Last year, the financial crisis had a deep impact not only on employees’ savings, but also on the confidence they had in their ability to retire comfortably. A Towers Watson survey finds that this impact may be more long term than previously thought and, despite the onset of a gradual economic recovery, employees continue to be apprehensive about securing their retirement.
On August 31, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services launched the first phase of the ERRP Secure Website, which is to be used as part of ongoing implementation of the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). The ERRP was established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Although it's been a top priority of HR executives for four consecutive years, more respondents than ever (nearly half) cited talent/performance systems as their main objective for 2010, according to Towers Watson's HR Service Delivery Survey of nearly 500 large and midsize companies around the world.
The DOL has issued much-anticipated regulatory guidance (Technical Release 2010-01) establishing interim enforcement safe harbor procedures for the federal external review processes mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Towers Watson’s quarterly Capital Markets Review provides a high-level summary of capital markets and economic developments.
Last month’s final version of the sweeping financial reform legislation clarified matters relating to pension plan swap transactions and insurance wrappers around stable value funds. Also in July, the Senate introduced another bill allowing in-plan Roth conversions. But the highlight of July was the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) publication of fee disclosure regulations. Though the burden of disclosure falls upon the vendor, plan fiduciaries are required to determine whether the fees are reasonable. Plan fiduciaries will need to review their governance processes in light of these new regulations.
As several factors — including the financial crisis, the aging workforce and new U.S. legislation — continue to affect organizations and engagement among their workers, three Towers Watson consultants consider how organizations should and likely will respond.
FASB issued an Exposure Draft regarding the Disclosure of Certain Loss Contingencies which may be of interest to non-insurer corporations with asbestos liabilities.
The value, measured by percentage of pay, of total retirement benefits for U.S. workers (including DB and DC, retiree medical, life insurance plans) dropped 19% between 1998 and 2008.
In our second Life Insurance CFO Survey in 2010, we focused on trends in the retirement income product marketplace. In addition to exploring general trends in the retirement income product market, we took an in-depth look at the retail market, the institutional defined contribution (DC) market and the institutional defined benefit (DB) market.
Towers Watson discusses insurance industry implications and estimates net commercial insured losses between $4 billion and $6 billion.
North America posted nearly 50% increases for both domestic and cross-border deals in the second quarter and, for the first time, cross-border deals outperformed domestic deals.
Even with the July increase, the funded ratio remains down 9.5% from its level of 71.6 at the start of the year.
This white paper discusses the potential implications of the International Accounting Standard Board's proposed regulations on accounting for defined benefit pension plans.
Because compensation committees are required to attest to the
CD&A drafted by management, Towers Watson has created and
continues to update a Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Scorecard that permits directors to review draft CD&As and
evaluate whether the information included would be of value to
shareholders.
On June 25, the President signed the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010 into law. The act restores cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors and makes available relief for pension plan funding for years through 2011 and certain benefit restrictions for 2010.
On July 14, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury (IRS) issued interim final regulations on certain preventive services that group health plans and insurers are required to cover under the PPACA. Plan sponsors that want to learn more about the regulations and how to access the lists of preventive services that are covered should read Towers Watson’s analysis.
A comparative analysis of asbestos disclosures from annual reports on Form 10-K submitted by public corporations that are known to have been named in asbestos personal injury litigation
New research from Towers Watson shows that with say on pay looming, companies move to further tighten the link between executive pay and performance.
The IRS, DOL and HHS published interim final regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) regarding processes for internal claims and appeals, as well as external review processes, for insured and self-insured, non-grandfathered group health plans.
The big news in June was the passage of highly anticipated pension funding relief, although several provisions related to defined contribution plans, such as enhanced fee disclosure, were not included.
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) recently announced that the enterprise risk management (ERM) practices of nonfinancial companies will not be rated based on their implementation of a particular ERM framework or process.
Volume 2 of the CFO Guidebook, Pensions and Corporate Financial Performance -- Intricately Linked, explores four integrated primary policy areas that are crucial to successful retirement plan financial management: benefit poilicy, accounting policy, funding policy and investment policy.
The sweeping financial services reform law ushers in a say-on-pay era that holds profound implications for executive compensation governance in major U.S. companies. Towers Watson offers insights on what companies can do to prepare for say on pay, provide an overview of executive compensation reforms near enactment and offer insights on new SEC guidance.
On July 14, the Internal Revenue Service, the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services released interim final rules addressing the preventive services that must be covered by a group health plan or insurer under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Under the regulations, in-network providers must provide recommended preventive items and services without cost sharing.
According to a recent Towers Watson flash survey, risk managers are ready for change once the financial crisis recedes.
Managing consultant Barry Franklin discusses the top line findings of a 2010 survey Towers Watson flash survey of risk managers and finance executives.
Pension plan finances were hammered in June, with equities taking significant losses while falling interest rates pushed up liability values. This unfortunate combination of capital market events pushed the Towers Watson Pension Index down by 6.4%, the third successive monthly decline. The index value as of June 30 dropped to 62.9, well below the level of 71.6 at the start of the year.
The Global Alternatives Survey aims to track the movements of alternative assets managed on behalf of pension funds by the world’s largest alternative investment managers and to produce authoritative rankings.
Social media is emerging as the next frontier of innovative communication. And savvy companies are taking notice.
In June, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Departments of Labor (DoL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released two sets of interim regulations addressing various issues under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
On June 29, 2010 the federal government posted online: The final ERRP application; Instructions for completing the application; Dos and don’ts for applicants; and FAQs containing important new information affecting employer applications.
This paper addresses what policies and procedures institutional investors should adopt to ensure that they are receiving good execution value for their FX transaction costs.
On June 22, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and Treasury issued interim final regulations implementing more market reforms and patient protections under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
A survey conducted by Towers Watson in May 2010 provided an early temperature check on employer reactions to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the health care reform legislation recently enacted in the U.S.
Listen in on this podcast as Towers Watson's Craig Ulrich explores advantages and issues around adopting a consistent global sales compensation approach, and discusses factors for organizations to consider around implementing such a model.
In this issue of the Benefits Advisory and Compliance Bulletin we review the significant amount of legislative and regulatory activity in May, and we also take a closer look at how health care reform affects certain executive compensation arrangements.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) officially released interim final rules addressing the grandfathered plan provisions and the status of retiree-only health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
Commercial insurance prices in the United States remained flat during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to Towers Watson's most recent Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS).
Towers Watson’s quarterly Capital Markets Review provides a high-level summary of capital markets and economic developments.
Discover how organizations can use the Culture Alignment Tool to align their cultures with their strategic objectives in order to drive business performance.
A significant decline in equity values dominated capital market results in May. The benchmark asset portfolio declined 4.8%. The Towers Watson Pension Index dropped 5.8% for the month to 67.2 − well below its level of 71.6 at the start of the year.
This podcast, featuring Matt Lucy of Towers Watson, explores the key rewards issues sales teams are facing coming out of the recession, and how companies are protecting their top talent from going to a competitor.
Join us as Towers Watson's Mark Flavin discusses the attributes of an effective sales compensation model -- what it should accomplish and what to keep in mind during development, including factors unique to the sales force.
Malcolm Gladwell, a noted author and speaker widely recognized for his unique perspectives, discussed three commonly made, yet misguided, assumptions about the power of prediction at a packed Towers Watson Dinner and Dialogue event at Le Bernardin in New York City, on April 29. This is a recap of his remarks.
Brian Stoll discusses predictive modeling and the company's predictive modeling software, Pretium.
This piece has been written by our Global Investment Committee and provides a summary of the main market price action, important macro developments and new policy responses as a result of the Euro-zone economic crisis.
The recession of 2008/2009 forced many organizations to reexamine their talent management approach. Leading companies have begun to account for all the different dynamics of talent and have systematically changed their approaches to reflect the coming reality of the next five years. Discover five new rules for effective talent management today.
With the recent announcement of our clients-first approach to executive compensation consulting, companies have more options when seeking objective and informed executive compensation advice. This article presents our perspective on the important questions companies should be asking themselves in choosing a consultant.
This survey of benefits professionals provides a snapshot of how employers are responding to health care reform challenges that have far-reaching implications for retention, recruitment, productivity, workforce planning, change management and the overall employer-employee deal.
Towers Watson clarifies causes of recent failures of catastrophe bonds to protect investors and describes what can be done to restore market confidence and protect assets going forward.
With U.S. health care reform legislation now on the books, three consultants in Towers Watson’s Health and Group Benefits practice examine the implications for employers.
Executive pay programs have in large part worked as intended during the most severe downturn in nearly a century, according to Towers Watson’s analysis of 176 Fortune 500 companies’ recent proxy filings.
A powerful pulse survey to a random employee sample that quickly delivers key insights to senior leaders. Some key survey measures include how actions taken during the downturn have impacted the retention of critical talent, adherence to core values, support for company mission, and the company image with the public
In April 2010, the Senate passed a bill favored by many retirement plan advocacy groups that would permit intra-plan Roth 401(k) conversions. On another front, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) moved forward with 409A examinations and clarified an important aspect of the health care reform Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) regarding health insurance coverage of adult children.
When it comes to adding value to an organization, employees cover the full spectrum. Some possess critical skills, others hold pivotal roles and still others are more productive than their counterparts. Here are some tips for organizations interested in boosting productivity through workforce planning.
The enclosed update addresses how defined benefit pension plans in a number of countries (Brazil, Canada, Euro-zone, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S.) were impacted by capital market changes during the first quarter of 2010
This survey explored how companies are determining, managing, monitoring, funding and allocating capital in light of the popularity of economic capital methodologies, ongoing regulatory changes, rating agency requirements and economic turmoil.
On May 10, 2010, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services issued interim final rules on health coverage for adult children (those younger than 26), which is required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This coverage will take effect for plan years beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010. On April 27, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued complementary guidance on tax implications.
A significant decline in long corporate bond yields dominated capital market results in April. The resulting liability increase was partially offset by positive equity returns. The Towers Watson Pension Index fell 2.2% for the month to 71.3 − just below its level of 71.6 at the start of the year.
As more organizations seek to reward managers for balanced business performance, some still find it difficult to rationalize a focus on – and investment in – the human component.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides a $5 billion Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) to pay for a portion of the claim costs incurred by early retirees under employment-based health plans.
On April 29, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2010-38, providing guidance on the tax treatment of health care coverage provided for adult children under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA).
Frontier markets are diverse, populous and growing. In this paper we consider the role this investment strategy is currently playing in institutional investor’s equity portfolios.
In a further step in the evolution of the accounting for retirement benefits, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued its long-awaited Exposure Draft (ED) of proposed changes to IAS 19, Employee Benefits.
Towers Watson research shows that, as economic uncertainty continues, companies need to focus on cost management yet ensure that their plans provide competitive reward opportunities and support key business goals.
Towers Watson’s Global Investment Committee explores quantitative easing – explaining what it is, how to implement it, the impact it has had on our economy and finally the outstanding risks and implications this strategy could have for investors.
This paper documents the key investment beliefs held by Towers Watson's Global Investment Committee. These beliefs support how we work with our clients and may be used to assist clients in determining their beliefs. This document is not intended to be comprehensive and will evolve over time.
As scrutiny of executive compensation intensifies, companies around face growing questions about how — and how much — their top people are paid. This podcast series is designed to help organizations think through these issues. Hosted by Doug Friske, leader of Towers Watson’s global Executive Compensation business, the series features experts from across the firm discussing many of the most challenging issues in executive compensation today.
According to a Towers Watson survey conducted in early January, employers’ predictions for 2010 are mixed but guardedly optimistic — with a majority of organizations planning a renewed growth focus and some judicious hiring, while over a third will continue to make targeted workforce reductions.
Equities provided very strong returns while long corporate bond yields increased slightly in March. The combined impact was a 4.0% increase in our benchmark plan’s funded ratio for the month. The Towers Watson Pension Index came in at 72.9 for March − a 1.8% improvement from its value of 71.6 at the start of the year.
Seven simple behavioral economic insights can motivate employees to better manage their health and lower their health care costs.
A comparative analysis of asbestos disclosures from annual reports on Form 10-K submitted by public corporations that are known to have been named in asbestos personal injury litigation
In February and March, the Department of Labor (DOL) released proposed investment advice regulations and additional guidance on the electronic filing requirements for Form 5500 and filing requirements for 403(b) plan sponsors.
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Purpose of the study: to assess the stock market rewards to pharmaceutical companies for innovation, which the study defines as both bringing new drugs to the market and diversifying the drug portfolio.
In an effort to encourage healthy behaviors, a growing number of employers are tightening their requirements for workers to receive financial incentives, according to a survey conducted by Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), a nonprofit association of large U.S. employers.
In March, the United States enacted comprehensive health care reform (HCR) legislation. A key objective of the new law, which will be phased in over several years beginning in 2010, is to extend health care coverage to many previously uninsured individuals. As a result, the legislation affects a variety of stakeholders in the current health care system, including providers, health insurers, employers and employees.
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). One week later, on March 30, 2010, the President signed into law H.R. 4872, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, making numerous changes to the PPACA.
This article, from Directors & Boards magazine, discusses the effects of the enhanced proxy disclosure requirements the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released in December.
Congress’s seemingly endless march toward enacting comprehensive health care reform legislation is coming to a close with a very large and complex new law as the outcome. The new law will have significant strategic and tactical implications for employers’ reward strategies and employee health plans in the years to come.
As the financial climate improves, many U.S. life insurers say they plan to enhance and upgrade essential elements of their enterprise risk management (ERM) function, according to a recent study by Towers Watson and technology service provider CSC, and conducted by the American Council of Life Insurers.
While pharmaceutical sales compensation plans have remained remarkably consistent, there are signs of more dramatic changes to come. Companies are beginning to change their coverage models in response to cost pressure and the different ways in which buying decisions are being made. This paper highlights key findings from 2009 research on pharmaceutical salesforces.
Most employees may be losing 5-15 years — about 30% or more — of their retirement income to fees. Towers Watson research suggests fees should be an important consideration when plan sponsors evaluate and select TDFs. The analysis also indicates how the effect of high fees on retirement income can be larger than the effect of variations in glide path design.
The 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey—the 20th annual wave of this survey—finds that the record-low confidence levels measured during the past two years of economic decline appear to have bottomed out. The percentage of workers very confident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement has stabilized at 16 percent, which is statistically equivalent to the 20-year low of 13 percent measured in 2009.
For much of 2009 attention was firmly focused on economic recovery, but the year ended with all eyes on Copenhagen and the diplomatic efforts to reach a global agreement to tackle climate change.
Towers Watson research shows that the impact of organizational culture on workplace safety is an equally significant factor in the development of a safe workplace.
Amid heightened cost pressures brought about by the prolonged economic downturn, companies are assessing their health care programs to control costs and build healthier and more productive workforces. Despite their efforts, however, employers remain frustrated by employees’ poor health habits and the difficulty in motivating behavior change. Additionally, they are uncertain about the potential for health care reform legislation that could increase their financial and administrative burdens.
Commercial insurance prices in the United States remained flat during the fourth quarter of 2009, according to Towers Watson's most recent Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS).
In today’s transaction environment, companies are struggling to balance the need for talent, with the need to control costs and achieve other business objectives. Even those companies with strong balance may not succeed in building their talent portfolio to the extent desired without fully integrating their acquisition strategy into their overall talent agenda. This article discusses how companies can best shape their talent agenda in an M&A.
“Everything there is to say about health care has been said, and just about everyone has said it. So now is the time to make a decision about how to finally reform health care....” With those words, President Obama called upon Congress on March 3 to move forward on comprehensive health care reform legislation.
Towers Watson research reconfirms that when organizations address people and culture issues early, strategically and with discipline, they improve their chances of achieving a more successful merger or acquisition deal.
U.S equities provided strong returns while stable interest rates left liability values essentially unchanged in February. The net impact was a 1.6% increase in our benchmark plan’s funded ratio for the month. The Towers Watson Pension Index came in at 70.1 for February − still down from its value of 71.6 at the start of the year.
Reliably measuring and benchmarking an organization’s safety culture leads to improved business performance. Towers Watson can help.
Even in a soft economy, many renewable energy companies are engaged in a difficult war for talent. This paper provides a current snapshot of the industry's workforce challenge along with key findings of recent Towers Watson research on the industry.
The prolonged economic downturn is putting additional pressure on companies to change their health care programs to help relieve financial strain. The results of this year’s survey also show employers are frustrated by employees’ poor health habits and are struggling to effectively motivate behavior change. Additionally, they are uncertain about the future of employer-sponsored benefits, especially in light of the potential for health care reform legislation.
December 2009 and January 2010 saw significant 401(k) plan developments, given the recognition that more needs to be done to ensure participants do not outlive their 401(k) account balances. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released its much anticipated 409A document correction program and announced its intention to establish a 403(b) determination letter program.
This paper explores the key differences between IFRS and U.S. GAAP in accounting for employee benefits and stock-based compensation. It looks not just at the existing rules, but also at changes contemplated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
With health care costs continuing to climb, the effects of the current economic crisis yet to be shaken off and health reform discussions still underway, employers find themselves at a crossroads. A Towers Watson survey recently found that despite these challenges, employers have never been more interested in workforce health and well-being.
This white paper examines the human capital challenges facing the health care industry today and how business leaders can position their organizations for success.
Towers Watson’s quarterly Capital Markets Review provides a high-level summary of capital markets and economic developments.
Towers Watson’s Property & Casualty Claim Officer Survey focuses on the economic climate’s impact on claim operations, including loss costs, litigation levels, expense management and expense-related claim performance metrics.
A recovering global economy brought mildly positive fourth quarter portfolio returns and strong full-year returns, well into double digits in most regions. Corporate bond yields generally increased
during the fourth quarter, but still ended the year well below year-end 2008 levels in most regions.
January 2010 update on U.S. capital markets.
The new edition outlines recent developments in pensions — the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), the widespread shift toward defined contribution plans, and the burgeoning research literature, especially in economics and finance, on retirement and retirement plans.
This article, part of our ongoing series on embedding ERM in insurance, analyzes the capital management function’s roles and responsibilities, including collaboration with the risk management function.
The findings of the fifth in a series of pulse surveys conducted in 2009, which assessed HR's role in achieving M&A success and the specific skill sets that enable HR to contribute most effectively during a merger or acquisition.
This is a study of the 13 largest pension markets in the world and accounts for more than 85% of global pension assets. The countries included are Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S..
There is no question: Florida’s insurance market is in a
state of disarray, and property insurers and homeowners
have huge challenges ahead of them.
Insurance companies remain convinced that enterprise risk management delivers rewards, but many continue to struggle with integrating ERM into their business.
Voters in Massachusetts yesterday elected the Republican candidate, Scott Brown, to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Brown, who is expected to be certified to take his seat in Congress within two weeks, has announced his opposition to the Democrats’ health care reform legislation and his intention to vote against passage if he has that opportunity.
This paper outlines some of the main fees and terms we have come across in terms of real estate investing and how we would like them to change in order to produce a fairer deal for investors. Although some of the issues identified in this paper are specific to ‘opportunity’, ‘opportunistic’ and ’value-add’ strategies, the points we raise have wider implications and are applicable to all real estate vehicles.
There is no doubt that emerging markets continue to grow in importance in the context of a global economy, but investment solutions in this area are not simple. Over a number of years Watson Wyatt spent a considerable amount of resource examining the key economic drivers behind the emergence of the structural growth phenomenon taking place in countries such as China and India. Our findings highlighted the complexity many pension funds face when trying to address a portfolio allocation in this area.
This piece provides a handy listing of updated statutory limits, disclosure requirements and deadlines, and related 2010 information for retirement and health and welfare plans in the United States.
Many organizations have a knee-jerk reluctance to use their sales incentive plans to reward anything other than top-line revenue. This article by Towers Watson's Elliot Scott, from the December 2009 issue of Workspan, explores how companies can benefit by rewarding sales people for their impact on the bottom line.
Helps financial executives gain insights into managing defined benefit pension plans in the context of their company's overall financial performance.
As recessionary pressures continue to ease and organizations seek an edge to fuel their recovery, talent and performance management are retaking center stage.
Reduced head count. Increased employee cost sharing for health care. Anxiety about falling 401(k) account balances. Tighter training budgets. If you're an HR manager, you're probably wondering when it will all let up.
Despite the economic downturn, organizations continue to take a long-term view of the HR function and see value in supporting it in order to achieve key business goals.
Our data and our experience confirm that organizations have awakened to the importance of having skilled and engaged people at all levels delivering results.
Driving down costs by improving quality of care.
Rather than concentrate exclusively on cost efficiencies, EMC focused on innovation, quality and customer service.
Fifteen extreme risks that would have a high impact on global economic growth and asset returns if they occurred. The events of the last two years have demonstrated that risk management cannot afford to stop at the 95th percentile and that ways need to be found to factor in very unlikely, but high-impact events.
This brief glossary of terms highlights expressions plan fiduciaries are likely to encounter in the course of fulfilling their investment responsibilities.
A new survey conducted in October 2009, a year after the Lehman Brothers' collapse, finds that while the worst may be over, finance executives continue to worry about crucial financing and risk management issues, as well as their ability to carry out acquisitions and other strategic plans.
The recession has had widespread and unprecedented impact on U.S. employers and their employees. While the worst might be over, companies need to be prepared for the effects to linger even after the economy recovers.
Against a backdrop of market bubbles and crashes, two recessions and rising health care expenses, companies have made changes to their retirement programs to mitigate risk and manage costs. Some have shifted risk to their workers by transitioning from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) plans. Many have reduced the retirement benefits they provide. If corporate America's commitment to worker retirement plans continues to decline at the pace it has over the past decade, we could see retirement straits in the future that negatively affect employers and employees alike.
Employers are using decision-support tools to help employees make better choices about the health care plan they select. They are using more online communication and reducing their reliance on paper materials.
Find out how Cisco married high tough with hi tech to achieve impressive results.
Companies looking ahead to how they will restructure their reward programs in a recovering economy will no doubt be asking some tough questions about their 401(k) plans.
Companies that communicate with courage, innovation and discipline, especially during times of economic challenge and change, are more effective at engaging employees and achieving desired business results. Our research has consistently found the firms that communicate effectively with employees are also the best financial performers.
This article, part of our ongoing series on embedding ERM in insurance, describes an analytical framework that can be applied to an insurer’s internal measurement and management system to align value assessment, risk and capital management.
With no economic recovery in sight, companies are under unrelenting pressure to curb workforce costs. At the same time, they know they need talent — skilled people who remain engaged and committed — to make it through the downturn and refocus on long-term growth.
The quandary posed by underwater options isn't new. Companies face it whenever stock prices tumble for a prolonged period, whether the decline cuts across the market as a whole or falls only on certain hard-hit sectors.
Frequent recognition is like applause; it rewards the accomplishment in real time.
The 2009/2010 Staying@Work report details current trends and best practices in companys' health and productivity programs, including employer efforts to improve employee health, combat presenteeism and reduce lost time from work.
The significant decline in employees’ retirement savings and confidence, coupled with the relatively short history of 401(k)s, has raised questions about the future of DC plans. As companies begin the long climb to recovery and focus on managing costs and providing more effective benefits, we could see longer-term changes on the horizon.
A comprehensive approach to measuring ROI.
Companies with highly engaged employees generate more marketplace power than their competitors.
Companies are struggling to balance persistent pressures to cut costs with ongoing talent management needs in response to the sour economy.
Defined benefit pension plans are caught in a period of significant volatility that requires sponsors to better understand investment and cash flow implications while rethinking plan design.
As the debate surrounding health care reform continues, four Watson Wyatt consultants weigh in on what reform could mean for employers around the country and recommend steps for employers to take now.
A detailed examination of proxies filed by large corporations.
Authors Steven Nyce and Sylvester Schieber conclude that if we expand health insurance coverage without controlling costs, we have the potential to soak up future wage growth and crowd out retirement benefits.
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