Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting workplaces, many employers are adopting remote and virtual practices—including interviewing. While the process of virtual interviewing is an appropriate action for many employers in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will remain a consideration for an increasing number of employers even post-coronavirus. Virtually interviewing and hiring a new employee can be a daunting process, as it comes with its own unique set of challenges, but it offers benefits to both employers and job seekers. As employers adapt to stronger technology capabilities than ever before, virtual interviewing offers an opportunity for employers to become more adaptable, while staying up to date with growing trends. Many job seekers frequently use job websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Handshake, and the expanded use of technology is challenging recruiting and hiring norms—leading to virtual interviews becoming a strong consideration for employers. In addition, v

Poor hiring decisions can be extremely costly for your company, in terms of business interruption, wasted recruiting and training resources, lower employee morale and more. You may realize that an individual is not a good fit, or a new employee may choose to leave if the job doesn’t match his or her expectations. In both circumstances, many of these separations are due to the fact that the hired individuals did not fit the company culture and therefore lacked productivity, creativity and/or morale.  Culture is the unifying element that holds everyone in an organization together. Unlike an established mission statement, culture encompasses the written and unwritten behavioral norms and expectations of those within the company. Culture can set one company apart from others, and it can include the value of work-life balance issues, the way the company is organized, the extent to which leaders follow through on mission statements and many other factors.  Companies looking to hire individua

Each quarter, the Attraction and Retention newsletter offers statistics about the employment market, suggestions on securing top talent and insight to attract and retain workers. This edition looks at: 3 Pandemic-influenced Recruiting Trends to Watch in 2022 The Case for Considering “Boomerang” Employees 3 Tips for Strengthening the Virtual Recruiting Experience Download your copy today . For more information about  employee benefits, our services and products , please contact HANYS Benefit Services by  email  or by calling (518) 431-7735. This is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. © 2022 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

This month's Benefits Breakdown explores strategies for reducing benefits costs in 2022 and discusses why employers should consider offering mental health benefits. 3 Strategies for Reducing Benefits Costs in 2022 Health care costs continue to rise each year, and 2022 will be no exception. In the new year, experts predict a 6.5% increase in medical costs alone, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Employers are also anticipating health plan premiums to rise more than 5% in 2022, a Willis Towers Watson survey reports. With these increases in mind, employers will want to strategize methods to rein in benefits spending. This article offers three ways to help.  1. Consider Alternative Plan Modeling Instead of raising premiums, which may push employees away, employers can think about offering alternative health plan models. These include consumer driven health plans and various self-funded plan models. At their core, alternative plan models give more control to employees and employers a