Our Approach

Tying It All Together

Learn more about how we’ve applied the principles of Consumerism 360° in our work with clients.

CAREER

Financially on the verge of bankruptcy and concerned about overall performance, a client’s new CEO wanted to turn the company around. Unsure of where to begin, the company conducted an employee engagement study and received poor results. Believing that engaged employees would be an important factor in the company’s ultimate success, it worked with Buck to redesign its HR and benefits programs.

The company set out to change the employer/employee relationship from one of entitlement to one of shared responsibility. It launched a multi-channel campaign that informed employees about their total rewards options, created a rewards system for managers that was tied to helping drive employee engagement, and created focused programs, processes, and supporting technology for Performance Management, Total Rewards, Career Planning, and Leadership and Employee Development.

Over the next four years, the employee engagement index score increased from 52 percent to 86 percent. By sharing information in new ways, using incentives to drive performance, and providing an infrastructure that encourages active participation, the company not only transformed its workforce, it also transformed the company as a whole.

HEALTH

Hoping to improve the overall health of its employee population while also controlling costs, Buck helped a client modify its existing health care programs to achieve its goal.

The company started by sharing information with its employees about health risks, highlighting the importance of preventive care and early detection. At the same time, the company provided employees with health assessment tools, health improvement programs, and health counseling to help people adopt additional healthy behaviors. Then, using financial incentives — including premium reductions of up to $1,000 for employees and their spouses if they took a health risk assessment, reached certain biometric goals, and, where applicable, stopped smoking — the company encouraged its employees to complete a health risk appraisal, and to get their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body mass index tested.

As a result, 80 percent of the company’s covered employees participated, employee health measurably improved, and company-wide health care costs have not increased over the past four years. By increasing information about health risk, using financial incentives to overcome resistance, and providing an infrastructure of support and easy-to-access tools, employees took action to improve their health and the health of the company.

WEALTH

Given company objectives for employee appreciation of retirement benefit offerings within total rewards, our client was disappointed in 401(k) plan participation and wanted to achieve goals for increased enrollment, contribution rates, and investment diversification.

Buck helped launch a “What’s your number?” campaign. Key elements included nationwide education sessions on retirement and investment planning; easy-to-use, engaging modeling tools; and personalized statements. Employees could review a snapshot of their current savings alongside a projection of the possibilities for future growth in value. Leveraging “loss aversion” concepts from behavioral economics, the statements showed how much money employees were “leaving on the table” if they:

• Weren’t participating at all
• Were contributing, but not up to the full available match
• Were getting the full match, but could be saving more

Results were outstanding: Nearly 28 percent of non-participants enrolled, 38 percent of current participants increased their contribution rates by an average of 3.7 percent, and investment diversification improved measurably. By providing information to help employees understand their retirement savings situation, highlighting incentives designed to change employee savings behavior, and providing an infrastructure of resources and support to keep employees on track, the company empowered employees who, in turn, took action to increase their retirement saving.