In: Operations Management
HealthNut University’s Benefit Program
This activity is important because as a manager, you must be able to determine the most effective benefits to provide to your employees. There are many variables that impact the effectiveness of employee benefits. Evaluating your employees’ preferences, needs, the industry best practices and what the organization can afford are just a few.
The goal of this activity is to demonstrate your understanding of the various types of benefits available to offer employees as well as the regulations that may apply in your organization.
Read the case of the new benefit program at HealthNut University and select the best option for each scenario provided.
The employees at HealthNut University (HNU) have not seen a change in their benefits offered in several years. Meanwhile, the organization is experiencing unprecedented growth in the demand for its services thereby needing to ensure they are able to retain their valuable employees. HNU currently has 482 employees when combining administration, staff, and faculty members in the United States. Mr. Reuben, the Director of HR, has received approval to create a new benefit program for the employees.
Mr. Reuben begins by collecting both benchmark data from the industry best practices as well as conducting a survey of its current employees to identify what they value in a benefit program. While Mr. Reuben understands he will not be able to provide for every need, he knows the options need to be narrowed down to those the company’s employees desire the most.
The survey revealed the employees greatly value time off in various forms as well as an interest in long term benefits. Therefore, in addition to ensuring HealthNut University offers the legally mandated benefits, Mr. Reuben begins creating the new benefit program for HNU.
One of the most important issues for Mr. Reuben to address beyond the desires of the employees for particular types of benefits is that of ensuring each benefit policy is legally compliant. Which law/regulation applies to the benefits the company may utilize?
Mr Reuben has a very tough job to do. He needs to strike a balance between the desires of the employees and what best the company can afford in the given budget. for everyone has a different desire it is impossible for HR to make everyone happy. but the new policy must be such that the majority of the people are happy and welcome the changes.
not all the changes in the policy can be in terms of money. Sometimes there are other things that matter too. for example
implementing paternity leaves and mandatory time offs of 2 weeks of paid leaves at a stratech at any time of the year, of course duly approved by the supervisor.
The Family Medical and family leave act- this allows an employee to take upto 12 weeks of paid leaves without the fear of losing a job, to attend to family needs of emergencies like taking care of a child or elderly.
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)- Since HNU wants to retain its employees from leaving and values old employees, opting to provide pension is a good lucrative offer to hold back employees.
Introduction of yearly bonus scheme since a bonus would be given at the end of the year, based on the performance for the entire year, this would keep the employees focused and motivated throughout the year.