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I love hearing about random national holidayslike National Banana Day and National Hug Day. The latest I heard about actually occurs today (Oct. 4): Get out your party hats for National Improve Your Office Day!
My way of helping to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month is through todays guest post from Deborah Sternberg, EVP at Always Care Benefits and Starmount Life Insurance Company, who articulates better than I could the important role your benefits plans play in combating breast cancer. Enjoy, and as always share your thoughts in the comments.
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."
As flexible work options become more commonplace – research from WorldatWork shows that flexibility programs including part-time schedules, flextime and telework are offered to some or all employees in more than 80% of companies, with more than two-thirds of organizations, and 68% offer all three – it can be difficult to remember that not every employee has the option to work at home when her child is sick, or flex his hours to go to a mid-day doctor's appointment.
Since their introduction over 30 years ago, 401(k) plans have evolved into one of the leading retirement savings vehicles for American workers. Skepticism about Social Security is widespread, with 70% of workers surveyed by the Employee Benefits Research Institute for its annual retirement confidence survey saying they are "not too" or "not at all" confident that Social Security will continue to provide benefits of at least equal value to the benefits retirees receive today.
Many people – and benefits professionals are no different – tend to skirt around issues rather than tell people directly and in no uncertain terms, "Here's what I want!"
Experts agree that taking a 401(k) loan rarely is a good idea. Still, research suggests the number of plan participants doing just that is on the rise, particularly since 2008, when layoffs and financial turmoil left many American workers with nowhere else to turn for funds.
According to a new CareerBuilder survey, some of my fellow teleworkers are giving in to their darker angels. The survey finds that teleworkers confessed to their top distractions when working from home.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and EBNs 24th annual Benefits Forum & Expo is no exception! Here are some of the steer-sized sights from Day 2 of BFE, Monday, Sept. 26
Parting is such sweet sorrow, but EBNs 24th annual Benefits Forum & Expo definitely ended on a high note! Here are some of the best moments from the final day of BFE, Tuesday, Sept. 27.
The cost of health insurance continues to climb for U.S. companies and workers, with annual family premiums this year growing at a pace triple that of 2010 and outpacing wage increases, according to a survey.
A genie tells you that shell grant you one wish for your employee benefits programs. It will take effect immediately, and will cost you nothing in time, talent, money or morale. What would you wish for?
Fidelity Investments said last week it added new defined-contribution retirement plans with total assets of $17 billion in the first half of 2011, boosting its position as the industry's largest plan provider.
Us EBNers are heading down to Big D this weekend for the 24th annual Benefits Forum & Expo (Sept. 25-27 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas). Weve heard everythings bigger in Texas, so were ready to wow all of our guests a truly Texas-sized agenda, featuring more content than before to help you rein in your most pressing benefits cost, compliance and communication problems.
So, what are they, you ask? Not so fast. Tweet your best benefits communication pearls to EBN Associate Editor Lisa Gillespie (@EBN_LVGillespie). Her favorite will win a copy of You Cant Not Communicate 2: More Proven Solutions that Power the Fortune 100, by David Grossman.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, Ill be moderating the keynote panel discussion at EBNs Benefits Forum & Expo, featuring four HR/benefits professionals from companies listed on Fortunes 100 Best Places to Work. If you had the panelists as a captive audience (heres who they are, by the way), what would you ask them?
Threat to tax reform around 401(k) retirement plans prompted the American Benefits Council to appeal to Congress on Thursday to do no harm.
One of Benefits Forum & Expo's keynote speakers will be NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach, who played nine outstanding seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Staubach has graciously volunteered to autograph some Cowboys memorabilia for EBN to give away to one lucky Twitter follower.
Four years from now, the median account balance of a defined contribution plan will reach $150,000, up from $100,000 today – a decent-sized nest egg by most standards, but a far cry from the $1 million or more experts say is needed to sustain a retiree's lifestyle and health care costs. Thus, one-third of those "retiring" will continue to work and a majority of senior workers will be saving a portion of their earnings for "true old age," when they actually stop working.
This summer I went to Disney World with my family. I wanted my kids to visit the home of the Mickey Mouse Club in person. Yes, I know they can learn about Mickey Mouse on TV and the Internet but there was something special about the in-person experience. What does this have to do with employee benefits? Let me explain.
