• HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL- Case Study on Compensation Benefit Statements
• COMPANY LAUNCHES BENESTATE PRIME™ - FIRST of FULL SUITE of ONLINE BENEFIT STATEMENTS TOOLS
• RW BENEFITS COMMUNICATION REPORTS 51% GROWTH THIS YEAR OVER LAST
• RW BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS AND DESERT HILLS BANK ANNOUNCE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF BENEFIT STATEMENTS ROLLOUT
• RW BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS AND BENEFIT SOFTWARE INC. SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH TOTALCOMP ONLINE FOR CHICAGO BASED COMPANY
• RW BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS DESIGNS BENEFIT STATEMENTS THAT COMMUNICATE TRUE COSTS TO EMPLOYEES

Press Release

McBride Communications

Huntsville Hospital - Case Study on Compensation Benefit Statements

October 30, 2006

Background:
Huntsville Hospital began treating patients in 1895, and currently services people throughout north Alabama and southern Tennessee. The Hospital is one of the largest locally owned not-for-profit hospitals in the nation with 881 licensed acute care beds. The medical staff of more than 650 physicians are supported by 5,000 employees, including nearly 2,000 nurses. The Hospital facilities include Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, and outpatient Medical Mall, Madison Medical Park and a 70-bed rehabilitation hospital.
R.W. Benefit Communications (RWBC), headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, was launched in January of 1999. The staff of RWBC has extensive experience in all areas of employee benefits. Romy Wightman, president of RWBC, has more than 20 years of employee benefit experience and maintains the company’s focus on providing customized benefit statements for employers of all sizes.

Challenge:
According to LeAnn Thieman, author of Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul, it is estimated that by the year 2015, the United States will be short 500,000 nurses. Additionally, 30% of nurses under the age of 30 plan to leave their jobs within the next year. These two facts alone give cause for employers in the medical community to take immediate action in their recruiting and retention practices.
The employment climate at medical facilities is such that trained nurses and medical administrators have a bounty of employment opportunities at their disposal. Private clinics, private physician offices, hospitals, and homecare practices are all vying for the most talented candidates. In fact, filling and retaining employees in these positions has become so difficult, facilities are beginning to outsource nursing because they cannot staff the positions internally.
The statistics don’t lie. It costs a company 25% of salary plus benefits to replace one employee. In other words, it would cost $15,000 to replace one employee that is making $50,000 in salary plus $10,000 in benefits. And this is for only one employee. Huntsville Hospital recognizes the current industry crisis and has wisely invested in proactive steps to educate its employees of their total compensation package in order to improve retention in an extremely competitive market.
An employee’s total compensation package goes far beyond a weekly paycheck. It includes average pay, bonuses, sick days, holiday pay, vacation pay, 401k or other retirement benefits, training, and even company parties. Unfortunately, the only people who typically have a thorough understanding of an employee’s complete compensation package are those who work in the human resource department. Employees who are seeking new employment make a vital mistake if they only compare paycheck to paycheck.

Although this progressive hospital traditionally included benefits information on every paycheck, and benefits statements for their employees six years ago, there was little to no feedback. Huntsville Hospital decided that despite budget challenges, they came to RWBC to assist them in developing a comprehensive, professional, and personalized benefit statement for more than 4000 of their employees. Solution:
Huntsville Hospital understood that in general, its employees were only interested in visiting their benefits situation once a year – usually during open enrollment. The hospital, along with RWBC decided that the best timing to provide the benefits statements would be just prior to open enrollment in order to assist their employees in making informed enrollment choices for the upcoming year. It was determined that the size, look and feel of an 11”x17” brochure would be most suitable, with a one-page insert announcing the upcoming enrollment with a call to action. RWBC worked under a tight deadline as the timing for completion was critical.
The standard yet strategic information RWBC included in benefit statements for Huntsville Hospital was an overall explanation of the benefits statements. Next, was a detailed list of benefits, such as insurance, disability and 401k rewards. This list was followed up with the employee’s base pay and other pay, which are only a portion of the value of the total compensation. All of this information was also laid out in colorful pie charts which are included in every personalized statement.
The second page of the benefits statement demonstrated the hospital’s commitment for their employees’ work and life balance, as well as their healthy well-being. Interspersed with tips on wellness, this section indicated the employee’s paid time off, and went into detail about medical, dental, life, disability insurance, as well as Flexible Spending Accounts. Also included was a list of benefits that employees frequently do not consider as part of their total compensation package, such as service awards, child development centers, tuition reimbursement, free parking, and an onsite Notary.
RWBC wrapped up the benefits statements with comprehensive information and charts indicating personalized retirement benefits and retirement projections for the future. This last page also included key contact information for all insurance plans, as well as a link to Huntsville Hospital’s Self Service online web site. Results:
Huntsville Hospital’s human resource department was inundated with emails, letters, and words of praise from its employees at all levels rather than receiving critical feedback about the cost incurred for the statements, as was expected. The cost of turn-over is so high, if the hospital was to retain just one person, it would more than pay for the statements.
The employees said that the benefits statements were appealing, highly professional, and best of all, easy to read and understand on a very personal level. At the prime time when employees were already evaluating their benefits enrollment, the benefits statements encouraged employees to see the big-picture of the value of their compensation.
According to Jennifer Holly, Director of Human Resources at Huntsville Hospital, “Providing RWBC Benefits Statements for our employees was the best public relations move we could have done for our department, and the best morale boost for our employees.”

Closing Tips:
When providing employees with benefits statements, there are several factors to consider. RWBC cannot overestimate the importance of knowing the demographics of the company’s employees. Are employees older, younger, married, single, or do they have families? What language is primarily used in the home? Are employees computer-savvy, or will a print version of the compensation statement be more beneficial than online? Is the employee the decision-maker of benefits or the spouse of the employee?
Also to consider is whether or not it is important to the employer to track those who read the statements. Huntsville Hospital received resounding revues about their benefits statements, but not all employees will feel the need to respond. Online benefits statements can easily be tracked by clicks throughout the site. However, unless there are incentives or a call to action, such as a survey, it is difficult to track response to printed benefits statements.
The last important point to remember is regardless of how important the information, statements will not be read unless creative communication is used to entice employees to read and participate. The employee benefits statement must be user-friendly, appealing to the eye, and easy to understand instead of a weighted and wordy document. It must be personalized, simple, concise, and speak the employee’s language.

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Press Release

COMPANY LAUNCHES BENESTATE PRIME™ - FIRST of FULL SUITE of ONLINE BENEFIT STATEMENTS TOOLS

RW Benefit Communications Goes Electronic, Helping Customers Cut Costs and Inconvenience

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 30, 2006) ­ RW Benefit Communications, specializing in customized, total compensation statements, today announced the launch of BeneState Prime™, the company’s first online statement offering developed and owned by RW Benefits Communication. Through this in-house technology, BeneState Prime enables customers to view updated, comprehensive, electronic benefits statements at a competitive price. BeneState Prime is the first of a full suite of compatible online offerings RW Benefit Communications will be launching throughout the next several months.

Through user name and password on a secure server, BeneState Prime offers customers more options for storing benefits statements, and presenting them to their employees. Customers now have the option to access statements in paper, electronic, or any combination of these two versions, depending upon the individual needs of the organization. The variety of options can prove to be yet another substantial cost savings for the customer. BeneState Prime also helps prevent the inconvenience and cost incurred when statements are lost.

Typically, companies release paper statements once per year, but with online statements, companies can choose to update information more frequently. This allows employees the option to view updated versions of their benefits package at any time without having to through their Human Resource department.

“We are continually seeking inexpensive and convenient ways to better serve our customers,” said Romy Wightman, principal of RW Benefit Communications. “By developing our own electronic program, we have more flexibility and more cost savings, which naturally trickles down to our customers.”

About RW Benefit Communications, LLC - RW Benefit Communications is an employee communication company that has chosen to specialize ONLY in total comprehensive benefit statements. The professional staff of RW Benefit Communications has extensive national experience in all areas of employee benefits, including technical expertise in benefit calculations and developing formulas. Supporting companies large and small, RW Benefit Communications has perfected the graphic and informational aspects of their benefits statements creating the design and communication strategy tailored to each client’s specific goals.

For more information, visit www.benefitstatements.com.

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Press Release

RW BENEFITS COMMUNICATION REPORTS 51% GROWTH THIS YEAR OVER LAST

Report Indicates that Benefits are Higher Priority than Wages

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 24, 2006) ­ RW Benefit Communications, specializing in  customized, total compensation statements, reports that the company has experienced a 51% of growth in activity over the past year, concurring with a recent report published by the Employment Policy Foundation (EPA), “America Workplace 2005: The Changing Nature of Employee Benefits.” The report released in August of 2005, states that benefits have replaced salary as the prime consideration of workers when deciding to change jobs. EPA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and educational foundation based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on workplace trends and policies.

At the company’s yearend, RW Benefit Communications reports an increased demand for benefits statements from companies nationally. The Scottsdale-based company expects even more activity starting in November and continuing throughout the first of the new year when companies offer their employees open enrollment for benefit options.  

Romy Wightman, principal of RW Benefit Communications, attributes the increase in demand for benefit statements to rising health care costs which have urged several employers to not only seek creative ways to provide their employees with valuable benefits, but to also educate their employees about the monetary value of company benefits beyond salary. Romy Wightman predicts that this trend will continue to rise.

“Years ago, employers didn’t feel the need to share this information with employees,” said Wightman. “But more and more companies want to show employees exactly what it costs to provide medical, dental, and other benefits because the costs of these services are rising so fast.” 

An improved job market, particularly in the southwestern region of the U.S., is also the impetus of employers providing and fully disclosing total compensation statements to their employees. Companies divulge this information as a means to retain talent in a restless job market, saving the company thousands of dollars they would otherwise spend in hiring and retraining new employees. Employers also use projected total compensation statements as a hiring tool to entice talented candidates in a highly-competitive job market.

“It’s not enough to simply say you offer employees a competitive salary-plus-benefits package,” added Wightman. “Compensation packages have become much more complicated ­ even over the past few years. Employees want to know the entire value of the benefits on the table, and employers don’t mind boasting to tell them. It’s a win-win proposition.”

Benefits that are part of an employee’s overall compensation package include stock options, retirement projections and participation in various investment programs. Additional benefits that are often overlooked as part of overall compensation include tuition reimbursement, use of a company car, safety uniforms and eyewear, company parties, service awards and incentives.

“Many employees don’t consider the costs a company accrues by offering lunches, company parties, and birthday and holiday gifts,” continued Wightman. “Those companies that offer extraordinary stock options or retirement and investment options deserve credit for compensating employees with valuable benefits. In turn, the employee feels more at ease accepting less salary and is more willing to shoulder health care costs. Overall, the employee and employer are more invested in each other for the long-term.”

About RW Benefit Communications, LLC - RW Benefit Communications is an employee communication company that has chosen to specialize ONLY in total comprehensive benefit statements. The professional staff of RW Benefit Communications has extensive national experience in all areas of employee benefits, including technical expertise in benefit calculations and developing formulas. Supporting companies large and small, RW Benefit Communications has perfected the graphic and informational aspects of their benefits statements creating the design and communication strategy tailored to each client’s specific goals.

For more information, visit www.benefitstatements.com

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Press Release

RW BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS AND DESERT HILLS BANK ANNOUNCE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF BENEFIT STATEMENTS ROLLOUT

Phoenix, AZ (November 16, 2004) ­ Desert Hills Bank, a fast-growing Arizona bank with branches in Phoenix, Prescott and soon, Sedona, turned to RW Benefit Communications (RWBC) to communicate employee benefits with the bank’s rapidly growing employee base.

Romy Wightman, President of RWBC states, “Our clients understand that benefit statements are a very effective tool for employee recruitment and retention. It is a small investment that goes a long way in ensuring benefits are communicated, quantified and understood. Many employers contribute as much as 20% toward an employee’s total annual compensation package in the form of benefits and employees need to see that in black and white in order to appreciate it.”

“RW Benefit Communications was very professional, thorough and accurate with the information we gave them,” said M. Jean Leake, Vice President of Administration for Desert Hills Bank. “They didn’t just lay out numbers, they audited all the figures first to ensure 100% accuracy.”

According to a recent MetLife Employee Benefits Trend Study, roughly two-thirds of employees say that their benefits are an important reason they stay with their current employer (69%), are satisfied with their job (64%), and feel strong loyalty toward their employer (64%).

“We plan to make this an annual program as it boosts employee morale immensely and attracts new employees as well,” added Jean Leake.

About Desert Hills Bank
Desert Hills Bank is an independent community bank that opened in Arizona in November 2000. For more information, visit www.deserthillsbank.com.

About RW Benefit Communications, LLC
RW Benefit Communications offers comprehensive hard copy or on-line benefit statements as an integral part of a company’s employee communication program. The professional staff at RW Benefit Communications has extensive experience in all areas of employee benefits, and is a leading provider of employee benefit statements for employers of all sizes. For further information, visit www.benefitstatements.com or contact Romy Wightman, President, at 1-800-767-3531.

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Press Release

RW BENEFIT COMMUNICATIONS AND BENEFIT SOFTWARE INC. SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH TOTALCOMP ONLINE FOR CHICAGO BASED COMPANY

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Press Release

Now more than ever, employee benefit statements play a key role in helping to increase employee awareness of the true value of benefits and the financial sacrifices employers make to offer them.

Just ask Desert Mountain Properties, an owner of a private golf community in Scottsdale, Ariz. Desert Mountain wanted to educate its diverse staff of around 700 about the total cost associated with the benefit package. The company's consulting firm that originally crafted its benefit package contacted RW Benefit Communications to produce benefit statements for Desert Mountain.

"We wanted the opportunity to communicate again what benefits the employees had available to them and the total cost of these benefits," says Shannon Anderson, Desert Mountain Benefits Manager. "We needed a communication tool to provide a complete picture of what we offer our employees in order to increase retention and boost employee morale."

Desert Mountain turned to Scottsdale neighbor RW Benefit Communications, which specializes exclusively in employee benefit statements. RW offers statements to employers of all sizes, ranging from companies with 25 employees to 10,000. RW answered the call, crafting clear, concise multilingual statements and delivering them to Desert Mountain workers, 48% of who speak Spanish.

The results were immediate and positive. "A lot of our employees didn't realize they had all of these benefits, and the statements enabled them to see first hand the whole benefit package and exactly what it means to them personally," Anderson says. "Each employee receives a full outline of their benefits mailed to their home to protect confidentiality."

RW Benefit Communications notes that statements can improve morale and boost productivity, resulting in lower costs for the employer. RW's employee benefit statements can also impact retention. While many employees would enjoy these benefits, it might prove difficult to find just the right vendor to administer such a tool that caters to their individual employees.

"So many employers would love to do employee benefit statements, but may find it hard to form a working relationship that delivers exactly what they want," notes Romy Wightman, founder of RW Benefit Communications. "RW works with each individual employer to provide a unique service that provides a true representation of the cost of benefits."

RW Benefit Communications provides statements that encompass a broad range of benefits from medical insurance to retirement benefits to tuition reimbursement.

Anderson notes that the arrangement with RW Benefit Communications provides credibility, giving employees a sense that a third party is evaluating the raw data and that Desert Mountain is not attempting to "pull the wool over their eyes."

KMC hits the green with benefit statements

After entertaining requests for proposals and receiving bids from several companies, Karsten Manufacturing Company (KMC), a maker of PING golf clubs, decided to utilize RW Benefit Communications to support its need to provide employee benefit statements. A consultant introduced KMC to Wightman and RW Benefit Communications in March of 2001.

KMC felt that RW would best help it achieve its goal of providing an effective and valuable tool that would communicate the true nature of its overall benefits program.

“KMC recognizes the need to create and regularly reshape it total compensation programs to effectively support it business operations, goals and strategies,” maintains PING Human Resources Director, Dorothy Glueck. “To do this, we took into consideration organizational values and culture, market forces, technology and a host of other factors. The company felt that an outside source who is an expert in total compensation statements would afford the opportunity to get the design, development and implementation of the statements done within our specified time lines.”

Though they have yet to measure financial savings from the statements, employee gratitude is beginning to show. Glueck says that numerous employees have contacted the KMC HR Department expressing appreciation for making the statements available. Many of the corporation’s 1,315 workers said they “had no idea what their total compensation package consisted of.”

Wightman anticipates the employee benefit statement client base to increase as this era of soaring health care costs continues to be highlighted by double-digit increases.

“Employers are seeking to realize a better level of understanding among their employees,” she says. “Given the dramatic increases that people have and as employee cost-sharing goes higher, employee benefit statements can help employees understand that this is a pretty severe environment companies are faced with. It’s also a relatively inexpensive tool to convey the significance of the cost to the employee.”

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