Strategic Planning

Cutting health care costs: The 3-legged stool

09/07/2010

As premiums continue to rise and reforms have added new complexity (and looming new costs), the C-Suite is pushing HR for solutions. With insurance plan renewals fast approaching for many employers, there’s even more urgency. Reducing employers’ health insurance burden requires balancing three strategies: cost shifting, cost reduction and plan changes.

Health care reform: Mark your calendar with these milestones

08/24/2010

When President Obama signed health care reform legislation in March, the clock started ticking on a series of changes that HR professionals will be dealing with for at least the next eight years. Here’s your timeline of what to expect.

4 tips for getting max ROI from salary surveys

08/05/2010

When reviewing salary surveys to determine fair pay rates for your employees, follow these tips from Beverly Dance, founder of Dance Consultancy, who spoke at the recent SHRM annual conference in San Diego:

Grass getting greener: 7 tips for post-recession recruiting

08/03/2010

As the economy turns the corner, more employees are looking over the fence to see if the grass is greener elsewhere. “For the first time since 2008, we’re seeing more people quitting than being laid off,” Jamie Minier, president of The Right Thing recruiting firm, says. “Employers need to be thinking now about how to create a strategy to recruit.”

Don’t break the bank for effective wellness programs

07/27/2010

Employers are warming up to wellness programs to help reduce health care costs. And it works! But choosing the wrong pieces of the wellness puzzle can lower your ROI dramatically. For the most bang for your wellness buck, focus on these five efforts that drive the greatest cost savings.

What will you do if the economy doesn’t rebound this year?

07/20/2010

If the unsteady economy doesn’t improve during the next six months, one in four HR professionals say their organizations are “very likely” to respond with wage freezes, according to a new poll. What’s your Plan B if the recession double-dips?

When times are tough, do only what counts

07/20/2010

A recession has a way of changing the way businesses do business. HR is no exception. Here are three effective strategies for HR pros to consider as the economy recovers and their organizations permanently adopt the cost- and time-effective strategies they have embraced out of necessity over the past couple of years:

Use 3 strategies to cut health care costs

07/08/2010

“Now is the time for all of you with plan-year start dates on or near Jan. 1 to start thinking about ways to control health plan costs,” says insurance expert Nancy L. Newell. Lowering employers’ health insurance burden requires balancing three strategies: shifting more costs to employees, implementing cost savings and making plan changes.

Shopping for employee-lawsuit insurance: 6 questions to ask

07/01/2010

Employment practice liability insurance (EPLI) covers you from employee lawsuit judgments. The jump in employee lawsuits is making EPLI a nearly must-have; so premiums are rising. Here’s how to shop for a policy …

Help create a more transparent workplace

06/22/2010

When times get tough, tough organizations get transparent. The more connected employees are with the financial big picture, the better they can generate revenue-boosting ideas. Is your C-suite boss seeking new ways to engage front-line employees by keeping them informed? Here’s how you can support his efforts.