Tag Archives: network

Select the Right Health Insurance for Your Business

If you have employees, you know how important health insurance is for your benefits package. It also takes a big bite out of your budget. Selecting the right insurance for your company is extremely important for employee retention and maintaining your bottom line. Here are tips to help you find the best health insurance for your business:

  1. Know the size of the network. A popular way to lower insurance costs is opting for a smaller network of health care providers. Known as narrow provider networks, coverage is limited to a much smaller group of clinics and hospitals than traditional plans. But while the cost savings are nice, employee satisfaction is likely to decline as some of them will have to change doctors to stay in network. When researching insurance options, be sure to compare the network size to industry averages.
  2. Watch for coverage limits. Lifetime and annual dollar limits for essential health benefits were banned in 2014, but limits still appear in other ways. Dental services, for example, are exempt from the dollar limits and often have annual and lifetime coverage limits. Another way insurance providers hedge their risk is by limiting the number of a certain type of visits, like for chiropractic care or physical therapy.
  3. Don’t forget prescription coverage. Many health insurance programs don’t include full coverage for prescription drugs, so you may need to add supplemental insurance. Pay special attention to the coverage differences between brand name and generic drugs. Also review any deductibles and other limits. Another type of coverage available is a prescription discount program. Discount plans simply charge you a subscription cost that allows you to use a contracted discount.
  4. Understand what isn’t covered. When trying to sell you on their plan, insurance providers do a good job showing you what they cover. What can be harder to figure out is what they don’t cover. Some of the types of services that may not be covered are vision care, nursing home care, cosmetic surgery, alternative therapies like massage therapy or acupuncture, and weight-loss procedures.
  5. Be prepared to provide employee data. The process of obtaining a quote for health insurance can be an overwhelming task. Health insurance companies will want, at a minimum, a list of employees with some pertinent details like age, sex, coverage details (self, spouse and other dependents), and home zip code. They will want the forms filled out by all employees, even those that are opting out of insurance coverage. If you are working with a benefits broker, they can help you prepare what will be needed in advance to speed up the process.

Shopping for health insurance for your business is complicated. Taking the appropriate time to understand each coverage option and the associated costs will benefit both your business and your employees’ well-being.

Looking For a Job? Avoid These Common Mistakes

Job seekers, including those with years of experience, often make simple, but critical mistakes. These include not customizing resumes for each potential employer, not knowing basics about the company, and failing to follow up. Candidates need to take extra care when it comes to all aspects of the hiring process. Avoiding these simple mistakes will get you closer to that job you’re pursuing:

Not customizing your resume for each employer – Employers can spot all-purpose resumes from a mile away. Tailor your resume to match the job description by inserting key words used in the job posting that match your experience. Not only will this catch the eye of the hiring manager, but it can move your resume to the top of the pile if an automated tracking system is scanning resumes for potential candidates.

Not finding out the hiring manager’s name and personalizing the application – Applying directly to the hiring manager increases your chances of getting noticed and shows you’ve gone that extra step and invested time in getting to know the company.

Not including a cover letter with your resume – Cover letters allow a candidate the opportunity to sell themselves beyond the typical listing of work experience and skills in a resume. Use a cover letter to introduce yourself and showcase your credentials in a relatable way.

Not following up with an employer after you have applied – Recruiters can sometimes be overwhelmed by candidate applications for certain open jobs. Circling back with a recruiter or hiring manager after submitting a cover letter and resume can help job seekers standout among the competition.

Not sending Thank You notes after an interview – This can be one of the most important steps in a candidate’s pre-hire journey as it enables you to reiterate why you’re the best fit for the job. Most recruiters and hiring managers expect a Thank You note in some form or another (email or handwritten), so neglecting this action will make you stick out like a sore thumb. Thank You notes should be sent after phone screening calls, as well.

Avoiding these mistakes can make the difference. Here are a few ideas to help put you on the road to that job you want:

Join an employer’s talent network or talent community – Stay up-to-date on the latest job opportunities from ideal employers, so you can continue to show interest in working for the company.

Social media can be an asset to job seekers, not a weakness – Recruiters using social media to screen candidates have reached an all-time high, but job seekers can use it to their advantage, too. Find out who you know at a potential employer and ask for a referral, or learn about latest company news to make for a more engaging conversation in an interview.

Practice your conversation skills with as many people as possible prior to an interview – Excellent written and verbal communication skills are quickly becoming the most sought after talents in job seekers across all industries. Look for ways to highlight these skills in your cover letter, resume and interviews.

Cyber-Security – Simple Suggestions to Protect Your Business

Is your company vulnerable to cyber-crime? Most computer and/or network security breaches are the result of a lack of understanding of the importance of security processes within a company.  It’s important to recognize how implementing effective security procedures can protect your clients’ privacy, guard against misuse of confidential information and benefit your business.  Here are some suggestions:

  • Establish and maintain best practices for computer security.
  • Make sure that each system user has a unique login.
  • Grant system permissions to users as needed.
  • Protect all networks and hardware against viruses.
  • Monitor system activity.
  • Run regular backups.
  • Educate employees on passwords – creating strong passwords and not sharing their passwords.
  • Prohibit employees from opening email attachments (particularly ZIP files) from unknown or suspicious sources.
  • Disable access to the network and all cloud solutions for former employees.

Setting up and following these simple suggestions can help keep your company and its reputation safe and secure!