Articles tagged 'health care'

Survey: CFOs Recognize Bottom-Line Importance of Healthy Employees

by Fran Melmed on Feb 22, 2012, 11:45 AM | No comments yet

Since eight out of 10 Chief Financial Officers are involved in health care decisions, according to IBI (Integrated Benefits Institute)’s 2011 CFO survey brief, it’s key to know their point of view. (This post is based on the brief. Not being a member, I don’t have access to the full report.)

The IBI survey found that 30 percent of their CFO respondents rated health as a very important contributor to workforce productivity. Investing in health still lags behind more traditional productivity investments, such as retention campaigns, skills training and proper staffing levels. (It would be interesting to analyze the data to see whether there’s any correlation between those CFOs who are involved in health care decisions and those who are more likely to rate health as a very important contributor.) Read more…

Benefits, HR News & Trends

Some 11,102 Miles Later, This Is a Wellness Program That Really Works

by John Zappe on Feb 16, 2012, 8:18 AM | No comments yet

With all due respect to The Proclaimers, the folks at Horizon Software International have walked 11,102 miles and far from falling down at anyone’s door (see the song lyrics) they’re climbing stairs, shedding pounds, and talking as they’re walking.

That talking thing there is a big plus. It’s just what Julie Denmon was hoping for when she pitched senior management on WalkingSpree‘s fitness program. That was 48,940,815 steps ago.

“Who knew,” she says, “that a walking program would coax cubicle dwellers to get up and go talk with their team members, instead of emailing across the office?” Just as she expected, people are losing weight, they’re much less sedentary, and, as she hoped, there is “Definitely more team collaboration and more social interactions. I personally witness every day at lunch, our employees walking the property.” Read more…

Benefits, Recruiting and Staffing

No-Hire Tobacco Policies: Why They Are a Communication and Cultural Challenge

by Fran Melmed on Feb 15, 2012, 11:35 AM | No comments yet

Should companies not hire tobacco users? I’ve been wrestling with this question as the media continues to spotlight this particular “stick” companies yield in their efforts to improve employees’ health.

If you’re unfamiliar with the no-hire tobacco policy, let me get you caught up.

Companies like the Cleveland Clinic, Humana, Geisinger and others have stated they won’t hire tobacco users. Some, like Geisinger and Cleveland Clinic, allow job candidates to reapply for a job once they can prove they’ve quit tobacco. Geisinger and Cleveland Clinic won’t hold the job, but if the position’s still open, candidates can put their hat in the ring again. Read more…

Benefits

Regular People Return as Most Credible Trusted Sources, Study Finds

by Fran Melmed on Feb 3, 2012, 1:27 PM | No comments yet

Regular employees and “people like me” are once again among our top three most trusted, credible sources, according to the 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer.

They’re back in the limelight after fading away last year, somehow losing ground to CEOs. But this year, things look much as they did in 2004, when regular folk vaulted to the top of the heap of credible spokespeople.

In health communication, the Regular Joe or Jane has continuously held a starring role. While we defer to medical professionals for information about health treatment, Susannah Fox of the Pew Internet & American Life Project has written that we look to people in our shoes — people like me — for emotional support and empathy, encouragement and care. This is particularly true for those who are living with a chronic condition, are acting as caregiver, or have experienced a medical crisis. It’s also true for those who have gained weight, had a pregnancy, or quit smoking. Read more…

HR News & Trends

Weekly Wrap: Reverse Mentoring Cuts Through the Generational Logjam

by John Hollon on Feb 3, 2012, 11:47 AM | No comments yet

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t understand the generational issues in the workplace that we’re constantly squabbling about.

Many, many times I have written here (and elsewhere) that Millennials get a bad rap, especially when it comes to their workplace ethic. Just late last year I wrote:

The Millennial generation, in my view, is no better or worse than any other generation that came before. Yes, they have their own unique generational issues but in my close experience with them, Millennials reflect what you find in other generations and society as a whole — some are good, some average, some clueless.”

A lot of the negative stuff that Millennials (or Gen Y, if you prefer) get hammered with has to do with the perceived notion that somehow, their workplace ethic is wildly out of whack with what everyone else is doing and that managers need some special kind of coaching to learn how to cope with them. Read more…

Benefits, HR Basics

How You Can Help Employees Cope With Their Medical Bills

by Linda Robertson on Jan 23, 2012, 12:27 PM | No comments yet

Flying home last week from the wintry Northwest, I heard lots of sneezing and sniffles from my fellow travelers.

Although we’ve been lucky to have such a mild winter so far, cold January weather usually brings with it the onslaught of cold and flu season. In a typical year, 5 to 20 percent of the population in the U.S. will get the flu, according to www.flufacts.com , and some of your employees may end up with flu complications that may require a trip to the doctor or even hospitalization.

With the increased popularity of Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) that have a high deductible, many employees face out-of-pocket costs due to these flu complications or other medical expenses. Some employers have chosen to offset the high deductible found in a CDHP by funding a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or a Health Savings Account (HSA) with an employer contribution. Other employers offer their workforce the ability to set aside tax-free dollars in an HSA or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through payroll deduction. Read more…

Benefits

Is Health Care Reform Comic Worthy?

by Liz Rowell on Jan 18, 2012, 11:55 AM | No comments yet

We love innovative ways to educate. Particularly around hairy concepts like health care reform. Check out these two we’ve recently discovered.

New graphic novel. Whoever thought a comic book approach to explaining complex topics was a good idea? (This will age me, but … ) My mind jumps to this favorite School House Rock video — covering just one of many civic lessons. Now comes Jonathan Gruber’s new graphic novel Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It’s Necessary, How It Works. Some may appreciate that it doesn’t come with a catchy tune (that you just can’t get out of your head!).
Cartoon Americans. The Kaiser Family Foundation has created profiles of insured and uninsured people plus small and large employersto help explain the impact of the ACA. We loved their Main Street video produced just after the law was passed. Read more…

Benefits, Global HR

Medical Tourism: Why It’s a Smart and Growing Option For Your Employees

by Jacque Vilet on Jan 12, 2012, 10:45 AM | No comments yet

What are your thoughts on medical tourism?

Would you travel abroad for a medical/surgical procedure? Would you do it if you could save 50 percent or more? Would you do it if the quality of care was the same if not better than the U.S?

A report by the consulting firm Deloitte estimates 878,000 U.S. travelers in 2010 went overseas for medical treatment of some kind, and they predicted this would rise to 1.6 million by 2012. Read more…

Benefits, HR News & Trends

New Study Shows Why Workers (and Employers) Really Need Lab Tests

by Fran Melmed on Jan 11, 2012, 12:28 PM | 1 comment

Quest Diagnostics is the leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services. Recently, Quest conducted a study to answer the question many employers and employees ask: Why do we need lab tests?

“As a physician,” explained Harvey Kaufman, M.D., one of three study authors and senior corporate medical director at Quest, “I come across employees who say, ‘I’m great, I’m healthy, haven’t seen a doctor in 10 years.’ I say great, but you don’t really know what’s going on in your body. The only way to find out is to get tested.” Read more…

Benefits, HR News & Trends

IBM’s Eat-to-Earn System Rewards Employees For Eating Right

by Fran Melmed on Jan 6, 2012, 11:15 AM | 5 Comments

Around the same time you were pondering a resolution to eat better in the new year, IBM was patenting an idea that might make that easier.

Long known for their incentive and technology-based approach to improving employees’ health as well as a value-based benefit approach to health care, IBM has developed a solution that guides people to better food choices based on their personal health, and then rewards them when they “do the right thing.”

An NBC Bay Area article summarizes how the system works: Read more…

Articles tagged 'health care'

Survey: CFOs Recognize Bottom-Line Importance of Healthy Employees

Some 11,102 Miles Later, This Is a Wellness Program That Really Works

No-Hire Tobacco Policies: Why They Are a Communication and Cultural Challenge

Regular People Return as Most Credible Trusted Sources, Study Finds

Weekly Wrap: Reverse Mentoring Cuts Through the Generational Logjam

How You Can Help Employees Cope With Their Medical Bills

Is Health Care Reform Comic Worthy?

Medical Tourism: Why It’s a Smart and Growing Option For Your Employees

New Study Shows Why Workers (and Employers) Really Need Lab Tests

IBM’s Eat-to-Earn System Rewards Employees For Eating Right

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