Benefits Think

Commentary: Good salespeople understand the impact of an effective opening statement. The Standard’s Doug Waters provides five examples of conversation starters to transition to IDI from another product.

The features and services that you think workers will appreciate and use may be completely different than what employees actually desire, so communication is key - maybe even in the form of a company survey. Easy access is also key to better utilization.

Benefits managers looking to overcome the reality that 90% of employees simply keep the same benefits during open enrollment need to employ a new, more personal communications strategy.

Commentary: When talking to non-profit HR executives, the common reasons The Principal’s Aaron Friedman hears for low adoption include perceived cost and the idea that they don’t feel like they can tell people what to do. These reasons don’t hold water, he says.

Commentary: October is National Depression Awareness Month. Jeff Guardalabene, a mental health case manager with Standard Insurance Company, offers these tips on how to help your employer clients navigate this important but often uncharted territory.

As Congress continues to explore ways of making our retirement savings system stronger, legislators should consider requiring 401(k) plans to automatically enroll workers, eliminating participant loan features and allowing unlimited Roth 401(k) contributions.

Commentary: To get beyond the barriers that keep us from engaging customers and avoid always asking the “who can I talk to today?” question, what’s needed is a pipeline mentality, says sales expert John Graham.

Employing a proactive strategy to address the explosive costs of specialty medications can serve the patients who need those specialized meds, with an unbelievable 63% increase in costs expected in the next two years.

What tricks and treats do you have lined up for your employees to help them manage the frequently conflicting personal and professional priorities that arise during the holiday season?

Commentary: There is one big problem with health insurance that continues to get bigger: health care deductibles continue to rise. This poses challenges for both employers who provide benefits and employees as well.