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MATERNAL HEALTH BENEFITS
Companies Target Moms-to-Be With Wellness Programs
Ten years ago, many employers viewed pregnant employees as liabilities. But today, companies are seeing the potential for cost savings by reaching out to this group.
Read more about how companies save money and win employee loyalty with their maternal health approaches.
Also:
More States Adopt Workplace Breastfeeding Protections
A Case for Child Care
How to Confront the Elder Care Challenge
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DEPENDENT ELIGIBILITY
AUDITS
Cleaning Up the Eligibility Rolls
A school district in Cleveland saved $3.5 million in two steps: First, it identified ineligible dependents and removed them from the district’s health care rolls; then, the district clamped down with a new policy that required spouses to use their own employer’s health care coverage.
Read more about dependent eligibility audits and spousal-benefit policies.
Also:
Auditing for the Ineligibles
Tool: Employer Pay Equity Self-Audit
An HR Audit
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COMMENTARY—RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Employer Stock in the 401(k) Plan: Handle With Care
Offering employer stock in a 401(k) plan comes with its own set of issues, but many plan sponsors continue to do so at their own risk.
Read more about moving employees to a more diversified portfolio.
Also:
Enron Run-On: 401(k) Plans Still Gorged With Company Stock
Rethinking the Company Match
Is Defined-Contribution Plan Communication and Education Dead?
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NEWS AND EVENTS
Quick Takes
Reaching Out to Retirees: With individuals living longer and 77 million baby boomers headed for retirement, many employers are wrestling with their obligation to ensure that these employees have enough income after they retire, according to a recent report by the Conference Board.
Click here to read more.
The Earlier, the Better: More companies are allowing new employees to almost immediately join their 401(k) plans, according to a recent survey by the Profit Sharing/401k Council of America.
Click
here to read more.
Climbing Costs: U.S. companies aren’t the only ones confronting skyrocketing health care costs, according to a recent poll by Watson Wyatt Worldwide. In fact, in the majority of countries around the world, medical costs are outpacing the general rate of inflation, the study says.
Click here to read more.
Employees Feeling the Pain: Employers aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch from rising health care costs. The trend is also affecting employee wages, according to a report issued by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Click here to read more.
Communication Is Key: Employee communication programs were all the rage in 2007, as companies aimed to increase participation in their benefit programs, a recent Watson Wyatt Worldwide report shows.
Click here to read more.
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DISCUSSION
Incentives Out of a Hat
Posted in the
Benefits & Compensation Forum:
A member writes: "We have just implemented a policy where an employee’s name is ‘placed in a hat’ when he/she receives a favorable response to a customer survey. At the end of the quarter, a name is drawn from the ‘hat’ and that employee is given a day off with pay. Some employees are grumbling that they don't have time to take their normal amount of vacation leave now, so the day off with pay isn't really a benefit. Does anyone have any other ideas? We do not want to give money or anything that would involve having to adjust their overtime rate, etc. I would appreciate any ideas."
Join the discussion.
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METRICS
Top Five Positive Trends in Employee Communication
| Trend |
Percentage-point
increase
|
Organizations
implementing (2003)
|
Organizations
implementing (2007)
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| Takes action
to increase employee enrollment in benefits programs |
27
|
25%
|
53%
|
| Regularly measures employee behavioral
change |
24
|
29%
|
53%
|
| Employees use
Web technology to gain access to training/development
tools |
20
|
37%
|
57%
|
| Collects information to assess
perceived value of employee benefit programs |
17
|
34%
|
50%
|
| Involves internal
communication in organizational change |
16
|
47%
|
63%
|
| Note: Survey
responses from 264 companies, representing more than 6
million employees worldwide. |
| Source:
Watson Wyatt 2007-2008
Communication ROI Study |
Top Five Negative Trends in Employee Communication
| Trend |
Percentage-point
decrease
|
Organizations
implementing (2003)
|
Organizations
implementing (2007)
|
| Offers personalized
education materials on income needs in retirement |
11
|
58%
|
47%
|
| Implements a new communication initiative to support
change |
7
|
38%
|
32%
|
| Gives employees
the chance to provide input on how work gets done |
5
|
33%
|
28%
|
| Provides a systematic orientation for new hires |
5
|
51%
|
46%
|
| Explains the
reason behind major decisions |
4
|
66%
|
62%
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| Note:
Survey responses from 264 companies, representing more
than 6 million employees worldwide. |
| Source:
Watson Wyatt 2007-2008
Communication ROI Study |
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