Are There Any Loyal Employees Left?

A young employee just starting out in the workforce may be tempted to think that he or she will stay at the same company for decades until retirement with a congratulatory party and gold watch in recognition of their years of dedication. The reality, however, is that "job hopping" has become the new normal. In a poll conducted by CareerBuilder, 25% of employees held five or more jobs by the age of 35. For people who had been in the workforce longer -- workers age 55 and older -- 20% held 10 or more jobs.

Employers, however, should not be so quick to judge the job hopper as someone who is simply disloyal. There are a plethora of reasons why an employee may choose to voluntarily leave a good (or bad) job. An employee may actually want to grow and develop professionally with the same company, but there may not be any opportunities available, or he or she may want to add a specific skill set that's not possible with a current employer, such as exposure to international markets. So, they leave. The recession was another factor causing employees to leave one company for another. Many employees took jobs that, while they didn't like them, had to be taken in order to make ends meet. Now that the job market has rebounded, employees have a little more freedom in choosing a job where they actually want to work.

Helping foster job hopping is a reduction of the stigma surrounding multiple job changes. According to an article in Human Resource Executive Online, people in a position to hire employees are placing less importance on the risk that they will quickly leave as long as there are good reasons behind the career moves they have made. That being said, an applicant's age is a factor when measuring how frequently that person has changed jobs. That same survey by CareerBuilder found that 41% of all HR professionals viewed job hopping to be less acceptable once a person reaches 30 and more than one-fourth said that it was especially intolerable after a worker reaches age 40.

One of the benefits of job hopping is that these people often have a wide range of experience and knowledge. Half of all hiring managers and HR pros commented that these employees often quickly adapt and acclimate faster to new working environments, according to CareerBuilder. An upside seen by employers is that job candidates who leave the comfort of familiarity for the risk of the unknown are the same people who will think outside the box and search for the unorthodox solution. In the tech industry, and many others trying to emulate them, this is an especially desirable trait for an employee to have.

Of course, an employee can't have it both ways. If he or she takes calculated risks and learns from their failures, that's good. If, however, they have a history of poor decisions and taking frequent chances, then red flags are certainly raised.

When it comes down to making the final hiring decision, an applicant's time spent with his or her previous employer(s) should only be a small consideration compared to the education, experience, job skills, and personality that they bring to the table. Job hopping, depending on a candidate's career level and position within an industry, should not be a measure of the potential tenure they will have if hired.

As Technology Advances, So Should A Business

The adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," doesn't apply to Generation X and Y -- at least not when it comes to employers and their use of the latest technology. As employers build relationships with their current employees and potential recruits, they need to be aware that these people are sizing them up for their use, or lack thereof, of the most recent technology. Furthermore, these same employees are not afraid to quickly leave for someone else if they feel an employer is out of touch regardless of their previous track record.

In an article in Insurance News Net, according to Fidelity Investments more than one-third of investors would switch if advisors were not using technology to enhance their services. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has noticed the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, and apps among today's youthful workers.

While it's entirely possible that the old software an employer is using generates excellent results, most people today expect the latest technology to be intertwined into every project. Hopefully, there are no departments within any organization that are still using only pen and paper. Workers in their 20s and 30s don't just use technology every day; they rely on it to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently.

Fortunately, most employers are aware of this shift in the use of technology and have adapted accordingly. The Fidelity survey found that more than three-quarters of advisors are making an effort to increase their use of technology and they also felt this technology necessary to grow among their younger prospects. The major issue isn't in trading the old for what's new; it's finding the correct balance between the latest technological process and applying just the right amount of human touch.

Many employers are still unsure about the best technology to use for their industry, how to configure it once in use, and how best to integrate it among all their employees. To make matters even more complicated, technology upgrades are often expensive, so getting it right the first time is crucial.

By and large, employers have grasped the concept of mobile computing and the need for employees to access their desktop computers and other company resources from any place and any time using a tablet or smartphone. These same employers, however, are also keenly aware that they won't get a second chance to get it right with Generation X and Y employees or customers and that this relationship is very different from baby boomer and older generations.

Dental Care Connected To Worker Productivity

Author Stanley Gordon West said, "Smile and the world smiles with you." He may have been onto something. There used to be a time when most working Americans took dental care for granted. Of course, times change and so has our nation's health care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) doesn't mandate dental coverage for adults, but voluntary dental coverage has become increasingly competitive based on research from Eastbridge.

Moreover, according to an article in Employee Benefit News, employers that not only offer dental coverage, but also encourage employees to visit their dentist annually are able to boost their employee's well-being and overall productivity. Good oral hygiene has been linked to a number of health benefits, and people who routinely visit their dentist report that their well-being is good compared to people who do not visit a dentist on a regular basis.

So how is good dental care linked to productivity? Simple. Based on a survey from Delta Dental, one in six people have missed work due to oral health issues. Plus, if someone has ever had a toothache, they know just how hard it is to concentrate on anything else except the throbbing pain in their mouth.

Employees that have dental coverage are more likely to visit their dentist and that's exactly what the coverage is designed to do. Preventative care is paramount to preventing someone from ever needing significant work done to their teeth. For people who might be afraid of going to the dentist, they should consider that a yearly visit for preventative care is a lot less painful - and less expensive - than having any type of major dental work.

That same report highlighted that the vast majority of people with dental insurance scheduled an annual visit with their dentist compared with only half of people without insurance. What's especially troubling is that income, education, and age were factors in determining whether an employee selected voluntary dental coverage.

Based on the lack of opting for voluntary dental care, it behooves employers to offer it as part of a comprehensive benefits package. Most employers would agree that having healthy and productive workers makes their business stronger. Therefore, dental insurance should go hand-in-hand with health insurance when the time comes for an employee to have a discussion with their human resources representative regarding insurance.

Plus, most people would agree that it's easier to work with others if they have good oral hygiene. Mints and gum can only help so much and when working closely with a co-worker it's much more enjoyable if they have fresh breath and clean, white teeth.

So flash those pearly whites while you're working and you'll probably see that the rest of the world is smiling right along with you!

Help Employees Watch For Hidden Medical Fees

Mary Drueke-Collins, FSA
Vice President, Employee Benefits
Swartzbaugh-Farber, a UBA Partner Firm

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:

• The insurance company reimburses out-of-network doctors according to a schedule or a percentage of the usual and customary amount. Often times, the doctor's charge is more than the reimbursement they receive from the insurance company. The doctor can then ask the individual to pay the balance, or the difference between what the insurance company reimburses them and their charges.
• If an individual uses out-of-network providers, not only will he or she be responsible for the deductible, coinsurance and copayments, but he or she may also be responsible for this balance billing. Balance billing is common in medical, dental, and vision plans.

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.