Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, May 16, 2012 @ 01:32 PM
Moving can be an extremely stressful time of planning, packing, and coordinating lots of details. Moving means transition no matter if it’s to a different state or just across town. Transition may cause several emotions such as fear of the unknown, sadness over leaving your home and friends, and excitement over the opportunities that await you. Facing a lot of changes at once can be overwhelming at times.
Taking some time for yourself is very important when handling a transition. Self care is so important, especially when life gets little stressful. You may think that it’s impossible with all you have to do, but even giving yourself a few minutes a day to focus on you will help your transition to new location. Listed below are some ways to take care of yourself:
Stay connected - to friends and family. A good support system can help you adjust to your new location whether friends and family are near or far away. It will also give you a chance to talk through your feelings, your experiences and help you to continue to foster those relationships despite being in a different area. These confidants have been a big part of your life and still can be as long as you make the effort to stay connected.
Get Connected - Meeting new people can be challenging when moving to a new location. However, there are so many ways to help you meet new friends and connections in your new area. Think of things you enjoy being a part of. You could: join a dance class, sign up for an exercise group at the gym such as Zumba, or participate in societies/clubs such as the Rotary club, or get involved in a small group at church. These are just a few of the many ways you can get to know new people. Often times, these groups bring people from many of walks of life together and provide a great opportunity to meet others that share a common interest with you. Don’t put this off as it can be a vital way to help you get connected with your new environment. It can be scary trying something new but it can also lead to some new friendships which will help you feel more at home in your location.
30 minutes for you - Strive to take 30 minutes a day to relax and do something you love. Taking some time for you will help you to relieve stress which is vital when facing a new transition in life. It’s OK to ignore the boxes for a few minutes and give yourself some time to unwind. Go for a walk around the block & enjoy the outdoors, go to the gym for a quick work out, take a relaxing bath, call an old friend, or watch a favorite TV show. It may be hard to find 30 minutes especially with unpacking, caring for the kids, or getting dinner on the table, however, take a look at your schedule maybe you can fit in these 30 minutes in the morning before work or in the evening before bed. Whatever the time you choose remind yourself it’s important to take time for you!
We’re here to help – eni’s experienced clinicians can help you deal with the stressors of moving. In addition, eni’s EAP offers Personal Assistant services that can help you plan your move, research your children’s new school, or find a moving company. Once you’ve moved, our Personal Assistant’s can help you locate a new gym & research costs, find a new church, a society or club you want to join, or even attractions in your new area. Contact eni today to learn more!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, May 09, 2012 @ 01:32 PM
Summer is normally a time for family vacations, outings, barbecues and fun in the water. By following these simple tips, brought to you by eni’s Personal Assistants, you can be assured that your summer with be safe and enjoyable.
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Water Safety
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Never leave children alone in or near water
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Keep life preservers and a phone nearby
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If you are going to drop your child off to swim make there is a lifeguard or responsible adult present
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Heat Safety
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Sun Safety
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Apply sun screen before going out into the sun and reapply every few hours
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Babies should wear long sleeve shirts and long pants that are light weight as well as a hat with a brim
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Stay inside during the hottest part of the day
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Beach Safety
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Follow all beach rules
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Pay attention to lifeguard stands about tide conditions
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Wear appropriate footwear and sand can get very hot in the sun
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Go out to the ocean with a buddy never by yourself
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Amusement Park Safety
Above are some great safety tips to start off your summer great. Please feel free to contact a BalanceWorks Personal Assistant at any time to help you and your employees get your summer plans started!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, May 02, 2012 @ 02:08 PM
eni’s Health Advocates are often asked if changes can be made to insurance plans before open enrollment. The answer is yes, if you have a “qualifying event”. Of course, our Health Advocates are then asked what is considered a qualifying event for making changes to health insurance. The following is a list of qualifying events that can affect your insurance. These changes must be made within 30 days of the qualifying event. Proof must be submitted for most of these events.
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Marriage
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Death of Spouse
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Divorce or annulment
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Legal separation
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Birth of child
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Adoption or placement for adoption
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Death of dependent child
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Newly eligible dependents due to plan design change
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Employee loses other coverage spouse’s health plan is terminated, Medicare or Medicaid eligibility ends)
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Dependent no longer satisfies rule for eligibility due to age, loss of student status or marriage
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Commencement or termination of employment
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Commencement of, or return from, leave of absence
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Change from part-time to full-time status, or vice versa
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Strike or lockout
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Judgment, decree or order requiring coverage (QMCSO)
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Change in residence (region specific plans)
**Employees with single coverage may add new dependents as well as spouse at the same time. Not all eligible dependents need to be added at this time.**
eni’s BalanceCare program can provide your employees with clarity on their health insurance questions and help them navigate their health plans. Contact eni today, to learn how our Health Advocacy service can save you and your employees time, frustration, and money.
Reference: IRS/Sect. 125
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 @ 09:35 AM
One of the great new aspects of eni's recently upgraded member web portals is the convenient and simple to use Ask-a-Counselor feature. The Ask-a-Counselor feature is available to eni’s EAP and Work/life clients through their personalized web portals.
Read below to get all the facts on this exciting new feature!
What is ASK-A-COUNSELOR?
ASK-A-COUNSELOR is an enhancement to your existing BalanceWorks EAP benefit! ASK-A-COUNSELOR is an online confidential service that offers professional advice and answers to your non-emergency behavioral health requests.
What are the benefits to using ASK-A-COUNSELOR?
ASK-A-COUNSELOR offers an additional channel of communication between you and eni. Submitting your questions online is convenient, simple, and available 24/7.
Is ASK-A-COUNSELOR replacing my ability to obtain face-to-face or telephonic counseling sessions?
No, ASK-A-COUNSELOR is not replacing face-to-face or telephonic referrals and counseling session. It is simply enhancing your connection with eni and expanding access to those who have a behavioral health question that does not require a full counseling session. ASK-A-COUNSELOR is a reflection of our commitment to enhancing the member experience and the services provided.
Who should use ASK-A-COUNSELOR?
ASK-A-COUNSELOR is appropriate for those who have non emergency behavioral health questions or concerns and who do not need face-to-face counseling or are looking for a more immediate response.
What types of issues are appropriate for the ASK-A-COUNSELOR forum?
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Tips for managing anxiety and stress
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Advice for handling basic communication issues
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General relationship questions and concerns
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General parenting tips and/or information on eldercare
When is ASK-A-COUNSELOR not appropriate?
ASK-A-COUNSELOR is not intended for emergency counseling or for any issues that require client intake and assessment and would be better addressed through long or short term counseling.
How do I submit an ASK-A-COUNSELOR request?
Simply login to your BalanceWorks web portal and click on the ASK-A-COUNSELOR icon on the left sidebar of your home page. Then click on the Start New Request tab, read the disclaimer, check yes if you agree and click submit. Next, simply fill out the form and click the submit button.
Who will respond to my request?
One of eni’s highly trained Master’s level clinicians will respond to your request.
How soon will I receive a response?
You will receive a response to your Ask-A-Counselor request within 2 business days.
Contact eni today to learn more about our extremely robust EAP and Work/life program!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Tue, Apr 17, 2012 @ 02:48 PM
Benefit integration, an emerging trend in the industry, is the coordination of any combination of employee benefits in such a way that they are monitored, managed, and processed in cooperation with each other. Once benefits are integrated, they can be promoted as one comprehensive program, with one easy to use process to access them. Benefit integration will result in increased ROI on all benefits, streamlined communication, improved tracking and increased administrative efficiency. Other benefits of integration include:
eni’s CEO Gene Raymondi, presented a live Webcast to several hundred attendees on March 7th entitled “The Power of Benefit Integration: Increasing Employee Engagement and ROI”. Gene discussed how to seamlessly integrate employee benefits and how to align benefit delivery with the employers’ strategic goals and human capital needs. Attendees were able to ask questions in real time. Gene answered many questions on how Human Resource professionals can successfully integrate their benefits.
Click here to access the archive of the webcast!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 @ 01:31 PM
Measuring the effects of training is an often overlooked by many organizations that provide training whether to internal or external audiences. But evaluations are crucial to understanding the impact of training on your audience.
Evaluation can be looked at from four different levels (the "Kirkpatrick levels") listed below. Note that the farther down the list, the more valid the evaluation.
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Reaction - What does the learner feel about the training?
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Learning - What facts, knowledge, etc., did the learner gain?
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Behaviors - What skills did the learner develop, that is, what new information is the learner using on the job?
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Results or Effectiveness - What results occurred, that is, did the learner apply the new skills to the necessary tasks in the organization and, if so, what results were achieved?
Although level 4, evaluating results and effectiveness, is the most desired result from training, it's usually the most difficult to accomplish. Evaluating effectiveness often involves the use of key performance measures -- measures you can see, e.g., faster and more reliable output from the machine after the operator has been trained, higher ratings on employees' job satisfaction questionnaires from the trained supervisor, etc. Training and development activities can be evaluated before, during and after the activities. Consider the following very basic suggestions:
Before the Implementation Phase
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Will the selected training and development methods really result in the employee's learning the knowledge and skills needed to perform the task or carry out the role? Have other employee's used the methods and been successful?
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Consider applying the methods to a highly skilled employee. Ask the employee of their impressions of the methods.
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Do the methods conform to the employee's preferences and learning styles? Have the employee briefly review the methods, e.g., documentation, overheads, etc. Does the employee experience any difficulties understanding the methods?
During Implementation of Training
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Check for understanding
frequently by asking the employee how they're doing of if they understand what's being said?
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Periodically conduct a short test, e.g., have the employee explain the main points of what was just described to him, e.g., in the lecture.
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Is the employee enthusiastically taking part in the activities?
After Completion of the Training
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Give the participant a test before and after the training and development and compare the results.
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Watch the employee perform the task or conduct the role.
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Assign an expert evaluator from inside or outside the organization to evaluate the learner's knowledge and skills.
eni’s corporate training and development division offers innovative, challenging, and leading-edge career training. We can improve the performance of your workforce and make your organization more effective. Contact us today to learn more!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Apr 04, 2012 @ 02:31 PM
In today’s high tech environment disgruntled customers have the ability to share their experiences with thousands, if not millions of people in a matter of seconds with a simple click of a button.
In the past, customers who had a problem with a company would tell, on average, 20 of their friends, co-workers, and family members about it. Social networks, however, allow anyone anywhere to share their customer service complaints quickly and with people in every corner of the globe. The power and appeal of social networks is undeniable. Consider this: More than 800 million people are active users of Facebook, and each of them has an average of 130 friends.
More than 350 million of those users access Facebook through mobile devices such as cell phones, which mean they are in touch with their friends even while they’re on the go.
What do those numbers mean to you and your organization? It means that, if one of your customers has a problem, and you don’t solve that problem quickly, that customer can - and probably will - blast you to hundreds, if not thousands, of friends. And their comments and complaints often remain on social network sites for years.
Here is a real world example: A United Airlines employee broke a passenger’s guitar in 2009 through careless mishandling. That passenger then put a posting about it on YouTube. It’s still there - and it has had almost 11 million hits.
Another YouTube video, posted in 2006, involves a Comcast technician, who fell asleep on the customer’s couch while he was on hold for an hour with the company’s central office. That video has had almost 1.7 million hits.
Consumers of all ages are increasingly turning to social network sites before they make decisions on where to spend their money.
You can spend millions of dollars on advertising and marketing, but if you don’t solve your customers’ problems, you will suffer bad publicity that will cost you millions more in the loss of potential customers. You no longer have the luxury of waiting a few days to handle a customer’s complaint; you must do it within a matter of minutes. That means you must empower your frontline employees to do whatever it takes to satisfy your customers. If you don’t, your sales, along with your chances of survival, will suffer.
Here at eni, we stand behind our promise which is “What begins as a dynamic solution, continues as a genuine relationship”, by providing exceptional and extremely responsive customer service.
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Mar 28, 2012 @ 10:00 AM
At eni, we are committed to utilizing best in class technologies to enhance our ability to be efficient, improve service, and provide the most up to date tools for employees. As part of this trend, we are deploying new IPAD 3 technology to our project teams for note taking, internet access, time management via synchronizing with our internal systems, online video conference calls, and more.
With the recent announcement of the IPAD 3, there are decisions that an individual or company must make. Of course for companies, security is important and this must be handled first as with any devices being deployed. But beyond this, questions such as “Do we purchase the less costly IPAD 2?”, “Which version Wifi or Wifi with 3G or in the case of the IPAD 3 wifi with 4G?”, “What does the IPAD 3 have that the IPAD 2 does not?” can leave one’s head spinning. This blog will not make a choice for you but will aim at assisting you with knowledge about these options to help you make a more informed choice.
First things first, the IPAD 2 was a great improvement over the original IPAD. With dual facing cameras, smaller form factor, and a much faster processer the IPAD 2 is wonderful device that can run IPAD applications. We utilize many of these devices at eni and have found the technology to be very efficient and useful, especially in meetings where note taking, pulling up documents and email, or otherwise staying connected are important. That being said, the new IPAD 3 has several advantages over the IPAD 2.
Stepping back for a moment, there is one clear decision to make regardless of which IPAD (2 or 3) you choose. Each version has two models (and colors but we’ll leave that one out for now). You’ll have to choose between Wifi Only and Wifi with Cell connectivity. In the IPAD 2, the cell connectivity includes ability to access up to 3G cell networks and in the IPAD 3 it is up to 4G cell networks. 4G cell networks are 10 times faster, but there are very few 4G networks unless you are in a major metropolitan area – still more will go up with time. With Wifi only versions, you can access the internet (email, browsing, etc) when you have wireless router access such as in a home, at work, or in a public location that offers Wifi access. With the “Wifi with 3G or 4G cell connectivity” versions, you can access the internet both wherever Wifi access exists AND wherever there is cell coverage. The difference in cost between the Wifi only and Wifi with 3G or 4G capability is about $130 as of when this blog was written. However, one thing to also keep in mind is you’ll also need a monthly data plan for cell use. This can range from $15/month to $50 dollars/month depending on the amount of data that would be transferred via cell.
The next decision to make is whether to choose IPAD 3 or IPAD 2. IPAD 3 has several improvements including the 4G cell connectivity, high resolution retina display (meaning a clearer display), improved rear camera, 5 mega pixel, and 1080p Video recording. Also, the IPAD 3 has improved processor speed with increased graphics processing capability. The IPAD 3 is slightly heavier at 1.44 lbs to 1.33 lbs for the IPAD 2. The winner in performance is the IPAD 3, but if cost is a concern the IPAD 2 is no slouch. The difference in cost between the versions can be as low as $100 to $150 dollars.
So, please by all means do go to Apple’s website to continue your own investigation as more information is bound to be available after this blog is written. http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Mar 21, 2012 @ 02:07 PM
March is National Nutrition month and in honor of that eni’s wellness experts are here to offer some tips to help you make small changes in your eating plan to improve your overall health.
First you will need to focus on balancing your calories with physical activity. This step will help you to achieve a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic disease. You will need to look at your eating patterns and work towards eating more nutrient dense foods.
The Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat more:
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Whole Grains-Choose whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Make at least half your grain servings whole grains.
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Vegetables-Eat a variety of colors. Most adults need 2 ½ cups per day.
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Fruits-Add fruit to meals and snacks. Strive for at least 2 cups each day.
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Low-fat or fat free milk, yogurt and cheese- Include 3 cups per day for calcium, vitamin D, protein and potassium.
More than one-third of all calories consumed by Americans are solid fats and sugars.
The Dietary Guidelines recommend eating less:
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Added sugars
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Solid fats, including trans fats-Solid fats are found in fatty animal-based foods such as well-marbled meat, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, butter and whole milk products. Trans fat is found in foods made with vegetable oil that have been partially hydrogenated such as cookies, donuts, pastries and crackers.
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Refined grains
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Sodium-A reduction of 1,500 mg is recommended for people over age 51.
Be sure to start with a plan and set healthy realistic goals. You are more likely to reach your goals with one or two smaller steps that lead up to a large, overall change. Reaching and maintaining a healthier weight will contribute to your overall health and well being.
For more wellness information contact eni today!
Posted by Melissa Mayfield on Wed, Mar 14, 2012 @ 10:56 AM
The lines between work and personal lives are blurring for many employees. They’re seeking balance between the two, and are finding value in the ability to choose the specific benefits that best meet their needs at this point in their lives. And employers are learning that, when chosen and implemented effectively, however, benefits can demonstrate leadership’s concern for the well-being of employees, reinforce cultural values, and foster deeper employee engagement.
According to James Berkeley, Director of Berkeley Burke International, however, there’s still a disconnect. “The decisions made regarding what benefits to offer are often based on subjective viewpoints, viewpoints that are far removed from the actual needs of employees.” Rather than assuming you know what your employees want, Berkeley suggests you ask them. Though answers will vary, many people are interested in more benefits in these areas:
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Healthy Living and Wellness Benefits. Susan Combs, President of Combs & Company, “The biggest benefit that employees ask for is gym membership reimbursement." Wellness programs like eni’s BalanceHealth service work with companies to create a culture of wellness that serves to motivate and engage employees to live healthy thereby increasing productivity and reducing your health care costs.
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Flexible Work Options. Telecommuting and other forms of flexible work options make employees healthier and happier. And as Sara Sutton Fell, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs points out, studies show that, “Employers who offer flexible schedules and alternatives to the traditional nine-to-five not only see higher productivity, but also save on health-related benefits they already offer.” Stanford University conducted a big study that showed that telecommuters were four percent more productive than office workers, working more hours and taking a larger workload.
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Perks You Can Afford. Great perks aren’t just for the guys in Silicon Valley. Many companies–big and small–bring in a massage therapist who offers chair massages to employees. Convenient and relaxing, this perk costs the employer nothing and might just keep employees in the office longer. Others offer their employees access to concierge services, like those offered by VIPdesk, with exclusive around-the-clock access to city-specific insider insights and the “inside scoop” on special offers and access.
Clearing The Great Leadership Hurdle
By offering benefits that are actually competitive, an organization can set itself above the competition--and build a strong culture of engagement and motivation. But as industry leaders agree, getting there requires the support of leadership and there are a few common concerns that need addressing. Leaders are often focused on Costs, Immediate Benefit, and Employee Utilization. It’s up to you to deliver on these key points.
About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice – which reviews products offered by various HR software vendors. Kyle reports on trends, technology, and best practices in human resources and recruiting.