impact your business and your family.
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by jeffp | Sep 19, 2017 | Employee Benefits
Skilled employers demand top pay and benefits for their labor. The need to attract the best talent and employees means companies need to offer more than the basics. Companies must offer increasingly higher pay, and more-lucrative benefits to be competitive. This may include any number of additional benefits on top of the mandatory benefits already provided.
This may be working against them.
More job hunters are focusing on benefits now more than ever before. A March 2016 survey by LinkedIn, sampling from over 26,000 members, noted close to 55% more interested in benefits over any other aspect of the job. With so much to gain through employment benefits, more cases of employees abusing them occur. Employers need to watch for warning signs or risk losing millions.
Workers who show more interest in the benefits than the job are less likely to perform well and may be difficult to manage. They may carry or even spread negative attitudes, affecting other workers. Employers need to protect themselves. Here are 3 red flags employees may abuse benefits:
1. They Are Overly-Interested In Benefits
It’s normal for prospects to ask questions about benefits included with the position. It’s not normal to focus solely on that. Benefits are part of a job, along with many other aspects and responsibilities. They should be discussed only after the potential employee demonstrates an interest in the rest of the job. Be aware of any prospects who show unusually high levels of interest in voluntary benefits such as:
- Working from home
- Paid leave
- Overtime compensation
- Vacation time
- Insurance plans and coverage
- Bonuses and incentives
These and other benefits are wonderful ways to attract top-level talent but may also attract scammers. If these topics are an issue during the interview process, that prospect may be a potential benefit abuser. It is important to flush these prospects out before they become employees. A mistake early on can be a costly error later.
Helpful interview questions include:
A: Why are you interested in this position?
B: What are you passionate about in your work?
C: How would you comment on this firm’s operating environment?
D: What improvements would you suggest for the company, if offered the job?
E: How would you combine your unique talents with the colleagues in your department?
What to do: If a candidate is showing too much interest in the benefits, tactfully steer the conversation back to job responsibilities. If the candidate continues to focus on benefits they are likely not prepared for the position, or too interested in the benefits.
2. They Are Not Passionate About The Job
We aren’t always able to spot scammers during the hiring process. Some employees manage to navigate the process without setting off alarms. Others may begin as good employees but lose interest in their position over time.
Enthusiasm as an indicator.
Employees enthusiastic about their position are easy enough to spot. They show passion and energy toward their position and advancement. Enthusiastic employees collaborate, lead projects and mentor colleagues. It’s hard to fake genuine enthusiasm.
Be wary of employees who demonstrate a cursory interest in their jobs. Look for a lack of enthusiasm about business direction and affairs and a focus on benefit-related topics. These employees often operate without much teamwork and do not show initiative.
3. They Do Not Maintain A Job For Long
Employment verification is a useful tool for protecting your company. This can help you determine if a candidate is likely to stay with the company or leave after exhausting the benefits. Individuals more interested in benefits than the job are less likely to remain in a position for very long. Employees like this exist in a perpetual state of employee dissatisfaction. They move from job to job for any number of reasons, preying on employers.
A study on United States Worker Advantages Trends (performed by Metlife) reports up to 36% of millennials between 21 and 24 would have no problem changing jobs within a year to search for better benefits.
Employees will leave positions for various reasons. Personal development, family, and school are all normal reasons for moving on. The candidates to watch are those constantly on the lookout for the next best deal. These individuals will change positions often and may give conflicting reasons for doing so.
Somewhere along the way, the idea was born employers stopped calling to verify past employment. You are absolutely encouraged to contact former employers to verify the work history for your candidate. Records that don’t match are an obvious warning sign.
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by jeffp | Sep 15, 2017 | Employee Benefits
Employee benefits are important to workers, their dependents, and their families. The benefits offered by your company can be a key factor for potential employees.
There are two kinds of employee benefits to consider:
- Those benefits a company must provide legally (such as a salary and Social Security), and
- Benefits offered voluntarily (health insurance, vacations, or retirement plans. Both types come with various tax and legal obligations for the company.
This simple employer guide lists the benefits employers must offer, as required by law.
Social Security Tax Requirements
Every employer must pay Social Security taxes matching the rate paid by employees. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides more information on their website, such as:
- Info and Resources for Employers
- Social Security Questions
- Online Business Solutions
- Company W-2 Information
- Information on Hiring Employees Not Covered by Social Security
- Unemployment Insurance
Companies with employees may need to pay for unemployment insurance tax obligations. If your company has to pay for these taxes, you’ll have to register with your state’s labor force firm. This information can found using your State or County Tax website.
Worker Settlement
If you hire employees, your company must have Employees’ Settlement Insurance policy protection. Many commercial insurance brokers offer this type of business insurance. Coverage may also be found through your state’s Employees’ Compensation Insurance coverage program. You can view your state’s Workers’ Compensation web page learn more.
Disability Insurance
If you own a business in the following areas, you must offer disability insurance. Disability insurance extends to all qualified workers. ANY non-work-related illnesses or injuries may qualify for disability insurance. Affected states and territories for disability insurance restrictions include:
- California
- Hawaii
- New Jersey
- New York
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
Leave Benefits
Most leave benefits provided by companies are not required by the government. Instead, employers offer them as a part of a general employer’s benefits program. Benefits may include:
- Holiday and vacation days
- Jury-duty leave; sick and personal days
- Funeral or bereavement leave, and more
Additionally, employers must offer leave, according to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Understanding the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The FMLA grants employees as much as 12 weeks of leave during a 12-month period, protecting their job. Employees qualify for FMLA if they request leave for one or more of the following causes:
- Birth of a child, childcare, a need to place a child in foster care, or to care for a foster child
- Care of an immediate relative (a child, spouse, or parent) with a serious medical condition
- Medical care for the employee’s personal health
The FMLA requires health benefits continue throughout the entirety of leave as if the employee were still working. Public companies and companies with more than 50 employees must extend FMLA benefits. For more information on the Family and Medical Leave Act and FMLA benefits, visit the Division of Labor’s website.
by jeffp | Aug 17, 2017 | Employee Benefits
If you run a business with employees, employee benefits are a matter of major concern. Small, medium, or large company – if you have employees, you need to be well acquainted with your benefits options.
We know that great workers are drawn to firms that offer
attractive employee benefits. So what are the right benefits that will be most appealing to the kinds of workers you are trying to attract? And for that matter, what are the most relevant benefits you can offer based on your current employees?
The following are key employee benefits guidelines that will
help you hire and retain the best cost-effective workers:
1. Determine the kind of benefits required
The kinds of benefits you consider should be relevant to the kind of activities and risks your employees face. Benefits like wellness, life, vision, dental can be in the mix. It’s a good thing to talk with your employees, and develop a solid sense for what they will find most valuable.
2. Your Insurance Coverage Responsibilities
Working with an independent insurance agency and benefits specialist will help you find suitable benefits at a great rate. But finding and implement a benefits program requires more work.
The following are 3 important steps to follow to ensure employee benefits are to implemented successfully:
a. Deductions from the salary
The common practice today is that employees pay for benefits via their paychecks. It is your responsibility to ensure that this is done. Failure to follow up on this can have serious ramifications. Imagine a situation where the employee’s deductions haven’t been made for a number of months or even years. This can leave your company wide open to lawsuits and prosecution.
b. Workers who have Exited
The insurance coverage provider should be informed when an employee exits the company. This needs to be updated in a reasonable period of time. Otherwise, you may end up paying for benefits for employees that don’t exist.
c. New Employees
It is very important that you have a clearly defined process for new employees to become enrolled in your benefits plan. You also need to have excellent record keeping that tracks the benefits offered and the employee’s response.
3. Legal Compliance
Implementing a benefits plan can be fraught with legal implications. Laws governing benefits require that employee benefits must be offered by a company in a consistent manner. Things like ERISA, COBRA, and Medicare can all have an impact. Working with a rock-solid benefits consultant will ensure you navigate the benefits process while minimizing your risks associated with offering benefits.
And if you aren’t leveraging the expertise of a Benefits expert, please reach out to our team with questions. We’ll be sure to help connect you with the resources you need to help your company with whatever benefits challenges you face.
