2025 W-2 Forms are now available in your GMS Connect employee portal here.

Request a call Login

  • Let’s face it; employees don’t always want to be indoors during the summer. Having unmotivated, daydreaming employees can lead to unproductive work days, but some summer perks can help motivate your workers. Here are three ways that you can help boost team morale during the summer.

    Image of a employee working from home. GMS assists businesses with services like employee performance management.

    Work Flexibility

    Air conditioning is great on scorching days, but it’s not hard to think of laying on the beach or strolling through the park when it’s a picture perfect summer afternoon. You can’t let your employees run off at every chance for great weather, but you can offer some work flexibility.

    Employees can get a morale boost by working from home or any other different location. Even something like one or more work-from-home days can help. That could mean they can work from their backyard patio or their favorite coffee shop. All it takes is Wi-Fi and technology like Skype or conference calls to easily connect with co-workers. Plus, this is a nice option for employees who have to pick up kids from summer activities.

    Outdoor Work Events

    If employees really want to go outside, it might be time to take business outdoors for a day. Company parties, team-building exercises, and other outdoor activities are great ways to appease your employees’ desire to enjoy the nice weather while building company chemistry and team morale.

    Relaxed Dress Code

    Suits and ties don’t mesh well with summer. Hot days can make for uncomfortable employees. Even if your business pumps the AC all summer, employees will have to go outside at some point, and full business attire can make them sweaty and tired before they even make it to their desk.

    Depending on your business, a relaxed summer dress code could make employees a little more comfortable. This could mean casual Fridays or an option to dress down on days when an employee won’t be directly interacting with clients or customers. If someone has a business meeting, they can switch back to the full dress code for the day.

    Taking Care of Employees

    Good employees are a major asset for your business. A motivated team can lead to great returns, but employee management can be a test for many businesses. Group Management Services can help you through employee performance management tools, offering a variety of services to tackle this challenge. Contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you manage your employees.

  • Accessing all of your benefits information used to be a pain. Even if you had all of your documents and details organized nicely in a folder, you still wouldn’t be able to access it if you were outside of your home or office. That’s why GMS made it possible to have total access to your health plan no matter where you are.

    The GMS Mobile Benefits App for the self-insured plan option allows business owners and their employees to see all of their health plan information on their phone. GMS customers can simply download the app and set-up their account and see info on their eligibility, deductibles, claims, and applicable links to their network and other benefits information. Here’s how the GMS Mobile Benefits App saves you from future hassles.

    Image of a man using a PEO mobile app on his phone.

    No Need for a Card

    It’s always aggravating to reach into your wallet or purse and realize that the card you need isn’t in there. It’s even more problematic when someone at the doctor’s office is asking for your insurance information.

    The Mobile Benefits App lets you pull up everything they need right on your phone. You can even email a copy of your ID card directly to whoever needs your information. Either way, that gets you one step closer to seeing a medical professional instead of heading home to find a lost card or calling up customer service for some last-second help.

    No Need for Customer Service

    Does anybody like being put on hold? The Mobile Benefits App lets you know when a customer service rep has an answer to your question instead of forcing you to hold a phone up to your ear and play the waiting game.

    If you have a question, now you can submit them directly in the app. A GMS expert will review your question and respond. Once they do, you’ll get an email to let you know that you can see the response right in your app, all without having to sit through a whole lot of background music on your phone.

    Get Total Health Plan Access on Your Phone

    All the information you need can be contained in your pocket. The GMS Mobile Benefits App gives you and your employees the freedom to access the info about your GMS plan at any time. Contact GMS today about the GMS App and employee benefits administration today. You can even go and download the GMS App and test it out for yourself. Follow these steps to set your phone up for total health plan access.

  • Illnesses and injuries don’t have hours of operation, but your local doctors’ office usually does. However, a closed office doesn’t mean that you and your employees can’t get good medical advice. 

    Group Management Services helps businesses receive quick, convenient access to medical professionals and information through Telemedicine services through Healthiest You. Here’s how Telemedicine can help your company.

    Image of a doctor during a telemedicine call. Telehealth services help your employees get medical help at all times.

    24/7 Telemedicine Access

    With Telehealth, employees don’t need to wait until the next available appointment to find out what’s wrong with them or their families. Telemedicine lets people quickly and conveniently connect with a professional physician via phone, video, or Internet chat.

    Thanks to Telemedicine services, your employees can get quick answers to their health questions without having to go to an in-person appointment. This cuts out costly co-pays without making employees worry about what’s wrong with their four-year-old child or wonder if they should time off from work to head to the doctor’s office.

    In-depth Information Library

    Employees don’t always need to see a physician face-to-face to get the answers they need. Telehealth members also receive access to an extensive information library that covers over 1,000 different topics.

    Even with the option to contact physicians, you may not always want to set up a call or a video meeting for something that you can research. The information library gives you and your employees the ability to easily look up details on health concerns that might not necessarily warrant a call. Plus, you can always follow up with a Telemedicine physician if you decide that you want a doctor’s advice after you search through the library.

    Cut Out Co-pays and In-person Doctor’s Appointments with Telemedicine

    Going to the doctor’s office isn’t always easy. Whether an employee or a member of his or her family is sick, unexpected trips to the doctor can cause scheduling headaches, and that’s if their doctor is even available. 

    Telemedicine lets your employees get the medical access they need without having to move around their work schedule. That can lead to fewer work days missed and healthier employees. Contact GMS today to talk to one of our group healthcare experts about how Telemedicine can benefit your business.

  • A little extra protection can go a long way toward making your employees happy. Traditional group health plans are a great start for many of your employees, but some members of your team or potential recruits may need additional coverage.

    Supplemental insurance plans allow business owners to attract and retain talented employees through additional coverage. A Professional Employer Organization can provide you with extra insurance options to benefit both you and your employees. 

    GMS can help keep and attract talented employees with supplemental insurance plans for businesses.

    How Supplemental Insurance Plans Benefits Your Employees

    One big benefit of supplemental insurance plans is that it can help ease the fears of your employees by covering additional expenses. Supplemental plans can help cover:

    • Deductibles
    • Copayments
    • Coinsurance
    • Medication costs
    • Out-of-network fees
    • Lost wages due to injury or illness

    These benefits will please employees who might be worried about costly charges. Partnering with a PEO like GMS can also give your employees a chance to pick and choose the additional insurance coverage they require; that way they don’t get charged for supplemental benefits they don’t need.

    How Supplemental Insurance Plans Benefit Business Owners

    If an employee is worried that his or her health insurance isn’t enough to cover what he or she needs, they may start looking for better coverage elsewhere. Even if they don’t leave, the worry over their coverage can impact the quality of their work and their morale. 

    Offering an employee peace of mind through supplemental insurance plan can ease their fears and give them more incentive to stay put. These plans can also make your company look much more attractive to potential recruits who will have to decide which business best fits their needs.

    Supplement Your Traditional Insurance Plan

    If your employees are clamoring for supplemental insurance, it might be time to reach out to GMS about what we can do to help you attract and retain good employees. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you offer supplemental insurance.

  • When you’re a business owner, a 401(k) or profit sharing plan is a must to help attract and retain great employees.

    While you may be the owner of a company, you’re likely not an expert on the legal responsibilities of offering these plans to your employees. Most business owners are too focused on running their company to provide an adequate amount of attention on benefits administration.

    Your benefits don’t have to be a hassle. A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can step in and cut costs, save time, and offer customizable plans for your company.

    GMS can help business owners offer appealing 401(k) and profit sharing plans.

    Saving Time on 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plans

    You may not be an expert on 401(k) and profit sharing plans, but the people who work for a PEO are. By working with a PEO, you won’t waste your valuable time trying to make sense of something that you likely don’t have much experience. Plus, management fees are low, so you won’t have to break the bank to get a professionally managed plan.

    A PEO can work to set you up with a customizable plan that fits what you and your employees want. That means that you can spend your time on ways to build your company instead of getting headaches trying to wrap your head around the legal responsibilities of benefits administration. 

    Retirement Guide

    Work with GMS for a Customizable 401(k) and / or Profit Sharing Plan

    As a PEO, Group Management services works to offer retirement plans that will strengthen your business. GMS can help you establish:

    • 401(k) eligibility requirements
    • Vesting
    • Tax-deductible matching
    • Profit sharing contributions

    We’ve got the experts to help you save time and money on your benefits planning. Contact us today about retirement planning that will help you attract and retain quality employees.

  • Rising health care costs make it difficult for small and midsize businesses to offer competitive benefits, but partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can help. This article explains how GMS uses collective buying power to secure better group health coverage at lower premiums while providing diverse insurance options and expert compliance support. By working with a PEO, businesses can reduce costs, streamline benefits administration, and give employees access to high-quality health plans.

    As a business owner, offering excellent health care benefits is key to attracting and retaining top talent. However, the rising costs of health care premiums can make it challenging to find a group health plan that balances quality with affordability. In 2024, this challenge is more significant than ever as health care costs continue to rise.

    This is where partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) like Group Management Services (GMS) can make a substantial difference. By leveraging the collective power of a PEO, your business can access premier group health insurance coverage without breaking the bank. Let’s explore how GMS can help you secure better group health coverage for your employees.

    Enhanced Buying Power And Cost Efficiency

    A PEO provides your business with the buying power typically reserved for large corporations. GMS represents more than 50,000 employees, enabling us to help small businesses purchase group health insurance at an average of 24% lower employee premiums and 15% lower family premiums compared to the U.S. average.

    GMS combines the collective strength of all its clients, allowing small to midsize businesses to gain access to the same competitive premiums as large companies. This means your business can benefit from lower health insurance premiums while still offering comprehensive coverage to your employees. With health care costs rising, this buying power is more valuable than ever, allowing you to provide top-tier benefits without sacrificing your bottom line.

    Diverse Group Health Coverage Options

    One of the biggest advantages of partnering with GMS is the ability to offer your employees a wide range of group health coverage options. Contrary to what some might believe, lower premiums through a PEO do not mean compromising on the quality of the health plans available to your employees. GMS partners with many major insurance carriers to provide various options tailored to meet the diverse needs of your workforce. These options include:

    • Medical insurance
    • Dental insurance
    • Vision insurance
    • Group life insurance
    • Short-term and long-term disability
    • Flexible spending account (FSA)
    • Health savings account (HSA)
    • Employee assistance program (EAP)
    • 401(k) plan
    • Telemedicine
    • Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)

    These options allow you to customize a benefits package that meets your employees’ needs, helping you stand out as an employer of choice in a competitive job market.

    Streamlined Administration And Compliance

    Managing group health insurance can be complex and time-consuming, especially with the ever-changing landscape of health care regulations. GMS not only helps you access better group health coverage but also takes on the administrative burden. This includes managing enrollments, handling claims, staying on top of Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations, and ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.

    You gain access to a team of experts who can train your employees on how your plan works and answer difficult health plan questions. With GMS, you can focus on growing your business while we manage the intricacies of your employee benefits program.

    Lower Your Group Health Care Premiums With GMS

    In today’s economic environment, maximizing every dollar spent on employee benefits is crucial. By partnering with GMS, you can offer high-quality health care benefits at the reduced premiums typically enjoyed by larger businesses. This partnership not only improves the health and satisfaction of your employees but also enhances your company’s financial health.

    By leveraging our collective buying power, diverse coverage options, and comprehensive administrative support, you can significantly lower your group health care premiums while providing your employees with top-tier benefits. Contact GMS today to speak with one of our health care experts and learn more about how partnering with a PEO can benefit your business.

  • Healthcare is an important part of any small business. That’s why it’s important that you ask your medical insurance company about their services. It can be easy to turn a blind eye to what your insurance company is doing, but you should get a better understanding of how they’re serving you so that you can evaluate what they’re doing to help you. Here are four healthcare topics you should ask about.

    Image of a doctor. Healthcare administration can give small business owners the service they need.

    Plan Coverage

    It’s important to know exactly what your plan covers. This may seem a bit obvious, but you never want to be surprised when you get a bill. While you need to know the limits of your coverage, it’s also good to find out if you’re paying for unnecessary benefits. Not all benefits will fit you and your employees, so asking for more information can help uncover these areas and potentially save you money.

    Healthcare Cost Negotiation

    Don’t be afraid to ask your healthcare provider how they negotiate costs. Different negotiation strategies can lead to realistic healthcare pricing, so it’s good to inquire about what your provider is doing to make healthcare costs more manageable.

    Medical Bills Audits

    No one wants to get incorrectly charged on a bill. Ask your health insurance company about how they audit medical bills to make sure that you get the coverage you pay for. Double billing and other mistakes can happen, so it’s important to know that your bills are checked every time. If your insurance company is less than transparent about this, you might not be getting the attention you deserve.

    Customer Service

    You and your employees should never have trouble getting answers about your health insurance. Asking about a provider’s customer service can help you get an understanding about how well they will be able to assist your company when there are any questions or issues. If they’re not very forthcoming with information about the type of customer service they provide, they might not be that great at helping you when you have an actual insurance concern.

    Healthcare Administration Services

    You and your employees deserve to be more than just a number to medical insurance companies. Your business deserves high-quality service, which is why we offer employee benefit administration to help you get the care you need. Contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts about how a Professional Employer Organization like GMS can help you regain control of your healthcare coverage.

  • Self-improvement is a constant thought in most consumer’s minds and the advertising industry knows this all too well. “The weight loss industry is a 60-billion-dollar business” oversaturated with fitness gurus and companies advocating various fad diets and weight-loss products. However, these media-marketed solutions don’t stick and people end up feeling confused and frustrated.

    Aside from the quick-fix mentality from the media, people are also growing tired of the “just eat less and move more” advice they may receive from their physicians and peers. However, professional wellness coaches, who are trained in behavior modification techniques, can help individuals bridge the gap between medical recommendations and the behaviors required to implement them.

    Wellness educators use behavior modification techniques to help individuals identify personal barriers and set realistic goals 

    Often a visit to a medical professional will encompass a diagnosis and basic advice that leaves many feeling lost in how to take action. This type of care does not help individuals, with their own unique needs or personal barriers, make the necessary adjustments. It also does not allow for the person to create their own solution to the existing problem.  

    Working directly with a personal wellness coach creates long-term successes in establishing healthier lifestyles

    “Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles analyzed 31 long-term diet studies and found that about two-thirds of dieters regained more weight within four or five years than they initially lost.”

    However, health professionals know that the solution isn’t about following a specific diet or the use of a particular weight-loss product, but instead it’s the level of self-confidence and ability to consistently make small changes that lead to long-term better health.

    Aside from developing new positive habits, “The New England Journal of Medicine found that participants who were coached via telephone spent less money on medical care and drugs and were 10 percent less likely to be admitted to the hospital than those who were not coached.”

    A wellness coach provides the additional support when working directly with clients to:

    • Educate individuals on researched-based theories 
    • Recognize and understand how and when it’s appropriate to adjust a client’s health plan based on current progress of the client 
    • Create a motivating and fun atmosphere where a client can develop confidence and self-efficacy 

    Small Business Guide to Health & Welness

    Meet your GMS Wellness Coordinator Team serving all of Ohio

    Corrinne Ward, RD, LD  

    Corrinne services the greater Columbus/Cincinnati areas. She’s a registered dietitian with professional experience in nutritional counseling for those dealing with diabetes, weight management, high cholesterol, digestive issues, and food allergies. Additional past experience includes leading group and individual fitness classes. 

    For fun, Corrinne is a competitive marathon runner and is married to Mike Ward, who is a manager for the Columbus Running Company. They currently reside in Gahanna, Ohio with their four cats.

     

    Siobhan Hein 

    Siobhan services the greater Cleveland Area, where she is responsible for developing and coordinating client wellness programs. She directs and oversees program activities designed to benefit the health and well-being of client employees, including physical fitness, weight reduction, stress management, and smoking cessation.

    Siobhan received her B.S in Exercise Physiology from Kent State University.  She is passionate about motivating, educating, and inspiring people to make healthier lifestyle choices both at home and at work.

     

    Julie James A.T.C. 

    Julie James has a B.S. of Science with a dual concentration in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology. She services the greater Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati areas. Julie is a Certified Athletic Trainer with 25 years of experience in several different settings. Her passion has helped expand her knowledge in many areas of wellness. She has spent time as an A.T.C. at the high school, college, and professional athlete level. Her desire to help people of all ages reach their wellness potential led her to the corporate world. Julie designs, implements, and oversees comprehensive wellness programs for companies as well as the internal program at GMS.

    Julie resides in Hartville, Ohio with her husband Sean, daughter Kenzie, and son Sean-Michael. The whole family is immersed in many different sports and outside activities that keep them a very active bunch!

  • Did you know that 75 percent of all healthcare costs are attributed to preventable conditions? Imagine the burden this places on employers and their healthcare costs. Here is what the numbers are saying:

    • 45 percent of Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease.
    • More than two-thirds of all deaths are caused by these five chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes.
    • Treatment for chronic disease constitutes roughly 96 cents per dollar for Medicare and 83 cents per dollar for Medicaid.
    • More than one in four Americans have multiple chronic conditions (MCC), and this number is continuing to grow.

    Chronic disease, by definition, is a disease that typically lasts three months or longer. In most cases, chronic conditions can be controlled but not cured. In fact, it affects 1.7 million lives each year, being the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Many people assume this is only affecting the elderly, but in the past 10 years, working aged adults being diagnosed with chronic diseases increased by 25 percent. This epidemic is having a strong effect on the cost of healthcare. A study performed at Milken Institute examined the relationship between chronic disease and absenteeism among full time workers. The study focused on seven different diseases and found that the indirect costs of chronic diseases (such as missed days away from work) are higher than the direct cost to treat them.

    Image of a stethoscope. Learn how workplace wellness programs can help business and employees.

    How Businesses Can Improve Employee Health

    Most businesses take an interest in their employee’s health in one way or another. In addition to the employee’s basic health coverage, some businesses provide amenities like healthier food options in their cafeterias, onsite Fitness Centers and ergonomic desks. These are all well-intended options for helping employees, but when it comes to chronic disease, it barely moves the needle.

    The question yet stands: How can an employer impact the prevention of chronic disease in the workplace? Answer: By educating employees on how to modify their current behaviors before they turn into a chronic condition. Adults spend most of their time in the workplace, which is why it makes the most sense to attempt to reach them at their job. All of this sounds expensive and tough to get everyone involved. Fortunately, the GMS Wellness Program has what you need, at a reasonable cost.

    When instituting a Workplace Wellness Program, your employees are not only supported with education on current topics but also with ways to take their health into their own hands and control it. Unhealthy behaviors like smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, poor standard of care compliance, insufficient sleep, and lack of health screenings can quickly turn into chronic conditions like diabetes, coronary heart disease, back pain, obesity, COPD, and arthritis. A wellness program can help by providing:

    • A custom program that is in compliance with all of the ACA regulations for wellness plans
    • Health risk assessments, which are protected by HIPAA and confidential
    • Health screenings for height, weight, blood pressure, glucose, and total cholesterol, which are all done on site, with HDL, LDL, and Triglyceride screening available upon request
    • Biometric body fat scans by Body Metrix®
    • On-site wellness recommendations
    • Smoking cessation and drug and alcohol abuse prevention
    • One-on-one communication with a Wellness Coordinator
    • Voluntary lunch and learns, classes, and informational meetings
    • A monthly newsletter
    • Healthy challenges

    Contact GMS today to learn more about the services we offer and how we can make your business simpler, safer, and stronger. 

  • The health and fitness industry is growing in the corporate world; yet preventable diseases are still the leading cause of skyrocketing healthcare costs for employers and their workforce.

    Here at Group Management Services, we do our best to design a program that is suited for everyone and every population. Our main priority is to help your employees achieve their personal health goals without interfering with your business. There are many benefits for the employer as well, such as a decrease in medical costs, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and business incentives through the ACA for offering a Wellness Program. Here is what GMS promises you:

    • A customized program that is designed to suit your work environment and employee needs. 
    • A team of wellness experts comprised from various health backgrounds to offer personal, hands-on guidance that will create individual motivation and accountability 
    • Privacy for your employees under HIPPA and other federal regulations while working on personal health goals.

    It’s not just about making or saving money; it’s a way to better the lives of the team you work with every day.

    The truth of the matter is, there are strict government regulations to abide by when it comes to a workplace wellness program. As a result, many companies are turning to professional employer organizations to aid in the proper execution of an effective wellness program at their office.

    Image of a health screening through a workplace wellness program.

    What You Get with GMS’ Workplace Wellness Program

    There are several components to a Workplace Wellness Program, including:

    • Designing a custom program that is in compliance with all of the ACA regulations for wellness plans
    • Health risk assessments, which are protected by HIPAA and confidential
    • Health screenings for height, weight, blood pressure, glucose, and total cholesterol, which are all done on site, with HDL, LDL, and Triglyceride screening available upon request
    • Biometric body fat scans by Body Metrix®
    • On-site wellness recommendations
    • Smoking cessation and drug and alcohol abuse prevention
    • One-on-one communication with a Wellness Coordinator
    • Voluntary lunch and learns, classes, and informational meetings
    • A monthly newsletter
    • Fun challenges

    In addition to the components listed above, you’ll also receive a quarterly review of employee claims and your Wellness Program.

    Give us a call today at 330-659-0100 or contact us online to talk to one of our experts about instituting a Workplace Wellness Program for your business.