Why Do Employee Benefits Matter?

Let's go ahead and cut to the chase. Yes, offering benefits costs money, but what are your employee turnover, lack of employee engagement, and competition who offer their workforce better benefits costing your company? $11 billion is lost annually due to employee turnover (Bloomberg BNA) A company's primary motive is to grow and serve its clients well. You will need a dedicated workforce to move that vision forward for that to happen. Having employee benefits will undoubtedly play a role in making sure you attract and retain key employees. 79% of employers believe offering benefits to employees is a critical component of attracting talent (Burston Marsteller)

What Employee Benefits Should I Provide?

Medical insurance for current and potential employees is at the top of the must-have benefits list. All companies are struggling to attract and retain key employees. Salary is no longer enough! Every day, we help companies start and easily manage group medical plans. After health coverage, employees are asking for dental, vision, disability, and life insurance. Most importantly, listen to the needs of your staff and the people you are trying to hire. If they ask for employee benefits, you should provide them, or you will not retain or attract the right people. 

Why Does My Current Advisor Ignore Me?

We hear this question often, and there are two simple reasons why. First, you are considered "too small to manage." Yes, it's a money thing, and the smaller the group, the lower the commission. Employee benefit carriers have disincentivized working with small businesses through reduced plan choices and commissions. UPstream offers many benefits and administration services to help companies of all sizes achieve their goals. Second, your agent is not focused on you, as the insurance landscape has changed. Large agencies are buying smaller ones, and as a result, agents are handling more clients. You are a small fish in a big pond. UPstream only works with small employers and will provide you with a dedicated service team. If you have a question, need something fixed, or hire a new employee, you call the same team. We also have a fancy benefits management system that makes self-service easy when you want. 73% of employees prefer to talk live with someone about their benefits rather than use an automated system (Health Advocate

What stage is your business in?

Starting
Don't try to compete with the big companies. Being small has many advantages, and you are in good company with UPstream. We only work with small businesses like you and have been where you are. We would be happy to provide you with a proposal for your budget or have a conversation for future planning.

Growing
Has your business grown, but your employee benefits still need to? Employee Benefits management should be easy. Your employees fuel company growth, and retaining your most valuable assets requires more than a salary. Employees need an easy, transparent way to interact with your benefits so they recognize the benefits for what they are, a benefit. 

Leading
Remember how you became an industry leader; you did so through hard work and making smart decisions. UPstream can help you to continue leading well. Is your benefits advisor the person who wooed you on the front end but now is just going through the motions? Your employee benefits advisor should also be leading in their expertise, not just you. 

Discovery Call

The best place to begin is by listening to you, asking lots of questions, and planning to move forward. UPstream helps small businesses start and manage all aspects of employee benefits. Contact us today to get started. 
Brian Reeve
Small Business Advisor
(919) 659-8743
Schedule a virtual call here

How we manage employee benefits

Initial Contact
We start with listening. We want to hear your goals, needs, and expectations, and then we will ask questions to understand the full picture. We are also not afraid to tell you we may not be a good fit. Regardless of your next move, we want you to be informed before you make it. 
Full Proposal
Once we have the details and data, we will work on gathering employee benefit options for a proposal. At UPstream, we clearly and transparently deliver your benefits proposal and solutions that fit you well. We explain how our service differs, discuss each plan's pros and cons, and help you understand how we came to our decisions.
Employee Enrollment
We walk you and your staff through the enrollment process one step at a time. We provide the most updated online platform and tools for your benefits management. No paper, all digital!
Employee Transitions & Help
All businesses experience employee changes; we are here to help with those. We will support you and your staff throughout the year, not just at renewal. We help with audits, compliance, and when problems arise.
Benefits Renewal
Benefits change, and so do costs. We will shop yearly for the best benefits and rates to ensure you get what you pay for. When it makes sense, we will provide alternate quotes and ensure your staff is coached through the renewal process.