New research in the UK from MetLife Employee Benefits shows the number of British workers who value their employee benefits has surged to 55% in the past two years, but employers need to work harder to increase trust among their employees. MetLife’s research shows that rising uncertainty in the job market and the wider economy is increasing employees’ interest in benefits: 55% of employees now say they value their

HR software provider for mid-sized companies Namely has released the results of its open enrollment survey, which identifies what is most important to U.S. employees when it comes to benefits. Findings indicate that 36% of employees rate their HR departments with a “C” or lower when it comes to open enrollment. While 57% of respondents say that their employer has prepared them “pretty well,” only 27% give them an

US-based employee benefits consultants United Benefit Advisors (UBA) in August 2017 published a report revealing that, contrary to common belief, small businesses are keeping pace with large employers when it comes to offering health benefits to their employees. The report, “Small Business Health Care: How Employees Are Faring,” outlines how employees across all plan types pay an average of $3,378 toward annual health insurance benefits, with their employer picking

Management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in August 2017 published an article, “A 360-degree approach to patient adherence” that discusses how an insight-driven approach can help when patients drive up healthcare costs by neglecting their treatment regimens. The article points out that 50 to 60 percent of patients are likely to skip medications, follow-up appointments and other treatment protocols, which places them at risk for complications and overall worsening

Total global fintech investment more than doubled quarter over quarter in Q2’17 to US $8.4 billion, up from US$3.6 billion in Q1’17, according to the KPMG Pulse of Fintech report. The fintech market rebound was helped by global M&A investment, with US$5.9 billion in deal value for M&A for the quarter. Comparatively, global VC funding to fintech companies declined slightly, with just over US$2.5 billion in VC funding raised

A July 2017 report by Research Nester indicates that the corporate travel insurance market expects to see robust growth from 2017 to 2024 at a rate of 8.6% per year (CAGR  – Compound Average Growth Rate) over the forecast period, thanks to an increase in business travel. The European region accounts for the largest market share in the global corporate travel insurance market, followed by Asia-Pacific, while Europe is

The 2017 Cigna 360o Well-being Survey of Globally Mobile Individuals, released in July 2017, shows that Britons’ sense of personal well-being has seen a sharp decline over the past three years, as financial pressures mount and put strains on family health. The U.K. has fallen from third to eighth place of the 13 countries in the study, and now lags behind India and China. Researchers looked at five main

Almost three-quarters of insurers believe the insurance sector has failed to show leadership in digital innovation due to regulations, reluctance, and cost, according to a January 2017 survey by Willis Towers Watson (WTW) with Mergermarket. The survey identifies where insurers see the biggest holes in their digital capabilities and reveals how they plan to close these gaps. The respondents cited cost as one factor affecting the lack of meaningful

U.S. insurer Country Financial in July 2017 published its tenth Country Financial Security Index survey. Ten years after the beginning of the 2007 financial crisis known as the Great Recession, nearly 30% of Americans believe they have yet to recover financially or that they never will, despite signals from the Federal Reserve that the U.S. economy is growing. The survey reveals that this is due in large part to

U.S. healthcare organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to transition from fee-for-service to fee-for-value care because of competing priorities and uncertainty over regulations according to a report released in July 2017 by Ernst & Young’s Health Advisory Services.  The survey queried 700 U.S. healthcare professionals. Among the findings are four key factors that challenge the shift to value-driven care: System inefficiencies that escalate the cost of care delivery Clinical

Recognition of dedicated, long-term service is the most prevalent type of rewards and recognition program in place among Canadian employers. However, a Conference Board of Canada study published in June 2017 suggests that these programs may not appeal to younger generations who typically have shorter tenures. The Power of Appreciation: Rewards and Recognition Practices in Canadian Organizations summarizes the findings of a survey conducted between June and August 2016

The cost of medical care will continue to rise, according to Willis Towers Watson’s annual Global Medical Trends Survey for 2017, published in June 2017. The survey points out that while the trend has slowed in some countries, it is still mostly above inflation. It can be attributed to the overall cost of hospital and inpatient services, basic medical and outpatient services, provider and employee behavior, new medical technology,

Workers are getting better at balancing work and home life, according to a Robert Half Management Resources survey published in June 2017 that revealed that the majority of professionals (52 percent) believe their work-life balance has improved from three years ago. Employers and employees alike are emphasizing work-life balance, and managers contribute by giving their teams more freedom over where and when they work, if possible, and providing greater

As existing P/C captives expand to include employee benefits risks, often under the guidance of risk managers, understanding their concerns and challenges may prove useful for client relationship managers more accustomed to dealing with human resources departments. Risk managers face a growing confusion of challenges and new demands according to a Lockton survey of risk management professionals. The survey, presented officially at Lockton’s Complex Risk Symposium in mid-June 2017,

Aon Employee Benefits, the U.K. health and benefits business of Aon plc, in April 2017 published a new report that highlights four ways U.K. employers can support their employees’ well-being in a shifting economic climate: Understand the connections between employee health, wealth and behavior in the specific working population. Secure sufficient budget for employee well-being. The Aon 2016 EMEA health report research showed that well-being budget restrictions are a

Workplace flexibility – part time work, flextime, and telecommuting – is gaining in popularity, particularly in the fields of advertising and marketing, according to new research from staffing firm The Creative Group. More than 400 U.S. advertising and marketing executives and more than 1,000 U.S. workers aged 18 years and older and employed in office environments were asked “Which of the following work arrangements does your agency/firm currently offer?”.

Management consulting firm Frost & Sullivan in April 2017 announced findings by its Transformational Health team that suggest that analytics adoption among U.S. healthcare payers and providers is not consistent, and that some health systems might utilize advanced enterprise data processing architecture to derive patient-specific insight for every episode of care. Healthcare analytics is widely considered as the key enabler of value-based care, and robust use of analytics allows

Actuarial firm Milliman in March 2017 released its annual report on the U.S. commercial health insurance market’s financial results . Based on medical loss ratio data submitted in 2016 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the report provides a clear picture of health insurers’ financial experiences in each year, and provides a final accounting of insurers’ financial results after “3R” transfer payments have been completed. The report

One out of every six companies allows its travelers to stay at home-sharing properties such as AirBnB, reports a new study by the GBTA Foundation, the research and education arm of the Global Business Travel Association—but more than twice that number are under the impression that it is okay to do so. That means many travelers are booking and staying in properties unsupported by their travel policy—a serious duty

Cartus, a provider of global relocation services, has published its 2016 Global Mobility Policy and Practices Survey that identifies four-year trends in where companies are sending their employees. As more companies establish presence in areas where labor and market conditions favor business growth, Cartus identifies trends by culling data from its worldwide client base, which includes more than 50 percent of Fortune 50 companies and approximately 163,000 corporate and

One thousand college-educated U.S. employees recently responded to questions about their bosses’ ability to handle stress, their contributions to the workplace, and their own work experiences, in a March 2017 study conducted by workforce consulting firm Life Meets Work. According to the survey site, “Managers provide direction, assessment, and motivation for the teams they support. If managers don’t have the skills to handle stress, then everyone working for that

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in March 2017 released its Worldwide cost of living 2017 survey. Using a cost-of-living approach, it compares the price of over 150 items in 133 cities around the world. It found that Singapore is the world’s most expensive city for the fourth year running and 20% more expensive than New York and 5% pricier than Hong Kong, which lies in second place. Asia now

Egon Zehnder in March 2017 released the findings of its Leaders & Daughters Global Survey, which tracks working women’s motivations, ambitions, and their own definition of professional success. Findings highlighted seven countries – Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, the United States, and the United Kingdom – and shows global similarities between women at different stages of their careers. The findings indicate that while the majority of women in the

The annual Benefits and Trends Survey, released in February 2017 by Aon Employee Benefits, the U.K. health and benefits business of Aon plc, reveals that 90% of the 200 employers surveyed want increased employee engagement and understanding of benefits packages. However, what was telling was that only 36% have a specific communications strategy in place. The survey also shed light on employer actions and intentions. Aon commented that the

Results of the Deloitte Global Chief Procurement Officer Survey 2017 point to reducing costs in the face of global uncertainty as the biggest priority Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) face. Eighty-four percent of the CPOs surveyed in North America said that managing risks is the second highest priority, indicating that they are taking a cautious approach at a time when risks include weakness and volatility in emerging markets and rising

Travel insurance and assistance services are quickly gaining favor among travel professionals who work for companies that provide them. A new study, “Assessing the Prevalence and Value of Travel Insurance and Assistance Services”, published in September 2016 by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and AIG Travel, reveals that 95 percent of travel professionals feel that providing insurance or assistance services to employees is a valuable benefit for those

HealthMine, a healthcare technology company based in Dallas, Texas, in August 2016 released the results of a study revealing that the majority (62%) believe that all health care plan participants should join a wellness program to help them lower their health care costs. 32% responded that wellness programs helped them reduce the number of sick days logged, and 33% said their wellness program helped them be more productive at