Nick Otto

It’s no surprise that health care costs are continuing to rise and while employers remain committed to providing benefits, many are re-evaluating their benefit strategies.

Rising health care costs and concerns for employees’ financial wellness and retirement preparedness are nudging employers to re-evaluate their benefit offerings.

Organizations don’t necessarily focus on building engagement tools for team leaders, said consultant Marcus Buckingham during this week's SHRM conference, and, as a result, these tools are being developed for the wrong audience.

Friday’s landmark ruling on gay marriage poses both challenges and benefits to employers.

The time of “what-ifs” for employers ended Thursday as the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling upholding the challenge to state subsidies in King v. Burwell, and employers should maintain business as usual going forward, according to most industry observers.

An “engagement chasm” is adding to the low adoption and participation rates employers face when developing their health and wellness programs, with even electronic or online tools doing little to keep employees motivated in health, fitness and dietary programs.

Despite cost cutting measures in health care, expenditures on human capital technology have been on the rise, largely driven by a need for more efficiency.

Small-size employers with between 51 and 100 employees currently in large-business group health plans will have to transition to small-business group plans upon their renewal on or after Jan. 1, 2016.

Employers are falling short on adequate systems and training to provide employees with in-the-moment critical feedback. But all is not lost as some experts have a few steps employers can take to get back on track.

The countdown is on for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act and the legality of subsidies – with a decision that could have looming political implications leading into a heated primary election cycle.

The financial rewards of an engaged workforce can be significant for employers, and yet the correlation between higher levels of employee engagement and a company’s bottom line is not necessarily well-understood by senior executives.

Although the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently released some new proposed regulations on wellness programs, employers are still grappling with how to incorporate new health technologies into their programs.

Suffocating under large loans and with little savings, the majority Gen Xers admit being bogged down with uncertainty when planning for retirement.

Trust and education are some of the more favorable characteristics sought in retirement plan providers, as well as key drivers to increasing employee engagement. However, that education is lacking, as most employees have a poor understanding of retirement language.

Most disabilities, on average, can keep an employee out of work for roughly three months, and yet, only about a quarter of employees say they currently have disability insurance.

There’s no surprise retirement readiness is a top concern among small employers, with their employees are most at risk – a conversation that took center stage when President Barack Obama unveiled the “MyRA” initiative for employers last year.

Whether participating in private exchanges or not, some say similar programs have been in place for decades, pointing to the government’s 50-year-old Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan as early example of what many employers are dealing with today.

Although an important aspect of retirement, Social Security is just the backbone on which defined benefit and defined contribution plans should build upon.

Finding ways to deter painkiller abuse has been a high priority for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recent years. And with opioid abuse costing U.S. businesses close to $26 billion a year, health plan sponsors should take note as well.

As the country celebrates small business week, a time to appreciate the contributions these employers give to the economy, some debate how small companies can best give back to their employees’ financial wellness and, ultimately, retirement readiness.