Heart of the Matter
American Heart Association statement puts dental industry on defensive about the link between oral health and heart health. Despite popular belief, the link was never 'cause-and-effect,' says one dental industry insider.
Kelley Butler
Editor-In-Chief and Conference Co-Chair
Can’t carpe diem? ‘Micro-volunteering’ allows carpe-ing just 15 minutes
As a (very) busy mom and wife, I sometimes find myself regarding circus performers with unadulterated scorn, thinking to myself, "Look at him, juggling his knives like it's hard or something. Pfft! Try juggling a full-time job, a husband, two (almost three) kids, one dog, four schedules, a house, and bills – and then ask me how tough juggling just plain knives is!"
Survey reveals huge disconnect on existence, prevalence of employee rewards programs
Although companies with employee rewards and recognition programs are effective at improving employee engagement and reducing voluntary turnover, employers implementing or maintaining such programs must contend with a large perception gap on how often employees are recognized and even overcome employee skepticism that the programs exist at all.
Getting a grand slam in the World Series of work
I've always been sporty: I climbed trees and played sports as a kid, go to the gym often and think that in my next life I'd like to be a personal trainer. So, I was very interested in talking to Dr. Jack Groppel, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and vice president of applied science and performance training at Johnson & Johnson's Wellness & Prevention. According to Groppel, there is a way to bring sports – or at least sports-related concepts – into the workplace to make employees more engaged and productive. Recently, he and I discussed the idea of "sport science" and how its application in corporations could produce winning ways. -K.M.B.
Blues plan gets nailed for security breach. Why is no one outraged?
The Department of Health and Human Services announced in March that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee agreed to pay the agency $1.5 million to settle a potential HIPAA violation – the first resulting from a breach under the HITECH Act's (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) breach notification rule, which requires covered entities to report an impermissible use or disclosure of protected health information of 500 individuals or more to HHS and the media.
EBN is ‘going there’ on the Obama contraception mandate
Now that I'm a more seasoned editor, I truly appreciate the infusion of energy, enthusiasm and fearlessness that new professionals bring to EBN.
Desert storm
Although the tax implications of total compensation may sound as dry as the Sahara, Ernst & Young principal Sean Watts says that knowing the potential pitfalls before developing or changing your total comp strategy could help you avoid a compliance sandstorm and be the oasis your bottom line needs.
I’ll give you a Benny, my pretty -and an i-COMM Award, too.
"The Wizard of Oz" is my favorite movie. I especially love the end, when the Wizard offers gifts to the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion because for one, who doesn't love presents? And two, you realize all he presented them with were physical symbols of traits they had inside themselves all along.
Stage a PSA to fight AMD
You've likely heard of best-selling author Stephen King and Academy Award-winning actress Judi Dench and could name several of his books or her films. And although you may have heard of age-related macular degeneration, it's significantly less likely that you could name the disease's warning signs, debilitative effects and resulting high costs.
To keep office peace, talk about ‘Real Housewives,’ not Romney
It's officially springtime, which means two things are on full display – pollen and presidential politics. Although every swing and sway in the 2012 race may seem like fertile ground for watercooler discussion, I – as well as etiquette and HR/benefits experts – strongly encourage you to resist talking politics in the office.
As much as I love telework, parental leave also is paramount
I'm firmly on the record – both in this space and on EBN's blog, Employee Benefit Views – as a big advocate of telework. I've long said it's my favorite benefit and believe the corporate world would be a better place if only more employees were able to telework.
Redefining ‘unemployment’ to ‘re-employment’ through benefits
Like many of you, I watched last month as President Obama gave his third State of the Union address. While I'll leave the analysis of good-speech-bad-speech to the legion of pundits on network and cable news, one particular section of the president's remarks struck me.
Start 2012 on the right foot with post-enrollment review
I know of an employer – which shall remain nameless – that began communicating its benefits enrollment period the day enrollment began.
The one thing that’s holding back your wellness program
What is it? No, not your vending machine/cafeteria options. Not employee engagement (or lack thereof).
Teleworkers confess biggest at-home distractions
As I was working from home one day a couple months ago, I had one of those moments where you picture an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. It was a tough day – really tough.
EBA heats up Dallas
There was a notable buzz in Dallas in September as advisers at EBA's 6th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit learned and discussed the latest on helping clients handle costs, how health care reform will affect their business and the new line of interest in voluntary benefits.
Smelling the roses: Make ‘garden leave’ the new phased retirement
I read an article recently from BNA that outlined the basics and advantages of placing employees – I assume high-quality executives and/or older workers, in most cases – on what's called "garden leave."
Put me in, coach: Program helps engineer lose weight
In his 20s, Randy Hall, a service engineer with Welch Allyn, a leading manufacturer of frontline medical diagnostic equipment, was a track athlete and looked it. "I was skinny during my teens and 20s – I had a 29-inch waist, was about 140 pounds and I'm six feet tall," he recalls.
DTFA 100 takes ‘family-friendly’ benefits literally
Although the name Dave Thomas likely is most closely associated with the smiling red-haired girl in pigtails who serves as the icon for his chain of Wendy's restaurants and the burgers and Frosties the outlets serve, the restauranteur also was a passionate advocate for adoption. Himself an adoptee at age 5, Thomas spent most of his adult life championing adoption and making inroads with employers to provide adoption benefits.
Time to saddle up for sessions and strategy: Welcome to BFE 2011
With economic indicators showing the nation clearly is a damsel in distress, employers might be looking for a good cowboy to ride in to the rescue. Luckily, many of you have come to the right place.