July 4th, 2006
Strategic Organizational Resources Management, Inc. (STORM Consulting, Inc.) just recently conducted its second seminar on Flexible Benefits Implementation, entitled THE FLEX FACTOR. It was held in the Rockefeller Room of Astoria Plaza last June 2, 2006.
The seminar was well-attended, with representatives coming from companies such as Siemens, San Miguel Corporation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bank of America and PeopleSupport, among many others.
The objectives of the course were simple: 1) for attendees to understand what Flexible Benefits is all about, 2) for them to know the pros and cons of going into it, 3) for them to get an idea of how to undergo the implementation process, and 4) for them to get a bird’s-eye-view of what migration from a traditional to a flexible benefits scheme entails.
The seminar was conducted by Peter Cauton, one of STORM’s managing consultants, and a seasoned human resources generalist. Peter shared his extensive knowledge on Flexible Benefits – knowledge borne out of his 5-year experience in local Flexible Benefits implementation and process improvement.
The session provided a venue for attendees to learn about Flexible Benefits itself and the process of preparing a company for transitioning into this radically new benefits delivery scheme.
Aries Dizon from BlastAsia, one of the seminar’s participants, says:
“Flexible Benefits is really a refreshing idea that will surely continue to make waves in the HR industry. It was the first time I heard about it and it really got me interested. This new paradigm in the field of comp and ben is surely an effective tool to retain employees. I am sure it will mean a lot to all our employees (if we implement it). I was certainly glad I signed up for the seminar.”
Insights were gained both by participants who had zero-knowledge on Flexben and those who already had an idea of what it was all about.
“I was really impressed with the way STORM tackled the implementation process step-by-step. I have attended other Flexible Benefits implementation courses in the past, but this was the first one that went through the process with a level of detail sufficient for arming attendees with the knowledge to implement on their own,”
comments another attendee. That, he said, was one of the biggest reasons why he found the seminar so appealing.
Throughout the session, multiple implementation issues were tackled –- invaluable lessons that were learned the hard way by Cauton while spearheading one of the first Flexben programs in the country.
Questions on taxability, cash-out increases, company readiness, applicability to unionized companies, communication strategies and supplier negotiation strategies were dealt with. Also established during the seminar was the need for back-end systems excellence, something necessary for making sure that administration and monitoring of the more complex resulting program can be handled properly and with enough resources.
A human resources officer from one of the leading manufacturing companies in the Philippines acknowledges the value of the seminar:
“I really found the Flexible Benefits seminar STORM conducted helpful. I’ve attended other courses on Flexben implementation, but this has been the most comprehensive so far. Insights on past experiences and learnings were brought into light giving me a very good idea of what issues to expect during implementation, and how to resolve them when they do come up.”
Arie Aquino-Guetler, another FLEX FACTOR attendee, concurs:
“We actually already have an existing Flexible Benefits program in Isla Lipana & Co. (PricewaterhouseCoopers), but I decided to go to the seminar anyway to try and see if there was anything more that I could learn about the program. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. New concepts and methods were discussed that gave me insight about what else could be done and how else the program could be run.
“I also saw how valuable the seminar could be especially to someone who’s had very little exposure to Flexben. Someone with zero-knowledge on the topic would find the seminar extremely helpful since the steps and all related processes for implementation are gone through with a level of detail sufficient for implementing on their own.”
Visit STORM’s site regularly to remain updated with STORM’s activities and to find out when the next Flexible Benefits Implementation seminar will be.
* Flexible Benefits Implementation seminars are just some of the things STORM offers. Check out the PRODUCTS AND SERVICES section to find out more about how STORM Consulting can help you.