Tag: benefits technology

  • Opioid Crisis Explained | Employee Benefits Blog Content

    Lately, there’s been a big focus on America’s opioid addiction in the news. Whether it’s news on the abuse of the drug or it’s information sharing on how the drug works, Americans are talking about this subject regularly. We want to help educate you on this hot topic.

    Opioids are made from the opium poppy plant.  Opium has been around since 3,400 BC and it was first referenced as being cultivated in Southwest Asia. The drug traveled the Silk Road from the Mediterranean to Asia to China. Since then, the drug has gained popularity for pain relief but it also has gained notoriety as an abused drug. Morphine, Codeine, and Heroin are all derived from the opium poppy and are all highly addictive drugs that are abused all around the world. As the demand for these drugs has increased, so has the production.  From 2016 to 2017, the area under opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased by 63 percent. In 2016, it killed some 64,000 Americans, more than double the number in 2005.

    We can see that the danger from this drug is growing rapidly. What can we do to recognize potential abuse problems and to get help? Here are some facts about opioid addiction:

    • How do they work? Opioids attach to pain receptors in your brain spinal cord, and other areas that recognize pain signals. As they attach to the receptors, it reduces the sending of pain messages to the brain and therefore reduces the feelings of pain in your body.
    • Short-acting opiates are typically prescribed for injuries and only for a few days. They take 15-30 minutes for pain relief to begin and this relief lasts for 3-4 hours. Long-acting opiates are prescribed for moderate to severe pain and are used over a long period of time. Relief typically lasts for 8-12 hours and can be used alongside a short-acting drug for breakthrough pain.
    • Dependence is common with long-term use of an opiate. This means that the patient needs to take more of and higher doses of the medicine to get the same pain relieving effect. This does not necessarily mean the patient is addicted. Addiction is the abuse of the drug by taking it in an unprescribed way—like crushing tablets or using intravenously.
    • Americans account for less than 5% of the world’s population, but take 80% of the world’s opioid About 5% of the people who take opiates become addicted to the drug.
    • Help is available through many channels from private recovery centers to insurance providers. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline is 1-800-662-HELP. This line is confidential, free, and available 24-hours a day and 7 days a week. Family and friends may also call this number for resources for help. Additional resources can be found at drugabuse.com.

    Make sure you are educated about the dangers of opioid abuse. But, don’t be discouraged and think that the abuse is incurable! There are many resources that can be used to break the addiction cycle and can make real change in the lives of its victims. Ask for help and offer help.

  • Oral Health Custom Content Article!

    At eTekhnos, we post for clients weekly to ensure traffic on their Social Media sites. Here is an example of our latest custom piece we have posted for our clients about Oral Health and how it impacts our overall health.

    Have you heard the saying “the eyes are the window to your soul”? Well, did you know that your mouth is the window into what is going on with the rest of your body? Poor dental health contributes to major systemic health problems. Conversely, good dental hygiene can help improve your overall health.  As a bonus, maintaining good oral health can even REDUCE your healthcare costs!

    Researchers have shown us that there is a close-knit relationship between oral health and overall wellness. With over 500 types of bacteria in your mouth, it’s no surprise that when even one of those types of bacteria enter your bloodstream that a problem can arise in your body. Oral bacteria can contribute to:

    1. Endocarditis—This infection of the inner lining of the heart can be caused by bacteria that started in your mouth.
    2. Cardiovascular Disease—Heart disease as well as clogged arteries and even stroke can be traced back to oral bacteria.
    3. Low birth weight—Poor oral health has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight of newborns.

    The healthcare costs for the diseases and conditions, like the ones listed above, can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Untreated oral diseases can result in the need for costly emergency room visits, hospital stays, and medications, not to mention loss of work time. The pain and discomfort from infected teeth and gums can lead to poor productivity in the workplace, and even loss of income. Children with poor oral health miss school, are more prone to illness, and may require a parent to stay home from work to care for them and take them to costly dental appointments.

    So, how do you prevent this nightmare of pain, disease, and increased healthcare costs? It’s simple! By following through with your routine yearly dental check ups and daily preventative care you will give your body a big boost in its general health. Check out these tips for a healthy mouth:

    • Maintain a regular brushing/flossing routine—Brush and floss teeth twice daily to remove food and plaque from your teeth, and in between your teeth where bacteria thrive.
    • Use the right toothbrush—When your bristles are mashed and bent, you aren’t using the best instrument for cleaning your teeth. Make sure to buy a new toothbrush every three months. If you have braces, get a toothbrush that can easily clean around the brackets on your teeth.
    • Visit your dentist—Depending on your healthcare plan, visit your dentist for a check-up at least once a year. He/she will be able to look into that window to your body and keep your mouth clear of bacteria. Your dentist will also be able to alert you to problems they see as a possible warning sign to other health issues, like diabetes, that have a major impact on your overall health and healthcare costs.
    • Eat a healthy diet—Staying away from sugary foods and drinks will prevent cavities and tooth decay from the acids produced when bacteria in your mouth comes in contact with sugar. Starches have a similar effect. Eating healthy will reduce your out of pocket costs of fillings, having decayed teeth pulled, and will keep you from the increased health costs of diabetes, obesity-related diseases, and other chronic conditions.

    There’s truth in the saying “take care of your teeth and they will take care of you”.  By instilling some of the these tips for a healthier mouth, not only will your gums and teeth be thanking you, but you may just be adding years to your life.

  • Custom Content Article

    At eTekhnos, we post for clients weekly to ensure traffic on their Social Media sites. Here is an example of our latest custom piece about Holiday Parties that our content writer on staff recently wrote and published for our clients.

    The Perks of Holiday Parties: How They’re Still an Asset to Your Company

    The end of the year is upon us and a majority of companies celebrate with an end-of-year/holiday party. Although the trend of holiday parties has diminished in recent years, it’s still a good idea to commemorate the year with an office perk like a fun, festive party.

    BENEFITS OF A YEAR-END CELEBRATION

    • Holiday staff parties are a perfect way to thank your employees for a great year. All employees want to feel appreciated and valued. What better way to serve this purpose, than with an end of the year office celebration. Hosting a night out to honor your employees during a festive time of year boosts morale. And if done right, your party can jump start the new year with refreshed, productive employees.
    • End-of-year celebrations allow employees to come together outside of their own team. The average American will spend 90,000 hours (45 years) of their life at work. Unless you have a very small office, most employees only engage in relationships within their department. When employees have a chance to mingle outside of their regular 9 to 5 day, they’ll build and cultivate relationships across different teams within the organization; creating a more loyal, cohesive and motivated culture.
    • Seasonal parties can provide employers insight on those who work for them. Spending the evening with your employees in a more casual and relaxed atmosphere may reveal talents and ideas you may not have otherwise seen during traditional work hours.

    CREATING THE RIGHT FIT

    Regardless of office size, if planned right, employers can make a holiday party pop, no matter your budget. Whether this is your first go at an end-of-year celebration for your employees, or you host one every year, keep a few things in mind:

    • Plan early. Establish a steering committee to generate ideas for your holiday party. Allow the committee to involve all employees early on in the process. Utilize voting tools like Survey Monkey or Outlook to compile employee votes. This engages not only your entire workforce, but serves you as well when tailoring your party to fit your culture.
    • Create set activities. Engaging employees in some type of organized activity not only eases any social anxiety for them and their guests, it cultivates memories and allows colleagues to get to know each other. Consider a “Casino Night”, a photo booth (or two if your company can justify to size), an escape room outing—anything that will kick the night off with ease.
    • Incorporate entertainment during the dinner. Have team leads or management members come up with fun awards that emphasize character traits, strengths, and talents others may not know of. This is a great way to create cohesiveness, build relationships, and have your employees enjoy a good laugh at dinner.
    • Offer fun door prizes every 15 minutes or so. Prizes don’t have to be expensive to have an impact on employees, just relevant to them. However, with the right planning you may be able to throw in a raffle of larger gift items as well. Just keep in the specific tax rules when it relates to gift-giving. Gift cards associated with a specific dollar amount available to use at any establishment, and larger ticket items, can be subject to your employees having to claim income on them and pay the tax.
    • Make the dress code inclusive of everyone. Employees should not feel a financial pinch to attend a holiday office party. Establish a dress code that fits your culture, not the other way around.

    TAKE AWAY TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HOLIDAY PARTY

    According to the Society of Human Resource Management, statistics show in recent years only 65% of employers have offered holiday parties—down from 72% five years ago. Consider the following tips when hosting your next year-end celebration.

    • Keep it light. Eliminate itineraries and board-room like structure. Choose to separate productivity/award celebrations and upcoming year projections from your holiday party.
    • Invite spouses and significant others to attend the party. Employees spend a majority of their week with their colleagues. Giving employees this option is a great way to show you value who they spend their time with outside of work.
    • Allow employees to leave early on a work day to give them time to get ready and pick up who is attending the party with them.
    • Show how you value your employees by chatting with them and meeting their guests.
    • Provide comfortable seating areas where employees can rest, eat and talk. Position these in main action areas so no one feels anti-social for taking a seat somewhere.
    • Consider tying in employees that work in different locations. Have a slideshow running throughout the night on what events other office locations have done throughout the year.
    • Create low-key conversation starters and get people to chat it up. This is valuable especially for those that are new to the company and guests of your employees. Incorporate trivia questions into the décor and table settings. Get them to engage by tying in a prize.
    • Keep the tastes and comfort level of your employees in mind. Include a variety of menu items that fit dietary restrictions. Not all employees drink alcohol and not all employees eat meat.
    • Limit alcohol to a 2 ticket system per guest. Opt for a cash bar after that to reduce liability.
    • Provide access to accommodations or coordinate transportation like Uber or Lyft to get your employees somewhere safely after the party if they choose to drink.

    Ultimately, holiday parties can still be a value-add for your employees if done the right way. Feel free to change it up from year to year so these parties don’t get stale and continue to fit to your company’s culture. Contemplate new venues, ideas and activities and change up your steering committee to keep these parties fresh. Employees are more likely to enjoy themselves at an event that fits with their lifestyle, so don’t be afraid to get creative!

    Contact us about our custom content and article postings!

     

     

  • New Website Launched for Assured Partners Consulting

    We’re excited to show off our latest website redesign for Assured Partners Consulting, based in Reno, Nevada!

    The site is mobile-responsive, clean and concise, and provides a one-stop resource for potential and current clients.

    Visit the new APC website at assuredpc.com!

    Contact us to learn more about custom website design, SEO optimization, email marketing, and social media solutions!

  • New Website Launched for JRW Associates

    We’re excited to show off our latest website redesign for JRW Associates, based in Raleigh, North Carolina!

    The site is mobile-responsive, clean and concise, and provides a one-stop resource for potential and current clients.

    Visit the new JRW website at jrwassoc.com!

    Contact us to learn more about custom website design, SEO optimization, email marketing, and social media solutions!

  • Agency website advice: Creating impactful TEAM PAGES.

    Agency website advice: Creating impactful TEAM PAGES.

    Does your About Page grab potential clients’ attention or does it leave them yawning? We’re sharing tips on tone, content and format for creating an engaging TEAM page that will make people want to work with your agency today!

    Personality – Does the team page reflect the personality and uniqueness of your team and highlight the talents each of them bring to your clients?

    Characters Welcome!! Creating pages that either list hobbies, passions or even candid images of your team get notice and talked about by clients and site visitors.

    See the BJA Partners site to see the team images change as you scroll over: www.bjapartners.com ( click WHO WE ARE)

    Think your About Page needs a revamp? Contact us today and we’ll get you started!

  • New Website Launched for Byrne Byrne and Company!

    Does your website inspire new visitors to learn more, or think they entered a time-capsule to 1898? 

    The home screen of your website is the first touch for most potential clients! It’s important to create a visually-appealing, easy-to-navigate site that tells your brand story and showcases your services. We’re excited about our latest website redesign for Byrne Byrne and Company, based in Chicago, which features a sweeping skyline backdrop.

    The site is mobile-responsive, clean and concise, and provides a one-stop resource for potential and current clients.

    Visit the new Byrne Byrne and Company website at byrnebyrne.com!

    Byrne Byrne also utilizes our social media marketing solution which includes posting relevant blogs on industry topics, creating and managing social media company pages on  Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter  and publishing personalized content from company outreach initiatives!

    Contact us to learn more about custom website design, SEO optimization, email marketing and social media solutions!

  • Custom Content for Benefit Agencies | How Paid Parental Leave is Changing the Benefits Landscape

    There’s no doubt that original content boosts your search engine rankings, establishes credibility as an industry expert, and generates interest in your services. Yet many benefit agencies struggle to produce timely, quality content simply because they don’t have the bandwidth to get it done. At eTekhnos we offer customized social media marketing plans to fit your agency. Along with curated relevant content on compliance issues and top HR and benefit trends, we prioritize creating custom pieces on the latest hot topics! Here’s a sample blog article we recently produced for our clients on the rising 2017 benefit trend of paid parental leave:

    How Paid Parental Leave is Changing the Benefits Landscape

    When you hear the term “paid parental leave”, what do you think of? Here in the U.S., paid leave benefits are somewhat of a luxury. Although the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has made it possible for parents working at companies with 50 or more employees to secure 12 weeks of unpaid leave, the U.S. is one of only three countries on a list of 185 that does not mandate a period of paid parental leave. This leaves the country ranked below Iran and Mexico, who both offer 12 weeks of paid parental leave. On the other end of the spectrum, employees in the UK benefit from up to 40 weeks of paid leave.

    As a result of having no mandated paid parental leave policy, approximately a quarter of U.S. women who become pregnant while employed quit their jobs upon giving birth, one third of women are forced to borrow money or withdraw from savings to cover time off from work, and 15% utilize public assistance. The June 2015 Enforcement Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was the first legislation to make a case for offering equal parental leave to mothers and fathers, setting a new precedent for the evolution of the paid leave benefit.

    Why Should You Offer Paid Parental Leave to Employees?

    The EY & Peterson Institute for International Economics recently released a study revealing that 38% of millennials would move to a new country if they would be afforded better paid parental leave benefits. Millennials now make up the largest demographic in the American workforce, and companies will need to increasingly take statistics like this into account when building benefit plans that will attract and retain top talent.

    Aside from talent acquisition, the study goes on to show the positive impacts a paid parental leave benefit can have on keeping women in the C-Suite, as men who would usually be considered secondary caregivers take advantage of the time off and allow women to get back to work more quickly. In addition, change.org, who has implemented a generous paid parental leave policy, observed that dads who took leave in their company encouraged other new fathers to take advantage of the benefits as well, creating a culture of safety in which to utilize leave and invest more fully in their family life.

    Ultimately, employees are happier and are empowered to do better work when they are allowed to honor their priorities. Whether this means a new mother is allowed to take stress-free, paid time off to bond with her child, or a father takes advantage of leave to be with his family or allow his partner to return to work, the ability to balance work and life is of the utmost importance to younger generations.

    Case Studies – Top Companies Doing it Right

    American Express

    American Express recently announced that they were changing their paid parental leave policy from three months for primary caregivers and two weeks for secondary caregivers to five months of paid parental leave for all full-time and part-time employees.

    All genders are eligible for the benefit, and employees may become parents via birth, adoption or surrogacy. In addition, American Express offers up to $35,000 for adoption or surrogacy fees with a limit of two events.  A lifetime maximum of $35,000 is also allotted for fertility treatments.

    The company also announced a unique supplemental benefit of 24-hour lactation consultants available to nursing mothers, and a breast milk shipment program available to mothers traveling for business who need to send milk home.

    Bank of America

    Bank of America offers 16 weeks of paid leave for biological and adoptive parents. A unique feature of their policy allows parents to take leave any time during the first year of the child’s life, enabling partners to take overlapping or subsequent time off, whichever best fits their family’s needs. The company values providing this option, as they see almost half of parents in today’s society raising their kids together at home while both holding jobs.

    The banking giant also tries to make life after baby easier for working parents by offering a more flexible work-from-home program and providing $240 in monthly childcare reimbursement for employees whose household income comes in under $100,000 annually.

    Netflix

    Netflix took the spotlight when it comes to paid parental leave benefits when they announced that the company would offer unlimited paid leave with no loss of benefits during the first year after a child’s arrival. Leave can be taken at any time during the year, and employees may choose to work part-time, or come back to work and then leave again if desired.

    Netflix chief talent officer, Tawni Cranz, said of the monumental decision, “Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home.”

    Twitter

    While Twitter offers 20 weeks of paid leave for mothers and 10 for fathers and adoptive parents, the most innovative benefits this company offers come through its pre and post-natal programs for parents. Twitter offers quarterly “New Moms and Moms-To-Be” roundtables, a Mommy Mentor Program, Working Mom lunches and most lately, “Dads on Leave” roundtables. In-house support for employees when it comes to family life provides a safe place to embrace new roles as parents while still progressing in their careers.

    How Can You Adopt This Benefit?

    Job participation by women in peak years is declining, and paid parental leave is a way to help remove barriers in the workplace that leave women in only 5% of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies. Karyn Twaronite, EY global diversity and inclusiveness officer, said, “Companies that view parental leave as something solely for mothers are becoming extinct, as more modern and enlightened companies are realizing that many people, especially millennials, are even more interested in co-parenting given most are part of dual career couples.”

    If your company is unable to keep up with the generous paid leave packages larger businesses can afford, consider taking a page out of Twitter’s book and offering mentoring programs and support groups for new parents. Budget for childcare reimbursement costs like Bank of America. Even smaller changes that are made thoughtfully, with the employee in mind, will increase the appeal of your benefits package.

    As the benefits landscape changes with shifting demographics, consider carefully how offering paid parental leave could positively impact your employees, and ultimately, your bottom line as workers are motivated to work harder and smarter, knowing things are taken care of at home.

     

    By Kate McGaughey – Social Media Director, eTekhnos

  • 4 Easy Ways to Get More Out of LinkedIn | Employee Benefits Technology

    As employee benefit agencies, we know it can be hard to figure out the best way to leverage social media for your company, so we’ve made it easy.  Follow these four steps to get more out of LinkedIn today!

    LinkedIn infographic

     

    Want to learn more? Go in depth with our post 5 Ways to Optimize LinkedIn for Your Benefit Agency.

  • How to Write an Engaging About Page for Your Website

    F7OLW2SG0CDoes your About page grab potential clients’ attention or does it leave them yawning? We’re sharing tips on tone, content and format for creating an engaging About page that will make people want to work with your agency today!

    Tone

    When a potential client reads your About page they should feel like they are meeting you face-to-face for the first time.  You have the chance to make a good impression by adopting a conversational and human tone while still communicating what makes your services unique and superior.  An easy way to do this is embrace the use of “I” and “we” rather than writing from a formal, third person perspective. Your tone should be authentic and relatable while remaining professional.

    Content

    What should you talk about? Focus on telling your story with simplicity rather than filling an About page with industry jargon or fluffy descriptions.  People want to know where you came from, what you can do for them and why you are a credible choice. Show that you understand your potential client’s challenges and use examples of things you’ve done in the past to let them know you can solve their problems.

    Finally, always include a call to action.  What do you want them to do next? Your goal with your About page should be to motivate potential clients to contact you about your services.  Place contact information visibly on the page. Include several ways to get in touch including a contact form, email, phone number and physical address.

    Format

    Your About page offers a glimpse into who you are as a company – your history, the principles by which you do business and the people who make up your team. It is your first chance to establish trust with a client by showing who the people behind the brand are.  Don’t be afraid to move away from the traditional corporate About page format and get a little creative with what makes your company unique. Include images of your team that put a face to the name.  We like what Brio Benefits has done to showcase their team by incorporating a corporate portrait and a funny, personable candid photo along with each employee bio.  To view their About page, click here.

    Think your About page needs a revamp?  Contact us today and we’ll get you started!