Anne Patterson, Author at Word on Benefits

Financial Well-Being of Underrepresented Women

Anne Patterson

26 Mar 202125 Mar 2021

The Talking Benefits team couldn’t let Women’s History Month end without sneaking in one more episode for you. For the past several years, the International Foundation has strategically focused on the topic of financial wellness and how employers can provide financial education […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Mental Health Talking Benefits Podcast U.S. Wellness

Mental Health for Essential Workers: Best Practices From an LA Fire Captain

Anne Patterson

11 Mar 202109 Mar 2021

If you’re a regular Talking Benefits listener, you know we’ve frequently covered the topic of mental well-being. This is because of the significant impact this issue has throughout our country and, in turn, throughout our workplaces and employee benefit plans. Mental health […]

Canada Employee Benefits Mental Health U.S. Wellness

Helping Employees Tap into the Link Between Nutrition and Mental Health

Anne Patterson

08 Mar 202104 Mar 2021

I’ve heard the phrase, “you are what you eat” many times and sorry, body, but some days you are dark chocolate, an apple, and my toddler’s rejected mac and cheese! It wasn’t until I tuned into a recent Foundation webcast, Helping Employees […]

401(k) Plans Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Retirement U.S.

Organizations Face New Health and Retirement Benefit Implications Due to COVID-19

Anne Patterson

10 Feb 202110 Feb 2021

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employee benefits? The International Foundation has been tracking implications for workplaces across the country, providing a snapshot of the difficult decisions employers and their workers are making regarding their retirement and health care benefits. The latest […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dependent Care Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Flexible Work Options Paid Leave Paid Time Off (PTO) Talking Benefits Podcast U.S.

COVID-19: How Do We Navigate Work Through the Pandemic in 2021?

Anne Patterson

04 Feb 202102 Feb 2021

Welcome to our first Talking Benefits episode of 2021! My fellow “pod squad” members Justin Held, Julie Stich and I engaged in more COVID-19 chatter during the most recent podcast episode. In this discussion, we focused on four main areas. 1. Benefits […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Multiemployer Talking Benefits Podcast U.S.

2020 Benefits Year in Review

Anne Patterson

22 Dec 202022 Dec 2020

If this year has proven anything, it’s that nobody has a crystal ball (or one that works anyway!) Last December 2020, the Talking Benefits podcast team made some predictions for the year ahead. Though we were widely off, we spent the latest […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Mental Health U.S.

5 Ways 2020 Changed Employee Benefits

Anne Patterson

15 Dec 202014 Dec 2020

As we wait to close the rocky chapter that is 2020, a new report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Employee Benefits Survey: 2020 Results, examines the big employee benefits trends that changed this year, perhaps paving the way for […]

Employee Benefits Talking Benefits Podcast U.S.

Turn the (Benefits) Beat Around

Anne Patterson

20 Oct 202020 Oct 2020

This month, the podcast team switched things up a bit and played a game called Benefit Beatz, which challenged each host to find the most employee benefits ties to their favorite song. Nerdy? Yes. Fun? Definitely! If you want to take a […]

Communication Employee Benefits Health Care Human Resources (HR) U.S.

8 Ways to Become an Open Enrollment Pro

Anne Patterson

13 Oct 202013 Oct 2020

Every year around this time, the pressure is on! Employees are asked to make important health care coverage selections during open enrollment, and these decisions are a big deal. Employees, their families and their wallets are impacted for the entire year ahead. […]

Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Human Resources (HR) U.S.

Open Enrollment 2020: Employers Explore New Ways to Communicate Benefits

Anne Patterson

22 Sep 202022 Sep 2020

As if open enrollment wasn’t already challenging, 2020 is throwing employers and employees for a loop. The latest International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans survey report, Trends in Benefit Open Enrollment and Communication, asked U.S. employers about pandemic-related changes impacting staff communication […]