Does Your Employee Have One Foot Out the Door? How to Identify and Keep Employees on the Brink

Unbeknownst to you, your employees may have made “getting a new job” as one of their new year’s resolutions. And that can spell trouble, considering that job postings skyrocket in January. Here are the signs to watch for in employees that could signal they are looking around—and changes you can make to help keep them happy…

How Remote Health Changes in 2020 are Affecting People with Disabilities

How Remote Health Changes are Affecting People with Disabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on our world, impacting the ways that we receive our education, earn our living, and even seek our entertainment. For persons with disabilities, however, the digitization of daily life has had some unexpected and rather positive consequences. In fact, for the tens of millions of Americans who…

Low-Cost Ways to Cope With a Disability Diagnosis

Low-Cost Ways to Cope With a Disability Diagnosis

After weeks, months, or even years of searching for answers, a diagnosis – even a challenging one – can be a relief. There’s something extraordinarily powerful about being able to put a name to your symptoms and the cause behind them. However, that relief brings a hefty dose of its own fear and uncertainty with…

Employee benefits research starts with building empathy to better understand what employeess need from benefits

Earthquakes, Shooting Ranges and Employee Benefits Innovation

Inspiration for employee benefits research can come from unexpected places – like earthquakes and shooting ranges. In my work leading an innovation team, we use a variety of techniques to gain deeper insight into what an employee may experience while on disability leave or when enrolling in their benefits. Most absence and leave management companies…

Being a caregiver with a full-time job is a challenge. What are the options?

What Are Your Options When You Need to Take Care of Yourself or a Family Member?

FMLA, PFML, and Disability Insurance: What are your options when you need to take care of yourself or a family member? Caring for your health is tricky enough, but being a caregiver with a full-time job can strain your finances, job, and overall mental and physical wellbeing. A 2020 report from AARP states the number…

Helping Employers Increase Participation in Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance Plans

Helping Employers Increase Participation in Voluntary Long-Term Disability Plans

Recently, I was on a call with a prospective client company’s human resource department along with representatives from a national employee benefits firm. The purpose of the call was a ‘finalist presentation’ for a voluntary Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) program for the executive class of employees. I provided the framework for an interesting ‘ask’ from…