Voluntary Benefits

Best Practices

How employer support affects an employee's return to work after disability leave

Marlene Satter | September 21, 2018

Employers' handling of employees’ health conditions can negatively affect productivity, time out of office and overall employee experience. But it doesn't have to.

Expert Opinion

One year later: The influence of Equifax & other data breaches on corporate culture

Dale Dabbs | September 19, 2018

The 2017 Equifax breach was a wakeup call, and cybersecurity has now become part of the conversation for every business.

News

A tool to reveal plan sponsor benefits spending

BenefitsPRO Editors | September 19, 2018

Judy Diamond Associates tackles the problem of modeled premiums with its latest update for the benefits industry.

Analysis

Half of American workers lack life insurance

Marlene Satter | September 18, 2018

Not only do younger people overestimate what a life insurance premium might cost them, they’re far less likely to be covered than older generations.

Research

5 states where death is most unfair

Allison Bell | September 17, 2018

These states have the biggest gap between neighborhoods with the longest life expectancy at birth and the shortest.

Analysis

Not all buyers are the same

Bonnie Brazzell and Nick Rockwell | September 13, 2018

There are certain commonalities in employee voluntary-benefits buying behavior, but there are also some key differences, particularly when it comes to communication.

Expert Opinion

3 reasons life insurance is essential to any benefits package

Judy Buczek | September 13, 2018

Many people do not voluntarily think about life insurance or have the luxury of working with a financial professional--the only place they learn about and access life insurance is through the workplace.

The voluntary status-quo isn’t acceptable, either

Eric Silverman | September 11, 2018

Group health brokers who sell themselves as being innovative and non-status quo continue to ignore enhanced voluntary benefits, thus serving only half their clients and arguably snubbing those who need their cost-saving strategies the most: the employees.

Best Practices

Fixing employee engagement with AI

Dan Cook | September 11, 2018

By analyzing the data they have, industry leaders are pinpointing ways that benefits packages can better serve the individual--and then delivering.

News

Benefits industry products roundup: PBM system, AI college counseling, financial wellness

C.J. Marwitz | September 10, 2018

New products including on-demand fitness classes, exchange-traded funds, a cancer care guide, annuities.

Commentary

The appeal of a half-empty glass

Marty Traynor | September 07, 2018

A half-empty glass can actually be a great marketing opportunity.

Best Practices

Bridging benefit communication gaps

Scott Wooldridge | September 06, 2018

It certainly takes work, but with the proper resources and strategies, brokers and their clients can find the tools to both offer and implement quality benefits.

News

Demand for life insurance outpaces supply

Scott Wooldridge | September 03, 2018

While 27 percent of respondents in a recent survey reported having life insurance, 68 percent of those who don't say they would purchase it—if their employer offered it.

Expert Opinion

Accident insurance: A multi-generational benefit

Wendy Herndon | August 31, 2018

An Aflac executive talks about a product that’s benefiting from the new focus on supplemental benefits.

Analysis

Bad bosses, PTO and other reasons employees quit their jobs

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 30, 2018

Many workers leave their current jobs for practical reasons that impact their work-life balance, but a company's culture can also have a major impact.

News

Stem cell storage: the next hot benefit?

Rebecca Greenfield | August 28, 2018

Figuring out how to live longer has historically drawn the attention of billionaires and technologists. Now it's being used to recruit employees.

Expert Opinion

How to raise the bar for financial wellness

Brian Hamilton | August 28, 2018

If all we need to do is help employees manage their debt, we’ll never address the underlying issues causing widespread money stress.

Best Practices

7 steps for developing a family caregiving strategy

Carolyn A. Romano | August 22, 2018

Fifty-two percent of modern caregivers are also employed full- or part-time, and that number is poised to grow. Here's how to help your employee caregivers.

News

Employee benefits newsmakers: America's Best 401k, EZShield, DPL Financial Partners

C.J. Marwitz | August 22, 2018

News from ActiveRADAR, The Standard, MyHRConcierge, Zenefits, Altwork, Employee Navigator, and more.

Expert Opinion

Parental leave: Employee benefit or employment discrimination?

Sheryl Jaffee Halpern | August 20, 2018

Administering and enforcing parental leave policies are by no means clear-cut endeavors. Here are a few things to consider.

Expert Opinion

How to design financial wellness benefits that are relevant to employees

Chris Whitlow | August 17, 2018

By offering employees benefits more relevant to their needs, employers can make a bigger impact in both adoption rates and employee engagement.

Expert Opinion

Unique benefits to recruit and retain female employees

Matthew A. Michela | August 17, 2018

The unemployment rate for women is lower than men, making the competition for top-level female candidates even more fierce.

Infographic

Infographic: Employees’ open-enrollment struggles

Emily Payne | August 16, 2018

What are the top trends benefits educators see when it comes to health care enrollment?

Expert Opinion

Bridging the mental health gap with telebehavioral services

Jessica Taylor | August 16, 2018

While benefits managers understand the importance of behavioral health care, there are very real barriers that prevent employees from getting the treatment they need.

Commentary

Educating before enrolling

Marty Traynor | August 16, 2018

A key part of the open enrollment education and communication process is often overlooked until just before open enrollment, when it’s often too late.

Analysis

Half of employees spend 30 minutes or less reviewing benefits

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 15, 2018

A fair amount of workers say they feel stressed, confused or anxious when enrolling in their benefits.

Analysis

Hot voluntary products and platforms

Bonnie Brazzell and Nick Rockwell | August 14, 2018

When looking at voluntary sales by product platform, group product sales continued to dominate individual products.

Analysis

Most popular employee perk? Time off.

Allison Bell | August 14, 2018

Even for millennials, paid family leave beats help with repaying student loans.

Analysis

Top stressor for American workers? Their job.

Marlene Satter | August 09, 2018

Employees' struggles with limited career growth opportunities and burnout are causing high levels of stress.

News

New paid parental leave proposal would tap Social Security benefits

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | August 03, 2018

The Economic Security for New Parents Act was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio this week, to mixed reviews.

Best Practices

Risk vs. reward: Safely weaving social media into the workplace

Steven Bearak | August 03, 2018

Your employees are already spending time on social media. Take the time to help them stay secure and rally them behind your company’s brand.

News

Employee benefits newsmakers: Jellyvision, Wink, Endeavor Plus, Milliman

C.J. Marwitz | August 01, 2018

News about partnerships, mergers, and new hires from Salary.com, MammothHR, Acensus, and more.

Analysis

Poor engagement hinders financial wellness programs’ value

Marlene Satter | August 01, 2018

Just a third of employees actually participate in financial wellness programs, even though many are having a hard time financially.

Research

What's most important to today's job seekers?

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | July 31, 2018

Salaries and good benefits top the list, of course, but what other factors can entice candidates' interest?

Analysis

Employee access to health insurance, paid leave increasing

Allison Bell | July 26, 2018

Policy changes have had a big effect on health insurance benefits and leave benefits.

Market Insights

Sales of critical illness insurance rise: LIMRA

Allison Bell | July 25, 2018

About 24 percent of U.S. employers now offer some kind of critical illness insurance benefits.

Expert Opinion

Financial wellness in the age of anxiety

Scott Thompson | July 25, 2018

Employees who feel at least some anxiety about their personal finances are now more the norm than the exception.

News

Walmart employees embrace on-demand paycheck app

Matthew Boyle | July 20, 2018

More than 200,000 Walmart employees in the U.S. use a new app to manage their finances or access their wages early, and it's not just the hourly workers.

News

Employers collaborate to boost health, well-being initiatives

Marlene Satter | July 20, 2018

Employee engagement with such programs currently leaves a lot to be desired, according to the National Business Group on Health.

Chart

More positive signs for voluntary

Bonnie Brazzell and Nick Rockwell | July 17, 2018

All segments of voluntary sales distribution except occasional producers saw sales increases this year.

Is the largest enrollment firm hiding in plain sight?

Eric Silverman | July 13, 2018

Most 1099 contractors mistakenly believe they are beholden to one insurance carrier for enhanced benefit enrollment services.

Best Practices

The evolution of voluntary: Finding the best fit

Scott Wooldridge | July 12, 2018

The demand for quality service and products has led more than 40 percent of brokers to switch carriers the past three years. How do you find the right one?

Best Practices

The evolution of voluntary: Expanding voluntary benefit offerings

Scott Wooldridge | July 05, 2018

When it comes to voluntary benefits, the best defense is a good offense.

Best Practices

3 questions to ask about paid leave programs

Sander VanderWerf and Rachel Arnedt | July 05, 2018

Do you know the cost of employee absences at your business? It's the first step in getting a handle on the costs and benefits of paid leave.

Analysis

Millennials drive interest in long-term care benefits

Allison Bell | July 04, 2018

Carriers may be afraid to sell it, but workers seem to like it almost as much as life insurance.

Best Practices

A tipping point for LGBT policies in the workplace

Alan Goforth | July 03, 2018

Evolving policies and societal attitudes about LGBT benefits create opportunities for brokers.

Analysis

Employee wellness programs can lower diabetes risk

Marlene Satter | July 03, 2018

A study of at-risk individuals enrolled in an employer-sponsored wellness program not only cut their risk of diabetes, but reduced body weight, as well.

Research

Paid parental leave offerings at an all-time high

Rebecca Greenfield | June 29, 2018

More than one in three U.S. employers offers paid maternity leave beyond the amount required by law.

Best Practices

Employers need to take a strategic look at workers' well-being

Katie Kuehner-Hebert | June 28, 2018

To recruit and retain workers, employers need to demonstrate a genuine interest in their employees' well-being.

Market Insights

Voluntary benefits: How they’ve become a must-have product for brokers

Scott Wooldridge | June 28, 2018

In the first of a three-part series, we explore how voluntary benefits have become an important part of a complete benefit package.