Benefits Buzz

When we conducted a survey among our participants and asked them what benefit they’d like to learn more about, pet insurance received the third-most responses. Recognizing the importance of pets in employees' lives, companies that implement pet-friendly policies and benefits foster a stronger bond between their staff and the organization. Additionally, pet-friendly initiatives can attract and retain talented individuals who appreciate the flexibility and understanding shown by their employer. Bridgit Moszer, Regional Sales Director, Direct Sales, at WEX and Jessica Shawn, Sr. Manager, HR Business Partner, at WEX join us to talk about the importance of pet-friendly policies and benefits in the workplace.

Employee surveys are an essential tool for organizations to gauge employee engagement and gain valuable insights into their workforce. By gathering feedback from employees through surveys, companies can assess various aspects of the work environment, including job satisfaction, work-life balance, and employee benefits experience. Melanie Tinto, chief human resources officer here at WEX, joins us to talk about how you can level up from basic engagement surveys to a comprehensive employee listening program.

HR plays a crucial role in onboarding remote and hybrid employees, ensuring a smooth and successful integration into the organization. HR teams need to design and implement a tailored onboarding process that addresses the unique challenges and needs of remote and hybrid work environments. Hannah Jabar, talent acquisition program manager at WEX and Justine Thompson, talent acquisition manager at WEX join us to share their tips on onboarding remote/hybrid employees.

What is an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and why is it so important for your company? Sherry Olson, vice president of global employee experience at WEX, joins us to discuss her experience with launching a new EVP at WEX, her tips and tricks she learned along the way, and the importance of an EVP when it comes to recruiting and retaining valuable employees.

HSAs offer an excellent opportunity for participants to save money on healthcare expenses and for employers to support their employees’ wellness needs in a cost-efficient way. But it’s important to remember that there are HSA rules and regulations you and your employees need to follow in order to stay compliant. Join us as we talk with Jason Cook, Vice President of Healthcare Emerging Markets at WEX, about HSA rules for employees, designing an HSA program, and how to keep HSAs exempt from ERISA.

Now that a new benefits plan year is underway, it's time to shift participants from how to "choose" their benefits to how they "use" their benefits to ensure a positive experience. We’re opening Season 6 of our Benefits Buzz podcast with a webinar recording hosted by our new Benefits Buzz host Nathan Coverstone. Our guests share tips and best practices to help you best support your employees in the new plan year.

Benefits decision-making can be a daunting task for employees during open enrollment season. And our current inflation rates make these decisions even more important. What can HR leaders and employers do to ease some of this stress and make open enrollment a positive experience for employees? How can you prepare and educate your employees about the benefits you’re offering? We talk with Liz Hill, account executive at WEX, on ways you can improve your employee benefits experience this open enrollment season.

A pandemic. The Great Resignation. Flexible work arrangements. Employee wellness. The last two-plus years have increased the demand for talent acquisition and transformed what employees are looking for from their employers. What has changed? And how should you be changing your approach to hiring in today’s environment? We sit down with our global head of talent acquisition to discuss these issues and so much more.

Last week, we shared the story of one family that leaned on their health savings account (HSA) when surprising expenses came up. Today, as part of our open enrollment series, we asked another WEXer to join us to talk about how he takes an investment-heavy approach with his HSA funds. You’ll be amazed by the results he’s experienced by investing his HSA funds over the long haul.

What are the trending topics our partners and their audiences care about in the world of employee benefits? Chris Byrd and our panelists share their insight and perspective on a wide range of trends surrounding employee wellness, market trends, and more! This episode was recorded live from WEX SPARK 2022 in Hollywood, Fla.

The time is now to celebrate your employees. With so much change in how we work, where we work, and who we work for, developing an employee recognition program is vital to supporting and retaining employees. And when it comes from the top of the organization, even better! WEX Chair and CEO Melissa Smith is here to tell you about the impact reimagining employee recognition can have on your business or organization.

With employees leaving their jobs in record numbers, HR professionals are looking for ways to stay informed on their employees’ needs so they can better support them. One way they’re learning more is through people analytics. With this data, HR leaders can make informed decisions that lead to higher employer retention rates, reduced bias in the workplace, and improved employee wellbeing. Our own Melanie Tinto talks through her experience with people analytics, including the capabilities, learnings, and other considerations.

Open enrollment might be the biggest moment on the benefits calendar year. How soon are you letting employees know it’s coming? And how can you get their attention early so they research now and save later? We talk with our own Steve Carroll, who will share his suggestions on building a year-round benefits communication plan to prepare for open enrollment.

You can learn about your workplace culture through exit interviews, but your active employees might provide even more valuable insight. WEX recently started conducting “stay interviews” to learn why employees keep working here. What was the motivation behind it? And how do they work? Chelsie Camp from our HR team joins us to provide you with potentially another way to collect employee feedback.

There’s a common story in HR. You wear a lot of hats and those hats come with a lot of questions. Recruiter, therapist, referee, party planner, and benefits guru. Need we say more?

Education is your ticket to fewer emails, IMs, and knocks at your door. The more employees understand their benefits, the more quiet time for you. HSA Day is a day to learn. Let’s change the HR story.

Get everything you need for HSA Day at https://www.wexbenefitsyou.com/hsaday/

This is a time of change for employee benefits. Mental health is getting much-needed attention. And with more employees working from home, inside-the-office games and events are no longer appealing. Employers are needing more flexibility in how they address benefits and employee wellness. Lifestyle spending accounts and wellness HRAs are two options employers can turn to. But which is the right one for you? We’ll break down these two accounts.

The last 18 months have been unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. For our human resources listeners, it’s required you to be nimble and flexible in responding to dramatic changes to your employees’ needs. But with more changes this year as employees return to the office and with employment demand seemingly outweighing supply in many industries, this could be your most open enrollment period ever. Why? Find out in this episode of Benefits Buzz.

You’ve probably been here before … an employee asks you, “When is our open enrollment?” or “Is our office closed to celebrate the upcoming holiday?” even though your HR team has already sent multiple emails to employees with these answers. How can you better get your employees’ attention when communicating important information? Two of our communication experts share their advice.