Culture is what employers ‘do when no one is looking’
Second to compensation, culture is one of the primary reasons employees leave. According to a recent survey, 30 percent of job seekers left new positions after 90 days because of company culture. Read this blog post to learn more.
Employers advertise their values to attract like-minded talent, but if organizations don’t practice what they preach, they risk watching that talent walk right out the door.
Second to compensation, company culture is one of the primary reasons employees leave a company, according to the 2018 Jobvite Job Seeker Insights Survey. A good fit is so important that 30% of job seekers left brand-new positions after just 90 days because they didn’t like the company’s culture, the study said.
“It’s interesting that people think about culture in terms of what they want it to be, not what it actually is,” Mita Mallick, head of diversity and cross-cultural marketing at Unilever, said Wednesday at the Greenhouse Open Conference. “Culture is defined by what you do when no one’s looking.”
Mallick and Jennifer Turner — an HR strategy consultant at Alphabet, Google’s parent company — engaged in a panel discussion on creating an inclusive company culture during the conference. As HR professionals managing large teams, they agreed employers need to take initiative to establish healthy work environments.
“Creating an environment where women and people of color feel comfortable needs to be a priority,” Turner said. “Including their voices is how you make that happen.”
Turner recognized that some marginalized employees won’t feel comfortable speaking up about problems with company culture — especially if they have less job experience. Mallick and Turner said it’s helpful for these employees to find allies in senior level coworkers who can advocate for them.
“Early in my career, I know I didn’t feel comfortable raising my hand and saying, ‘That’s not OK,’” Mellick said. “I’m much more confident now.”
Mallick spoke about a time when she felt she needed to step up for employees who are mothers. Unilever was in the middle of planning a new campus in New Jersey, complete with a mother’s room for nursing. After viewing the plans, Mallick said it was clear the designers didn’t ask any of their female employees what they’d like to get out of the room. From her own experience as a mother, she said it would be most helpful if the room also functioned as a co-working space; the plan she was presented with didn’t have those elements.
“I asked [the men], ‘Have you ever nursed before?’ And, of course, they said no,” Mallick said. “Some of the men were getting grouchy, saying they were just trying to do the right thing. But that’s just an example of failure in not trying to connect who you were trying to serve.”
“If you don’t, it happens organically,” Mallick said. “There are people who will try to fill the culture.”
Turner spoke briefly about Google’s transition from startup to global enterprise, a change that required the company to redesign its culture. She said Google was able to bridge traditional office hierarchies with Google’s original culture by training managers to act like coaches. The founders hoped this management structure would perpetuate their original value — teamwork.
“Our founders felt uncomfortable with the word ‘management,’” Turner said. “But you need it at larger companies to organize jobs.”
Both women emphasized the importance of conducting regular employee surveys to determine engagement levels. Mellick said lower-level employees often feel more comfortable providing honest feedback in surveys. She believes this is the best way to “hold leadership accountable.”
“Sometimes there are some bad actors who continue to slip by without living by your company’s values because they produce results,” Mellick said. “It’s important to listen to employee feedback because these productive jerks can be an overpowering force that creates fear in your workforce.”
Turner said employers who are serious about their company’s core values need to conduct regular performance reviews for managers and take their lower-level employees’ feedback seriously.
“We want our leadership to stand up for us and believe what comes from their mouth,” Turner said. “If leaders don’t live by [the company’s] values, how can the culture be that way?”
SOURCE: Webster, K. (14 June 2019) "Culture is what employers ‘do when no one is looking’" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/news/alphabet-unilever-discuss-workplace-culture
Finding the Hidden Benefits within your Offered Health Insurance Plan
Benefits packages offered by employers are just one of the many elements an employee considers when joining, remaining at or leaving a company. Striking the right balance of what employees want and what your business has to offer will allow for a return on investment. In this installment of CenterStage, Kelley Bell, a Group Health Benefits Consultant at Saxon Financial, explains how to unlock and bring forth benefits often overlooked by employers and employees.
The Reason for Employee Benefits
Employers of all sizes within the United States aim to offer attractive health insurance benefits that will both attract prospective employees and retain those talented individuals who are currently employed. Aside from looking to earn money to put food on the table, pay bills and set aside for later, people seek employment for assistance in alleviating the burden of having to pay for insurance plans singlehandedly. Thus, they plan where they will work and for how long they will work based on what your company has to offer.
When looking at benefits plans, most people assume the usual: a comprehensive health plan that assists in providing medical insurance and reduces pharmacy costs. However, a benefits package you receive from an employer today is no longer your parents’ benefits package. Just as trends in fashion and pop culture come and go, so should the benefits within an employer’s plan.
It is unique offerings that attract potential employees and retain current ones. Additionally, it is in the hands of employers to offer methods to achieve and shift culture in a positive way by offering necessary methods to do so. Employee benefits packages today are shaped to fit the needs of the employees.
As the nation’s health has declined, an uptick in the popularity in offering benefits such as discounted or free gym memberships has become a major plus. How are employees to be aware of the perks of employment with your business? They need to be properly educated about their plans. Kelley explained, “Employers must take time to educate employees as they are their most valuable asset.”
Benefits That Get Overlooked
Every employer, no matter how big or small, has something to offer. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, Kelley has seen and heard it all from employers with whom she partners with in selecting benefits for their employees. “I’ve heard people say they have a horrible plan but in reality, it is not a horrible plan, they don’t understand it or how to use it.” When investing in an ‘add-on’ benefit, there is typically a large sum injected into a new initiative, but the results are often short-lived, a short spark of novelty. The benefits that carry stamina are usually those that hold tremendous value in both a sense of time and money. Kelley continued, “Some of the embedded benefits in their existing plans will help save them money, become a wise consumer and ultimately choose to live a healthier lifestyle.”
What are some examples of benefits that fly under the radar of employers and their employees?
- Telemedicine medical services. Telemedicine is a fantastic way to recover and receive treatment for an illness or injury from the comfort and convenience of their car, work or home rather than in a doctor’s office.
- Wellness initiatives are another fantastic offering which is simply implementing a wellness committee dedicated to the well-being of your employees.
- Saxon offers a free portal with wellness information available to clients. Becoming a member includes receiving newsletters, email blasts, wellness information and challenges your business can utilize.
- Consumers of healthcare have historically been conscious purchasers. Within your plan, check for the ability to leverage multiple doctors and pharmacies to find the most cost-effective option for each employee. Medical offices inside pharmacy’s, or retail outlets, as well as Urgent cares, have seen increased rates of attention simply for their competitive prices as opposed to a traditional hospital.
- Employers looking for additional ways to offer savings for employees on their prescription medications can turn to mobile apps such as GoodRx which offers money-saving coupons for medications.
- Online wellness tools allow you to view claims, ID cards, locate doctors, browse medications and estimate costs. Many of the plans have teams to help people who are pregnant, want to stop smoking, lose weight or have specific health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, etc.”
How Saxon Helps
Kelley understands every business is unique and is dedicated to proactively serving the needs of each client. At Saxon, Kelley and our team of advisors begin by engaging experts that truly listen, building successful strategies that stay focused on your vision and goals.
Saxon exists to care, cultivate and empower through relationships, expertise and exceptional standards of service. Saxon’s WIN team is always available at your convenience to unlock the benefits you did not know you had in order to excel your organizational efforts upward.
To begin the conversation about putting your overlooked benefits into action, contact Kelley Bell today at (513) 774-5493 or (937) 672-1547 or via email at kbell@gosaxon.com.
Are your job posts designed to recruit the best talent?
It's not what you say but how you say it when it comes to job postings. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are some 7.6 million unfilled jobs in the U.S. Poorly written job postings may be one of the reasons employers are having trouble filling open jobs. Read this blog post for more on job post design.
With job postings, it’s not what you say, but how you say it, which makes all the difference.
There are some 7.6 million unfilled jobs in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and poorly written job postings are the reason many employers are having trouble filling those open jobs, according to Katrina Kibben, CEO of Three Ears Media, a company that teaches recruiters how to become better writers.
“Most job postings are filled with clichés and B.S.,” Kibben said Thursday at the Greenhouse Open Conference, a gathering of HR professionals in New York City. “The most successful job postings have a heartbeat, and they spell out what’s expected from the candidate.”
Kibben said traditional job postings rely on the same tactics — all of which are ineffective. She said the majority of posts start out with “brand-first tone and jargon” in an attempt to attract talent. For example: “ABC seeks a collaborative, responsive, and dynamic non-profit development professional to lead the RCS community as our Chief Development Officer.” Kibben said this job description won’t engage potential applicants.
“It’s lame, and it doesn’t tell them why they should want to work for you,” Kibben said. “Some companies rely on brand recognizability, like Fortune 500 status, but that’s not enough to get the passionate candidates you want.”
Kibben provided a better example of an engaging job post: “Raising money isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. We’re looking for someone who’s ready to boil the water, sweeten the pot, and share the love of raising money with an enthusiastic team supporting an important cause.”
Bullet points were another typical job post feature Kibben recommended recruiters kill. While they make organizing information simple, Kibben said they don’t provide candidates with enough information about the job, and why they should apply.
“Your competitor likely has the exact same bullet points, so you need to find a way to tell candidates why you’re different from them,” Kibben said.
The way a job title is worded impacts how many applicants will see job postings online; employers who want the best visibility need to use search analytics to decide on a title, Kibben said. She recommended Google Trends because it shows searchers how often people in different regions searched for specific keywords. Sometimes, employers will find that the words they’re using are turning up searches for something entirely different.
“The phrase ‘customer service,’ for example, tends to bring up complaints, not job listings,” Kibben said. “You’ll want to adjust the wording so the candidates with the skills you want can find you.”
SOURCE: Webster, K. (17 June 2019) "Are your job posts designed to recruit the best talent?" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/news/are-your-job-posts-hiring-the-best-employees
Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops for the Fourth of July
Happy Fourth of July! In celebration of Independence Day, the Saxon crew has decided to share one of our favorite summer recipes for this month’s Fresh Brew! We hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
Bourbon BBQ Glazed Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 c. ketchup
- 3/4 c. bourbon (like Jack Daniel’s)
- 1/4 c. molasses
- 1/4 c. cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 1-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 3 pounds total)
Directions
- Heat oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic sizzles (do not let brown), about 1 minute. Add chili powder and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
- Add ketchup, bourbon, molasses, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Season chops with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part (avoiding the bone) registers 135°F, 10 to 14 minutes, basting with glaze (about 2/3 cup) during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a platter and baste again. Serve with remaining glaze.
This recipe was provided by Country Living. If you’d like to visit the original source, please click here.
Give It A Try & Share It!
A 55-year-old intern? Why older apprentices may be the answer to the talent gap
Recently, the DOL’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion called for a process that would establish industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs). Below, this blog post discusses how older apprentices may be the answer to today's talent gap.
LAS VEGAS — Want to revitalize your workforce? Try hiring a baby boomer as your new intern.
Apprentice programs may not be just for young talents fresh out of college. Employers should study such programs for older workers, said the leader of the world’s largest HR professional society.
“We oftentimes think about apprenticeships for young people, but what about the 55-year-old who needs to work or wants to work an additional 20 years and needs to learn the new coding language?” Johnny Taylor Jr., CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, said Tuesday during a media event at the annual SHRM conference. “So apprenticeship writ large ... it’s a broader idea than just what we all think about young people getting an opportunity.”
The comments come after the DOL’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion on Monday called for a process to establish industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs).
IRAPs will be customizable apprenticeship models that the DOL calls "a new pathway for the expansion of apprenticeships."
In addition, the proposed rule outlined the process to become a standards recognition entity (SRE), which would set standards for training, structure and curriculum for the IRAPs.
DOL would ensure that SREs have the capacity and quality-assurance processes and procedures needed to monitor IRAPs and recognize that IRAPs are high quality. The department's criteria for high-quality IRAPs include: paid work, work-based learning, mentorship, education and instruction, industry-recognized credentials, safety and supervision and adhering to equal employment opportunity obligations.
"The apprenticeship model of earning while learning has worked well in many American industries, and today we open opportunities for apprenticeships to flourish in new sectors of our economy," Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta said in a statement.
Taylor has addressed expanding apprenticeships before, noting the association has recently renewed its support by studying ways to make programs more inclusive and broaden them beyond high school or college students, he said.
“I was at a meeting the other day and they referred to restoring the dignity of the first job,” Taylor said. “That’s a real aspirational thing.”
Employers also need to do more to tap hidden pools of skilled labor from the disabled to the formerly incarcerated to bridge the workplace talent gap in the United States, he said.
“How do we do that? For example, instead of a four-year college experience, maybe it’s a six-year average college experience because you go knock out your first two years,” and break up subsequent educational experiences between semesters of work, school or a mix of both combined with work internships.
The former labor employment lawyer also said key themes that SHRM is focused on this year include workplace culture, age discrimination, diversity and reskilling the U.S. workforce for the jobs of the future.
“Everyone is talking about work,” Taylor said. “It’s a great time to be in HR.”
Additional reporting by Nick Otto.
SOURCE: Siew, W. (26 June 2019) "A 55-year-old intern? Why older apprentices may be the answer to the talent gap" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/news/shrm-calls-on-expanding-workforce-apprenticeships
3 Tips for Maxing Out Your 401(k)
Using a 401(k) is a great way to save for retirement, but many people with access to a 401(k) struggle to max out their yearly contribution limits. Read this post for tips on how to max out your 401(k).
Saving in a 401(k) is a great way to build a solid nest egg for retirement -- which you'll definitely need since Social Security won't provide enough income for you to live on by itself. But many people with access to a 401(k) struggle to max out because the annual contribution limits are so high.
For 2019, workers under 50 can sock away up to $19,000 in a 401(k). Those 50 and older, meanwhile, can set aside up to $25,000. That's far more than this year's IRA contribution limits of $6,000 and $7,000, respectively.
See Also: At Saxon, we understand that you need to feel confident in your future.
Still, maxing out a 401(k) could be your ticket to an extremely comfortable retirement. If you were to max out your 401(k) at today's limits between ages 35 and 65, you'd wind up with $1.95 million if your investments were to generate an average annual return of 7% during those 30 years, which is more than doable with a stock-heavy portfolio. As such, it pays to push yourself to max out, and you'll be more likely to hit that goal if you do the following things.
1. Bank your bonus cash
Many of us come into extra money during the year, whether it's a performance bonus at work, a tax refund, or even a cash gift. If you pledge to put any funds that fall into that category into your 401(k), you'll boost your contribution rate without having to worry about slashing expenses.
2. Cut back on spending
Unless you get a really generous bonus, gift, or tax refund, you'll need to work on spending less if you're looking to max out a 401(k). But if you're willing to make some sacrifices, you can increase your contributions to the point where you save enough for your dream retirement. Comb through your budget and aim to cut back on smaller expenses, like your cable or cellphone bill. But if you're serious about maxing out a 401(k), you may need to think big -- like downsizing to a smaller home that slashes your mortgage and property tax payments by $1,000 a month.
3. Get a second job
You can only cut back on so many expenses before seriously impacting your quality of life. If you're not willing or able to go on an all-out expense-slashing spree, but you're eager to max out your 401(k), try getting yourself a second job. If you do, you'll be in good company. Of the millions of Americans who currently hold down a side hustle, an estimated 14% do so for the express purpose of funding a retirement plan.
Imagine you're able to work a lucrative side gig that puts an extra $1,000 in your pocket every month. Assuming you're under 50, if you were to put that money right into your 401(k), you'd only have to come up with another $7,000 over the course of a year to max out. That's a far easier notion than cutting expenses to the tune of $19,000.
Even if you don't manage to max out your 401(k) every year, doing it even a few years over the course of your career could really help. Remember, too, that when you fund a traditional 401(k), the money you contribute is income the IRS can't tax you on. This means that if your tax rate is 24%, and you manage to stick $19,000 in a traditional 401(k), you'll save yourself $4,560 right off the bat. And that's reason enough to work your hardest to contribute the maximum amount you can to your 401(k).
The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
SOURCE: Backman, M. (20 June 2019) "3 Tips for Maxing Out Your 401(k)" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.fool.com/retirement/2019/06/20/3-tips-for-maxing-out-your-401k.aspx
Engaging employees in healthcare — even while traveling
In 2018, Americans took 463.6 million trips for business, leaving employees unsure of what to do when they get sick or injured while away. Read this blog post for how employers can engage employees who are traveling in healthcare.
Business travel is booming. Americans took 463.6 million trips for business last year. But what happens when a business traveler gets sick or injured while away from home and how can employers help their employees in this situation?
It starts with a simple solution: Make sure you’re providing employees with a health insurance plan that includes coverage outside the state or region where the business is located. While the majority of plans provide coverage for illnesses and injuries that meet the insurer’s definition of an emergency, some plans don’t cover care for common serious, but non-emergency health problems like strep throat, migraine headaches, a sprained ankle or back pain. Employers should ensure they offer at least one plan option that includes either an extended physician and hospital network or coverage for out-of-network care.
If employees need to travel out of the country for business, employers may want to consider offering travel medical insurance, which provides coverage during the period of time while the employee is outside the U.S. and medical evacuation if needed. To ensure employees have all the immunizations they need and are aware of any health risks at their destinations, employers can offer access to or reimbursement for pre-trip visits with a travel medicine specialist.
Even when employees have health insurance that gives them access to care while they’re away from home, connecting with experienced healthcare providers can still be difficult. Some insurers offer phone support for plan members seeking care providers, although often these providers are not heavily vetted for the experience or providing the highest quality care. Health advisory services can also help employees find and connect with healthcare providers in the U.S. and overseas.
When considering health advisory firms, employers should ask how the firm vets the healthcare providers it connects employees with and whether the firm uses a set network of providers or whether it connects employees with the most appropriate providers regardless of their health system affiliation.
Make sure employees know how to find the right type of care
When an employee falls ill or gets injured while traveling for business, her or his first instinct may be to seek care at a local emergency room, but that’s not always the best option. In addition to long wait times, the cost of care delivered in the emergency room is significantly higher than other care settings.
- Employers can help employees make better choices by providing information about the options available and how to choose the right care setting:
- The emergency room for serious, life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as chest pain, symptoms of a stroke, serious burns, head injury or loss of consciousness, eye injuries, severe allergic reactions, broken bones and heavy bleeding
- An urgent care center for conditions you’d usually make a doctor’s appointment for such as vomiting or diarrhea, fever, sprains, moderate flu symptoms, small cuts, wheezing and dehydration
- A walk-in or retail clinic for minor problems such as a rash with no fever, mild flu-like symptoms, sore throat, cough and congestion, ear pain and eye itchiness or redness
- Telemedicine or virtual physician visits for minor illnesses and injuries and advice on whether additional care is needed
The key to helping employees know which care setting is the most appropriate is ongoing communication and education, which can take the form of in-person meetings with the benefits team, newsletter articles and email blasts, and video content shared through the company’s intranet channels.
Employees who are living with chronic health conditions should take special steps when traveling for business, including ensuring they have enough of any prescription medication they take and bringing an extra prescription with them for essential medications in case they’re lost in transit.
Ensure employees can quickly share their medical records with providers
Another important part of the healthcare equation for business travelers is ensuring that when they need care while they’re on the road, the healthcare providers who treat them can get quick, secure access to their medical records. Access to these records is important for several reasons:
- It gives a provider who’s not familiar with the employee’s medical history a comprehensive look at past and current health problems and chronic conditions, medications, allergies or adverse reactions, and treatments and surgeries. Having this information can lower the risk of misdiagnosis, inappropriate care and duplicate care or testing, which not only adds unneeded costs but can also cause harm.
- This information can be especially important when employees are seriously ill or injured and can’t speak for themselves to share medical history and their wishes about issues like the use of a ventilator or feeding tube.
There are several online services and apps that allow users to upload medical records so they can share them with healthcare providers. Another option is to work with a health adviser who can make sure employees’ records are carefully reviewed to ensure accuracy and stored in a secure universal medical record that can be accessed in minutes by treating physicians anywhere in the world.
Giving employees who travel for business the right resources and guidance can not only increase their peace of mind, it can help make sure they have access to the care they need wherever work takes them.
SOURCE: Varn, M. (18 June 2019) "Engaging employees in healthcare — even while traveling" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/opinion/engage-employees-in-healthcare-when-traveling
Denied Life Insurance? Here Are Your Next 3 Steps
Were you denied life insurance coverage? Many applicants who fall into the “impaired risk market” understand they're up against a hurdle or two when applying for life insurance, but it doesn't make it any easier when they're denied coverage. Read this blog post for the next steps you should take after being denied life insurance coverage.
It’s tough to learn that the life insurance company you applied to will not be offering you coverage, especially if you were fully expecting a yes!
You may fall into the “impaired risk market,” which means you have something in your background that makes you a higher risk for dying prematurely—think things like diabetes, obesity, a previous cancer diagnosis or even a history of DUIs.
While many applicants with this type of history understand they’re up against a hurdle or two, it’s not any easier to be denied life insurance coverage. But, often times, it doesn’t mean the hunt for an approval is over.
There may still be options, which include applying to a more suitable company or applying for a different policy type.
Here are three actionable steps you should take if you’ve been denied life insurance.
1. Collect information. Before an insurer denies an application, they collect lots of data from several sources to evaluate your risk. If the risk is high enough, you are either rated, postponed or denied. In any of these circumstances, requesting more information on the reason for denial is your right.
Upon request, the carrier can provide detailed information on why an applicant is declined, whether it was due to medical history, current exam results, driving record or something else. Denials from current exams tend to be the most shocking, as you may not know about an illness or disease beforehand.
2. Confirm the results. Errors can happen. Wires can be crossed. Double check the data that was provided to the underwriter. If poor exam results were cited as the cause, confirm it with your primary care physician. In some cases, a company may simply deny coverage because of new, undiagnosed lab results, even if there is little cause for concern.
In other scenarios, you could be denied for occupational or recreational hazards, criminal records and even financial distress. Having records such as these, which aren’t updated or detailed enough, can lead to postponement or declines because the underwriter simply can’t assess a proper risk profile.
3. Work with an agent. Even with proper research, the first company you apply to isn’t always necessarily the best. Passing along detailed information to an agent can allow them to search into better options. A well-trained high-risk life insurance agent can assess information thoroughly and find a better fit for you.
But you also need to understand that applying to another carrier is an option only if the reason for denial (such a diabetes) is one another may accept (because your diabetes is under control with medication). Each life insurance company adheres to its own set of underwriting guidelines, meaning identical applications to separate carriers could yield different results.
If the root cause for denial is too great, a different type of life insurance policy altogether may be the last resort. Utilizing “graded” or guaranteed products make life insurance possible for those with pre-existing conditions or unfavorable risk profiles. While they cost more and typically come with maximum death benefits, they can be a solution.
Saving in the Long Run
After being approved for life insurance, keep an eye out over the next few months or years. Depending on your situation, you might have options to lower your rate. Here two quick examples:
Let time pass. Certain impaired risks simply require more time to pass between diagnosis and the time of application. As medical records and follow-ups are recorded, and symptoms pass or become stable, your rates can come back down. In addition, concerns related to a driving record or criminal record may also just require a certain amount to have elapsed where the offense is either removed or settled.
Check the workplace. If life insurance is offered through group benefits in the workplace, it could end up being more affordable, based on the program offered. It could also lead to filling in coverage gaps a graded or guaranteed policy left behind.
There is no one-size-fits-all regimen to combat a declination. However, taking these steps could alleviate the stress and annoyances that make finding coverage so daunting.
SOURCE: Fisher, J. (10 June 2019) "Denied Life Insurance? Here Are Your Next 3 Steps" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://lifehappens.org/blog/denied-life-insurance-here-are-your-next-3-steps/
Was Your Company Trashed Online? What to Do with Workers’ Negative Reviews
A survey from Bayt.com revealed that 76 percent of professionals research a company online before considering a job there. Continue reading this post from SHRM to find out how your company should react to workers' negative reviews.
Online reviews proliferate for everything from rent shares to restaurants, and corporate cultures are hardly immune: Sites like Glassdoor, Indeed and Vault give disgruntled employees a platform to expose the underbelly of their organizations' managers and practices--whether fairly or not.
"Job candidates and employees are now empowered to provide instant feedback on employers, at any time, and they can rate a company's culture and management just as they rate a hotel, restaurant or movie," said Jeanne Meister, founding partner of Future Workplace, a New York City-based HR executive network and research firm.
And these reviews can potentially be seen by untold numbers of job candidates.
A survey from Bayt.com—a job board for positions in the Middle East—found that 76 percent of professionals research a company online before considering a job there. An Indeed survey shows that 83 percent of job seekers will probably rely on company reviews to decide if they should apply to a job.
If negative reviews threaten a business's brand, reputation and future hiring prospects, what's a company's recourse? And what if the review is accurate about a negative aspect of working for your company?
What If a Reviewer Lies?
Robin Richards, co-founder of CareerArc, an HR technology company based in Burbank, Calif., suggests two options if a company spots a fraudulent review:
1. Flag it. On its website, Glassdoor says that employers "can flag [a review] directly and our Content team will give it a second look. If we find that we missed something the first time, we'll take it down."
Typically, Glassdoor removes a post if it violates the company's guidelines or terms of use. For instance, if a poster:
- Misrepresents his or her current or former affiliation with an employer.
- Posts content that's defamatory, libelous or fraudulent; that the poster knows to be false or misleading; or that does not reflect the poster's honest opinion and experience.
- Discloses information that violates legally enforceable confidentiality; nondisclosure or other contractual restrictions; or rights of any third party, including any current or former employers or potential employers.
2. Respond to it. "This may be the most effective course of action," Richards said. "Simply being aware of negative comments is not enough. Today, [potential job] candidates expect a reply. Sixty-two percent say reading a response improved their perception of an employer, according to one Glassdoor survey."
The response should be prompt. To that end, companies should create alerts that notify them immediately when they're mentioned publicly in a post or on social media. Leaders should also ask workers to notify them, or HR, if they spot posts that could harm the company.
What If the Review Has Merit?
Responding too swiftly might not be the best course of action, however, if a review makes an allegation that has merit. If reviewers can provide evidence supporting a negative posting, an employer's defensiveness will only reflect poorly on the business.
"Make sure to not be combative and to consult with your legal team before responding to any serious claims, such as harassment or discrimination," Richards said.
Do show appreciation for the feedback.
"Listen to what the review has to say," Richards said. "The worst thing to do is ignore a bad review simply because it's negative. Keep an open mind and investigate if there are merits to the claims. They may represent real opportunities for change that could genuinely improve your company culture."
And if companies do make improvements, he said, share those actions on the site where the bad review appeared.
Finally, companies may want to ask current employees to respond to a critical review by posting positive reviews.
"Encourage employees to share why they love working at your company," Richards said.
But, Glassdoor warns, "we do not allow employers to incentivize or coerce employees to leave positive reviews."
If a review is especially nasty, or is starting to receive media attention, consider issuing a press statement to address and, if applicable, refute the issues that the post raised.
Legal Considerations
If a company isn't satisfied with how a review website responds to its complaints, it may want to pursue legal action, such as a cease-and-desist order.
But be aware that the courts have ruled that employees' complaining about their company to try to improve working conditions is protected speech. And posting personnel file details about a current or former worker could violate privacy.
Also, many websites allow reviewers to discuss companies' senior leaders by name, though not anyone below that level.
Glassdoor notes that the law protects such websites from responsibility for the content that users submit, and "If you sue our users and ask us to tell you who they are, we object and often fight in court to protect their anonymity."
Richards also recommends that employers:
- Analyze comments on employer rating sites to inform HR strategy.
- Listen carefully to current employees so you know what makes them happy and what doesn't.
- Assign a team to analyze and respond to positive and negative feedback on employee satisfaction surveys.
"In much the same way that marketing departments have become customer-centric, human resource departments must treat their employees as customers and continuously use listening platforms to better understand employees needs and wants," Meister said.
"This means ending the once-a-year employee survey and replacing it with continuous, monthly or weekly surveys. It means a relentless focus on transparency and responsiveness in the workplace. As more employees use an expanding set of these employer rating sites," she said, "power is shifting from the employer to the employee."
SOURCE: Wilkie, D. (13 June 2019) "Was Your Company Trashed Online? What to Do with Workers’ Negative Reviews" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from: https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/employee-relations/Pages/negative-workplace-reviews-.aspx
One overlooked way to promote well-being: Target oral health
Are you promoting oral health when promoting employee wellness? Research shows an association between gum disease and conditions like diabetes and coronary artery disease. Continue reading to learn more.
With the cost of employer-sponsored healthcare benefits approaching $15,000 a year per employee, according to the National Business Group on Health, innovative companies are looking for new and creative ways to get maximum value from their benefits dollars.
By embracing benefits strategies focused on overall health, companies can help their current employees be healthier and more productive and attract and retain the workers they need to succeed in today’s competitive labor markets.
And although wellness programs or health apps might first spring to mind, there’s an overlooked way to promote employees’ health: oral care.
Guided by research that shows associations between gum disease and conditions like diabetes and coronary artery disease, forward-thinking dental insurers are developing products that emphasize the importance of regular oral care, particularly for workers with those conditions — and smart companies are jumping on board.
Products that emphasize the importance of maintaining oral health are an important step in integrating care. Over the next several years, leading-edge insurers will create new ways to engage patients in conversations about their dental and overall health, as they seek to encourage behavior changes and improve health outcomes. To help improve oral and overall well-being, insurers will need to share oral care information with their members through targeted emails, text messages and phone calls.
Additionally, because individuals dealing with a complex treatment plan may put off receiving oral care while they address their medical issues, they could benefit from plans featuring a case manager, or a “dental champion.” Working in conjunction with medical case managers, a dental champion can help employees understand how receiving regular oral care can influence their overall health. They also can ensure a company’s workforce is getting the oral care they need, helping them find providers and arrange appointments.
Savvy employers recognize that any realistic effort to limit the increase in healthcare costs begins by addressing chronic ailments. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease, like heart disease, cancer, stroke or diabetes.
By promoting overall health — including regular oral care — employers can encourage positive lifestyle changes that help their employees reduce the likelihood of many chronic problems. Those who brush and floss their teeth regularly, receive frequent cleanings and checkups and deal with oral issues at early stages are taking steps to improve their overall health.
Because everyone’s individual situation is different, insurers and employers will need to include a more personalized approach, engaging members in conversations about their dental health and how it contributes to attaining their overall health goals.
SOURCE: Palmer, T. (13 June 2019) "One overlooked way to promote well-being: Target oral health" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/opinion/promoting-wellbeing-through-dental-health