At the recent SXSW (South by Southwest) entertainment and technology conference, one of the seminars that seemed out of place among the usual presentations of innovative ideas, thought leadership, and ways to get noticed by venture capitalists was one titled, “Make Yourself the Happiest Person on Earth.”
What do all employees have in common? They all have a burning dislike for their morning commute! Let’s face it, it’s not the actual commute that most people dislike, it’s the hassle of dealing with traffic, long lines, and rude people that make the trip so despised.
It doesn’t matter how an employee gets to work — whether it’s by car, train, plane, boat, or just walking, there’s always one or more aspects of a long commute that a person would like to change. How an employee starts the day is an important indicator of his or her attitude for the rest of that day.
You know the ad that proclaims 15 minutes could save you 15% by switching to some insurance? Well, I cut my commute time in half by switching my car’s horn from a beep to sounding like a machine gun. At least I wish I did. My former commute to work was 70 miles each way. While the traffic was always light, that commute still extracted a fair amount of energy from me due to the time spent on the road. Luckily for me, my supervisor allowed me to work from home two days a week.
Managers need to determine what an employee needs to be the most productive while at work. Some things are within their control such as having the best equipment, providing the most up-to-date training, or even a supplying a kick-start of coffee or a snack. However, there are a plethora of items outside their control that can disrupt productivity such as the need for eight hours of sleep, family issues, or even a particularly grueling commute. According to a recent Gallup poll, fourteen percent of all American workers report they spend at least 45 minutes getting to work. Gallup found that commutes of this length are linked to poorer overall wellbeing, daily mood, and health.
If a manager doesn’t have to endure the horrors of a long and demanding commute, it might be difficult for that person to understand the impact it has on an employee’s productivity and overall morale. Considering that the average worker spends five weeks a year commuting, it’s easy to see how someone might not feel motivated when he or she reaches the workplace.
Fortunately, restoring motivation in an employee with a lengthy commuting is relatively easy. That being said, it takes a manager who is willing to make compromises, have a fair amount of trust in his or her employees, and the necessary equipment — or the ability to lay the groundwork — to let them telecommute if the situation arises.
“Commuting can be a major challenge for employees,” says Jason Reeves, MBA, Director of Survey at United Benefit Advisors. “Employers can ease this burden by allowing telecommuting and flexible work schedules to take the burden off of long commutes during the rush hour.”
There is no doubt that a manager assumes a small amount of risk when letting an employee work from home, but if that manager is confident in the employee’s work ethic, then there should not be a reason to worry. In fact, most employees who telecommute report that they actually work harder from home than they do in the office because they felt like they had to “prove themselves” to their colleagues and show that they were pulling their weight.
When telecommuting is not an option, there are plenty of small changes in the workplace that can be made to help ease the pressure on workers who commute long distances:
Finally, be sympathetic. An employee may not have a choice when it comes to their commute and a little understanding can go a long way in making that person feel as though someone understands their morning struggle.
Wondering what other perks employees appreciate most? Download a copy of UBA’s 2013 Ancillary Survey executive summary to see which voluntary benefits employers use most to boost employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. http://bit.ly/1sLxgGM
According to an article in Yahoo! News, there is one thing that all employees have in common: a burning dislike for their morning commute. Let’s face it, it’s not the actual commute that most people dislike, it’s the hassle of dealing with traffic, lon…
Ladder safety should be paramount on any employer’s checklist whether they employ building maintenance staff, construction workers, landscapers, or anyone who needs to perform a task that’s out of reach.
Ladder safety should be paramount on any employer’s checklist whether they employ building maintenance staff, construction workers, landscapers, or anyone who needs to perform a task that’s out of reach.
By Mary Drueke-Collins, FSA
As more and more Americans face high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and increased up-front out-of-pocket costs, it is more important than ever to closely monitor medical bills for errors. According to the Medical Billing Advocates of America, more than 80% of medical bills contain errors, which can cost patients thousands of dollars. Those errors may be simple mistakes, double billings, or in some cases, abusive charging practices.
One of the biggest problems for unforeseen fees is when an individual utilizes an out-of-network provider.
Most insurance plans – medical, dental, and vision – have preferred provider networks that help reduce the charges when an in-network doctor is used. If an individual does not use an in-network provider, he or she may be subject to “balance billing.” Here’s what occurs under a balance-billing situation:
If an individual is covered by an HMO plan, he or she may not even have coverage for non-network doctors and hospitals. Before an appointment to see a doctor or have a procedure is done, make sure the doctor is in-network and the procedure(s) will be covered by the insurance plan.
Know The Benefits
Some medical plans have copayments for services – emergency room visits, inpatient hospital stays, certain kinds of surgeries. It’s a good idea to understand what benefits an individual’s insurance plans cover before he or she has a major service. Then there won’t be any surprises after the procedure.
Preventative Procedures
Most medical plans provide coverage for annual preventive exams, including pap smears, mammograms, and immunizations for children and adults. This coverage is usually provided without the individual having to pay anything – no copayments, not subject to deductible and coinsurance. Sometimes when the claim is sent to the insurance company from the doctor, the claim isn’t submitted correctly (as a preventive exam). In those instances, the individual has to pay a copayment or the cost of these claims.
If an appointment for a preventive exam is scheduled with a doctor and the insurance company does not pay for the exam like someone thinks it should be paid, then that person should call his or her insurance company and/or doctor and ask them why. This person should also check with his or her doctor before any blood work is completed to ensure the tests are all covered under the insurance plan.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
If a business owner offers an HSA eligible plan to his or her employees, that person should consider going to a corporate bank and asking them to waive the fees for the employees on their Health Savings Accounts (an HSA eligible plan is also called a qualified High Deductible Health Plan). This is especially valuable if the employer is contributing to the HSA accounts and every employee is opening one.
The Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
Always check the doctor’s bill versus the Explanation of Benefits received from the insurance company. Make sure all of the charges line up and that the doctor actually performed all those services.
Shop Around
The cost of services in general can vary dramatically from doctor to doctor. Most insurance plans offer cost and quality information on their websites. Most consumers shop around and do research when purchasing a TV or a new car, but they don’t take that extra step when it comes to their health. Insurance companies are providing more of that information. Consumers need to get in the habit of taking advantage of the information that’s available to them.
Prescriptions
On the prescription drug side, medical plans may require an individual to pay a portion of the prescription drug costs if that particular drug has a generic alternative. When a prescription is filled at the pharmacy, it may not just cost someone the copayment, but the extra penalty for not selecting the generic. In some instances, that penalty will not apply if the prescription is written as “dispense as written” (DAW) by the doctor.
The insurance plan may require an individual to try some lower cost alternatives before it will pay for a higher-cost drug. This is called “step therapy.” Or, the insurance plan may require an individual to get prior authorization (PA) before filing the prescription. A doctor or pharmacist should be able to help someone identify the drugs that fall into these scenarios.
If someone is on a very expensive drug or a drug that requires special administration or delivery (often called a specialty drug), the insurance plan may require that person to get the prescription filled through a particular pharmacy. If that person does not fill the prescription through the insurance company’s specialty pharmacy, he or she is often charged a penalty or the claim may be denied.
***
Employee communication is critical, and helping them understand how to save money by keeping an eye on their medical bills as well as how they use medical services could save an organization and their employees a lot of money.
To make sure your plan design offers the best value to you and your employees, have a UBA Partner benchmark your health plan against other employers your size and with those in your region and industry. Find out more about benchmarking here: http://bit.ly/17u3M5T.
Mary Drueke-Collins is Vice President Employee Benefits for Swartzbaugh-Farber, a United Benefit Advisors partner firm in Nebraska.
