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Newsletter #31 August 21, 2018 |
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| Employers Taking an Activist Role to Change Health Care
Health care cost increases continue to outpace workers’ earnings and increases in inflation, making this trend unaffordable and unsustainable over the long term.
-- Brian Marcotte, President and CEO, National Business Group on Health
The annual National Business Group on Health (NBGH) Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey indicates no end to spiraling health care costs. The survey of large employers indicates that the total cost of providing medical care and pharmacy benefits will rise by 5 percent during 2019, increasing the average cost per employee from $14,099 to $14,800. Employers will cover roughly 70% of the total costs.
According to Brian Marcotte, NBGH CEO, a growing number of employers are taking an activist role to try to modify the delivery system:
- 35% are implementing alternative payment and delivery models, either directly or through their health plan.
- Direct contracts with health systems and providers is expanding, up from 3% in 2018 to a projected 11% in 2019.
- Virtual care solutions, including telemedicine and a collection of other digital and remote services, continue to gain traction. 52% of employers believe that virtual care will play a significant role in healthcare delivery.
Pharmaceutical “rebate-driven” supply chains are identified by nearly all respondents as a primary cause of inefficiency and an unnecessary burden on consumers. A majority of employers (55%) also voiced increasing concern regarding the opioid epidemic and the impact of prescription opioid use in the workplace.
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| | HR Leadership Academy to Visit the "DIRTTbags"
Wanna Come? The 2018-19 HR Leadership Academy is scheduled for a great kick-off in Savannah on September 24-25th. One of the scheduled highlights for the opening retreat is a visit with the “DIRTTbags” at DIRTT Environmental. The unusual (and self-named) employee moniker is characteristic of the innovative and freewheeling manufacturer of pre-fabricated construction components. DIRTT builds modular interiors for residential construction, offices, hospitality, and health care spaces. The company's products are unique, as is their entrepreneurial and collaborative work environment.
Won't you join us? GEA’s HR Leadership Academy is a unique program for emerging HR professionals that combines traditional training with a variety of on-site visits, plant tours, and participation at conferences and events. This year’s class will begin in Savannah and activities will continue into Spring 2019, culminating with the GEA Conference in April. The curriculum includes training from experts in employment law, HR disciplines, and first-hand experience with HR professionals and business leaders from around the state.
The 2018-19 class is limited to 20 participants, but there is still space available. Complete information and this year’s event schedule is available on the GEA website.
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| | | Cussin' At Work:Seven Rules about Dirty Words in the Workplace
You’ve probably heard (or at least heard about) George Carlin’s famous comedy routine, “The Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.” In a blog post published earlier this week, Constangy Attorney Robin Shea riffs on the routine with “Seven Rules About Dirty Words at Work.”
Here they are:
- Cuss sparingly at work.
- If you must cuss, try to use words that don’t have sexual meanings.
- If you must take the Lord’s name in vain, be mindful of your religious co-workers.
- Never cuss at a particular individual.
- Be an equal opportunity cusser. Don’t direct your cussing at people in any protected group.
- Never cuss in front of a customer or a client.
- Apply all of the above especially to cuss words that may have double meanings linked to race, natural origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Admittedly the list isn’t as funny as Carlin’s routine. Shea’s point is direct – an expletive at work can be nothing more that a natural response to closing your finger in a desk drawer, but it can be interpreted by others in a variety of negative ways. An innocuous, but misunderstood cuss word can be mistaken for harassment. Better safe than sorry.
Read Robin Shea's entire article, "Hostile work environment, or just NSFW?", in the Employment and Labor Insider blog.
Image Credit: Flickr, 2il org, Creative Commons license |
| | | | Session II of GEA's popular Leadership Training Series for Supervisors and Team Leads continues on September 19 in Macon. Topics for the next session include transitioning from peer to lead, staying organized, coaching, and managing conflict. The workshop series provides excellent "basic training" for new supervisors and an opportunity for veteran team leaders to sharpen their skills. Workshops continue through December.
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Georgia Employers' Association |
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