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ISCEBS 18700 W. Bluemound Rd P.O. Box 209 Brookfield, WI 53008-0209 Phone: (262) 786-8771 Fax: (262) 786-8650 iscebs@iscebs.org |
ISCEBS Survey Results
American Workers: Getting Ahead or Just Getting By?
Many U.S. employees are struggling to get ahead financially and they're looking to their employer for help, according to a recently released study conducted by Alliant Credit Union and ISCEBS. The study's key findings include:
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Benefits such as health and retirement plans are important, but are perceived as planning for future needs, whereas many employees have pressing current financial needs
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Those with financial concerns spend significant work time dealing with personal financial matters
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Half the respondents describe themselves as living from paycheck to paycheck, with less than 20% feeling financially secure
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Only 10% of employers currently offer some sort of program to educate employees on how to be a better manager of their own money.
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Such programs would be welcomed, with 85% wanting useful financial information at the workplace to help them become more savvy consumers.
Read the press release and executive summary here. Full survey findings are available here.
Next Generation Of 401(k)s Shows Automatic Enrollment And Step-Up Provisions Doubling Among Employers: Deloitte Survey
Employers are taking decisive actions to make 401(k) plan participation as easy as possible for employees, according to the 2008 401(k) Benchmarking survey, conducted by Deloitte, the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and ISCEBS.
Of the 436 plan sponsors surveyed, 42 percent now have an automatic enrollment feature — nearly double the 23 percent total in the last survey. Another 26 percent say they are considering auto-enrollment.
Survey respondents addressed such topics as eligibility and enrollment, contributions, matching formulas, investment funds, revenue sharing, defined benefit plans, fees, vendors, plan effectiveness, communications and administration.
Survey results indicate that employers and providers are taking decisive steps to help employees get involved in investing and preparing for retirement with less effort. Examples include an autoenrollment default rate and step-up provisions that automatically increase deferral percentages on the participant's behalf. Compared to the previous survey, use of both approaches has increased.
Despite these factors and the increased popularity of time-based lifestyle funds and Roth 401(k)s, participation rates have not increased and many employers believe that their employees are not taking full advantage of their 401(k) plans to fund their retirement. Read the executive summary and full survey findings.
Talent Trumps Cost: Findings of 14th Annual Deloitte/ISCEBS Top 5 Rewards Priorities Survey Findings
Although the cost of health care and other rewards remains a high priority, finding and retaining talent has edged out mounting health care costs as a top employer concern. In response to both challenges, employers are accelerating recent efforts to equip and motivate employees by customizing total rewards packages to meet their individual needs.
Those and other findings from the 14th annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities survey, sponsored jointly by Deloitte Consulting LLP and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, point to increasingly sophisticated efforts to harness the potential of thoughtfully designed total rewards programs to complement and help drive organizational strategy and goals.
Read the press release and complete survey findings, describing respondents' five most significant rewards concerns and how they plan to address them. (Previous years' Top 5 results are listed under Survey History on this page.)
Stop Loss Premiums Are Highly Variable But Predictable: Aegis Risk Survey
A recent survey by Aegis Risk shows medical stop loss premiums to be highly variable by Individual Stop Loss deductible size, but predictable – ranging from approximately $55.00 per employee per month for a $100,000 deductible to $6.75 for a $500,000 deductible, when normalized to a mature ‘Paid’ contract.
In its initial year of the survey, Aegis Risk polled 29 employers covering approximately 122,000 employees with over $16 million in annual 2007 stop loss premium. It is the only known survey focused exclusively on employer stop loss premiums and coverage. Press release | Full survey findings
Benefits Consultants Expect Strong CDH Growth in 2008: ICDC/ISCEBS Study
Even if Democrats win back control of the White House in 2008 and retain control
of Congress, consumer-directed health (CDH) will remain a popular strategy
among employers, according to a national survey of employee benefits consultants
conducted by Inside Consumer-Directed Care and ISCEBS. The 45 consultants who completed the October 2007 survey collectively represent 11,395 employers throughout the U.S. Read full survey findings.
Employers Explore New Strategies For Retiree Medical Programs
When the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit was launched in January 2006, employers faced a wide range of new opportunities in a restructured health care marketplace for employees and retirees, prompting significant changes to employer direction and strategy. A nationwide survey developed by Towers Perrin aims to track these changes and the forces influencing them. Read the press release and survey findings.
What's Happening With Disability Plans?
Salary continuation/short-term disability plans are a significant employer interest, but quantifying costs and controlling utilization remain an obstacle to tighter control of this benefit. Read the survey findings, commentary and press release.
Consumer-Directed Health Plans Still Popular, but Initial Employer Enthusiasm Has Cooled
The second annual survey co-sponsored by Inside Consumer Directed Care (ICDC) and ISCEBS finds that the once-explosive growth of consumer-directed health (CDH) plans has cooled, but will remain strong during 2006's open-enrollment period. Read the press release and full survey results. A discounted subscription to ICDC is available for ISCEBS members.
Survey Shows Employers Are Rethinking Their Prescription Drug Strategies for 2007
Fewer employers appear committed to taking the federal subsidy again and more seem interested in alternative approaches. As the second year of Medicare Part D approaches, most employers are unsure of how they will proceed in 2007. A recent survey, developed by Towers Perrin and conducted by the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS), found that entering 2006, employers sponsoring post-65 retiree medical programs maintained the status quo, but the situation seems more complex for 2007. Read the press release and complete survey results.
ISCEBS/ICDC Survey on Consumer-driven health care
Consumer-Driven health options are gaining a bigger foothold in employer-sponsored health plans and jumbo employers are leading the way. According to the survey results, 23% of jumbo employers (10,000+ employees) will offer an account-based CDH plan to their employees during the 2005 open enrollment season. The survey, conducted in September 2005 by ISCEBS and Inside Consumer-Directed Care, asked consultants how many of their clients made a CDH plan available to their employees in 2005 and how many would offer such a plan in 2006. Click here to read the complete survey findings.
Employers Make Progress Preparing for Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
According to a nationwide survey developed by Towers Perrin and conducted by ISCEBS, most employers are moving ahead with plans to continue providing a prescription drug benefit within their retiree medical plans, but they appear to be unsure precisely what form their response will be, and others are moving forward with a tentative strategy for 2006 - apparently while they assess the emerging Part D marketplace. Click here to view the survey findings and commentary.
2006 Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey
Despite increases in 401(k) plan participation, many employees are financially unprepared for retirement, according to the 2005-2006 Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey, conducted by Deloitte Consulting, the International Foundation and ISCEBS. The survey of 830 plan sponsors nationwide and across all industries showed increases in eligible employee participation, but that employers believe the majority of participants are not using these plans to their full advantage to fund their retirement. Read the news release commenting on these findings or click below for more details.
Previous Years' Surveys
Employee Benefits Trends MetLife's annual Study of Employee Benefits Trends monitors the most pressing benefit-related concerns facing corporate America and its workforce. This valuable tool can help you plan ahead and keep your employees' best interests in mind all year long. If you would like to order a complimentary copy, please click here.
CDH Plans Continue to Grow in Popularity Among Employers and Employees - 2007
The number of employers offering consumer-driven health care (CDH) plans to their employees continues to grow, while employees' fears of high out of pocket costs is on the decline, according to the findings of the third annual CDH survey conducted by Aon Consulting and ISCEBS. Read the press release and survey findings.
2006
2005
Wellness Survey
The Society surveyed a sample of US and Canadian members to learn the role (if any) that wellness and preventive care programs play in the health plans offered to their employees. The responses illustrate the level and nature of the various wellness programs and features offered to their employees. Click here to view the survey results.
Survey History 2000-2007
2007
Annual Top five Rewards Priorities Survey
2006
Annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey
2005
Coping with Serious Illness in the Workplace: Working Women with Breast Cancer
Annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey
2004
Annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey
HSA Survey
Single Payer System
Defined Benefit Plans
2003
Annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey
2002
Company Stock in 401(k) Plans
Health Care Costs
2001
New Kid on the Block: Financial Planning as an Employee Benefit
2000
Employer-Sponsored Prescription Drug Benefits - A Closer Look