In the September 2019 issue Global Employee Benefits at Gallagher, Interview – Leslie Lemenager and LeAnne Stefl Global Business Travel Insurance by Albatros – Dr. Tobias Winkler, Marcel Petschek 2019 Transatlantic Conference Report The History of Pooling at Generali – Marc Reinhardt, Andrea Valacchi, Thierry Mestach

In the July 2019 issue Leena Johns MD on Workplace Culture – Dr. Leena Johns Protecting Employees on The Move – Andy Wood R&D: Long Hours Increase Chances of A Stroke – Libby Sander R&D: Salt, China’s Deadly Food Habit – Monique Tan R&D: Body Organs Most at Risk During A Heatwave – Pieter Vancamp R&D: The Toll of Zero-Hour Contracts  – Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Janet Barlow The UK

The number of workers on zero-hours contracts continues to rise in the UK. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that between October and December 2018 there were between 777,000 and 911,000 people working on zero-hours contracts. But the impact of such contracts seems to be underestimated by the government.

In June 2019, much of Europe was struck by early heatwave, with temperatures reaching nearly 46 Centigrade (115 Fahrenheit) in France, an all-time record. A heat wave is characterised by extremely high temperatures over the course of several days and nights. They have significant impact on our daily lives – we feel overheated and tired. When a heat wave strikes, many governments activate a “heat action plan”, advising those affected to drink water, avoid strenuous exercise, and stay cool. If not, one risks having a heat stroke, which can be potentially life-threatening.

People in China have used salt to prepare and preserve food for thousands of years. But consuming lots of salt raises blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attack and stroke, now accounts for 40% of deaths in China.

Why should employers look to create a positive workplace culture? We sat down with Dr Leena Johns, Head of Health & Wellness at MAXIS Global Benefits Network, to discuss the, often unseen, impact of workplace culture on the productivity and health of employees.

Australia is in the bottom third of OECD countries when it comes to working long hours, with 13% of us clocking up 50 hours or more a week in paid work. These long hours are bad for our health. A new study from France has found that regularly working long days of ten hours or more increases our risk of having a stroke.

In our previous article* we saw how the growth and geographical expansion of multinationals is leading to increasing international mobility, and new challenges for the HR function. Now we’ll look at the issues surrounding a specific area of benefit provision – group life and disability cover – and discuss the range of solutions available.

Every year in April the two most important surveys for the Group Risk industry come out: Swiss Re’s ‘Group Watch’ shows how the Group Risk market is performing which informs insurers; while the GRID claims statistics survey shows how the Group Risk industry is performing from an adviser, employer and employee perspective.

Leena Johns on Workplace Culture – Protecting Employees on The Move – The UK Group Risk Market in 2018 – Long Hours Increase Chances of A Stroke – Salt, China’s Deadly Food Habit – Body Organs Most at Risk During A Heatwave – The Toll of Zero-Hour Contracts

In the June 2019 issue An Interview with IEBA’s New Chairman Norman Dreger R&D: Ultra-Processed Food Causes Weight Gain – Richard Hoffmann R&D: A Walk on The Beach for Good Health – Jay Maddock R&D: Perks Are Used to Control Your Life – Elizabeth C. Tippett R&D: Brain Over Body: How Psychology Influences Physiology – Vaibhav Diwadkar, Otto Muzik R&D: Robotic Health Care Is Coming to A Hospital Near

Global Benefits Vision: What is IEBA’s mission in the global employee-benefits industry historically and what is it today? Norman Dreger: IEBA is the world’s leading association providing education, information and professional development opportunities in the constantly evolving world of International Employee Benefits, with more than 800 members worldwide. In addition to the development of the International Diploma and the Certified Practitioner Accreditation, our objectives include facilitating the exchange of information between

Medical robots are helping doctors and other professionals save time, lower costs and shorten patient recovery times, but patients may not be ready. Our research into human perceptions of automated health care finds that people are wary of getting their health care from an automated system, but that they can adjust to the idea – especially if it saves them money.

There are people who show incredible resistance to extremes of temperature. Think of Buddhist monks who can calmly withstand being draped in freezing towels or the so-called “Iceman” Wim Hof, who can remain submerged in ice water for long periods of time without trouble. These people tend to be viewed as superhuman or special in some way. If they truly are, then their feats are simply entertaining but irrelevant vaudevillian acts. What if they’re not freaks, though, but have trained their brains and bodies with selfmodification techniques that give them cold resistance? Could anyone do the same?

Companies offer all sorts of benefits and extras to attract the most favored workers, from health care and stock options to free food. But all those perks come at a price: your freedom. There’s a reason labor historians call these perks “welfare capitalism,” a term that originated to describe company towns and their subsidized housing, free classes and recreational activities. Like government welfare, offering any benefits that people come to rely on is also a convenient vehicle to mold their behavior.

Taking a walk on a wooded path, spending an afternoon in a public park, harvesting your backyard garden and even looking at beautiful pictures of Hawaii can all make us feel good. Certainly, for many of us, it’s beneficial to have time outside in natural environments. Being cooped up inside can feel unnatural and increase our desire to get outside. The renowned biologist E.O. Wilson created a theory called the biophilia hypothesis, where he stated that people have an innate relationship to nature.

We know we should eat less junk food, such as crisps, industrially made pizzas and sugar-sweetened drinks, because of their high calorie content. These “ultraprocessed” foods, as they are now called by nutritionists, are high in sugar and fat, but is that the only reason they cause weight gain? An important new trial from the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) shows there’s a lot more at work here than calories alone.

An Interview with IEBA’s New Chairman Norman Dreger – R&D: Ultra-Processed Food Causes Weight Gain – R&D: A Walk on The Beach for Good Health – R&D: Perks Are Used to Control Your Life – R&D: Brain Over Body: How Psychology Influences Physiology – R&D: Robotic Health Care Is Coming to A Hospital Near You –

As experts in your field, we would appreciate two minutes of your valuable time to answer ten questions to help us best serve our industry, and set the future direction of our GBV magazine +website. For our appreciation of completing the survey, we are offering a one-month, free subcription to GBV magazine and all back issues. Please note your coupon code at the end of the survey and click

As experts in your field, we would appreciate two minutes of your valuable time to answer ten questions to help us best serve our industry, and set the future direction of our GBV magazine +website. For our appreciation of completing the survey, we are offering a one-month, free subcription to GBV magazine and all back issues. Please note your coupon code at the end of the survey and click

In the May 2019 issue Fulfilling the diversity of employee needs: are cafeteria-style benefits plans the future? – Olivia Dunn R&D: The Legal Profession Has A Mental Health Problem – Neil Graffin, Emma Jones, Mathijs Lucassen, Rajvinder Samra R&D: The Opioid Crisis Is Not About Pain – David Walton R&D: Using Painkillers for Emotional Relief – Kev Dertadian R&D: Feel Like Time Is Flying? How to Slow It Down

Fulfilling the diversity of employee needs: are cafeteria-style benefits plans the future? The Legal Profession Has A Mental Health Problem The Opioid Crisis Is Not About Pain Using Painkillers for Emotional Relief Feel Like Time Is Flying? How to Slow It Down Out of Shape? How to Start Exercising Simple Steps to Keep You Safe from Malaria Parkinson’s: Four Unusual Signs You May Be at Risk

As experts in your field, we would appreciate two minutes of your valuable time to answer ten questions to help us best serve our industry, and set the future direction of our GBV magazine +website. For our appreciation of completing the survey, we are offering a one-month, free subcription to GBV magazine and all back issues. Please note your coupon code at the end of the survey and click

Diverse Approaches to International Employee Benefits – Productivity: a UK Challenge Which Insurers Can Help With – Light Physical Activity Has Health Benefits – Six Questions to Ask to Help Screen For Suicide Risk – How US Policy Is Shifting Toward Nutrition for Better Health – Pancreatic Cancer: Possible Insights into Treatment and Early Detection – Providing Equity Income to Mobile Employees

In the April 2019 issue Diverse Approaches to International Employee Benefits – Andrew Wood Productivity: a UK Challenge Which Insurers Can Help With – Paul Avis Light Physical Activity Has Health Benefits – Richard Metcalfe Six Questions to Ask to Help Screen For Suicide Risk – Andres Pumariega How US Policy Is Shifting Toward Nutrition for Better Health – Dariush Mozaffarian, Jerold Mande, Renata Micha Pancreatic Cancer: Possible Insights

In the March 2019 issue Retire Vitally Conference Report eHealth & Prevention Programs – Dejan Malesic Work in the ‘Gig Economy’: A Meaningful Relationship? – Geneviève Shanahan, Mark Smith Seeing the Light: Using Light Intake to Boost Workplace Productivity – Hugo Starrsjo, Shira Jeczmien Inside the Ransom Business: Why Kidnapping Rarely Pays – Anja Shortland The Changing Landscape of Employee Benefits in India – WBN Series – Alda Dhingra Talent Management in South Asia – Ruchika Pal Interview – AEIP Secretary General Bruno Gabellieri

In the March 2019 issue Retire Vitally Conference Report eHealth & Prevention Programs – Dejan Malesic Work in the ‘Gig Economy’: A Meaningful Relationship? – Geneviève Shanahan, Mark Smith Seeing the Light: Using Light Intake to Boost Workplace Productivity – Hugo Starrsjo, Shira Jeczmien Inside the Ransom Business: Why Kidnapping Rarely Pays – Anja Shortland The Changing Landscape of Employee Benefits in India – WBN Series – Alda Dhingra