Straight From The Source Blog by Higginbotham Insurance

Rising health care costs are putting the squeeze on employers. According to SHRM, large employers will pay about $10,850 for each covered employee in 2021, while employees will pay about $4,650 each. This is an increase of about 5.3 percent from 2020, when large employers paid about $10,340 per covered employee and employees paid about $4,430 each.

Hurricanes. Blizzards. Tornados. Hail. Flooding. No matter where you live, there’s probably at least one type of severe weather that threatens to disrupt your business operations. When these bad weather events strike, the situation is often urgent, leaving little time to iron out policies and procedures in the moment. That’s why it’s important to have an inclement weather policy in place before the next storm hits.

Compensation plans, also referred to as total compensation plans or compensation programs, encompass all of the compensatory components of a company's strategy. In addition to salary, compensation can include health benefits, retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement, bonuses or any other non-salary benefit that is considered part of a total compensation package.

Hourly employees can often be overlooked when it comes to managing job satisfaction, encouraging job advancement and increasing employee retention rates. However, hourly employees make up a majority of our workforce today, so it's important to take steps within your company to ensure they are happy and healthy in their jobs – not only for their well-being, but for the success of the company.

In 2020, we had to rethink a lot of things. Now as we head into 2021, it’s time to take some of the lessons we learned and see how we can use them to make our workplaces better for our employees. Here are some of the top HR projects and trends for HR professionals to tackle in 2021.

What are job postings?

How can employers make sure that employees know what is expected of them? It’s not a trick question. Employee handbooks can do this and more. Just having a handbook isn’t enough, however. It must contain the right information, it must be updated regularly and – perhaps most challenging – it must be read by your employees.

While there are many enticing reasons to stay at a job – competitive salary, opportunity for growth and smart co-workers – the most commonly-cited reason for remaining at a job is a positive and dynamic work environment. An uplifting work environment is one of the largest determining factors in employee retention, and for a good reason. If employees feel valued and known, they will be more productive, proactive and positive. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year. But even though employers have had three decades to learn about compliance with the law, issues – and lawsuits – are still common. Here’s what today’s employers need to know now about applying the law, approaching employees and staying compliant.

It’s time to get smart about benefits. Smart technology can go a long way to improve the way employees interact with benefits. This, in turn, can increase employee satisfaction, which can boost engagement, productivity and retention. It’s an amazing chain reaction, and it all starts with the right tech tools.