Talking Benefits

This week, we focus on this years theme for National Employee Benefits Day, which is addressing loneliness in the workplace and what employers can do to help. Visit www.ifebp.org/benefitsday for more information about the best day of the year!

We dive into the many options and why employers may want to consider offering benefits for family-forming services like IFV, egg harvesting, egg and sperm freezing, surrogacy, etc.

Artificial Intelligence seems to be taking the world by storm, but can it be applied to employee benefits? We dive into how this new technology can help benefits professionals and when they should be cautious. This episode is an audio read of a Word on Benefits blog post. Read the post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/three-ways-to-use-ai-in-employee-benefits/

In what has become a Talking Benefits tradition, we're recapping all the big benefits news from 2023 in this last episode of the year. Here are links to all of the International Foundation content we mention in this episode: 2022 Employee Benefits Survey results https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Workplace Mental Health Toolkit http://www.ifebp.org/mentalhealth Webcast on menopause benefits https://www.ifebp.org/education/webcasts/Pages/webcast-ind.aspx?wcode=23T34&wname=the-next-stage-level-up-by-adding-menopause-benefits-as-a-creative-solution-to-positively-impact-your-organization Blog post on Surrogacy Reimbursement programs http://blog.ifebp.org/inclusive-family-forming-benefits-surrogacy-reimbursement-programs/ Blog post on addressing mental health in the workplace https://blog.ifebp.org/six-steps-to-addressing-mental-health-in-the-workplace/

Talking Benefits producer, Stacy Van Alstyne, shares her recent Word on Benefits blog post on the best practices in addressing mental health in the workplace. You can read Stacy's blog post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/six-steps-to-addressing-mental-health-in-the-workplace/ The International Foundation's Word on Benefits blog has many other great posts on a bevy of benefits topics: https://blog.ifebp.org/ Check out the Mental Health Survey Stacy mentioned in this episode. https://www.ifebp.org/store/Pages/Mental-Health-Survey-2021.aspx International Foundation members get free access to this and dozens more of the Foundation's research reports. Explore membership here: https://www.ifebp.org/Membership/Benefits/Pages/default.aspx

Caregiving, whether it be for children or older relatives, can impact employees' retirement security long into their golden years. In this episode, we talk with Craig Copeland, Ph.D. from the Employee Benefit Research Institute on how caregiving affects employees, who it affects, how it affects the broader economy and how employers can help.

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool, is making headlines. But, does it have any place in the employee benefits industry? We talked to some human experts to find out. Read Kathy's post and many other great blog posts on the International Foundation's Word on Benefits Blog: https://blog.ifebp.org/

More and more states are stepping up to fill the savings gap for individuals who don't have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. In this episode we talk to Christine Cheng, Director of the Illinois SECURE CHOICE program on how Illinois employers fit into the program, and Kim Olson, Senior Officer on the Retirement Savings Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts on what the data tells us about these types of programs.

Employee Benefits are an important part of life in any galaxy. In what has become a sort of Talking Benefits tradition, we're celebrating Star Wars Day with an imagining of the inner workings of benefits administration in a galaxy far, far away. As it turns out, it can be a bit tricky when your participants are separated by several light years or frozen in carbonite. This bonus episode is a reading of a Word on Benefits blog post. You can read it and many other great benefits blog posts here: https://blog.ifebp.org/

In this episode we're talking financial well-being with two staffers from the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on how your employees' finances can impact your organization and how employers can help their employees become more financially secure. Check out the CFPB resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/financial-well-being-resources/ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/financial-well-being/ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/financial-well-being-resources/measure-and-score/

Could education benefits help your organization recruit and retain talent? In this episode we'll school you on the various options available to employers in this area. (see what we did there?) Check out the items mentioned in this episode: Student loan benefits pulse survey: https://ifebp.org/store/Pages/student-loan-survey.aspx 2022 Employee Benefits survey results: https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Other great research resources from the International Foundation: https://www.ifebp.org/Resources/Research/Pages/default.aspx Learn more about National Employee Benefits Day: https://www.ifebp.org/AboutUs/NEBD/Pages/default.aspx Best practices for student loan match benefit implementation: https://www.plansponsor.com/student-loan-match-can-start-one/

Host Anne shares a blog she wrote on the uptick of employers offering fertility and family forming benefits in order to attract and retain talent. Read this blog post in full here: https://blog.ifebp.org/fertility-benefits-rapidly-rising-as-employers-look-to-attract-and-support-talent/ Check out the results of the 2022 Employee Benefits Survey discussed in this episode here: https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Read all the other great Word on Benefits blog posts here: https://blog.ifebp.org/

We're diving into the Secure Act 2.0 and what it means for employer and plan sponsors. Read the blog post that inspired this episode here: https://blog.ifebp.org/what-plan-sponsors-need-to-know-after-the-passage-of-secure-2-0-act-of-2022/ Stay up-to-date with the International Foundation's Secure Act 2.0 webpage: https://www.ifebp.org/Resources/benefits-transition-tracker/Pages/secure-act.aspx Check out the Senate summary of the bill here: https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Secure%202.0_Section%20by%20Section%20Summary%2012-19-22%20FINAL.pdf

Another year is coming to an end and we reflect on all that has happened in the benefits industry in 2022 with a Charles Dickens twist. You'll hear the tale of Ebenefits Scrooge and the ghosts of Benefits Past, Present and Future! Check out links to the items we discussed in this episode: https://www.ifebp.org/Resources/Pages/dobbs-decision.aspx https://blog.ifebp.org/inflation-reduction-act-6-health-care-provisions-plan-sponsors-should-know-about/ https://blog.ifebp.org/five-critical-components-of-a-cybersecurity-compliance-review/

The workplace landscape is still evolving in the wake of the pandemic. In this episode we dive into how organizations are reacting to workplace changes and reflecting them in their annual salary increases and total rewards packages. Check out the survey featured in this episode here: https://www.ifebp.org/salaryTR Read the blog post we based this episode on here: https://blog.ifebp.org/68-of-employers-are-planning-salary-increases-for-2023/ And check out all of the International Foundation's great research here: https://www.ifebp.org/research

If your organization is thinking about switching from a traditional vacation plan to unlimited vacation there are a lot of things to consider. In this episode we chat with Kristine Karnath of Moog on how and why her company made the switch and potential pitfalls to avoid. For more information, watch to the International Foundation webcast Kristine was featured in here: https://www.ifebp.org/education/webcasts/Pages/webcast-ind.aspx?wcode=22T09&wname=unlimited-paid-time-off-will-it-work-for-your-organization International Foundation members can watch all of our webcasts for FREE! Get more information on International Foundation membership here: http://www.ifebp.org/membership

The recent ups and downs of the stock market and the economy can be dizzying. In this episode, we talk to an investments guru on what plan sponsors can do to ensure their pension plans are in a good funding position and how employers can communicate to their retirement plan participants during this tumultuous economic time.

Over one in four employers is exploring the expansion of covered abortion services, according to a new report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. In this bonus epsiode we delve into the Post-Dobbs Employer Coverage: July 2022 Pulse Survey, which revealed current abortion coverage offerings and future considerations. For more info check out www.ifebp.org/dobbsimpact. Read this blog post and other great posts at blog.ifebp.org Join us at the International Foundation's Annual Employee Benefits Conference to hear the latest on how this Supreme Court decision is impacting benefit plans. Register today: www.ifeb.org/usannual

When we talk about the relationship between work and family, many think about the struggles of working mothers. But, fathers face many of the same issues when trying to strike a balance between family and career. In this episode we talk to Dr. Brad Harrington of the Boston College Center for Work and Family on his recent research in the area and how employers can help dads. As mentioned in this episode, you can learn more about Dr. Harrington's research at www.bc.edu/cwf

In this episode we chat with Alex Willis, CEO of LeadershipSurge about returning to the office and how remote and hybrid work arrangements will shape the future of our office teams and collaboration.