Archive for year: 2023

Humans tend to put themselves into metaphorical boxes, defining their abilities and characteristics in rigid, “either/or” ways.

Consider this: Many people claim they’re analytical and not creative, believing these traits to be mutually exclusive. However, this binary thinking of “you’re either creative or you’re not” is restrictive. The brain is not divided into only “creative” and “analytical” segments. Our cognitive processes are far more integrated and fluid.

Contrary to popular belief, creativity is not solely the domain of artists. It is a multifaceted skill that encompasses innovative thinking, problem-solving, and idea generation, all of which are crucial for personal, professional, and organizational growth. Read more

Employees are the backbone of your company. They drive growth and ensure stability and success. But office life is hectic, and showing appreciation can sometimes slip through the cracks or put as an “I’ll do it later” item on your to-do list.

Yet, when employees are recognized for their efforts, they are more engaged and productive and put their hearts into their work when they feel it matters. The numbers don’t lie:  Happy employees are 20% more productive.  

Here are five straightforward ways to show your employees they’re appreciated and valued. Read more

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released draft instructions for preparing, distributing, and filing 2023 Forms 1094-B/C and 1095-B/C. These instructions largely mirror guidance the IRS has published in previous years, except that the electronic filing threshold has been reduced from 250 forms to ten forms in aggregate.  

This year, employers could mail their Forms 1094 and 1095 to the IRS if their submission included fewer than 250 forms. For the 2023 ACA filing and beyond, employers that cumulatively submit at least ten forms to the IRS, including W-2s, 1099s, ACA Forms 1094/1095, and other common form series, must file all of those forms electronically. For example, if an entity issues four 2023 Forms W-2, five 2023 Forms 1095-B, and one 2023 Form 1094-B, then that sum of ten forms means they must file all of them electronically with the IRS when due in 2024. This change resulted from a final regulation the IRS issued earlier this year that officially reduced the electronic filing threshold for many form series. 

Employers that have historically submitted their Forms 1094/1095 to the government via paper mailing will need to consider overall how many forms they will be filing with the IRS in 2024, not just Forms 1094/1095, to determine whether they can continue to do so. Ultimately, the ten-form aggregate threshold will necessitate electronic filing for nearly every employer. We urge employers that have traditionally paper-filed their ACA forms to either register with the IRS as soon as possible so they can e-File themselves or to contract with a vendor that can confidently e-File on their behalf. 

Read more

Over 9 million adults cannot or do not take their medications as instructed.

Did that stat make you pay attention? It should.

Even if you offer insurance to your employees, they still might struggle with taking their medications and treating chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol—or taking any needed medicines for their health.

And you may not even know it. Read more

Every employee has experienced those days when you feel awesome, energized, and accomplished at the office. Then there are those days when you can barely motivate yourself to show up, let alone get anything done. What’s the difference? 

Often, it comes down to your company’s work culture and environment. While physical factors like office layouts and snacks are nice perks, less tangible things like leadership, teamwork, and work-life balance have an even bigger impact on productivity.

Read more