News Feed

CHICAGO — There is a need for an “extreme makeover” in the house of benefits with a delivery system built on partnership, collaboration, accountability and engagement — rather than competitiveness, says Larry Boress of the Midwest Business Group on Health. Read more from Associate Editor Brian Kalish as he reports from Employee Benefit Adviser’s Workplace Benefits Mania Conference at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park.

Running a small business well requires the ability to gather and manage a vast array of data, from sales leads to customer complaints and employee vacation time. Because this information is so critical, business automation companies, such as Basecamp, LiquidPlanner and Salesforce.com, charge good money to organize it.

Not every business suffers during a recession. Some industries even thrive because they are recession-proof. But many others experience reduced revenues and lower profitability, even as the economy slowly recovers. But regardless of which side of the downturn you are on, you should downsize, tighten procedures, control expenses, and hold on to profitability as best as you can.

For many employees faced with the prospect of having to save for rising healthcare costs and for retirement, it's important to understand that it doesn't necessarily have to be an either/or decision.

Government and industry experts say recent guidance from the federal government will hasten development of state purchasing exchanges, which will in turn affect employers’ long-range benefit sponsorship decisions.

Unum has partnered with United Concordia and will soon offer dental benefits.

A Fidelity Investments survey released on July 28 found that a majority of Americans do not understand how their pensions work.

State officials developing health insurance purchasing exchanges have voiced growing appreciation for the roles that can be played by benefit advisers.

As I type this, it's not yet noon, but I've already sent 30 emails. So, it seems I have a lot to thank Ray Tomlinson for.

This article is part of EBN's year-long BeneFIT Success series, which chronicles employers and employees in their individual and organizational wellness triumphs. Learn how to submit your company as a candidate for the series at the end of the article.