Blog
-
New Year’s Resolutions That Stick | California Employee Benefits
February 13, 2019
Tags: Goals, Resolutions
Ever wonder why the resolutions you make in January don’t stick around after March? You aren’t alone! Studies show that only 8% of people keep their New Year’s resolutions. Only 8%! Why? And how do people achieve their goals set at New Year’s? We’ve broken it down for you so you can identify your goal-breaker as well as give you some tips on how to make those resolutions stick.There are three main reasons that New Year’s resolutions fail. The first goal-breaker is taking on too much (too big of a goal) and expecting it to happen too fast. Researchers have found that it takes 66 days to break a habit. That’s much higher than the previously published 21 days. It conversely means that it also takes 66 days to form a new habit. So, battle your goal-breaker by setting smaller goals and not expecting to master those resolutions by the end of the month.
The second reason you fail to keep your resolution is you don’t have anyone supporting you. This could be because you simply didn’t tell anyone that you have new life goals. It could also be due to fear of accountability. You need some life-cheerleaders that root you on to victory. These cheerleaders also call you out when you are riding off the tracks. Their support isn’t tied to your achievement of your goals but instead their support is firmly tied to you and they want to see you succeed.
The last goal-breaker is that you don’t believe in yourself! When you make New Year’s resolutions that are super unattainable, and then you fail, you doubt yourself. When this cycle persists, time and again, you fill your head up with negative thoughts and begin believing you aren’t capable of accomplishing anything. Self-doubt is powerful.
Now, let’s steer this ship back on course with some tips on KEEPING your New Year’s resolutions.
Remember that bigger isn’t always better.
Set your resolutions as small, attainable, goals. With those small goals, set realistic timelines to achieve them. Avoid “I want to run the Ironman by November” if you’ve never run more than 2 times a month. Set your goal as “I want to run a 5K by Christmas” and work towards increasing your endurance each week.
Reward yourself along the way.
If exercising is your goal, reward yourself with a trip to the movies if you go to the gym 3 times a week. When you look forward to rewards, and you feel like they are attainable, you are more likely to work hard to get them!
Tell others about your resolutions.
Finding an accountability partner helps keep your ship on course as they can encourage you for achievements as well as guide you back to the course when you start to stray.
Write your goals down on paper.
Identify your purpose.
Knowing your “WHAT” (goal) is important, but knowing “WHY” can be just as important when it comes to following through on your intentions. Why do you want to lose weight in 2019? When you put the why to the what, you are truly focused on what matters. “I want to lose weight so that I can play with my children without getting tired and show them that hard work is worth it.” Now, THAT’S a great goal.
Identifying goal-breakers and goal-makers are equally important pieces to achieving what you set out to accomplish, especially with regards to New Year’s resolutions. Make this the year your goals become reality by focusing on these five simple tips.
-
Proposed 2020 Benefit Payment and Parameters Rule | California Benefits Group
January 30, 2019
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule for benefit payment and parameters for 2020. CMS also released its draft 2020 actuarial value calculator and draft 2020 actuarial value calculator methodology.According to CMS, the proposed rule is intended to reduce fiscal and regulatory burdens associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) across different program areas and to provide stakeholders with greater flexibility.
Although the proposed rule would primarily affect the individual market and the Exchanges, the proposed rule addresses the following topics that may impact employer-sponsored group health plans:
- Changes related to prescription drug policy
- Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP)
- Prohibition against discrimination
- Maximum annual limitation on cost sharing for plan year 2020
- Cost-sharing requirements for generic drugs
- Cost-sharing requirements and drug manufacturers’ coupons
CMS usually finalizes its benefit payment and parameters rule in the first quarter of the year following the proposed rule’s release. February 19, 2019 is the due date for public comments on the proposed rule.
The 2020 open enrollment period will run from November 1, 2019, to December 15, 2019.
by Karen Hsu
Originally posted on UBABenefits.com -
Attitude of Gratitude | CA Benefits Agency
January 23, 2019
Tags: Gratitude, Motivation
Having a grateful heart impacts more than just you! When you express your gratitude to others, it becomes a ripple effect and extends further than you can imagine. Watch this video to learn how to say “thank you” to others!
-
Gen Z is Coming. Is Your Workplace Ready? | Petaluma Employee Benefits
January 17, 2019
Tags: Generation Z, Generational Differences
While it may feel like businesses are still reeling from adapting to the working millennial, the next generation is already knocking on the HR door. The Society for Human Resource Management went straight to a 16-year old source to see what is on the workplace horizon.Here are a few trends and some potential takeaways for employers.
Gen Z is competitive, raised on more pervasive youth sports and regularly reminded just how hard it is to get into elite colleges. These go-getters are used to immediate feedback. HR departments will be wise to consider how to offer quality, actionable feedback to these employees. On the one hand, rigorous coaching and parent investment means Gen Z can take tips on how to improve and even handle tough criticism, something millennials are seen to struggle with. Even better, the competitive nature of Gen Z will make them want to work to succeed. To support these employees, meaningful, regular feedback will be necessary. Now is a good time to start creating the plans for the systems and processes that will offer performance reviews, project critiques, and more. Workers who appreciate structure and goals are great for business, but HR will also need to protect young workers from burnout as they attempt to succeed and even overachieve in their first years working.
As children of Gen Xers, Gen Z reflects their parents’ skepticism and individualism. This is a marked shift from the idealism and collaborative approach of millennials. The tight labor markets of recent times have meant concerted efforts to court millennials. Current trends toward open office plans, casual environments, and cross-discipline teams may need to be refined as these two generations being to mix around the water cooler. The group project mentality of millennials is more the one-person show of Gen Z. Neither worldview is inherently better, but helping the youngest workers work well with others will be important to integrating them into successful teams and preventing conflict. Offering mentoring opportunities, which provide meaning for experienced millennials and feedback to improvement-hungry Gen Z may be one idea. At the same time, ensuring there are ample opportunities to shine as individuals will tap into Gen Z’s potential and enthusiasm.
While they hope their jobs are engaging, this generation is seen as more pragmatic and fiscally conservative. They want to feel on solid financial footing even more than they want to feel good about their work. For the future of employee benefits and perks, it may be a dollars and cents approach which lures the most attractive young workers rather than bringing a dog to work or culture-building elements like foosball or ping pong.
Whether we’re ready or not, Gen Z is coming. Paying attention to generation shifts may leave employers eager but feeling overwhelmed to keep up. Not everything needs to change, and you may just find some changes are good for everyone. Find ways to adapt what’s already working for your company, adjust what can be adjusted to appeal to new workers, and be ready to implement new ideas that just may help your entire workforce, too.
by Bill Olson
Originally posted on UBABenefits.com -
5 Ways to Say Thank You | CA Insurance Benefits Firm
January 9, 2019
Tags: Gratitude
As we begin our new year of 2019, we have also closed 2018 with lots of celebrations, gift-giving, and family time. Showing appreciation for others during this generous season comes second nature for some but for others, it doesn’t. You may be looking for ideas on how to express your gratitude effectively to those around you and so we’ve compiled a list of five unique ways to say “thank you” to someone.
WRITE IT OUT
Receiving a handwritten note is a rare occurrence in this day. Speaking or emailing a thank you is more common and does effectively communicate the gratitude of the sender. However, the spirit of gratefulness that is communicated by sitting down and taking pen to paper to express your thankfulness for the act or gift received, is a bonus to the note receiver. Take the extra time to write out that thank you.
PHONE A FRIEND
In a day and age of emails and texts and social media, we rarely get phone calls from people who aren’t asking for something—billing issues, appointment reminders, robo-calls. Even if the person on the other end of the call doesn’t pick up, leave that voicemail telling them thank you for their thoughtfulness for the gift you received. Be specific and mention the gift by name and what it meant to receive it. That phone call may be the brightest part of their day!
SAY IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We spend more time scrolling through social media than we do having face-to-face contact with people. Instead of getting caught up in a heated debate on NextDoor, take a few minutes to write on a friend’s wall to tell them thank you. It’s refreshing to see gratitude on display instead of incivility. And it’s always nice to see your friends get noticed for kindness!
FLASH A SMILE
The look of surprise on someone’s face is sometimes the greatest thank you that you can receive! The age old saying of “your face says it all” is true. When you open that gift and you can tell that the giver spent time thinking of the perfect thing to give you, look up and give them the thank you of a smile!
PAY IT FORWARD
Were you bowled over by the thoughtfulness of a gift or act? A beautiful way to show your gratefulness is to pay it forward. Buy the coffee of the person behind you in line. Say three nice things to strangers on the way in to your office. Tell your child a character quality you see in them that is fabulous. While this act of gratitude may mean that the original giver never knows about the ripple effect of their gift, you will, and hopefully that ripple is carried on and on and on.
These acts of gratitude are simple, effective, and most of all, meaningful. Take the time to say thank you!
-
3 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Health Insurance Plan for Your Employees
January 3, 2019
The changing business landscape is redefining the role of employers every day. Gone are the days when it was a blasphemy for employees to expect anything more than getting paid for the job done. The modern employee expects their employer to play an active role in securing their future. One of the ways in which businesses all over the world are responding to this demand is by offering health insurance to their employees. When it comes to choosing a plan for your employees, you will be spoilt for choice. Over the years, many providers have come up with numerous health insurance plans to meet the various needs of their target audience. While a specific plan may work for another business, it may fall flat in your case. To help, we provide a few tips that you should consider when choosing an employee benefits health insurance plan in Sonoma County.
1. Learn About your Options
Employee health plans can be broadly categorized into three groups: defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, and professional employer organizations. Defined benefit plans are an employer-provided healthcare, wherein the employees can only avail the services within their employer’s network. Defined contribution plans empower employees to choose their plan. If none of these plans work for you, consider getting into an agreement with a professional employer organization (PEO) that will provide benefits to your employees on your behalf.
2. Learn About your Competitors’ Offerings
Providing in-demand benefits can help you stand out from the crowd, which is one of the most important commandments to attract and retain the right talent. When selecting a health insurance plan, learn about what your competitors are offering. Based on your findings, try to match or surpass competition.
3. Find Out the Premiums, Deductibles, and Out- of- Pocket Maximums
Steer clear of insurance plans that you or your employees cannot afford. The premium cost will be shared by you and your employees, which is why it is important that you look for a plan that provides affordable coverage. Make sure the cost to your employees does not exceed 9.5 percent of their household income. Additionally, to ensure your employees’ total cost does not exceeds their budget, look for plans with lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
Consider these tips when picking the right insurance plan for your employees. If you are experiencing problems navigating the benefits landscape, Arrow Benefits Group will be happy to help. As a reputable benefits consulting firm, we have taken upon us to help businesses streamline their benefits programs. To discuss your requirements, call 707-992-3780 or to schedule an appointment, fill out our contact form.
