Shifting from employee engagement to employee experience
Employee experience is gaining steam and has many employers changing the way they view their employees. Read this blog post to find out more.
The way businesses view their employees has changed. From mere workers and resources, employers started adopting the mindset that they should give their employees benefits and values, instead of just extracting value from them. The concept of employee engagement applies to this. A lot of studies and researches came out on how employee engagement helps increase employee performance and profitability. Recently though, a shift is happening, with the term “employee experience” gaining steam.
What is Employee Experience?
So, what exactly is employee experience or EX? According to this article, employee experience is “just a way of considering what it’s actually like for someone to work at your company”. It is a holistic model. It includes what the employee experiences in the workplace and within teams—bringing together all the workplace, HR, and management practices that impact people on the job.
Why the shift?
Employee engagement tends to focus on the short-term. For example, there’s an upcoming engagement activity. Once the activity is done, what happens? Most likely, the employee returns to their work, the event just a memory until the next one.
The change in workforce demography creates new demands. The millennial generation, which currently dominates the workforce, have different priorities than the previous generations. The Generation Z’s are now also entering the workforce with a new set of expectations.
Making little changes that impact employee morale and motivation is important. Employee experience is more long-term and big-picture focused. Its scope, from an employee’s point of view, can be end-to-end—from recruitment to retirement.
The challenge of EX is immense. Fortunately, technology is on your side. Various HR tools have been developed to help you get the data that you need, as well as make it easier for you to design the programs you want. Deloitte lists down what you could do right now:
- Elevate employee experience and make it a priority
- Designate a senior leader or team to own it
- Embrace design thinking
- Consider experiences for the entire workforce
- Look outside
- Enlist C-suite and team leader support
- Consider the impact of geography; and
- Measure it
The best way to conquer the challenge of EX is by starting now!
SOURCE: Cabrera, A. (23 January 2018) "Shifting from employee engagement to employee experience" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://peopledynamics.co/shifting-employee-experience/
How to motivate millennials to participate in retirement savings
Why aren't millennials participating in retirement plans? In this article, Zito explains why and how you can motivate your millennial employees to participate.
Millennials comprise one-third of the U.S. labor force, making them the single-largest generation at work today, according to Pew Research Center. But they don’t appear to be functioning as full-fledged members of the workforce just yet — at least when it comes to participating in benefit plans.
The National Institute on Retirement Security found that two-thirds of millennials work for employers that offer retirement plans, but only about half of that group participates. That means just one-third of working millennials are saving for retirement through employer-sponsored plans.
The culprit for such low participation originates primarily with eligibility requirements. Millennials are more prone to disqualifying factors like minimum hours worked or time with the company — products of being relative newcomers to the workplace and spending the early parts of the careers in a deeply challenging labor market. The passage of time will hopefully help relax these eligibility limitations.
But there are other headwinds bearing down on millennials that could be holding them back from plan participation, and which present an opportunity for plan sponsors to demonstrate value to the largest working generation. For one thing, millennials have earned the most college degrees as a share of their generation, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, all while tuition costs have continued to outpace inflation. The resulting financial burden is compounded by the fact that millennials are earning less so far in their careers, despite their education gains, than older generations were earning at their age.
It’s important for sponsors to figure out how to enroll more millennials, and not just because it will generate goodwill. Boomers will continue to roll assets out of their plan accounts as they retire. The flight of their outsized share of plan assets will leave a smaller pool to share plan costs. Increased millennial engagement can offset this drawdown.
Plan design that gives due consideration to the rise of millennials should consider how to help with their financial needs and play to their strengths.
Harness millennial tech savvy
Growing up immersed in an electronic and interconnected environment reduces the learning curve that millennials might face in using planning tools. Simple offerings like a loan payment calculator or retirement savings projection interface can make a profound difference on the path to financial preparation.
The flipside to millennials’ willingness to tinker is that they tend to over-scrutinize their investment mix. TIAA found that millennials are three times as likely as boomers to change their investment allocation amid a market downturn — typically a decision that ends in regret. The compulsion to de-risk tends to strike after the worst of the damage is done, leaving investors ill-prepared for the ensuing recovery.
Solutions like target-date funds can remove the need to think about allocations altogether, so millennials can focus on more effective factors like retirement savings or loan repayment rates and stretching for their full matching contributions.
Provide an education benefit umbrella
Compound interest — the accelerant that makes saving and investing for retirement over several decades so effective — works in a similar way against borrowers that are slow to repay their loans. This is an acute problem for millennials, but it doesn’t stop with them. Almost three-fifths of 22 to 44-year-olds have student debt, and they’re joined by more than one-fifth of those over 45-years-old.
Employer-sponsored student loan repayment assistance can take a variety of forms. It can be as simple as directing participants to enroll for dedicated loan payments, and can extend all the way to helping them refinance at a better rate or consolidate multiple loans.
The education benefit umbrella can also cover tuition reimbursement programs for employees that want to continue their education but are hesitant to spend the money. These programs can also serve employee retention goals as they’re typically offered with a payback period if workers leave shortly after being reimbursed.
Any program that lowers employee financial stress will likely help improve productivity. From a practical standpoint, workers have more disposable income — and feel wealthier — once they’ve vanquished their loans.
Being an advocate in helping employees accomplish that goal has obvious benefits for organizations that are seeking to retain members of the country’s largest working generation.
SOURCE: Zito, A (9 August 2018) "How to motivate millennials to participate in retirement savings" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.benefitnews.com/opinion/motivating-millennials-to-participate-in-retirement-savings
5 great, underutilized places to promote your recruitment content
Are you promoting your recruitment content? Read this blog post to learn about 5 underutilized places you can promote your recruitment materials.
All your time and effort invested in brainstorming great recruitment content ideas and creating interesting and useful recruitment content for every step of a candidate's journey will be wasted if you don’t promote it.
Many HR professionals publish their recruitment content on their company’s career sites and job posting sites.
They also share it on social media. They know that if they want to be successful at promoting their employer's brand on social media, they have to learn all the tricks of recruiting on Facebook and create an outstanding LinkedIn Company Page.
However, there are many other places where you can promote your recruitment content to maximize its reach and achieve better ROI.
5 great, underutilized places to promote your recruitment content
Here is the list of the 5 best underutilized places where you can promote your recruitment content for free:
1. Your employees’ social media profiles
Asking your employees to share your recruitment content on their personal social media profiles is one of the most effective tactics for promoting your recruitment content. Recruitment content shared by employees receives 8 times more engagement than content shared by companies.
2. Online forums
Online forums are very effective, but often overlooked place to promote your recruitment content on. You can choose between numerous different forums, from general ones to those dedicated to special industry areas or any other topics.
3. Blogs
Blogs are another relatively underutilized place where companies can promote their recruitment content. Do a little research to find out which blogs your candidate persona regularly follow and offer to write a guest blog post.
4. University websites
If you’re looking to attract top young talent, then university websites are your go-to places for promoting your recruitment content. Many universities and colleges offer an opportunity for employers to advertise their recruitment content completely free of charge.
5. Company review sites
Online company review sites (such as Glassdoor and Great place to work) are a perfect place to promote your recruitment content and enhance your employer brand. According to Glassdoor, 54% of online job seekers read company reviews from employees.
Martic, K. ( 30 July 2018) "5 great, underutilized places to promote your recruitment content" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://hrtechweekly.com/2018/07/30/5-great-underutilized-places-to-promote-your-recruitment-content/
5 things to know about getting life insurance for your child
Have you considered getting your child a life insurance policy? Continue reading to learn more about juvenile life insurance policies.
We spend so much time talking about the reasons adults need life insurance (income protection, covering funeral costs and so on) that it’s easy to forget why it may be a good idea for you to insure your children as well.
When we think about it, we reason that our kids aren’t contributing to the household budget—in fact, anyone with kids knows that raising them takes a lot out of that budget! Getting a permanent life insurance policy for a child can offer financial advantages for them later in life (in addition to the death benefit).
Before you find yourself caught up in internet debates over how to get your baby to sleep or what kind of diapers to use (or if you’ve already been through that and are dreading the next round of parenting arguments), here are five things to know about buying life insurance for your child:
1. Life insurance policies “grow up” too. A great reason to invest in juvenile life insurance is to ensure that your children are covered from the get-go, and as they get older, may be able to take advantage of riders that allow them to expand their coverage at a guaranteed rate without any question about their respective health. People’s health changes, including children’s, and having a policy in place can ensure they’ll have the coverage they need, despite health changes.
2. It creates a sensible foundation: While there are tax-advantaged vehicles for saving for retirement and college, that’s not necessarily the case for other major expenses that young adults face such as automobile down payments, weddings and first home purchases. The cash value of a policy can be borrowed from—understanding, of course, that it reduces or eliminates the death benefit if not repaid—for these expenses.
3. Not sold on getting them their own policy? Add them to yours. Check to see whether easily affordable riders on your own life insurance policy are available to cover the kids.
4. Don’t buy the first policy that crosses your mailbox, either: The same marketing clearinghouses that make sure you get every single updates on your pregnancy week by week are also making your contact information available to firms that market life insurance. Be sure to compare prices, and it’s always helpful to talk to an insurance professional or advisor who can help you navigate through choices before committing to a policy.
5. The safety net is there. We all want to see our kids grow up happy, healthy and strong. But if the worst happens, as was the case for the Koonsman family, (you can watch their story here) then juvenile life insurance can help provide a buffer—covering funeral expenses, sure, but also allowing parents to take time off, care for their other children, and allow everyone to grieve as needed. And as the Koonsman’s story shows, they were also able to keep their daughter Hope’s memory alive by establishing a scholarship in her name.
Have a chat with a specialist at Saxon Financial today by visiting this link.
Learn about the different types of life insurance here.
SOURCE: Mosher, H. (31 July 2018) "5 things to know about getting life insurance for your child" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-getting-life-insurance-for-your-child/
Employers take steps to address opioid crisis
By addressing opioid misuse, employers could in turn have more productive workers and lower healthcare costs. Continue reading to learn more.
President Donald Trump declared the nation's opioid crisis a "public health emergency" last month, underscoring employer concerns about this growing epidemic.
The opioid crisis cost the U.S. economy $95 billion in 2016, and preliminary data for 2017 predict the cost will increase, according to a new analysis from Altarum, a health care research and consulting firm. Addressing opioid misuse could lead to more productive workers and lower health care costs.
U.S. employers are increasingly seeking ways to reduce the abuse of prescription opioids, according to new findings from the Washington, D.C.-based National Business Group on Health (NBGH), which represents large employers.
NBGH's Large Employers' 2018 Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey found that the vast majority of big employers (80 percent) are concerned about abuse of prescription opioids, with 53 percent stating that they are very concerned. Thirty percent have restrictions for prescription opioids, and 21 percent have programs to manage prescription opioid use.
The survey was conducted between May 22 and June 26, and reflects the strategies and plan offerings of 148 U.S. employers, two-thirds of which belong to the Fortune 500 or the Fortune Global 500.
"The opioid crisis is a growing concern among large employers, and with good reason," said Brian Marcotte, NBGH president and CEO. "The misuse and abuse of opioids could negatively impact employee productivity, workplace costs, the availability of labor, absenteeism and disability costs, workers' compensation claims, as well as overall medical expenses."
Given the widespread nature and expanding scope of the opioid crisis, some employers are working directly with their health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to address the issue, the survey showed. Those that are working to manage opioid use most often use the following strategies:
- Limiting the quantity of pills on initial prescriptions for opioids.
- Limiting coverage of opioids to a network of pharmacies and/or providers.
- Expanding coverage of alternatives for pain management, such as physical therapy.
- Providing training in the workplace to increase awareness and recognition of signs of opioid abuse.
- Working with their health plans to encourage physicians to communicate about the dangers of opioids and to consider alternatives for pain management.
Apart from these measures, employers are:
- Increasing communications and training for managers and employees to raise awareness of the issue.
- Identifying people who may be at risk for addiction who could benefit from help.
- Encouraging employees to take advantage of an employee assistance program, the health plan and other resources for help and treatment.
Different Pain Management Approaches
Janet Poppe, senior director for payer and employer relations at Pacira Pharmaceuticals, based in Parsippany-Troy Hills, N.J., advises using a multitherapy pain management strategy to minimize opioid use—especially following surgery, which she called "the gateway to the opioid epidemic."
"Opioid monotherapy is the current standard of care for postsurgical pain management," Poppe said on Nov. 14 at the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions' 2017 annual conference, held in Arlington, Va. She cited research showing that:
- 98.6 percent of inpatient surgery patients receive opioids to manage postsurgical pain.
- 92 percent of postsurgical patients who receive opioids for acute pain report adverse side effects such as urinary retention or respiratory depression, the treatment of which can be costly.
In another study, more than 10 percent of patients who were prescribed an opioid within seven days of surgery were identified as long-term opioid users one year after surgery. Other research shows that 1 in 15 patients who receive an opioid post-surgery become chronic users.
Local anesthetics, anti-inflammatory drugs and nonopioids such as sodium-channel blockers are among the options available to address pain without the addictive and debilitating effects of opioids, Poppe said. "Using two or more nonopioid pain relievers that act on the body in different ways can produce a better result, at a lower cost, than using opioids."
"There is a need to generate widespread public awareness of the role that postsurgical opioids play in the larger public health crisis in the U.S.," Poppe noted. Health plan sponsors should work with their insurers or third-party administrators to alleviate the risks associated with opioid dependence by encouraging nonopioid pain-management approaches, she advised. Employers can:
- Cover and demand opioid-free options for employees.
- Ask provider networks what they are doing to reduce opioid use post-surgery.
- Educate employees about discussing alternative pain strategies with their doctor. Pacira'sPlanAgainstPain website offers resources.
- Change benefit designs to steer employees to surgeons and facilities using alternatives to opioids
"To stem widespread opioid abuse, state actors and employers must urge insurers to remove barriers to care, including prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and nonopioid treatments for pain management," Caleb H. Randall-Bodman, a senior analyst for public affairs with Forbes Tate Partners in Washington, D.C., said in an e-mail.
"Patients, especially those in great need, will take the most affordable and accessible treatment available. As such, the epidemic will not end until patients have access to 1) affordable, comprehensive pain management, and 2) comprehensive treatment for substance use disorders," said Randall-Bodman, who works with the American Medical Association's taskforce to reduce opioid abuse.
SOURCE: Miller, S (28 November 2017) "Employers take steps to address opioid crisis" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/steps-to-address-opioid-crisis.aspx
10 everyday things that cost more than term life insurance
Many people don’t purchase life insurance because they think it’s too expensive. Read on to find out which everyday items cost more than term life insurance.
Adults and parents worry. We worry about our family’s health, safety, financial security and future, but more families need to put their money where their heart is by buying term life insurance. (This is the most affordable type when initially purchased and provides protection for a specific period of time or the “term”.) However, the issue isn’t a matter of hypocrisy, but a lack of research and financial literacy. According to a Life Happens and LIMRA study from this year, 65% of households have not purchased life insurance because they think it’s too costly.
To show that this is a common misconception, the study asked Americans to estimate the cost of a 20-year, $250,000 level term life insurance policy for a healthy 30-year-old male. Eight in 10 people overestimated the cost, saying it would be $400 a year, which is more than double its actual cost of about $160 a year or about $13 a month. Astonishingly, one in four thought it would cost more than $1,000 a year.
And just know that unless you have serious health issues, pre-existing conditions or high-risk hobbies that would likely necessitate high-risk insurance, getting affordable coverage is really straightforward.
How Much Is Life Insurance?
To put the true cost of term life insurance in perspective, here are 10 products or services that people regularly spend money on that cost more than a term life insurance premium would for a healthy 30-year-old at $13 a month.
- Food – According to the National Resource Defense Council, Americans waste about $529 per year, or $44 per month, on unwanted snacks and meals.
- Alcohol – According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American consumer spends 1% of their discretionary income on alcohol.
- Tobacco – For households with smokers, 14% of Americans’ incomes are spent on cigarettes.
- Gym Membership – The $30 per month you spend on a 24 Hour Fitness membership that goes unused could be better spent funding your life policy.
- Electronics – That new 55” LED TV that costs $800 could be used to cover about five years of term life premiums.
- Games – Video games average $50 per new release. Don’t you think your child would prefer to have financial security than a game he/she will play for a few months?
- Cars – Underspend on your next car purchase by $3,000 and over a six-year loan period with 0% APR, you will save $500 per year, or $40 a month.
- Gadget – Depending on which version you get, an iPad costs around $550 with tax, almost three and a half years of premium payments.
- Entertainment – A pair of movie tickets, popcorn, and a drink, totaling $25.
- Fashion – One pair of designer jeans costing $50 or more.
Saving money and funding your life insurance policy doesn’t have to make your life miserable. In fact, the average cost of life insurance is so small compared to your overall budget, that even small concessions such as minimizing waste and limiting frivolous purchases can open up your budget enough to buy a much-needed financial tool.
Ultimately, the peace of mind and pride of securing your family’s financial future will outweigh any temporary pleasure from a materialistic purchase.
Don’t wait to protect your livelihood. Have a chat with a specialist at Saxon Financial today by visiting this link.
Learn about the different types of life insurance here.
SOURCE: Dek, G. (15 June 2015) "10 everyday things that cost more than term life insurance" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/10-everyday-things-that-cost-more-than-term-life-insurance/
Reference-based pricing is gaining momentum — here’s why
Healthcare and pharmacy costs are constantly on the rise. In this article, Kern talks about reference-based pricing and explains why it’s gaining momentum.
In my 25 years in the insurance business I’ve seen many changes. But there’s always been one constant: Healthcare and pharmacy costs continue to accelerate and no regulatory action has been able to slow this runaway train. The problem is that we have focused on the wrong end of the spectrum. We don’t have a healthcare issue; we have a billing issue.
At the root of this national crisis is a lack of cost transparency, which is driven by people who are motivated to keep benefit plan sponsors and healthcare consumers in the dark. Part of the problem is that most cost-reduction strategies are developed by independent players in the healthcare food chain. This siloed approach fails to address the entire ecosystem, and that’s why we continue to lament that nothing seems to be working.
But that could change with reference-based pricing, a method that’s slowly gaining momentum.
Here’s how it works.
Reference-based pricing attacks the problem from all angles and targets billing — which is at the heart of the crisis.
Typically, a preferred provider organization network achieves a 50-60% discount on billable charges. However, after this 50-60% discount, the cost of care is still double or triple what Medicare pays for the same service. For example, the same cholesterol blood test can range from $10 to $400 at the same lab. The same hospitalization for chest pain can range anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000.
Reference-based pricing allows employers to pay for medical services based on a percentage of CMS reimbursements (i.e. Medicare + 30%), rather than a percentage discount of billable charges. This model ensures that the above-mentioned hospitalization cost an employer $3,000 rather than $25,000.
“Negotiating” like Medicare
Reference-based pricing is becoming increasingly popular as more organizations consider the move to correct cost transparency issues as they transition from fully-insured to self-funded insurance plans.
One well-known and considerable example is Montana’s state employee health plan. The state employee health plan administrator received a notice from legislators in 2014 urging the state to gain control of healthcare costs. Instead of beginning with hospitals’ prices and negotiating down, they turned to reference-based pricing based on Medicare. Instead of negotiating with hospitals, Medicare sets prices for every procedure, which has allowed it to control costs. Typically, Medicare increases its payments to hospitals by just 1-3% each year.
The state of Montana set a reference price that was a generous 243% of Medicare — which allowed hospitals to provide high-quality healthcare and profit, while providing price transparency and consistency across hospitals. So far, hospitals have agreed to pay the reference price.
Of course, there is still the risk that a healthcare provider working with the state of Montana health plan, or any other health plan using reference-based pricing, could “balance bill” the member. But a fair payment and plenty of employee education about what to do if that happens could help you curb costs.
If balance billing does occur, many solutions include a law and auditing firm to resolve the dispute. In one recent example, a patient was balance billed almost $230,000 for a back procedure after her health plan had paid just under $75,000. An auditing firm found that the total charges should have been around $70,000, and a jury agreed. The hospital was awarded an additional $766.
Reference-based pricing is a forward-thinking way to manage costs while providing high-quality benefits to your employees. It’s one way to improve cost transparency, which may eventually transform the way that we buy healthcare.
Kern, J. (18 July 2018) "Reference-based pricing is gaining momentum — here’s why" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/opinion/reference-based-pricing-health-insurance-gaining-momentum?utm_campaign=intraday-c-Jul%2018%202018&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&eid=1e52d1873f9d2e8d6bd477da3e7f49a3
5 things millennials need to know about life insurance
Does life insurance cross your mind often? Odds are, it's the last thing on your mind. Read this blog post for the five things millennials should know about life insurance.
Being catapulted into the adult world is a shock to the system, regardless of how prepared you think you are. And these days, it’s more complicated than ever, with internet access and mobile devices being must-have utilities and navigating tax forms when they aren’t as “EZ” as they used to be.
Maybe you’re still living with your folks while you get established. Or maybe you’re looking forward to moving out of a rental and into a house or to tie the knot. Life insurance might be the last thing on your list of things to deal with or even think about. (You’re not alone.) But here are five things you might not know about life insurance—that you probably should.
1. Life insurance is a form of protection. If you Google “life insurance” you’ll get a slew of ads telling you how cheap life insurance can be, without nearly enough information about what you need it for. That’s probably because it’s not terribly pleasant to think about: this idea that we could die and someone we care about might suffer financially as a result. Life insurance provides a financial buffer for the people you care about in the event something happens to you. Think just because you’re single, nobody would be left in the lurch? Read the next point.
2. College debt may not go away. Did someone—like your parents—co-sign your student loans through the bank? If so, the bank won’t discharge that debt upon your death the way that the federal government would with federal student loans. That means your parents, or others who signed the paperwork, would be responsible for paying the full balance—sometimes immediately. Don’t saddle them with the bill!
3. If you don’t know anything about life insurance, it’s probably better if you don’t buy it off the internet. It’s what we’re used to: You find the thing you need or love on Amazon or Ebay or Etsy, click a few buttons, and POOF. It arrives at your door. But life insurance is a financial planning product, and while it can be as simple as a 20-year term policy for less than a cup of coffee each day (for real!), going through your options with an insurance professional can ensure that you get the right amount for the right amount of time and at a price that fits into your budget. And many people don’t know that an agent will sit down and help you out at no cost.
4. Social fundraising only goes so far. This relatively recent phenomenon has everyone thinking that they’ll just turn to GoFundMe if things go awry in their lives. But does any grieving person want to spend time administering a social fundraising site? The chances of going viral are markedly slim, and social fundraising sites will take their cut, as will the IRS. And there is absolutely no guarantee about how much—if any—money will be raised.
5. The best time is now. You’ll definitely never be younger than you are today, and for most of us, the younger we are the healthier we are. Those are two of the most important factors for getting affordable life insurance coverage. So don’t delay. And if you don’t have an agent, you can also use our Agent Locator. The key is taking that first step.
SOURCE: Mosher, H. (5 July 2017) "5 things millennials need to know about life insurance" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/5-things-millennials-need-to-know-about-life-insurance/
3 ways to promote inclusion in your workplace
Are you looking to grow your current inclusion practices or build new ones? Read this blog post to learn three ways employers can promote inclusion in their workplace.
Diversity and inclusion is top of mind for HR practitioners and employees alike. If we think about diversity as who is walking through the door, then inclusion would be the next part of the employee experience. With the recent focus on workplace diversity trends, it’s important to not forget how important it is to create an inclusive working environment.
It’s critical to facilitate relationship building with new hires and their teams. We often focus on the work to be done without taking time to get to know our co-workers as individuals. When we see each other as people and learn to appreciate our similarities and differences, it makes it easier for everyone to thrive.
Whether you’re looking to grow your current inclusion practices or are starting from scratch, try these three action items:
1. Don’t be afraid to ask.
It may sound simple, but a great first step to improving inclusion is to survey employees. By conducting quick and easy “pulse” surveys, you can gauge the level of belonging that employees feel. You can do this by launching survey focused on diversity or add questions around inclusion and belonging into your existing employee engagement surveys. Once you have a baseline on company sentiment, you can begin to improve areas that may be lacking. Start to put in place mechanisms to support individuals from different backgrounds and don’t forget to conduct these surveys on an ongoing basis.
2. New Hire Buddies
Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between, it can be hard to meet new people when you start a new job. Consider creating a “buddy” program to encourage new hires to bond with their co-workers. Companies hit roadblocks when they put the onus on new employees to reach out and engage with their teams. Having the support of a “buddy” at work helps create a feeling of security, which leads to greater engagement. The more engaged your employees are, the longer they will want to stay with your company.
3. Resource Groups
Employee resource groups (ERGs), sometimes also called affinity groups, serve as a platform that employees can use to build a culture of inclusion and belonging. Not only do they foster a sense of community within your organization, they also help new hires transition into their new working environment. These groups create opportunities for education and understanding between diverse individuals across your company. They can also be a great launchpad for new ideas and change in creating more inclusive policies and practices.
Fostering an inclusive company culture helps increase both engagement and retention. The better an employee feels about working at your organization, the greater the likelihood that they will reach their full potential on the job. Measure your current state of inclusion with regular pulse surveys and follow up with making changes as necessary to foster stronger relationships across the organization.
Source: Li, J. (19 July 2018). "3 ways to promote inclusion in your workplace" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://blog.shrm.org/blog/3-ways-to-promote-inclusion-in-your-workplace
Everything benefits managers need to know about Generation Z
Generation Z is making their way into today's workforce. Yes, they have similarities to millennials, but they have plenty of differences as well. Read this blog post to learn more.
Just when you thought you had finally figured out the millennial generation, there’s another young cohort of professionals entering the workforce. Sure, they’ve got some similarities to tech-focused millennials, but they have plenty of their own attitudes and opinions about money, relationships and, of course, work and benefits. Meet Generation Z.
Generation Z was raised in a post-9/11 world, following the dot-com boom and bust and during the midst of the Great Recession. There’s no doubt that these world events have colored the way they think and the way they work. Generation Z is a large cohort of about 72.8 million people and about 25% of the population. It’s a generation that employers will need to understand to create meaningful relationships. Here’s what you need to know.
They’re true digital natives. Generation Z was born between the 1995 and 2010, which makes them the first truly digital native generation. By the time they were heading off to Kindergarten, the internet had reached mainstream popularity and Mark Zuckerberg had already launched Facebook across college campuses.
Like many of us, Generation Z is rarely without their phones. But unlike your older colleagues, Generation Z may be more connected than ever — documenting their days on Instagram Stories and Snapchat, and messaging friends by text and other messaging platforms.
However, they’re also a relatively private bunch. Rather than broadcasting their lives on Facebook (like their parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents), they favor networks that allow for privacy. Snapchat snaps disappear, as do Instagram Stories. Gen Z also gravitates toward apps like Whisper, an anonymous social network for sharing secrets.
Here’s the takeaway for HR pros: Rather than seeing this as a barrier to communication, look at it as an opportunity. Try using text message reminders for open enrollment deadlines or creating a Slack channel for benefits communication, in addition to email and paper updates.
They’re seeking financial security. Generation Z grew up during the Great Recession, during which they may have seen their parents lose their jobs or deal with serious financial hardships. Because of this, Generation Z is focused on financial stability.
Unfortunately, many Gen Zers may join your company drowning in student loan debt from college. Consider offering benefits that help them get out of debt and begin saving for the future. Student loan debt repayment benefits with platforms like SoFi or Gradifi provide appealing avenues to pay off debt faster. You can also promote tax-deferred savings programs such as a 401(k) or health savings accounts to minimize their tax liability and maximize savings opportunities. These benefits may also appeal to millennials struggling with student loan debt and the prospect of saving for retirement — all while they start families.
Financial wellness benefits are attractive to all of your employees — Gen Z included. Consider partnering with local banks or credit unions to provide other savings options and financial education. Make this education appealing to everyone by providing it in different formats — in-person for anyone to attend, as well as on-demand webinars or Skype meetings for those who appreciate a more interactive experience.
Gen Z wants to actively participate. Generation Z is the most connected generation yet; they’re used to Googling an answer before you can finish your question or chatting with their friends throughout each day.
This hyper-connectedness lends itself to more interactive workplace meetings. Keep your Gen Z employees engaged and garner feedback by incorporating polls into your meetings, or creating recordings and presenting to computers and smartphones using a platform like Zeetings, Presentain or Mentimeter.
Whereas millennials were known for their interest in collaborating with each other, Gen Z wants to own their work a little bit more and compete against colleagues. Use this to your advantage to introduce gamification into your programs. Platforms such as Kahoot cannot only help you create some fun competition, but it can improve information retention.
They have a surprising communication preference. We’ve established that Generation Z is a hyper-connected cohort. But research uncovered one surprise about this generation’s preference for feedback: they prefer to be in-person. Use this knowledge to mentor your managers who will deliver feedback, and use it to make your benefits more appealing, too. For example, a confidential advocacy program with phone, email and chat options can be a great source for Gen Zers who want more information on their benefits.
While not everyone in this age group will conform to these attitudes and feelings, it can be helpful to pull back the curtain and understand how this generation could be different from millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers.