Strategies

• Communicating the value of benefits helps offset anxiety of tough economic times

  In 1977, the Mel Brooks comedy "High Anxiety" swept across the nation's movie screens. Revolving around characters in the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous, the film had America laughing.

• Calling all innovators

  Consumers want the same qualities from health care that they do from most commodities- personalization, quality service and high value for cost- but they aren't currently getting it, states new research from Deloitte's 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers.

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• Benefits Boot Camp: Beefing up your benefits communication - Keeping workers engaged throughout the year

  Beginning this month and running through the end of June, Employee Benefit News will be bringing you "Benefits Boot Camp," articles on communication, wellness programs and voluntary benefits to help you make 2009's process the best ever.

• Out of Stock? PPA ups the ante on educating workers about 401(k) assets in company stock

  Some employers are taking a hard look at whether to offer company stock as a 401(k) investment option. While removing company stock as an investment option would be a very drastic and aggressive move for employers, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 requires plan administrators to inform participants of their new right to sell company stock in their accounts and reinvest the proceeds into other investments.

• More time to smell the roses

  Employers may wonder exactly what would get their reluctant workers to choose healthy foods, exercise consistently and get the necessary preventive care. How about a leisurely day off to bake cookies with their kids? Or a long weekend to travel to a music festival with a best friend?

• Adding color to retirement nest eggs

  Diversification is definitely one message that shouldn't be left out of retirement plan communications, experts say.

• Down the benefits rabbit hole

  Hospitals and doctors may not be adopting personal health records rapidly, but that hasn't stopped employers and individuals from embracing them. Some PHRs now are being paired with HR communication portals and online libraries of health information for workers.

• Gauging the ROI on employee communication programs

  Employers are no longer content with relying on surveys to learn whether communications programs are changing workers' behavior.

• Loud and proud approach to benefits marketing

  Dick Quinn took a look at his company's Web site recently, compared it to roughly 200 other sites and determined that they all looked very similar. The site needed some drastic changes, he thought, if his company, the Public Service Enterprise Group in Newark, N.J., was to be successful in its quest to fill some 600 new job openings.

• With the right incentives, employers really can please all the people all the time

  According to the founders of MedEncentive, the nation's health care system is a failure because someone always feels like they're losing, whether it's a patient, physician or payers.