ANATOMY OF A CYBERATTACK: KEY CRISIS COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Crisis communication is a large part of that response plan. It includes the collection, organization, and dissemination of timely and factual information to mitigate the impact of a crisis. It’s the dialogue between your PEO, your clients, and respective stakeholders before, during, and after an incident. Effective crisis communication planning takes the confusion and panic out of a crisis and replaces it with accurate, clear information and reassures that help is on the way.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

THE PEO ADVANTAGE: HOW PEOS HELP SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYERS SAFEGUARD THEIR TALENT

For today’s PEOs and the employers they represent, attracting and retaining talent requires facing challenges on multiple fronts. Workers’ priorities have shifted to center on health and wellness in the wake of the pandemic. Employers must recognize and support the “whole employee,”and attend to employees’ needs both on and off the clock. Runaway inflation has further raised the stakes, compelling small business employers to help their staff manage a higher cost of living amid steeper supply costs. And the Great Shuffle has heightened the competition for talent, empowering employees to leave if their needs are not met.

• HR & BENEFITS

THE TOOL FOR BUILDING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR PEO

In my last article, we covered the role of the salesperson in the underwriting process and the important documents we need to gain from prospective clients to effectively underwrite them for a proposal. In this article, we are going to talk about something very exciting - your proposal request form. Don’t go too crazy on me, because this is a very important document to effectively build your business case.

• SALES & MARKETING

ANATOMY OF A CYBERATTACK PART 2: IS YOUR BUSINESS PREPARED?

To better protect your business against cyberattacks, you should be aware of the common cyberattack trends that can put your business at significant risk and best practices to protect to implement.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

CULTURAL CHANGES IMPACTING INSURERS AND EMPLOYERS

Whether it be the pandemic, the Great Resignation, or sweeping social and regulatory changes, there can be no denying that insurers and employers alike are going through a significant cultural change that hasn’t been seen since the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

• HR & BENEFITS
• RISK

DEVELOPING A PEO INTERN PROGRAM

PEOs can contribute in a meaningful way to find and develop talent by offering internships. Many local universities have resources available to assist in starting an intern program, and talent is already in the pipeline waiting to be tapped. Since finding and keeping talent is a top concern for all employers, now is the time to do some research and begin developing a plan. With proper planning and implementation, an intern program can be very beneficial for the PEO, the student, and the PEO industry overall.

• HR & BENEFITS

STEPPING UP OUR FEDERAL LOBBYING EFFORTS: WHY IT MATTERS

As the industry continues to grow, we will continue to expand our lobbying presence in Washington. Ramping up our efforts and resources will be necessary to meet the challenges presented to PEOs. The hiring of Mehlman has, and will continue to, helped NAPEO and the PEO industry navigate the many challenges that await.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

THE PEO AND INSURANCE BROKER ALLIANCE: CONFESSIONS OF A GROUP INSURANCE BROKER

As insurance brokers, we know we have to start getting some quotes from PEOs, but most brokers are too scared to make the call. Why? It’s partially because we still mostly have no idea what a PEO is among other reasons. So, it’s up to you, the PEOs, to seize the opportunity! Convince us we should want to get quotes from you and make it easy for us. Better yet, teach us how a PEO really works and how businesses thrive with PEOs. Just get group brokers to love your PEO.

• HR & BENEFITS

NAPEO GIVES BACK SUPPORTS COACHELLA VALLEY RESCUE MISSION

As the Co-Chair of the NAPEO Gives Back Committee, I’m proud to share that Coachella Valley Rescue Mission has been selected as our 2022 NAPEO Gives Back partner.

ANATOMY OF A CYBER ATTACK: PART 1

In upcoming articles in this series, we will cover some of the different types of hacks and hacktivism that are most common today in greater detail. And while each of these different types have specific preventative and reactionary steps that should be taken, there are some measures that are universal regardless of the type of attack and resulting outcome of them. For example, if it is an email that contains links or attachments that you don’t recognize then don’t click on anything. Deleting the email immediately is the safest option. If you get an email from someone and the wording doesn’t seem consistent with previous interactions, then don’t just take it at face value. Contact the sender in a different email or phone call and confirm what you are seeing is legitimate before you do anything else.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

Designing a Benefits Strategy to Help Curb the U.S. Caregiving Crisis

PEOs are uniquely positioned to lead the conversation about supporting caregivers with their clients to ensure caregiving in the workplace is no longer stigmatized. It starts with providing an objective view of their clients’ benefit strategies as well as organizational structure, and identifying the gaps in support for the worksite employees that might exist. When considering the benefits to implement as we come out of the pandemic, begin with evaluating the culture and environment within your client’s organization so you can help them design a benefits strategy that is tailored to that specific workforce.

• HR & BENEFITS

FORGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH POLICYMAKERS

The PEO industry has made great strides in recent years in raising public awareness in large part due to NAPEO’s industry marketing efforts. While the future seems bright, it is unfortunate that still many people do not have a clear understanding of what PEOs are all about. Regrettably, many legislators and regulators fall into this category which is why industry advocacy is so very important.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

Preparing for the Next Wave of Workplace Litigation

Just as the pandemic seems to be at a manageable point and you think you can breathe easy for a bit, it’s time for you to gear up for the next wave of workplace troubles. A confluence of several events will likely lead workplaces across the country to face a wave of employment litigation at the end of 2022 and well into 2023. What forces are leading to this inevitable future, what will it look like, and what should PEOs do to prepare?

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

Understanding the Sales Team’s Role In Effective Underwriting

In the early days of the PEO industry, a PEO salesperson only had to submit a census of employee and payroll data, workers’ compensation codes and health plan participation to get a proposal/pricing. There was no underwriting or scrutiny of the prospect’s information, no credit check, no comparisons. Consequently, due to a failure to manage risk, some PEOs went out of business or lost their workers’ compensation insurance or health insurance plans. The PEO industry’s reputation took a hit in some markets.

• SALES & MARKETING

Workers’ Comp Reserves: Finding the Right Number

While walking one day, I ran into a neighbor doing yard work. We hadn’t spoken much before, but upon striking up conversation I soon learned of his love of woodworking. His excitement led him to take me on a tour of his basement, where I saw all manner of intricate saws and Depression-era tools, along with beautiful pieces of furniture. The neighbor was giddy as he showed what was clearly one of the great joys in his life. Similarly, as an actuary, “finding the right number” is one my great joys. Best yet, this topic is applicable to all industries and coverages. So, how does an actuary find the right number?

• RISK

A NEW FOCUS ON ‘RETURN TO WORK’

“I just can’t find the workers we need,” is an intensifying concern we hear every day from nearly every client. While the staffing function previously stayed in the middle-management court, it now has the appreciably driving attention of our clients’ most senior executives. In 2022, every employee counts.

• HR & BENEFITS

Quick Hits

The latest industry news and farewell to long-time PEO Insider editor Stephanie Oetjen.

SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE

Even prior to the pandemic and surging inflation, PEOs are being asked to do more with less. Shortages in the available workforce, delays in virtually all supply chains, and increasing prices are crushing profits and putting significant pressure on management just to keep their businesses alive. What’s the solution?

SUPREME COURT’S WORKPLACE DECISIONS WILL KEEP PEOS ON THEIR TOES FOR THE REST OF 2022

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has certainly received much attention in recent weeks, but PEOs need to keep their eyes on the highest court in the land for an altogether different reason: The decisions we have already seen—and soon expect to see—from SCOTUS in 2022 will alter the landscape of workplace law. We’ve seen two big workplace law decisions already this year, we expect another one in the next month, and the court just accepted review of another case we will most likely see decided around the end of the year.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE: HELPING CLIENTS CREATE A CULTURE OF CIVILITY

While workplace violence incidents may not have dominated the news cycle during COVID, incidents of workplace violence have increased over the past three years. According to one recent survey conducted by a major insurance carrier, 34 percent of small and mid-sized businesses experienced at least one employee threat or violent incident. This article examines some of the fundamental causes of workplace violence and the unique value PEOs can bring to their clients in addressing workplace violence and workplace culture issues.

• RISK

CYBERSECURITY FOR PEOS

With the recent rise of cybercrimes, PEOs, like many businesses, must now recognize that data security in cyberspace and in their own systems is of the utmost importance for the safety of not only themselves but also for their clients.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY

LONG-TERM LEAD NURTURING

The prospecting your team does today often doesn’t result in closed business for several weeks or months. How do you keep a prospect engaged for an extended sales cycle? How do you keep your qualified leads from going into a “black hole?”    Longer sales cycles and shortened attention spans are often deal-breakers, but lead nurturing gives you an advantage when it comes to converting prospects and building trust. 

• SALES & MARKETING

NAPEO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Since 2018, NAPEO has found itself caught up in a series of federal legislative and regulatory issues.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

PEO 2.0

Cognition: The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. Digital disruption has transformed the way businesses operate. Consider this: The world’s largest retailer has no physical stores, the world’s largest hotelier owns no hotels, and the world’s largest taxi company owns no cabs. Amazon, Airbnb, and Uber have all disrupted their respective industries. Looking back, the level of disruption resulting from the recent wave of digital transformation is truly astounding.