ASHHRA Health and Wellness Pulse

Dan Cook, BenefitsPro
The good news for human resources people who send out communiqués to employees: They are reading it.

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/11/10/hr-communications-falls-short?t=c-suite to view the full article online.

Jack Craver, Benefitspro
Millennials don’t work just for money. They also like doing things they believe in. That’s according to a new report from Virgin Pulse which surveyed over 1,000 full-time millennial employees to get a sense of what they’re looking for in a job.

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/11/03/work-culture-trumps-benefits-for-millennials?t=employer-paid to view the full article online.

Matt Straz, Entrepreneur
From smartphone apps to television schedules, it seems everything today can be customized to fit the needs of individuals.

Visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/252476 to view the full article online.

World at Work
Many of today's employee assistance programs (EAPs) were created in the 1990s. It may be time to revisit this workplace benefit and determine whether it's braced to address the challenges of the workplace of 2020.

Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=79307 to view the full article online.

Niall McCarthy, Forbes
When it comes to workplace benefits and perks, what tops your list? Some employees enjoy target-based cash bonuses while others cherish the freedom of flexible working hours.

Visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2015/11/12/which-work-benefits-do-millennials-value-most-infographic/ to view the full article online.

Scott Wooldridge, BenefitsPro
In the Oct. 13 Democratic presidential debate, the party’s front-runner, Hillary Clinton, was interrupted with applause only once during her opening statement, when she said, "I believe in equal pay for equal work for women, but I also believe it's about time we had paid family leave for American families and join the rest of the world."

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/11/09/paid-family-leave-becoming-hot-political-topic?t=employer-paid to view the full article online.

World at Work
Americans may put urgent financial goals – like a secure retirement – high on their priorities list, but their attitudes and behaviors regarding money aren't necessarily aligned with their intentions.

Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=79283 to view the full article online.

World at Work
Two-thirds of U.S. workers (66 percent) report satisfaction with current health coverage available to them, yet concern about the future affordability of those benefits is rising dramatically.

Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=79308 to view the full article online.

Rebecca Greenfield, Benefitspro
To boost its bottom line, Sprint decided last week to end the era of free office snacks for its employees.

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/11/09/why-getting-rid-of-free-office-snacks-doesnt-come?t=c-suite to view the full article online.

Robert W. Jacob and Michelle Martin, Employee Benefit News
Today, cancer is one of the most prevalent health conditions in the U.S. and a leading cause of disability in the workplace.

Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/health-care/how-to-build-an-effective-workplace-cancer-support-program-2747678-1.html to view the full article online.

David Streitfeld, The New York Times
Amazon, which prides itself on being surprising, is doing two predictably unpredictable things this week.

Visit http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/technology/amazon-adds-new-perks-for-workers-and-opens-a-bookstore.html?_r=0 to view the full article online.

Marlene Y. Satter, BenefitsPro
GenXers think we’re in the midst of a retirement crisis. But that doesn’t mean they’re taking action to protect their own interests.

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/11/16/most-gen-xers-paralyzed-by-retirement-fears?ref=hp-news to view the full article online.

World at Work
While the majority of Millennials are saving for retirement, it doesn't necessarily mean they're on track to enjoy a financially secure retirement.

Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=79294 to view the full article online.

Emily Brandon, U.S. News & World Report
While a new type of retirement account will emerge, several Social Security claiming options will soon disappear.

Visit http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2015/11/16/how-retirement-benefits-will-change-in-2016 to view the full article online.

Anne Fisher, Fortune
Wellness programs may ‘require’ you to sign up, but worker privacy is their key mandate.

Visit http://fortune.com/2015/11/09/wellness-programs/ to view the full article online.

Brian Gifford, PhD, Employee Benefit News
Let’s start with the obvious: Employees create value by applying their training, experience and talents towards the company’s goals. That’s why they are hired in the first place.

Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/blog/ebviews/how-to-demonstrate-the-value-of-a-healthy-workforce-2747707-1.html to view the full article online.

Meghan M. Biro, Forbes
Here’s an idea for cutting edge talent management: Workplace wellness programs. Implemented well, they’re mutual ROI meets wearable tech meets a deep level of employee engagement that reflects beautifully on employer brand.

Visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2015/11/13/4-ways-to-make-workplace-wellness-a-culture-win/ to view the full article online.

Eryc Eyl, Huffington Post
Call it an occupational hazard, but I often find myself having conversations – with clients, with friends, with family, and with strangers on airplanes – about work-life balance. Most folks I talk to seem to believe it's impossible.

Visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eryc-eyl/work-vs-life-balance-integration-and-alignment_b_8506482.html to view the full article online.

CNN Money
Research from Kelly Services® finds that in this era of talent supply chain management, talent has a choice of where and how to work. And the best talent is looking for greater control and ownership over work-life design – the seamless integration of work and life – as evidenced by the 31 percent of global workers who choose flexible work styles over traditional employment arrangements.

Visit http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/1230855.htm to view the full article online.

William Craig, Fortune
Early in my career, I learned that being successful at your job – whether as an employee or as the CEO of your own company – doesn’t have to mean isolating work from the rest of your life.

Visit http://fortune.com/2015/10/31/manager-boost-employee-happiness/ to view the full article online.

World at Work
With 56 percent of employees saying they are experiencing high stress levels accompanied by extreme fatigue and feeling out of control, there has been an increase in resiliency training programs in the workplace.

Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/adimLink?id=79320 to view the full article online.

Seth Porges, BenefitsPro
Headphones at work are more than just a universal "Do Not Disturb" sign: They’re a must-have accessory for those squeezing as much productivity as possible out of the day.

Visit http://www.benefitspro.com/2015/10/20/employers-please-dont-ban-headphones?t=c-suite to view the full article online.

David Grauwiler, Good Men Project
In my role as executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Alberta, I am approached from time to time to answer questions posed by a reporter. The questions posed can tell us a lot about stigma and the slow progress we are making in addressing mental health in the work place.

Visit http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/mental-health-at-work-your-questions-answered-snsw/ to view the full article online.

Karen Handmaker, Healthcare IT News
The rise of population health management in recent years has been one of the most significant strategic shifts in the healthcare industry.

Visit http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/population-health-done-three-ways to view the full article online.

Ilene MacDonald, FierceHealthcare
Efforts to better manage the health of patient populations are paying off for organizations in the form of reduced costs, better patient outcomes and improved health within the community, according to Healthcare IT News.

Visit http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/how-3-organizations-manage-population-health/2015-11-05 to view the full article online.

Jonathan Bees, HealthLeaders magazine
While leaders recognize the value of a new health care model, they are still early in forming strategies and making investments.

Visit http://healthleadersmedia.com/page-1/QUA-321928/Intelligence-ReportThe-Population-Health-Commitment to view the full article online.

Employee Benefit News
Insufficient sleep is a public health problem, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, with some estimates pegging the economic cost for employers in the billions.

Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/gallery/ebn/sleep-deprivation-what-it-costs-employers-and-how-to-combat-its-effects-2747710-1.html to view the full article online.

Kathryn Roberts, The National
Your shoulders ache, your head pounds and crashing on the sofa after a long day in the office is the only thing for which you can muster any enthusiasm.

Visit http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life/well-being/working-hard-to-feel-better-the-importance-of-corporate-wellness to view the full article online.

Jamie Carter, Tech Radar.pro
Wearables are everywhere, and they're beginning to cover everything from the wearers' exact location and physical activity to their heartbeat and sleep patterns.

Visit http://www.techradar.com/news/wearables/are-wearables-at-work-a-risky-business--1308722 to view the full article online.