Employee Benefits and Wellness Excellence October 2022

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Employee Benefits and Wellness Virtual Events ensure attendees stay compliant and up-to-date with the latest changes to employee benefits and wellness regulations. Each event varies on topics such as healthcare legislation and compliance related to employee benefits and workplace wellness programs including COBRA, FMLA, Medical Benefits, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Outsourcing Benefits, Retirement Benefits, Voluntary Benefits and Work-Life Programs. Wellness topics encompass injury prevention, battling obesity, disease prevention, how technology is affecting wellness. Each Virtual Event consists of up to 10 credit webcasts.

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Join more than 100,000 HR.com members with a similar interest and focus on Benefits or Wellness. Share content and download research reports, blogs, and articles, network, and “follow” peers and have them “follow” you in a social network platform to communicate regularly and stay on top of the latest updates. This well established Benefits and Wellness Communities are an invaluable resource for any HR professional or manager.

Mcgrath

The Social Security Administration recently announced an 8.7 percent cost of living adjustment for retirees, the largest inflation adjustment to benefits in four decades — a welcome development for millions of older Americans struggling to keep up with fast-rising living costs.

Envisioning the retirement years can be a challenge for those who have spent their life working. With healthcare costs and inflation skyrocketing, many retirees are cutting back on certain costs altogether. As financial planning is critically important for retirement, how to prepare well for a successful transition to a satisfying phase of life you’ve worked so hard to earn? How can organizations build an equitablefinan cial well-being program — going beyond retirement planning and incorporating topics like healthcare cost planning, budgeting, and debt management into their holistic workplace wellness programs?

The October edition of Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence includes informative articles that focus on retirement benefits, mental health benefits, employee well-being, and much more.

According to one survey, Canadians will need to save roughly $1 million before they reach retirement age. Yet with many unable to save as much as they would like, 20% of Canadians are concerned they will outlive whatever savings they do have.

HUB Group Retirement’s Shaya Rose in his article, 4 Tips To A Stronger, More Attractive Retirement Plan shares valuable insights on leveraging your employee retirement plans to engage and retain talent.

Retirement is one of life’s most stressful life events. And a good certified financial planner can help you assess how much money you’ll need for your retirement.

Executive coach, Joe Casey’s article 3 Reasons To Hire A Retirement Coach, highlights how a retirement coach can help you prepare for your future in several ways.

Now that employers are recognizing the importance of supporting financial well-being, the next step is to take a health equity perspective on those wellness offerings and incorporate them into their overall workplace well-being programs. WellRight’s Neepa Patel in her article, Incorporate Financial Well-Being In Workplace Wellness lists 3 popular features of an equitable financial wellness program.

What can employers do to make sure employees get the care they need?

Springbuk®’s Jennifer Jones suggests four steps to ensure your people are able to access the right care when they need it. Read her article, 4 Steps To Make Sure Your Employees Get The Mental Health Care They Need for valuable insights.

In brief, financial wellness isn't just about providing education and budgeting advice but also about providing practical tools that enable employees to take control of their financial lives. And employees who get financial wellness support from their employers are less likely to seek work elsewhere.

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Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed in the Excellence ePublications are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HR.com and its employees. Under no circumstances shall HR.com or its partners or affiliates be responsible or liable for any indirect or incidental damages arising out of these opinions and content.

Babitha Balakrishnan

In a world of unparalleled challenges (global pandemic, racial injustice, politi cal rivalry, digital 4.0, emotional malaise), uncertainty reigns. Finding opportu nity in this context requires harnessing uncertainty and harnessing starts with reliable, valid, timely, and useful information. The Excellence publications are a superb source of such information. The authors provide insights with impact that will guide thought and action.

Dave Ulrich

Rensis Likert Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan Partner, The RBL Group

Excellence publications are my ‘go-to’ resource for contemporary and action able information to improve leadership, engagement, results, and retention.

Each edition offers rich and diverse perspectives for improving the employee experience and the workplace in general.

Julie Winkle Giulioni

Author, Virtual /Live Keynote Presenter, Inc.’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers

I regularly read and contribute to Leadership Excellence and Talent Manage ment Excellence. I use many of the articles I read to augment my own presen tations and I often share the articles with my clients. They are always quick, right on target for the latest issues in my field, and appreciated by my clients.

If you want to stay up to date on the latest HR trends, choose a few of the dif ferent issues from the Excellence series of publications.

Beverly Kaye

CEO, BevKaye&Co.

4 Tips To A Stronger, More Attractive Retirement Plan

How to leverage your employee retirement plans to engage and retain talent

By Shaya Rose, HUB Group Retirement

According to one survey, Canadians will need to save roughly $1 million before they reach retirement age. Yet with many unable to save as much as they would like, 20% of Canadians are concerned they will outlive whatever savings they do have.

Enter: The savvy employer offering a modern retirement package Not only can retirement plans be used to attract new talent, but they can also support current employees searching for guidance. Those nearing retirement may need direction on how to spend their retirement savings. Younger employees may need incentives to invest in the plan in the first place.

What’s more, employers looking to cut costs to ensure the sustainability of the plan may need to revisit their offerings. Group retirement plans must be regularly monitored and updated to achieve compliance and encourage employee participation.

Follow these best practices to achieve all your goals with your Canadian group retirement plan:

1. Offer Tiered Contribution Design

If you’re looking to increase employee loyalty and retention, a tiered contribution plan can help.

Many employers have offered to match employee contributions up to a certain amount, such as 5% of salary. In a tiered contribution, employers match employee contributions up to 3% of salary in the first five years but may match contributions up to 4% or 5% in years six through 10 or beyond 10 years.

This increase in matching rewards employees for their loyalty and also encourages them to increase contributions over time. For many employees, this may be an incentive to stick around.

2. Introduce a Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan

A deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP) gives employees the opportunity to share company profits. A DPSP brings many benefits to the table, including

● A vesting period of up to two years, encouraging employees to stick with the organization.

● The company recovers 100% of its contribution if the employee leaves before the vesting period is complete.

● Tax savings for the employer, as contributions are paid pre-tax and are tax deductible.

● Employees who leave the company after the vesting period can convert their plan into a RRSP, tax-free, or another investment vehicle.

3. Include Target-Date Funds as an Option

Employees like easy options, and target-date funds are one of the simplest to use and understand. Target-date funds mix several types of investments, from stocks and equities to bonds. The asset allocation changes over time to become more conservative and risk-averse.

Usage of target-date funds in Canada has grown from 7% of workplace retirement plans in 2010 to 30% in 2020, and its popularity continues to grow. These funds make it easy for employees to hold a balance of investments to better prepare for the future without investing a significant amount of time in those investments.

4. Support Retirement Planning

As earners approach retirement age, the biggest shift is yet to come. Envisioning the retirement years can be a challenge for those who have spent their life working. They may have questions about taxes including

● What happens to retirement accounts in retirement?

● How do retirement accounts translate into income that lasts?

● What is most tax efficient?

● How do workplace retirement savings mesh with Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits?

Organizations can provide added benefits to their employees by offering educational resources to guide them through their post-working years. These resources may include workshops, webinars, and even simple printed materials that offer support in managing income during retirement.

Shaya Rose is an account executive and production leader for HUB Group Retirement, with nearly 10 years of consulting experience in group retirement plans. Shaya has expertise in cross-border strategies for both Canadian group retirement plans and U.S. 401k plans. Would you like to comment?

3 Reasons To Hire A Retirement Coach

Red flags you should never ignore

By Joe Casey, Princeton Executive Coaching

ASeptember 2022 survey of over 800 companies found that 97% of employers feel responsible for employee financial wellness. But when it comes to retirement, preparing for financial security is only half the battle. You have to plan for how you’ll invest your time. And on that side of the equation, most employers offer little to no support. .There’s no roadmap. You’re on your own.

But many savvy professionals are securing professional help on their own as they prepare to graduate from full-time work. They’re engaging a retirement coach a year or more before they retire to help them figure out what’s next? A phase of life that’s decades in the making is a terrible thing to waste. A retirement coach

can help you prepare for your future in several ways:

1. Expand Your Possibilities

Retirement isn’t what it used to be. For starters, it’s likely to be up to a third of your lifespan and that deserves some thoughtful planning. That’s too long for a vacation approach to retirement. There’s an increasing array of ways you can do retirement these days. It’s no longer an all-or-nothing proposition. Perhaps you want to create a gradual or phased retirement or shift to work part-time in your early retirement phase. Or maybe work stays in the mix, but in the form of unpaid volunteer service engagements. Some people choose to start a small business or embark on a series of learning adventures.

And some are pursuing a deferred creative dream, like finally writing that book.

A good coach can help you explore the possible pathways that are appealing to you. You’ll be surprised at what might emerge as you discover new possibilities beyond the default option you’re considering today. You may just unlock a whole new exciting series of new chapters.

2. Get Clear on Your Priorities

One of my recent guests on The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, Mikelann Valterra, a Money Coach in Seattle, put it best: “You can do anything. But you can’t do everything.” A good coach can help you zero in on what’s truly most important to you in this next phase of life and take a clear-eyed look at the trade-offs. Once you’ve honed in on your priorities, your coach can help you identify the research you need to learn more about the realities of your vision for retirement, so you have a balanced view of the upsides and the obstacles you’re likely to encounter.

And for many people, retirement is not a solo venture. A coach can help you prepare for conversations with the significant people in your life so you can see how aligned your vision and priorities are with others. It’s a subject that’s often not discussed in any detail, but it should be.

3. Hold You Accountable

Having a vision and a plan are essential. But they won’t get you very far without consistent action. One of the most valuable benefits a coach provides is accountability. It helps you do the work to plan in a thoughtful, orderly way, consider alternatives, test your ideas, make decisions and take action – when you’re ready. A good coach helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Consider Three Coaches Before You Choose

Many of the Fortune 500 companies I work for as an executive coach, provide their executives with three coaches to interview to ensure the fit is right. It’s good practice and you should do the same. And remember, you’re hiring a coach, not a friend. Chemistry is important but compare the training and experience of the coaches you interview. Make sure you are hiring someone with the experience and training you need. Don’t hire the best salesperson.

Red Flags

Here are three red flags to watch out for when interviewing three prospective retirement coaches:

1. Lack of Quality Coach Training

Coaching is an unregulated profession, and anyone can hang up a virtual shingle and call themselves a coach. And to blur the lines further, there’s a myriad of training and “certification” programs out there of widely varying levels of quality and depth. So how do you ensure that the coaches you’re considering are adequately trained to work with you on something as important as your future? Luckily, that’s fairly easy – a simple Google search will give you a good sense. Search and compare the training or certification program your three prospective coaches completed. How long does it take to complete? Does it appear in-depth or cursory? Is there an application process - or can anyone with the tuition complete it? Buyer beware.

2. Lack of Relevant Experience

How much coaching experience does your coach have - and how relevant is it to what you need? Ask each coach to provide three references of clients they’ve recently worked with. Observe how each coach reacts to that request. They’ll tell you it’s unnecessary and too time-consuming for you. Stand firm. Avoid coaches who won’t provide you with references. There’s a reason they’re reluctant to do so.

3. One Tool or Method

There’s an old saying If you’re good with a hammer, everything

becomes a nail. Don’t be a nail. Ask each coach what his or her approach is based on and what tools they use in their coaching. Avoid coaches who only have one approach in their toolkits. It may not be the right one for you.

A Certified Financial Planner can help you assess how much money you’ll need for your retirement. But no one can accurately predict how much time you’ll have in your retirement life. Don’t waste time. A retirement coach can help you get started on living the new life you’ve imagined. Retirement is one of life’s most stressful life events. But the right partner can help you prepare well for a successful transition to a satisfying phase of life you’ve worked so hard to earn.

Joe Casey is an executive coach who also helps people design new lives as they graduate from the world of full-time work. Prior to becoming a coach 13 years ago, he worked in HR for 26 years at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President, and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking. He’s the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy

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Virtual Primary Care Can’t Be Just the Old Model With Virtual Care Pasted On

By Danna Chung, MD, Crossover Health

If virtual care is to achieve meaningful health outcomes in a primary care setting, it must be practiced within a bona fide hybrid approach.

As someone who has been on the frontlines of virtual care for the latter half of a decade, I've witnessed firsthand the integral role it has played in the evolution of healthcare delivery.

In its first iteration, virtual care was presented as a new-age solution to close access gaps and

create efficiencies in the delivery of urgent episodic care. Today, accelerated by the needs imposed by COVID-19, virtual care is being applied in more comprehensive and sustainable healthcare settings. When delivered through an integrated, coordinated, member-focused care team, virtual primary care offers new and promising opportunities to empower trusted patient-provider relationships and better manage health outcomes.

In this evolution of virtual care, it’s important to recognize that meaningful outcomes in virtual primary care cannot be achieved through the old episodic practices of traditional telehealth providers, whose models were built around on-demand urgent care. These virtual care models were designed to serve a transactional need by offering quick triage or access to a prescription. They don’t necessarily facilitate meaningful patient relationships or fulfilling experiences for doctors).

This is also true of some virtual primary care models of the pandemic era, which, in many instances are just the old models (i.e. on-demand, urgent care) recast as comprehensive primary care solutions. The fact that some virtual care was not fundamentally different from the prior way of delivering care may be why some efforts have struggled with patient adoption. Another hurdle could be that some patients default to primary care only as an urgent care option.

In order for virtual care to achieve meaningful health outcomes in a primary care setting, it must be practiced within a hybrid approach, inclusive of a designated, consistent care team that is fully integrated across modalities. Continuity of care is essential for the provider to deliver whole patient care and establish trusted relationships with patients.

When virtual care is practiced within an integrated primary care model, providers are empowered to look at the whole patient. Doing so results in better population health management and overall efficiencies in care delivery.

As medical students and physicians learn how important it is to evaluate the whole patient; how so much of medical decision-making will be based on history-taking alone, and how communication skills are critical to developing the physician-patient relationship, which is a relationship that delivers the most value when it is rooted in trust. Virtual care models that are achieving high-quality primary care outcomes have been designed in such a way that physicians have enough time with patients to ask the right question and to refer alongside an interdisciplin ary care team. They may also include a combination

of asynchronous messaging and synchronous video care, to allow for quick access and multiple touchpoints with less attrition.

Virtual primary care models that offer this continuity of care and foster trusted relationships are closing gaps in care across specialties and are resonating with patients. According to original data from my company, Crossover Health, through August 31 2022, members with diabetes who received hybrid care through Crossover’s Primary Health model were 30% more likely to have glucose controlled than those who received in-person care.

Based on the utilization of integrated virtual primary care models, their impact on the patient journey, and ability to close care gaps, I’d advocate that the time is now for the industry to rethink the scope of virtual care in the primary care setting and recognize its transformative potential in improving healthcare outcomes when implemented as a comprehensive virtual primary care solution. The evolution of virtual primary care models today is foundational to establishing the outcomes-driven primary care offerings of tomorrow.

Crossover Health's Virtual Primary Health creates a designated care team of integrated providers who take care of a defined group of eligible members for consistency and continuity of care. We aim to establish long-term relationships with our members and partner with them closely along their healthcare journey. All members have access to an integrated care team of board-certified, state-licensed doctors and other qualified care providers that include: Primary Care Provider (Physicians, Nurses), Mental Health Provider (Psychologists), Physical Therapist, Health Coach, and Care Navigator. We are committed to providing members with access to exceptional healthcare regardless of where they live, work or travel. So, in addition to their dedicated virtual care team, members can also receive in-person care at any of our near-site locations across the country when they are traveling to an area with a Crossover Health Center nearby.

Crossover Health’s team-based approach to care creates opportunities to screen and close care gaps that siloed, on-demand care visits might otherwise miss. Crossover Health conducted a retrospective study that looked at 331,967 visits with Crossover providers that occurred across our Primary Health offering, specifically looking at primary care, behavioral health, and physical medicine between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. While the majority of visits over the study period were for primary care, nearly 20% of patients were seen by two disciplines and nearly 3% by three disciplines. Additionally, one in ten patients seen in primary care was diagnosed with depression or anxiety and then seen by a behavioral health specialist on the team. By using every team touchpoint – no matter the clinical discipline – as an opportunity to screen and identify gaps, Crossover is able to improve outcomes and longitudinal care.

With a 95% overall patient satisfaction score, our integrated model is proven to help members address 70 % of conditions virtually, often eliminating the inconvenience or cost of unnecessary in-person appointments or referrals. Whereas many virtual care solutions treat only simple conditions, Crossover is available for preventive, acute and chronic care needs and can help members initiate and navigate treatment for all medical care. Our providers spend an average

of 45 minutes with patients per encounter, compared to an industry average of ~10 minutes. Members can also engage with their providers as often as they like through online messaging or scheduled video visitsfor no extra charge. Crossover recognizes that patient engagement is key to care compliance and outcomes, so the Crossover care team proactively reaches out to members following a visit to check in on how they are doing, answer questions about their care plans, and recommend resources to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Additionally, if a member needs access to in-person care or laboratory testing, the Crossover care team schedules the time and place that is in-network, convenient and works best for your employees. They help coordinate referrals, schedule appointments and ensure that information from in-person care the member receives is integrated into their care plan at Crossover. Our care teams are also committed to partnering with members to identify and address Social Determinants of Health that may impact their health and wellness. This includes proactive engagement on SDOH issues and referral to employer and community resources and other support services, as appropriate.

Our Virtual Care offering also includes exclusive access to our new online wellness community called Be Well. This self-care resource includes access to articles, podcasts and online education sessions from our health and wellness experts, as well as free virtual fitness classes taught by our on-staff certified fitness experts.

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Danna Chung, MD is Virtual Medical Director at Crossover Health

Virtual Primary Care Can’t Be Just the Old Model With Virtual Care Pasted On

Incorporate Financial Well-Being In Workplace Wellness

3 popular features of an equitable financial wellness program

By Neepa Patel, WellRight

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago — the other best time is today.

This popular Chinese proverb applies to many situations, including when it’s time to encourage employees to plan for retirement and otherwise boost their financial literacy and wellness.

Until recently, many employers didn’t consider financial well-being to fall under their umbrella of responsibility. In 2013, only 41% of companies felt responsible for their employees’ financial wellness. But they’re making up for lost time now — as of 2022, 97% of employers now feel that responsibility, per Bank of America’s Workplace Benefits Report.

Financial well-being is one of the six dimensions of whole-person well-being and employers have realized that money problems permeate into nearly every facet of employees’ lives. Financial stress can impact employees’ mental health, sleep, self-esteem, productivity, and overall physical health.

Employees have also begun to look to their employers for support in this area. The Bank of America report found 82% of employees believe their companies should support their financial wellness, and according to a 2022 Willis Towers Watson survey, 47% of

employees say retirement benefits were an important reason they joined a company — up from 25% in 2010.

Now that employers are recognizing the importance of supporting financial well-being, the next step is to take a health equity perspective on those wellness offerings and incorporate them into their overall workplace well-being programs.

Working Toward Financial Health Equity Factors like inflation and a looming recession have many people feeling less confident about their bank accounts. But individually lived experiences and demographics also impact how people feel about their finances, meaning a one-size-fits-all approach to financial wellness won’t cut it.

For instance, in a multigenerational workforce, baby boomers have different needs than Gen Z workers. Millennials and Gen Z employees may need more support with debt management, while baby boomers are focused on finalizing their retirement nest eggs. Similarly, parents of any generation may need help planning for their children’s college education or could be struggling to pay for childcare.

Beyond generational gaps, some groups of employees are working at a financial disadvantage due to societal and economic factors.

Female employees still earn less than their male coworkers, putting them at a financial disadvantage. Members of the LGBTQ+ community also have money struggles that are unique from those in the general population, and workers with disabilities have different financial challenges than those who are not disabled.

That’s why it’s critical for organizations to analyze their own employee base and tailor offerings accordingly. Conducting an organization-wide survey, asking financial questions during a health assessment, and facilitating discussions between leadership and employee resource groups are three good ways to get a feel for what employees are struggling with financially.

How Employers Can Build an Equitable Financial Well-being Offering

After evaluating the needs of their employee base, organizations can start building an equitable financial well-being program with a broad range of

programming — going beyond retirement planning and incorporating topics like healthcare cost planning, budgeting, and debt management into their holistic workplace wellness programs.

Doing so can set an organization apart as an employer of choice. A 2020 report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found just 24% of employers offered non-retirement-focused financial advice. Given workers’ appetite for this type of programming, providing sound financial recom mendations and making them equitable can positively impact recruitment and retention as well as overall employee well-being.

Every company’s financial wellness program should be based on its unique employee base, but here are three popular features of an equitable financial wellness program.

Automatic enrollment of new employees into retirement accounts Enrolling new and existing employees into a 401(k) automatically lowers the barrier for employees to start planning for retirement. This is an increasingly popular option for employers, according to the 2020 SHRM report. In 2020, 51% of respondents said they had this feature for their 401(k) s, which was a significant increase from 39% in 2018.

Continuous evaluation of compensation. Keep an eye on equity issues and market trends to ensure employees are paid fairly for their work and ensure everyone at every level of seniority is making a living wage.

One-on-one financial counseling or coaching

Providing employees a private space to talk with an expert about their specific money stressors can reduce the stigma of poor financial habits and make them more comfortable using the offering. Financial coaches can teach employees how to establish a budget, manage day-to-day finances, or evaluate and alter destructive spending habits.

A digital platform to ease access Giving employees access to these resources via a digital well-being platform gives employees the freedom to seek advice and learn on their own time.

Even though financial wellness programming is relatively new territory for many organizations, it’s not too late to get started. Planting the “tree” today will benefit employees and companies now and well into the future.

Neepa Patel is the Chief Executive Officer at WellRight and joined the team in 2021. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare strategy and business development, Neepa has previously held executive positions at the BCBS Association, AIM Specialty Management, Evolent Health and IPG during periods of high growth and rapid change. With a strong understanding of both the challenges and opportunities facing the wellness industry, Neepa is uniquely skilled to lead WellRight's next phase of growth.

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Wellbeing Continues to Be a Priority in the ‘New Normal’

When you have your health, you have everything.”

This quote from American author Augusten Burroughs has reached adage status, as its inherent wisdom has been embraced by a large percentage of the population. If we broaden the subject to the more wide-ranging concept of wellbeing, it becomes even more evident how four basic components — healthy mind, healthy body, healthy wallet and healthy life — enhance our ability to live our best lives at work and at home.

When we perceive our wellbeing positively, we reap many benefits, including reduced incidences of cardiovascular disease, stroke and sleeping problems. We also experience a boost in productivity and creativity in both our professional and personal lives. When an employee’s wellbeing is thriving, they take fewer sick days, perform at a higher level and have lower rates of burnout and turnover.

Increasingly, employers are recognizing they have a role to play in helping their people achieve optimum wellbeing. Over the past several years, they’ve invested heavily in programs and resources designed to help employees make wise decisions about their physical, financial and emotional lives, find meaningful connections and live their purpose. From disease management and stress reduction to financial planning and health navigation, employers have demonstrated their commitment to wellbeing. By all accounts, progress had been made across

all measures until the arrival of COVID-19, which negatively impacted all aspects of wellbeing. According to the 2022 Alight International Workforce and Wellbeing Mindset Report, overall wellbeing plummeted nine points in just one year to 40% in 2021.

As pandemic fears have begun to lessen, wellbeing ratings have improved slightly, with 44% of the 10,000 employees we surveyed across the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and The Netherlands rating their overall wellbeing positively. However, the uncertain economic, social and political climate is keeping people on edge and impacting how they feel across the wellbeing spectrum. Less than half of employees across the five countries rate their physical (41%), social (43%) or financial (38%) wellbeing positively. Nearly three-quarters (73%) report moderate to high stress levels.

The impacts on the workplace are clear. Less than one-quarter (24%) of employees say they are always or almost always able to be fully productive while working and 23% say they dread starting their workday. While concerns about the Great Resignation have lessened, only 45% of employees say they “hardly ever” think about leaving their current employer. Flip that around and you’ve got more than half (55%) of employees actively thinking about jumping ship.

What’s an Employer to Do?

Most employees feel responsible for their own health and wellbeing. However, there’s clearly a role for employers to play in supporting their people. What’s more, employees want and appreciate that support. More than one-third (35%) of respondents say employer wellbeing benefits and programs make a company more attractive to potential employees. But while investments in such offerings have been steadily increasing, there remains a disconnect, with only 34% of respondents believing their company cares about their wellbeing.

The solution lies not in adding more programs, but in helping employees find the time, space and financial resources to take control of their wellbeing. Here are a few actionable steps employers can take to empower their people to improve their wellbeing and live better lives.

Foster a culture that embraces wellbeing. Wellbeing programs only deliver value when employees are aware of them and feel comfortable using them. This is true across the board, but especially when it comes to mental health resources where people may fear there’s a stigma attached. Fostering a culture of openness, acceptance and encouragement goes a long way toward helping employees improve their wellbeing.

Offer flexibility where and when people work. The necessary changes made during the pandemic proved many jobs can be performed remotely — and a large percentage of people want it to stay that way. If given the opportunity, 81% of respondents say they would like to continue working remotely, while 79% would be interested in a hybrid work arrangement. More than half of respondents (59%) say working remotely positively impacts their overall wellbeing. Instead of assuming things must return to the pre-pandemic normal, employers would be well-served to embrace the changes brought about by the pandemic and, when possible, allow their people to decide what working arrangement works best for them.

Personalize the wellbeing experience. In recent years, it’s become abundantly clear that a one-sizefits-all approach is no longer effective for delivering benefits, pay or wellbeing programs. Today’s diverse workforce requires solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of each employee. Surveys have shown that employees are willing to share their personal information if it results in more customized recom mendations or guidance. Through the power of technology specifically AI employers can deliver personalized wellbeing experiences to help employees make smart, confident decisions that will positively impact their specific situation.

Offering meaningful wellbeing support empowers employees to take control of their own lives, make improvements and feel more positively about themselves. It also enhances their performance on the job and serves as an effective attraction and retention tool. In today’s tough talent market, wellbeing could hold the key to finding and keeping the people you need to be successful.

To learn more about employee wellbeing and what you can do to help employees forge a path forward, visit https://go.alight.com/2022-mindsetwellbeing-study

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Welcome to wellbeing working for everyone.

4

Steps To Make Sure Your Employees Get The Mental Health Care They Need

Add the right mix of mental health benefits to address the needs of your people

By Jennifer Jones, Springbuk®

Mental health care is a major priority for employees and employers, but it’s become even more important over the last few years. That’s because the Covid-19 pandemic and other global challenges have increased the need for mental health care, with the levels of anxiety and depression increasing by 25% since 2019

Many organizations have responded by adding to their mental health care benefits offerings. However, with demand increasing, not everyone is able to access the care they need, even if they have benefits that are supposed to cover it. That’s because supply — the number of mental health care providers — hasn’t risen to meet the sudden increased demand. Instead, many people who seek care are asked to wait, which means care must be delayed. That’s a problem because many mental health needs can’t wait.

What can employers do to make sure employees get the care they need? Here are four steps you can follow to help make sure your people are able to access the right care when they need it.

Start by Gathering Information about Benefits

Geography can play a big role in access. Depending on where your people live, there may be particular challenges to accessing mental health care. Do your people all live in the same geographic area, or are

they dispersed around the world? Do your people live in an area that has a shortage of mental health care providers? Understanding how place influences access can help you make a more effective plan.

Cost to employees can also be a significant barrier to care, even if your benefits package covers mental health care. Just because you’ve expanded your mental health care offerings doesn’t mean it won’t have high out-of-pocket costs for members. You’ll want to evaluate care options that are in- and outof-network, paying particular attention to the cost employees will have to cover. For example, if most care options for your employees are out-of-network, you may need to work with a third-party organization or consider alternative payment arrangements. After all, if care is available to employees in their geographic region, but it’s not affordable, that care isn’t accessible to them.

Survey Employees to Understand Their Needs

In addition to evaluating your benefits offerings, gather feedback from employees through surveys, interviews, or a combination of both. Employers have access to data that shows which benefits their people are using, but insights on why they use, or don’t use, certain benefits are harder to capture. That is unless you go to the source.

By talking with your employees, you can learn why they use the benefits they do, what barriers they see in accessing certain benefits, and where they feel benefits could improve. What’s more, if a certain benefit is being underutilized, you’ll learn whether there is a barrier preventing your people from accessing it, or if there’s simply a lack of education or understanding on how to access that service. Ultimately, insights from employees will help you decide how to pivot or add additional resources to your benefits plan that will make them more accessible and useful to your people.

Use Data to Inform Decisions

As you collect qualitative data from your employees, you can also learn from your health benefits data. With the help of a health benefits data provider, you can gain actionable insights that help you understand your organization’s demographics and help you identify trends in employee benefits use and wellbeing.

For example, understanding your organization’s gender breakdown can help you better understand, and create a plan to address, your people’s mental health care needs. That’s because significantly more women, 51%, access mental health care in the U.S.

compared to just 37% of men. What’s more, this is a new trend. Twenty years ago, mental health benefits use between men and women were virtually the same. As a result, there’s a good chance that your mental health benefits need updating to reflect the changing realities of care trends.

Additionally, when you analyze your employee and health benefits data, you’ll be equipped to make decisions that not only improve your people’s wellness but also save money. That’s because a thorough understanding of your people and their needs helps you design your plan in such a way that it only includes programs that will be used, and excludes those that won’t.

Finally, data can help you understand what kinds of mental health care offerings your people need. You’ve probably guessed that you need multiple offerings to address various types of mental health needs and conditions. These offerings can include in-person visits, telehealth access, third-party solutions or apps, EAPs, and general well-being programs. But the particular programs you need to offer, and in what combination, will depend on the specific needs of your people. That’s where data comes in.

Over-Communicate About Benefits

Finally, make sure you’re communicating often about benefits. Many benefits are under-utilized or go unused altogether. One of the primary reasons for this is that the majority of employees do not understand the benefits available to them. This is important because some employees may struggle to connect with a provider or may not even know they have access to a particular benefit. But employers are equipped to help their people navigate the system.

With increased communication, employers can also highlight benefits that are underutilized. For instance, the prevalence of telehealth, which surged during the pandemic while social distancing was required, continues to be an option for many patients. In fact, 93% of psychologists intend to offer telehealth even when Covid-19 precautions are no longer necessary. While telehealth is largely unavailable to those without high-speed internet or the necessary hardware, it remains an important tool for expanding access to mental health care.

Take Steps to Ensure Access to Mental Health Resources

By following these steps, employers can help their people access the mental health care they need when they need it. As you think about your plans for helping employees access care, don’t just expand your benefits offerings and hope for the best. Instead, remember that it is critical to use data to analyze your population to ensure you’re adding the right mix of mental health benefits to address the needs of your population. With the right data, and with actionable insights from a health benefits data provider, you can make a plan that can make a big difference in your people’s lives.

Jennifer Jones, MSM RD, is an experienced healthcare professional with a background in clinical dietetics, wellness programming, and employer health. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked in various settings, including healthcare systems, occupational health organizations, and health and welfare benefits advisory firms. After working directly with patients and employees, Jennifer joined Springbuk®, where she serves as the Population Health Practice Leader, and turned her focus to population and employer health to achieve a greater impact on health outcomes. Would you like to comment?

Top 5 Ergonomic Tips To Consider For The Hybrid Workplace

The hybrid work environment may create challenges but it also creates opportunities

By Lisa Schuiteboer-Shuler, Kensington Technology

The modern workplace has evolved. More and more people work remotely or through a hybrid model, where they work both at home and in the office. The rise of technology has made it possible for employees to work anywhere, and the recent pandemic created a

need for organizations and employees to adapt to this new work model.

While the hybrid work environment may create challenges, it also creates opportunities.

Why Ergonomics Is So Important?

If you’re not careful, your body can eventually feel the adverse effects of a prolonged awkward stance or repetitive movements. One way to prevent pain and discomfort in your hands, arms, neck, back, or legs while working is with an ergonomic workstation.

What is ergonomics? It’s the design and arrangement of equipment to maximize safety while in use. Ergonomics are essential for all industries, but they’re especially paramount in the workplace because of the potential risks that could arise due to a poor physical environment.

5 Ergonomic Tips to Consider for the Hybrid Workplace

The hybrid workplace is the new normal. Even now, with businesses facing a post-pandemic work environment, there is still a call for a hybrid workforce. Experts agree that by 2025, 22% of American workers will still be working remotely at least half the time.

That means companies need to implement new strategies for keeping their workforce healthy in a world where people are spending more of their day on computers or mobile devices. Here are five of the best ergonomic tips to consider if you employ a hybrid work model.

1. Consider Purchasing Mobile Equipment

Mobile equipment is essential for employees who will

not be in the office full time. Yet, when it comes to ergonomics, we know that standing for a portion of the day is the best way to promote proper posture and alleviate stress points in the back and rear end.

Investing in a monitor arm at the office is an excellent choice for creating an ergonomic workstation. However, for hybrid and remote workers, portable and adjustable equipment is needed. For instance, Kensington has provided an adjustable ergonomic riser that lifts your laptop up to 7" to offer optimal eye alignment with the screen.

Once your laptop screen is at optimal eye level, you can pair an external keyboard and mouse to use for the best posture and comfort. It's helpful to provide these items as a kit to your employees to make them easy to set up and comfortable wherever they go.

2. Consider Upping the Comfort Comfort is essential when it comes to a productive workstation. Helping your hybrid and remote workers create a cohesive and ergonomic workspace at home will benefit both the employee and your organization.

Consider allowing them to use a chair from the office with armrests. Alternatively, you could encourage them to purchase a chair that best suits their comfort needs while working from home.

Purchasing a new chair can be costly. An alternative to consider is providing your staff with a seat cushion or backrest to make their current office chair more comfortable. Many hybrid workers turn to ergonomic memory foam seat cushions, lumbar back rests and keyboard drawers to ensure that the keyboard is in the best position for typing comfortably.

3. Consider Helping Employees Feel Connected

Hybrid workers and those who work remotely often feel like connecting at the office is a challenge. They fumble with wire and struggle to find cords that connect to the available ports. You can prevent this by ensuring that each remote and hybrid worker remains connected with the use of a docking station, which can provide universal compatibility, no matter what device an employee is using outside the office.

Furthermore, with 70% of companies planning to invest in their IT infrastructure to secure virtual connectivity, employees will never feel disconnected from their colleagues or the rest of their organization.

Having a docking station to connect with ease is more than just about the physical comfort of ergonomics. It can also mean the mental comfort that comes with a docking device without fumbling for a connection. That way, employees can sit down and work with a clear head.

4. Consider Encouraging Microbreaks

Microbreaks are a new trend when it comes to creating an ergonomic work environment. This new trend entails taking breaks every 20 minutes or so, for approximately 20 seconds, even if that means simply standing up and sitting back down to reset your body posture.

To best implement microbreaks, you should design tasks that employees can complete in 20-minute increments, or where they can step away from the project in specific intervals. This technique is incredibly helpful when it comes to minimizing fatigue.

Nearly 65% of Americans report coping with symptoms of digital eye fatigue and require frequent breaks from staring at screens for long periods. For this reason, you should consider encouraging staff to take breaks every hour, instead of every four hours, especially when working on long projects. This will help keep fatigue levels down and allow workers’ eyes and brains time to rest during these periods. You should also consider a blue light filter for your laptop or monitor.

5. Consider Placing Footrests at All Workstations

For maximum ergonomic solutions in comfort, consider a footrest at every workstation in the office. This ensures that every employee assigned to work at the office has the best ergonomic support, starting from the ground up.

Many people in hybrid spaces will be working at different workstations throughout the day, with no

assigned office space. Provide them with the luxury of comfort by being able to have their feet resting on either the floor or a footrest, depending on their posture and physical stature.

Ergonomic Solutions for the Hybrid Workstation, Remote or in the Office Wherever your employees are working, make sure that their space is ergonomically friendly. One of the biggest challenges of deploying a hybrid workforce is ensuring an ergonomic workplace for all your employees, including hybrid and remote workers.

Help employees keep good posture and improve physical health by sitting with a neutral spine, encouraging periodical standing, and allowing frequent breaks. These tips will help relieve any strain on an employee's neck or shoulders while typing at a keyboard.

Furthermore, consider the ergonomics at your own desk. It is crucial to provide your staff with what employees need to remain productive, but do not ignore your needs for an ergonomically friendly workstation.

Lisa Schuiteboer-Shuler from Kensington Technology is an ergonomic expert, with over a decade of experience in improving workplace wellness and ergonomics. Specializing in improving worker well-being in the workplace, Lisa stays up to date on industry trends, programming and ergonomic equipment recommendations. Would you like to comment?

Addressing Mental Health And Employee Wellness During Open Enrollment 2023

Offer employees the resources they need for improved overall health and wellness

By Ben Tuttle, Proliant, Inc

Open enrollment poses new and different challenges every year. The biggest challenge for open enrollment in 2023 will be addressing employee wellness and the mental health crisis.

According to a survey from SHRM, the pandemic has caused people to be more concerned about protecting themselves and their loved ones, resulting in “an increase in supplemental benefits

enrollment.” Additionally, more and more people are looking for new employers who offer tools for accessing mental health care and employee wellness programs.

It’s clear that mental health and employee wellness are at the top of the list for attracting and retaining employees. Here are some questions HR professionals might ask during open enrollment to help tackle these issues for current and future employees.

Trends Witnessed as We Approach Annual Enrollment

Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment firm, discovered “troubling workplace developments” through a survey conducted over the past two years. The results suggest patterns created by mental health concerns. Here are some of the statistics reported by employers in the survey:

● 51% fielded reports of burnout or mental fatigue

Here are a few things employers can offer to help address mental health and improve employee health.

Telehealth for Mental Health

There are a lot of options for virtual health services for mental health. For example, many psychologists switched to telehealth services, like teledoc, during the pandemic. According to the American Psychological Association, 96% of psychologists plan to continue providing remote services for their patients. Thus, it is essential when looking at insurance coverage for telehealth services to be included in plan options.

● 46% saw higher levels of turnover

● 34% experienced increased absenteeism

Poor mental health and stress are known to negatively impact job performance, productivity, and communication, which means HR professionals and employers cannot afford to ignore such reports.

Mental Health Resources and Benefits Organizations Can Offer This Open Enrollment Season

In addition to the usual benefit offerings, organizations should look for ways to help improve the overall health of their employees. According to SHRM, almost all HR professionals believe that “by offering mental health resources, organizations can improve the overall health of employees.”

Employee Wellness Programs

Employee wellness programs are a way to offer support and encouragement in the workplace for maintaining healthy lifestyles. Every employee wellness program will look different, but the basic principles of any successful program include the following:

● Building stronger interpersonal relationships

● Providing education on financial stability

● Promoting positive work experiences

● Supporting healthy behaviors

● Providing education about stress and other health conditions

● Offering rewards for healthy behaviors and making it fun

Other Actions Employers

Can Take

Reasonable accommodations, such as emotional support animals or flexible time off, are effective and inexpensive ways to boost employee wellness. Here are a few more steps from the CDC that can help promote employee wellness:

1 Provide mental health self-assessment tools to all employees.

2. Give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress.

3 Offer health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for depression medications and mental health counseling.

4 Host seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and improve focus and motivation.

5. Offer clinical screenings for depression from a qualified mental health professional, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral when appropriate.

6 Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counseling, or self-management programs.

7 Distribute materials, such as brochures, flyers, and videos, to all employees about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and opportunities for treatment.

8 Provide managers with training to help them recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and depression in team members and encourage them to seek help from qualified mental health professionals.

9 Create and maintain dedicated, quiet spaces for relaxation activities.

Simplifying Open Enrollment and Guiding Employees to New Resources

Benefits administration software can help streamline processes and make it easier for employees to make enrollment decisions. These tools can also assist during open enrollment by providing essential information to employees about their benefit options.

If you think your HR department could benefit from the use of benefits administration software,

look for solutions with the following features to ensure the best results:

● Knowledge of regulatory mandates and risks

● Guaranteed data security

● Ability to send data to multiple insurance carriers

● Side-by-side benefit overviews with detailed explanations

With all the turmoil going on in the world, it’s no wonder people continue to struggle with mental health. However, with the right programs and tools, employers and HR teams can help employees get the resources they need for improved overall health and wellness.

Ben Tuttle has over a decade of experience working with HR professionals and HR Technologies. He has helped hundreds of organizations find HR technology that suits their business needs. Currently, he is a Product Manager with Proliant, Inc and is launching a new Applicant Tracking System. Would you like to comment?

Promising Strategies To Reduce Healthcare Costs

Increasing attention to health benefits on the “site of service” can cut down costs

By Elizabeth LaBouyer, California Ambulatory Surgery Association

Business leaders are trained to think about cost inputs compared to result outputs. Looking at the “ROI” on an investment is a core principle for successful business management. And now that same thinking is increasingly influencing how businesses are managing healthcare costs for their employees.

Average insurance costs paid by employers continue to rise year after year and the ramifications are real for the broader economy. In fact, U.S. per capita healthcare spending nearly quadrupled from 1980 to 2018 and by 2020, the share of the gross domestic product (GDP) devoted to healthcare reached 19.7% in 2020

As healthcare costs consume an increasingly larger portion of disposable income, there are fewer resources to spend on other priorities. And looking at trends, health spending growth consistently exceeds GDP growth.

It is universally recognized that the cost increase trajectory is unacceptable and unsustainable.

So is there any way for businesses to take action and bend the healthcare cost curve in the near and long term?

Yes – businesses can take purposeful steps with their health plan designs to lower costs while still ensuring safe and effective patient care for their employees. HR administrators and benefit managers for companies should consider several promising strategies to drive down their healthcare spending:

● Engaging in more active negotiations with health plans to shape benefit policies – this is easier for large employers that have leverage.

● Requiring “reference-based pricing” that encourages medical procedures to be handled in the lowest cost setting that is appropriate for the case. This can be accomplished by eliminating patient co-pays at lower-cost facilities like ambulatory

surgery centers (ASCs), and instituting payment penalties if a patient’s surgical case is handled at a higher-cost hospital setting without a clinical reason to do so.

● Instituting bundled payment models that put an overall price cap on a surgical procedure or treatment plan.

Increasing attention to health benefits on the “site of service”, or where a surgical procedure is performed, can significantly reduce costs. ASCs are consistently a lower cost, safe setting for surgery, and offer an important strategy for bending the curve on healthcare cost increases. The regulatory frameworks are almost identical and outcomes are very similar, even adjusting for risk, between hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ASCs. The only real difference is that the price tag for a procedure is much higher at an HOPD compared to the exact same procedure performed in an ASC.

Business executives and employee benefit managers must play the role of conscious consumers as they look at ways to eliminate unnecessary high-cost layers in their healthcare benefit plans. Expanded use of ASCs is a smart strategy, which means keeping patients out of hospitals unless they really need to be there. That allows employees (patients) to access care in a more comfortable, efficient, and affordable setting while preserving hospital capacity for the complex cases that need a hospital's multi-layer (and expensive) capabilities.

Large employers are leading the way: reports show that companies like Lowe’s are now directly purchasing bundled care for their employees through selected providers. This includes negotiating with designated

surgery centers (which are selected based on metrics like length of stay, return to surgery, infection rates, and procedurespecific outcomes) to become the preferred site of service, and then giving financial incentives to employees to use that location for care if medically appropriate. Employers benefit by tapping into quality care options for their employees while gaining financial savings from paying competitive, pre-set rates for bundled care. The programs also mean lower out-of-pocket costs for employees and excellent patient satisfaction scores.

Employers of all sizes should take note. Shaping their health benefit plan with an eye on “reference-based pricing” and “site-of-service” as a strategy to drive procedures to the

lowest cost setting will save significant money.

With increased utilization of ASCs, costs are lower, health outcomes are good, and recovery times are faster. That’s a win for the business, for the patient, for the health plan, and for the economy.

Elizabeth LaBouyer is the Executive Director of the California Ambulatory Surgery Association Would you like to comment?

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Enhancing Benefits Packages With Virtual Tourism

Virtual tours are an exciting new frontier that helps bring teams together

By Brittany Palmer, Beeyonder

In 2021 alone, over 47 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in search of better opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, this trend has continued far into 2022, with 4.2 million people quitting their job in June of 2022. What is continuing to drive this exodus of employees in a post-pandemic job market with whispers of a potential recession?

There are myriad reasons for someone to consider leaving their job. In the current market, there are

reoccurring drivers for companies' high attrition rates. Employees scrutinize every aspect of their current role and weigh them against a potential new position. Talent has come to expect more flexibility at the workplace, from increased work-from-home opportunities to better work-life balance, higher pay, and better perks and benefits. Employers hear these demands, and they are stepping up to meet the needs of today’s talent.

A New Generation: Inclusive Perks and Benefits

In a bid to attract new talent while retaining their current employees, companies are adopting new and unique perks as post-pandemic job market incentives, including virtual health solutions, student loan assistance, gym memberships, and childcare incentives. While this new wave of perks is certainly attention-grabbing, they don’t holistically reflect an organization’s composition. The problem with these next-generation perks is that they can erode a company’s efforts to be inclusive. Not all candidates have student loans, children, or attend a gym and cannot take advantage of the perks previously used as a top selling point.

A recent Deloitte University workplace inclusiveness study found that 80% of respondents believed inclusion was an important part of choosing an employer. Over a third of respondents reported they would leave their current employer for one with a more inclusive culture, with nearly a quarter of respondents

having already done so. Inclusion is a growing factor in the modern workforce, and companies must find the best route to appeal to their employees.

Bridging the Inclusivity Gap in Modern-Day Perk Packages

Companies face unique circumstances in crafting their workplace. Today, employers must balance and support the needs of up to five generations, from the retiring Silent Generation to the burgeoning Generation Z. Each generational group has completely different expectations regarding compensation, benefits, perks, and culture. Combining the age disparity with the current divide between remote, hybrid, and in-office team members, along with employees all living their different daily lives, has proven to be a daunting task for many HR and executive teams. One emerging solution companies are utilizing to bridge this divide and ensure greater inclusion is the advent of innovative virtual tourism perks through virtual vacation hours.

Next Stop: Anywhere

Virtual tourism changes the way people travel and explore, from a once-a-year event into a readily available and inclusive, enriching experience. It allows us to push the boundaries of what It means to discover in a more accessible, affordable, and sustainable way.

● Include remote team members, be they in the same time zone or around the world, in the same tour and experiences as their team.

The benefits of virtual tours don’t just end with participating team members feeling satisfied, the effects will carry over to a company’s overall performance. According to Gallup’s research, workplaces with a higher level of engagement have claimed 41% lower absenteeism, 40% fewer quality defects, and 21% higher profitability.

In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, benefit and perk innovations and differentiators can be the final piece to recruiting and retaining top talent and developing an inclusive workplace. Virtual tours are an exciting new frontier that helps bring teams together, promote employee wellness, reduce attrition, entice new talent to join, and safeguard the bottom line.

Everyone understands the health benefits of a vacation. Whether to just get away, recharge our batteries or enjoy a new experience, vacations are a fountain of self-care opportunities that allow us to discover hidden gems, learn new things, and meet inspiring people. But vacation opportunities are often limited because of expense or planning and logistical difficulties, health concerns, mobility or situational limitations. More companies are turning to virtual tours to give employees an option that provides health and well-being benefits of in-person travel.

The right team bonding virtual tourism or employee perk virtual vacation hours package can:

● Boost team morale by providing activities that promote relaxation instead of more work.

● Allow employees to discover and explore dream destinations with friends and family, without having to exhaust their PTO or drain their bank accounts.

● Build stronger team connections through a shared experience, no matter where they are viewing from.

● Provide a reward that every employee, regardless of circumstances, can utilize.

Brittany Palmer is the Founder and CEO of Beeyonder, a customer-centric virtual tour company based in Boston. As a bilateral amputee, Brittany has overcome many challenges and looks forward to helping others overcome challenges to in-person traveling. She envisions a world where adults and children can travel from anywheremeeting, interacting with, and learning from people all over the world. Brittany also has a significant amount of international law experience, having worked with companies and regulations in over 100 jurisdictions around the world. Would you like to comment?

Virtual tours are an exciting new frontier that helps bring teams together, promote employee wellness, reduce attrition, entice new talent to join, and safeguard the bottom line.

Best-in-Class Education For All Your Learning And Training Needs

HR.com prepares HR leaders to be strategic business leaders by curating and delivering best-in-class products and services so you don’t have to waste time seeking out content on your own. We leverage technology and experience to provide you with customized solutions to best meet your professional development needs at every stage of your career.

From on-demand to cohort-based offerings, below is a listing of virtual courses that will challenge and empower you by giving you the tools to drive innovation and success in your organization.

High-Level Wellness Through Multicultural Competency

The term Multicultural Competency is at the forefront of the minds of every business, community, and wellness leader, and it should be. Learn how to broaden your perspective in considering all views and cultures and gain the tools you need to optimize your multicultural competence and effectively and positively champion an optimal level of wellness for everyone.

Certified Value Health Professional

Cut Costs and Keep Quality High for Healthcare Programs. Learn how to identify and monitor high-value, high-impact programs, and determine whether vendor performance reports and claims are accurate in order to deliver the most value and cost savings.

Healthcare Benefit Purchasers - 3 Must-Know Areas

Identify and Select High-Performance Health Solution Providers. Try the 3 most valuable and comprehensive courses in the Certified Health Value Professional program before signing up for the full certification. This bundled course addresses the concern of health purchasing decision-makers across the US and teaches them exactly how to identify and select high-performance health solution providers.

Master Self-Care

Implement Self-Care for your Executive Team. A Model for Managers and Employees. Did you know short-term disability claims can be avoided if an employer, C-suite leader and executive leadership team can take a proactive approach to educate, model and lead with a self-care approach that fits everyone?

Compensation and Benefits

Introductory course to understand compensation practices and policies. You will discover issues surrounding the key aspects of pay policy: legal requirements, pay equity within an organization, competitive pay within the relevant industry, how and when to grant raises, and different ways payment can be structured.

Gain access to more expert-led courses.

At HR.com, we are committed to educating and inspiring HR professionals and helping them build meaningful and impactful careers. With products and resources rooted in education, research, and leveraging cutting-edge technology, we help at every career stage - and over 1.92 million HR pros agree! (How could that many people be wrong?) By delivering best-in-class learning products, 250+ annual webcasts and 30+ world-class events, and innovative and thought-provoking research through the HR Research Institute, HR.com strives to inspire and strengthen workforces to change the world. HR.com also offers the most comprehensive HR certification exam preparation and guarantees a passing score on all SHRM and HRCI certification exams. Technology and experience drive our customized solutions that will help you become the best and most successful version of yourself.

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Providing best-in-class consulting, rigorous analytics, and datadriven insights that help organizations make factbased decisions.

Nivati's #un-EAP platform provides the easiest way to understand and manage employee mental health.

The app provides on-demand teletherapy and proactive care for employees, and real-time employee well-being data to companies.

Art of Mentoring combines evidence-based mentoring expertise with the latest technological innovations to enable organisations to develop impactful, costeffective mentoring programs.

Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) is a leading provider of integrated human capital management software solutions for human resources, payroll, benefits, and insurance services.

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