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  • If you’ve noticed that your family health insurance prices are on the rise, you’re not alone. In fact, the cost of family premiums for employer-sponsored coverage has jumped 47% in the last decade – which outpaces wage growth at 31% and inflation by 23% over the same period. In the last year alone, premiums for family coverage reached an average of $22,221, a 4% increase.

    Roughly 155 million people rely on employer-sponsored coverage, with 59% of employers offering health benefits. It’s no secret that the larger the company, the more likely they are to offer a health plan. That said, the looming crisis of affordability continues to be an ongoing issue throughout the country. This proves especially true for small businesses with tighter budgets and fewer management resources at their disposal. On average, small businesses pay 8-18% more than large firms for the same insurance plans. Furthermore, location and industry type can make your organization’s premiums even (you guessed it) higher. Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States typically see more expensive premiums – as do those in the transportation, utility, and construction industries.

    Outside of the cost to implement a group health plan, many small business owners are often spread too thin – thus making the cost of time to actually administer the plan yet another hurdle to overcome. Managing a group health plan can be labor-intensive because of the ongoing regulatory changes, complicated communication processes, and the dreadful renewal process.

    Still, not offering health benefits is a recruiting and retention risk that you do not want to take. “Offering a healthcare plan is one of the most effective steps you can take as we continue to witness a workforce shortage,” shared GMS VP of Benefits, Beth Kohmann. “In today’s turbulent times, people throughout the country are looking for a solid, affordable healthcare plan to give them peace of mind. As an employer, providing that to your employees is one of the most vital things you can do.”

    Given the difficulty of offering an affordable, comprehensive plan, it’s easy to see why many business owners turn to a Professional Employer Organization like GMS. When you partner with GMS, you’ll take advantage of our consultative approach, giving you plan options and savings that will benefit your organization. In fact, last year GMS family premiums were 34% lower than the U.S. average.

    Contact us today to discuss a health plan tailored to your organization’s needs.

  • If pressed, most employers would say that having a “rich benefits package” is a great way to attract and retain top quality employees. The more perks the better, right?

    Those same employers would also probably say that they can’t afford the richest of plans, but try to offer the best that they can afford. Well, if you believe those two statements, you’re going to love reading this.

    Picture of an apple. Wellness programs can help keep your benefits costs down while increasing employee satisfaction.

    According to an article at benefitspro.com, they’re right. Of 1,000 respondents to a survey, almost three-fourths of those said that “they carefully compared benefits packages when weighing offers from prospective employers. And the health care components of the benefits package is the one they examine most closely.” Most of those said that they were more likely to take a package heavy on health benefits than one that emphasized non-health benefits.

    Here was the most interesting part: Two-thirds of that group believed that keeping employees healthy was one of the top priorities of a company benefit program. About two-thirds of the respondents felt that their employer was more interested in the cost of the plan than in it being a functional plan in keeping them healthy.

    Do You Have a Wellness Program?

    If you subscribe to the belief that a benefits package should help keep employees healthy, how good is your wellness program? Don’t have one? Is it because you don’t believe that a wellness program doesn’t work or is it because you think you can’t afford one?

    Wellness programs come in many shapes, sizes and components. They can include on-site health screenings, company-sponsored vaccinations, fitness benefits, etc. That’s good news on two levels. The first is that each of those is less expensive than health insurance. The second is that in a survey of employees over 45 years old, 75% of them valued a comprehensive health benefits package more than other perks.

    What Else Can I Do For My Employees?

    Take a look at some of our older posts for additional ideas that can keep employees happy.

    4 Affordable, Practical Benefits That Will Attract the Best Employees

    Benefits of Direct Deposit

    What’s In a Good 401(k) Plan?

    Non-Traditional Benefits Your Staff Will Love

    Keeping Top Talent

    Small Business Guide to Health & Welness

    What’s Next?

    If you’ve implemented a wellness program, let us know how it went in the comments below.

    If you haven’t implemented one yet, or you’re just not sure how to put together a successful wellness program, give us a call at 888-823-2084. We’d be glad to help!

  • Roughly 2,000 U.S. workers suffer an eye injury at work each day according to the Centers for Disease Control. From tired eyes to serious abrasions, companies need to take measures to help protect their workers. This March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, so we’ve put together some tips to help your employees protect their vision while on the job.

    Image of an employee with safety goggles. GMS can help your company and its employees through risk management services.

    Safety Gear in the Workplace

    When your employees work in places where particles, chemicals, or other dangerous hazards can get into a person’s eyes, they need to have the right protective gear. It seems obvious, but simply wearing eye safety gear is a huge step in preventing injuries.

    While it’s a big first step, eye safety requires more than just wearing goggles, glasses, or face shields. Workers need to make sure that eye safety equipment is properly fitted. Too tight or too loose isn’t going to be nearly as helpful as a comfortable, secure fit, so make sure your employees are using protective gear correctly to help protect them against potential problems.

    It’s Not All the Same

    Not all eyewear is Safety eyewear. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has established the standard by which all safety eyewear must be measured. The Z87.1 standard is accepted by OSHA for eyewear PPE in the workplace. All eyewear should have a Z87 stamp on it if the original design has been independently tested and meets the standard for being used to protect employees.

    Defending Against Eye Strain

    You don’t have to be working on a production line to be worried about eye injuries. Eye strain has become a growing problem as improvements in technology have led workers to require digital devices for their work. Too much strain can result in computer vision syndrome, which can cause eye twitching and overall fatigue. If your employees work in front of a screen all day, here are some tips to help relieve eye strain and vision-related issues:

    • Keep at least 20 inches away from your monitor
    • Keep the top of the monitor even to or below your eye level
    • Take quick 20 second breaks for every 20 minutes you are looking at a screen
    • Prevent your eyes from drying out by blinking regularly

    Protecting Your Business Through Risk Management

    Proper eye protection is important for any business. Developing proper safety training programs and manuals are another way to help teach your employees how to protect themselves and protect your company from workers’ compensation claims and rates. 

    Group Management Services can help companies with risk management by putting together and implementing loss prevention and cost containment strategies that will benefit your business. Contact us today to learn more about how GMS can make your business safer.

  • Don’t look now, but Fall is upon us and we are closer to the start of 2017 than we are the start of 2016.

    We have a Presidential election coming up in a few weeks, meaning that there will be a change in the leadership of this country, one way or another. Either way, expectations are running rampant about changes to healthcare plans in 2017 and the compliancy tied to those programs.

    Image of a sick employee. Contact GMS about healtchare compliance for businesses.

    Potential Healthcare Changes to Consider

    What are these changes that are coming up? According to benefitsnews.com, the following are the top 10 compliance issues to consider when doing your benefits planning for 2017:

    1. Wellness
    2. Essential health benefits and ACA nondiscrimination rules
    3. Mental health parity
    4. Employer shared-responsibility strategy and reporting
    5. Preventive Care
    6. SBC model documents
    7. FLSA’s final overtime rules’ impact on employee benefit plans
    8. Expatriate group health plans
    9. HIPAA privacy, security and electronic transactions
    10. DOL fiduciary rule

    And as an added bonus:

         11. There is a push to make companies with fewer than 100 employees file a 5500 for not only their 401k offering, but also their healthcare benefits. 

    What Business Owners Can Do to Prepare

    For years, business owners would turn to Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) to help reduce their premium costs in healthcare, risk management, and other HR concerns. In recent years, more and more companies are now looking to PEOs to not only help control their short-term healthcare costs, but also to help put together a game plan for controlling those costs in the future. One healthcare cost that is often overlooked is the cost of compliancy.

    If the list above has you worried about your benefits plans or at a minimum, wondering if you’re compliant, you might want to consider talking with an attorney or a PEO like GMS.  Not only does a PEO provide you the buying power necessary in today’s healthcare environment, they relieve small business owners of the regulatory liability that keep them awake at night.

    If you want to learn more about a PEO and if it’s right for you, contact us today and find out how we can help your business.  

  • When you’re thinking of starting a business, your passion is ultimately what drives you to provide the best product or service. The first thing that comes to your head is not about the technology you need for payroll, or how you are going to recruit top talent. Need an employee handbook? “I’ll type something up real quick.” 

    These are just a few of the many human resource topics you can easily put on the backburner without realizing the full scope of responsibilities you now carry as a business owner. As for the future of HR, it’s only getting more crucial for businesses to stay compliant with laws and stay protected.

    Two small business owners responsible for many HR functions, including payroll and taxes. 

    HR Responsibilities for New Business Owners

    The U.S. Small Business Administration puts the followings tasks under human resources:

    • Recruitment and hiring
    • Payroll and benefits
    • Employee retention and compensation
    • Laws and regulations

    Recruiting can be a difficult and frustrating process. Doing it the right way, the first time, will save you time and money to produce the best results down the line. This can result in hiring committed, talented, and loyal employees that will benefit your company and your bottom line. “Where do I even start,” you may ask. A job description and an employee handbook can get the ball rolling, but you must write both correctly to save yourself in the long run. According to HR Dive, 72 percent of hiring managers say they provide clear job descriptions, while only 36 percent of candidates agree.

    Once you have employees, you must have a system for payroll. Again, you may not know where to start. You know how much you want to pay your employees, but now you must log hours, file taxes, and keep up with your own finances. This is where retention and compensation come into play as well. Keeping up with workers’ compensation, healthcare, 401k, and all other benefits go hand in hand with retention and compensation. According to MetLife, 51 percent of employers say using health and wellness benefits to maintain employee loyalty and retain talent will become even more important in the next three to five years.

    Lastly, staying on top of laws and regulations can be overwhelming because of how often they change. Failing to put these new regulations into place can result in legal issues, which is why it is essential to stay on top of them. Dozens of new laws take effect yearly and as an owner, you are responsible for making sure your company is compliant. 

    Set Your Business up for HR Success

    Preparing for the future of HR can be simple with the right resources. Being able to embrace change, technology and the new workforce is essential. Now what can GMS do for you? GMS is a Professional Employer Organization that puts all of your HR responsibilities under one roof for your company. We have the HR experts who will keep your organization up to date with the latest regulations, making sure you and your workforce are protected. 

    GMS has you covered when it comes to areas like payroll, tax, human resources, risk management, benefits, and healthcare. We help you reduce costs, limit your business risk, and save time and money when it comes to HR administration. Contact GMS to see how we can help manage and benefit your organization!

  • Changes in healthcare are prompting many small business owners to rethink the role of employee benefits like health insurance at their companies. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, health insurance premiums are expected to rise by 6 percent in 2020, which can weigh heavily on your bottom line. Below, we explored some of the top health insurance trends that will impact small businesses and how you can adapt in the ever-changing benefits landscape.

     Small business health insurance is changing in 2019.

    Small Business Health Insurance Trends

    In order to stay competitive in an ever-tightening market, small business owners must develop savvy benefits strategies to attract and retain top talent. From trending workplace initiatives to increases to federal regulation changes, here’s how small business healthcare is changing in 2020.

    Increase Deductibles

    To combat rising premium costs, many small businesses are switching their insurance offerings to high deductible health plans (HDHPs). HDHPs can be paired with health savings accounts (HSAs), which allows employers to make tax-free contributions to their employees’ accounts and receive tax benefits. Additionally, the funds rollover every year, making them a great supplement for retirement savings accounts and an attractive employee benefit.  

    According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), 56 percent of employers offer HSAs as a benefit—a percentage that is expected to see rapid growth in the coming years. According to Devenir, HSAs have risen 12 percent year-over-year, with assets growing by 20 percent annually. The investment advisory and consulting firm projects that by the end of 2021, the HSA market will approach $88 billion in assets held by more than 30 million accounts.

    Prioritize Preventive Care

    With rising health care premiums, unhealthy habits can further drive up small business healthcare expenses. As a result, preventive care will become a larger priority for small business owners in the coming years.

    Already, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that almost half of U.S. businesses offer some type of wellness program. Moving beyond counting steps or logging water intake, initiatives like gym memberships, screening tests, and smoking cessation programs will be commonplace among small businesses in 2020. 

    Benefits PDF

    Offer Virtual Care

    Seeing a doctor in person can be inconvenient and costly when you factor in scheduling issues and co-pay fees. Many small businesses have found telemedicine, also referred to as telehealth or virtual care, to be a good solution. According to the National Business Group on Health, 56 percent of the companies surveyed currently offer telemedicine services to employees. NBGH projects nearly all companies offering group health care plans will also provide telemedicine by 2020.

    Telemedicine allows a patient to have a consultation with a medical provider via a computer, smart phone, or tablet. It’s an attractive benefit that allows patients to see a doctor around the clock, saving you and your employees time and money. In fact, insurance broker firm Willis Towers Watson found that employers could save up to $6 billion per year by providing telemedicine.

    Utilize Benefits Technology

    Small firms are increasingly looking to better utilize technology for help managing employee benefits. A Guardian Life Insurance study found that nearly half of all small businesses are more digital than paper-based—a percentage that will continue to grow as more business owners realize the low cost and high potential. 

    Migrating benefits administration to a web-based portal offers a simpler and more efficient way for employers to manage their back office in one place. In addition to managing benefits, small businesses can look to digitize payroll, employee reviews, timekeeping, PTO requests, and company communication.

    Improve Compliance

    As a small business owner, you know your employees, business, and industry like the back of your hand, yet when it comes to federal regulations, you’re likely left scratching your head. After all, it can be challenging for small businesses to stay up to speed on regulations and the changes made to them each year. 

    This past year was no exception, as we saw a few legal changes to health insurance. For businesses with at least 50 employees, business owners must offer the minimum essential health coverage that’s affordable or pay a penalty. In deciding whether to pay or play, keep in mind that penalties will increase by nearly 30 percent in 2020. 

    Outsource Benefits

    Managing healthcare is a timely chore for small business owners that takes them away from focusing on client relationships and workplace satisfaction. Perhaps that’s why so many small businesses have found that the best option is to outsource benefits management to a professional employer organization (PEO). 

    PEOs take on the responsibility of providing and managing things like health insurance, so employers can focus on growing their business. Not to mention, PEOs will also take on the regulatory liability of your employees, so small business owners can have better peace of mind. Working with a PEO also allows small business workers to gain access to big-business employee benefits like wellness programs and health, dental, life and other insurance offerings.

    Get Small Business Health Insurance

    With each passing year, healthcare will only become more complex. Small business owners will need greater support to navigate the changes and develop benefits strategies. 

    Group Management Services (GMS) provides a Master Health Plan, offering small business owners the best healthcare benefits at lower premium costs. We leverage our buying power through mass policies, so small businesses can purchase multiple policies like health, vision, dental and other types of supplemental insurance coverage. Additionally, GMS provides payroll and tax, human resources, and risk management services to further meet your small business needs. 

    Contact GMS today to talk with one of our experts about how your small business can offer quality health insurance at a lower cost.