A new year brings new issues for HR professionals to contend with. Some challenges are similar to previous years (overtime uncertainty), while others are more unique and complicated (legal marijuana and employment). Despite inherent difficulties, staying tuned in to these six trends can keep you ahead of the game in 2019. Ignoring them will only put you behind.
 
Below are the top trends to monitor in the coming months.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 42,000 opioid-related deaths in the United States each year. And according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, drug overdoses are one of the leading causes of death for Americans under the age of 50. With the popularity of synthetic opioids surging, experts predict the death toll will only increase. 

Health literacy refers to the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Health Literacy Month, observed each October, aims to close the gap that exists between the way healthcare is communicated and the ability of most people to understand the information.
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According to the National Action to Plan to Improve Health Literacy, nearly 9 out of 10 adults don’t fully understand routine health information. People who have difficulty understanding how to prevent and manage their health are more likely to skip needed medical treatment, go to the emergency room more often, and tend to make mistakes with their medications.

Did you know that 60.3 million U.S. workers are affected by workplace bullying? A 2017 survey conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute found:

• 70% of perpetrators of abusive conduct are men
• 61% of bullies are bosses
• 66% of all targeted workers are women
• Male perpetrators target females 65% of the time
• Female perpetrators target females 67% of the time
• 40% of targets are believed to suffer adverse health consequences from bullying
• 29% of targets remain silent about their abusive conduct; only 17% seek formal resolution

Bullying is generally defined as the use of intimidation through power, influence, tone or language to affect a person negatively. It is often intentional; however, sometimes the bully is not aware of his or her hurtful actions or words.
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The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule that increased the civil penalty amounts that may be imposed on employers under various federal laws. The DOL’s final rule implements the 2018 annual adjustments for civil penalties assessed or enforced by the DOL, including penalties under the FLSA, FMLA, OSHA, and ERISA. The increased penalty amounts became effective on January 2, 2018, and may apply for any violations occurring after November 2, 2015.
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Employee engagement—or the commitment and energy that employees bring to work—impacts productivity and performance. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 33 percent of employees are engaged at work.

Onboarding is a trending term in the world of HR, but not everyone knows what it is or how to do it.  
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What is Onboarding?
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, “Onboarding is the process by which new hires get adjusted to the social and performance aspects of their jobs quickly and smoothly, and learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills and behaviors required to function effectively within an organization.” Onboarding takes training and orientation programs to the next level. Unlike a traditional orientation program, onboarding is a systematic process that extends well beyond the first day of employment. The goal of the onboarding process is to cultivate a long-term relationship between the employer and the employee while fostering a feeling of belonging and an affirmation of making the right choice.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), more than 1 in 3 Americans, or over 77 million people, are considered to have inadequate health literacy, which means that they have difficulty with common health tasks like reading a prescription drug label or making a wise health care decision.

It is estimated that low health literacy costs the United States $106 billion to $238 billion annually and accounts for 7 to 17 percent of all personal health care expenditures.

Increasing employee health care literacy starts with a good communication strategy. The most successful campaigns involve communication throughout the year, not just during open enrollment.

Utilize a variety of methods to increase readership, like flyers, emails and videos. Consider developing an FAQ so you can streamline the information for next year. Most importantly, benchmark employee satisfaction and knowledge through surveys and use the feedback to revise your campaign accordingly.

Company culture is the unifying element that holds everyone in an organization together. Culture encompasses the written and unwritten behavioral norms and expectations of those within the company.

Why Is Company Culture Important?
According to Alternative Board’s 2016 Small Business Pulse Survey, 93 percent of entrepreneurs believe that promoting company culture is good for productivity and creativity.

The process of creating and delivering a manageable and effective benefit communication program can be a time-consuming undertaking, but by following some helpful tips and best practices, you can streamline the success of your program.