You’ll probably be as surprised as we were. We recently accomplished some hardcore employee retention research (and learned quite a few surprising tidbits we’ll share in an upcoming white paper), and discovered that employee benefits packages have equal weight as pay when it comes to staff retention and motivation. That certainly got our attention. Most of us aren’t thinking much beyond surviving the recession, but it’s probably the perfect time to take a strategic look at your employee benefit plan. If it doesn’t include a wellness benefit, it probably should – salary.com notes that of the employees who view their wellness plans favorably, 64% plan to remain with their employer for five years or more. Employees who don’t like their company’s employee wellness benefits are four times more likely to find a job elsewhere. And if you’re looking at wellness benefits, it pays to get the most return on your employee benefit dollar. Most workplace wellness programs focus on hypertension, weight, smoking, and lack of exercise – all beneficial health pursuits, but not the costliest conditions from a business standpoint (they all add under 21% to your healthcare costs – real money, but not the biggest cost burdens in the wellness sphere). Stress and depression can add 46% and 70%, respectively, to your healthcare bill. Some estimates place the cost impact of stress and depression at 147%. Ouch. Clearly we’re biased, but we think that Vacation Wellness™ does a great job targeting stress and depression. Employees who vacation regularly are two to three times less likely to suffer from depression than their counterparts. A Duke Occupational Mental Health report cites the benefits of using physical distance, variance of activity, and reconnecting with family – all destination vacation staples – to reduce workplace stress and prevent burnout. Benefits count. It’s best to make sure your benefit plan resonates with your staff, and among the most powerful ways to do that is to invest in a meaningful wellness ... Read More

Good News, Anyone? It’s been a while since anyone has had anything good to report in the employee benefit world. Healthcare expenses are on a meteoric rise with little sign of improvement, which has sparked a raging political debate that has everyone holding their breath. Business owners and employees grow increasingly weary of the ongoing “pay more, get less” benefits trend. It’s tough to view employee benefits as a strategic investment, particularly at a time when most executives are just looking for ways to stop the healthcare hemorrhaging. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the people most exhausted by all of the bad news are the folks we’re charged to care for, motivate, inspire, and lead. The economic downturn has taken a toll on our staff, and simultaneously left us with fewer resources to invest in employee productivity, retention, and wellness. The economic reach of our employee benefit programs has diminished precisely when meaningful benefits packages have become most important – after all, most of us don’t have much extra incentive or wellness cash these days, but we all need the healthcare cost reductions and productivity boosts those programs generate. Fortunately, there are a few benefits programs that offer significant multi-dimensional leverage. I’m obviously and shamelessly biased, but I think Vacation Wellness™ falls in that category. It’s an easy tool to help you retain talent (believe it or not, salary.com reports that 2/3 of your staff is probably looking for a better job despite high unemployment numbers), reduce healthcare expenses, generate loyalty, and demonstrate meaningful investment in your key business resource – your staff – all without spending much ... Read More