Building a Resilient Workforce During Periods of Adversity

Building a Resilient Workforce During Periods of Adversity

By Tracey Ferstler, PhD, Head of Return to Health, Global Claims, MetLife   COVID turned the world as we know it upside down, and people who work in and around absence management and disability insurance are looking for answers on what’s next.  Will we return to normal or is this our new normal?  What is unique…

10 Causes of Disability Every HR Leader Should Know

When most people consider disability, they picture something catastrophic happening—an injury on the ski slope, or a speeding car hurtling into theirs—and, for the most part assume it can never happen to them. That’s why human resources experts often find it challenging to convince their employees of the importance of disability insurance even though you…

Substitute Perks: How To Give Your Employees Benefits Even When You’re Apart

As the effects of COVID-19 caused offices to close and send workers home, they lost access to many of the perks they might have relied on for comfort and well-being. Given that employees routinely say that benefits play a large role in their job satisfaction, this deficit can lead to a loss of productivity, especially…

Taking Time Off is Good for Employee Engagement

The pandemic couldn’t stop summer from arriving! As vacation season kicks off, it is a good time for HR teams to encourage the value of taking a break. As we all know, vacations are important for emotional and physical health of employees. In fact, studies show that they build a far more engaged, happy, and…

Research: Data and insights from the CDA

Practical Learnings from the MetLife Annual Employee Benefit Trends Study 2021

By Carol Harnett I recently had the privilege of hosting a podcast with Missy Plohr-Memming from The Council for Disability Awareness’ member company MetLife. Missy is a senior vice president of MetLife’s group benefits national accounts sales organization where she oversees sales strategy and growth initiatives. We talked about the 19th Annual Employee Benefit Trends Study…

Mental health - preventing burnout in employees

Employers Can Begin to Address Burnout in the American Workforce

By:Tracey Ferstler, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Claims and Operations, MetLife   The topic of mental health took on an entirely new meaning in 2021. After a year of uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, employees and employers alike are focusing more closely on mental wellness and burnout. Employee anxiety, depression and burnout are at…

The Connection between Short-Term Disability & COVID-19

Clarifying the Connection between Short-Term Disability & COVID-19

By Diane Russell, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Consumer Strategy   There has been plenty of confusion related to COVID-19 around the country. Working remotely, schooling at home, shelter-in-place, social distancing and other factors have created a situation none of us could have planned for. As head of Marketing & Consumer Strategy for Lincoln…

Seven Ways Employers Can Create Flexible Work Options

Competition for Talent Informs Trend in Flexibility as Benefit Option HR departments know all too well the fierce competition for top talent being waged today. And as you develop appealing compensation offers and benefits packages, there is one peak benefit that employees are clamoring for—and that’s flexibility. If you are still clinging to a fixed work…

Celebrating diversity at work

Advocating for Diversity, Inclusion, and Accommodations in the Workplace

It’s one thing to say that you are on board with the idea of promoting diversity, inclusion, and accommodations in the workplace. It’s another thing entirely to successfully advocate for these things.   Here’s something to think about: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that approximately 25% of all U.S. adults live with…