We all need time away to recharge our batteries and momentarily forget what we are currently working on. Ensuring that your employees are taking their personal time is important not only for their sanity, but for the betterment of the department and organization that they support. Organizations evolve positively when employees focus on the day-to-day tactical and operational tasks, and also when they provide creative and passionate solutions or ideas to the opportunities and challenges facing the organization. Without this creativity and passion for work, employees will start ignoring and resenting their responsibilities. As leaders in your organization, there is an important tool in your management tool belt for helping an employee retain their passion and creativity for their role – encouraging them to use their personal time.

Many of my clients are interested in starting a wellness program, but tend to shy away. They are always surprised when I tell them that it is not difficult to implement a wellness program, and better yet, they don’t have to have a large budget to get started! Wellness programs are said to increase employee engagement and retention, reduce absenteeism, raise awareness of health issues, and drive down health care costs. If you are thinking of implementing a wellness program, here are some low-cost tips to help you get started.

Have you ever taken the time to evaluate your leave policy? Do you feel as though you it is costing too much money to pay out employees separating from employment? Well, as an alternative have you considered an unlimited vacation policy? Before you make any swift and quick decisions, let’s weigh out the pros and cons of this option for you and your organization.

At Helios, we frequently help our clients survey employees to understand everything from engagement to skill development to benefits needs. Particularly in the era of an evolving healthcare environment, employers need to get the most for the budget dollars allotted to benefits, and the best way to do that is to understand what employees want. As a Human Capital consultant, I advise surveying employees at your own company to discover what matters most to them. If it's crunch time during your benefits renewal, and you don't have the time to survey your team, these two recent studies by Unum and Aflac can provide you with the insight you need to understand how benefits can make a difference at your company.

As many HR Professionals know, an employee on a leave of absence may be covered by a myriad of laws and regulations. It often feels like a relief when an employee declares that they are ready to return to work. But what if the employee has restrictions on their activity? At Helios, we hear from companies all the time who are unsure whether or not they have to accommodate restrictions. They’re unsure if they can ask for more information and how to filter the information they receive. Understanding your legal obligations is important; and it’s just as important to have an integrated process in place to minimize employee relations and compliance issues.

It is hard to believe the Affordable Care Act was enacted over four years ago. Many significant changes took effect in 2014 such as health plan design changes and increased wellness program incentives. Now that 2015 has arrived, additional reforms will be seen by employers sponsoring group health plans. The most significant reform impacting employers is the shared responsibility penalty known as “Play or Pay” rule and related reporting requirements for applicable larger employers. Employers should start preparing their strategy for addressing these compliance changes, including ensuring the 2014 reforms are being kept updated.