Analysis – Page 17
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Analysis
Sickness absence review: industry reactions
Will the recommendations from the government’s review of sickness absence management help to reduce the problem? Alison Coleman asks key industry figures for their viewsWith 140 million working days lost in the UK every year, sickness absence is almost a disease in itself and managing it is one of the ...
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Analysis
New model emerges for private medical insurance
If you read nothing else, read this ...Many conditions that used to require inpatient stays now only require day-case or outpatient treatment.Some experts see insurers providing company-paid cover for outpatient and day-case treatment, but inpatient cover as an employee-paid option.No PMI insurers formally offer this yet, but Cigna HealthCare has ...
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Analysis
Health cash plans add value
If you read nothing else, read this…Cash plan providers allow employers to tailor their plans according to the healthcare needs of their workforce.Some providers merge optical and dental benefits, allowing employees access to spend more of the cash back on the service they use most.Sharing a cash plan with a ...
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Analysis
Sickness absence: Fit notes not best medicine
If you read nothing else, read this … Fit notes are seen as a positive step, but HR professionals are finding they add little to managing sickness absence. More GP training on occupational health is needed to make fit notes a more useful sickness absence management tool. Government-funded mediators could ...
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Analysis
Health and wellbeing: Best remedy for sickness
If you read nothing else, read this … Third-party absence management systems involve staff reporting absence to a trained nurse or healthcare professional. Data is then fed to the employee’s manager. Opinion is split over whether technology-based reporting platforms are superseding third-party absence management systems. Third-party systems can manually record ...
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Analysis
How incentives help reduce sickness absence
If you read nothing else, read this… Cash-based incentives or rewards can be offered to encourage attendance and discourage unnecessary absence. However, positive results may not address the underlying cause of high sickness absence rates. Recording sickness absence data is essential in order to understand how incentives can be effective. ...
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Analysis
Private medical insurance in a disaster zone
If you read nothing else, read this… International PMI typically includes inpatient and outpatient services. Many international PMI policies will include medical evacuation and repatriation services, or will offer these as additional extras. Exclusion clauses may be included for areas that the Foreign Office advises against travelling to. ...
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Analysis
Healthcare cash plans can be a bargain
If you read nothing else, read this... Low-cost health cash plans can deliver value as long as staff actually benefit from the limited cover they provide. Establishing what expenses staff are likely to claim for, and communicating the value of the cash plan, is key to achieving cost-effectiveness. Plans should ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders: Academic insights: Flexibility is the key to reducing absence
Absenteeism and presenteeism both need to be tackled by employers, says Ivan RobertsonEvery employee needs to take time off sick now and again, but for the employer, lost time is a problem - sometimes a severe one. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Annual survey report ...
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Analysis
Private medical insurance for executives
If you read nothing else, read this... Outpatient treatment limits for executive staff can be upgraded to a full refund. Some executive employees do not have to disclose medical history. Executives' families are generally included in their PMI plan. Common features of executive PMI include: diagnostic scans, cancer treatments, pregnancy ...
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Analysis
Humberside Police arrests sickness absence and tackles budget cuts
An effective sickness absence management strategy is helping Humberside Police to cope with budget cuts, says Jennifer PatersonWith the government’s budget axe coming down on the public sector, benefits will be under strict review over the next year. The biggest challenge for Humberside Police is to come to grips with ...
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Analysis
Health and wellbeing: Engaging sick employees with return to work objective
If your read nothing else, read this…When dealing with staff suffering from conditions that can potentially led to long-term illness, early intervention, which ideally makes use of occupational health services, is crucial.A good relationship between employee and line manager is key, with the focus on what can be done ‘with’ ...
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Analysis
Maternity cover under international private medical insurance
If you read nothing else, read thisMost international private medical insurance (PMI) plans include maternity cover.Typical offerings in maternity cover include scans, pre-natal and immediate post-natal check-ups, and childbirth.Maternity cover is offered in low-, middle- or high-level packages that cover from £5,000 to £10,000 of the standard costs.Having a baby ...
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Analysis
Benefits keep employees working well
Employees need physical and psychological maintenance to keep them performing effectively and benefits can be the best tools, says Sam BarrettRegular services, maintenance schedules and instruction manuals go along with everything from the office air conditioning system and photocopier to forklift trucks in the warehouse. But when it comes to ...
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Analysis
Thought leaders 2010: The year ahead: Promoting a healthy attitude to sickness
Key PointsSickness absence is linked to the underlying culture of an organisation and its managers. A poor culture leads to high absence ratesOrganisations need to be able to do more with less, which requires a fit, productive workforceTo combat absence, employers need clear policies, current information, training for managers and ...
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Analysis
Private medical insurance still appeals to staff
If you read nothing else, read this...Pay cuts and freezes place more emphasis on the value staff get from private medical insurance (PMI).Younger and lower-paid employees may see the tax they have to pay on their PMI benefit as an extra financial burden.Big employers still offer PMI because they value ...
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Analysis
A strategy to avoid long-term staff absences
Employers need a clear strategy to deal with employee absence caused by long-term conditions, says Sally HamiltonIf you read nothing else, read this…Employers should get in touch with long-term absentees sooner rather than later.Employers could consider work-focused healthcare, involve staff when devising a return-to-work plan and consider a phased return, ...
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Analysis
Getting the most out of absence management systems
Absence can be an expensive business for employers, but are reporting tools designed to tackle the problem always worth the investment, asks Tom WashingtonFor organisations struggling to navigate the current economic turbulence, it is essential to ensure key staff are present and productive. Absence is a thorny issue for many ...