Could health care reform make your employees less productive?

[mota bhai 2,675]

Employees who are very satisfied with benefits are nearly five timesless likely to worry about unexpected health and financial issues. As a result, they can be more productive.

Yet, 44% of surveyed employees are concerned that their employer may reduce their benefits. And, almost two-thirds of employees are very concerned about having access to affordable health insurance as well as having enough money to cover increasing out-of-pocket medical costs.

These concerns can have a negative effect on employee productivity. Employees who report being concerned about having access to affordable health insurance are also more likely to report distraction and stress at work and a decrease in their work quality.

To preserve productivity in the face of health care reform,
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

1Offer Supplemental Health Options

Voluntary supplemental health benefits such as accident, critical illness, dental, disability and vision coverages help employees cope with unplanned medical costs. Cash in hand can keep worry down and productivity up.

Why it will work! Emergency funds for unexpected medical expenses are in short supply.

Only one in four employees who are very worried about meeting out-of-pocket medical expenses also has a three-month salary savings cushion.

Employees are eager for voluntary solutions.

Surveyed employees who agree that voluntary supplemental benefits are important for helping to...

manage their healthcare costs.

feel they are financially secure.

Employees who own voluntary supplemental health products are nearly two times more likely to be very satisfied with their benefits.

2Cultivate Wellness to Promote Productivity

Healthy employees mean fewer costly medical interventions and absences and more productive associates. Wellness works, as seen by the growth in the number of companies offering wellness programs.

Companies that offer wellness programs:

Why it will work! Participation in wellness is high.

57%

Employees who report they participate when employers offer a wellness program.

Fostering financial wellness can reduce stress-related illness and presenteeism.

Drive financial wellness with protection benefits such as life and disability coverages and financial education to promote a healthy peace of mind.

44%

Employees who say they are very concerned about family financial security in the event of their premature death.

51%

Employees who say they are very concerned about financial security for their family if a principal wage earner is no longer able to work because of disability or serious illness.

3Keep Employees in the Loop

Health care reform is a complex issue, and many employees are in the dark about how it will impact them. An ongoing communication plan to keep employees informed as the company considers options and makes decisions can reduce concerns and help to maintain productivity.

Why it will work! There is a disconnect between employee expectations and employer intentions.

Click and fill the syringe to find the answer.

Employees:

What percentage of employees is concerned that their employers will no longer provide medical insurance?

Employers:

What percentage of employers report they are committed to continuing to offer medical coverage?

Only 12% of employers say they are not committed.

http://benefittrends.metlife.com/ebts/home/benefits-prescriptions/hcr-and-productivity-pressures#!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I have noticed that when you give employees too many choices, they make bad decisions, especially when they are young and just getting started. They go for the plan that gives them the most take home pay, and then can't afford the copays and deductibles when they need to see the doctor, so they go into debt, and either quit, or have their wages garnished. Happens way too often.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I have no idea but the amount of posts made by progressives only during working hours sure hurts productivity

They should all be back from lunch shortly, to spend another afternoon doing nothing to earn their pay while complaining about evil businesses in America.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I have noticed that when you give employees too many choices, they make bad decisions, especially when they are young and just getting started. They go for the plan that gives them the most take home pay, and then can't afford the copays and deductibles when they need to see the doctor, so they go into debt, and either quit, or have their wages garnished. Happens way too often.

Good post .

I know this is way over simplification but when i go to the deli counter and ask for sliced turkey

and they start rattling off 14 different brands and choices, I always just wonder..Jezz

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I have no idea but the amount of posts made by progressives only during working hours sure hurts productivity

They should all be back from lunch shortly, to spend another afternoon doing nothing to earn their pay while complaining about evil businesses in America.

Do you have any idea what anybody who posts here during the day actually does for a living? Let alone have inside details as to what their productivity levels are?

I'm gonna guess no.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Do you have any idea what anybody who posts here during the day actually does for a living? Let alone have inside details as to what their productivity levels are?

I'm gonna guess no.

Looks like they are back from lunch

and yes you are a receptionist who does not have her own cubicle

You don't have a whole lot to do if no one is coming in

You keep treats on your desk and get food for company parties

You like dogs and live in an all white neighborhood

Your husband likes star track but is not a Trekkie

You are ok with voter ID and not for total gun control

Your guess of no was wrong

Next

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Looks like they are back from lunch

and yes you are a receptionist who does not have her own cubicle

You don't have a whole lot to do if no one is coming in

You keep treats on your desk and get food for company parties

You like dogs and live in an all white neighborhood

Your husband likes star track but is not a Trekkie

You are ok with voter ID and not for total gun control

Your guess of no was wrong

Next

Damn, you screwed up the VERY FIRST ONE. I'm not a receptionist.

Be honest and admit you haven't a clue what I do on a daily basis, so you're hardly one to talk about productivity levels and not earning their pay.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Penny Lane

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Damn, you screwed up the VERY FIRST ONE. I'm not a receptionist.

Be honest and admit you haven't a clue what I do on a daily basis, so you're hardly one to talk about productivity levels and not earning their pay.

I do know you couldn't do much cause you post on VJ on all day

that much is a fact

so unless your company pays you to post on VJ all day they are getting ripped off

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I do know you couldn't do much cause you post on VJ on all day

that much is a fact

so unless your company pays you to post on VJ all day they are getting ripped off

You haven't a clue what you're talking about. You don't even know what my job is. You think you do based on a handful of things I've said about it, but you don't.

I get all of my work done + pick up the slack of others. But I appreciate your concern.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

You haven't a clue what you're talking about. You don't even know what my job is. You think you do based on a handful of things I've said about it, but you don't.

I get all of my work done + pick up the slack of others. But I appreciate your concern.

No offense but if I was your boss and you could do all your work plus others, and still post on the internet 8 hours a day(minus lunch)\

then i would take a long look at staffing needs.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

No offense but if I was your boss and you could do all your work plus others, and still post on the internet 8 hours a day(minus lunch)\

then i would take a long look at staffing needs.

I'm a good multi-tasker.

A lot of my work is writing up reports and making spreadsheets. I have VJ on one monitor, Excel/Word on the other and I'm good to go.

Everyone else I work with are sales people who do not have time to do all of this report writing and spreadsheet making and paperwork organizing in between taking calls from their customers. I'm their only assistant, so I'm not too worried about them getting rid of me simply because I'm able to do their projects quickly enough to screw around on the internet.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Technically, he is right. If I have lots of spare time to do non-work things, then it stands to reason that I must not have enough work. And it's true! I don't! Because I've been doing the same ####### for years and it doesn't take me as long to do it anymore and I want to do something else but because I'm good at this they won't let me out. It's like I'm stuck in a highly paid prison of some kind.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I'm not sure I'd call it "spare time" ... I finish multiple projects a day, and I'm very rarely ever JUST sitting on here and posting. I'm almost always doing something else at the same time.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Busy people don't post on forums all day. It's not an unfair statement to make.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

On the days that I'm truly busy, I'm not here much. But on most days, I have a steady stream of work to do and I get it all done and still lurk/post here. I just do both at the same time.

I'm hardly being paid just to post on VJ.