A Benefits Plan is the Starting Point

A recent survey showed that the majority of employees would prefer a benefits plan to a nominal pay raise

If employees are taken care of, it will be reflected in the bottom line

Understandably, a benefits package is regarded by many employers as a necessary part of business, but the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan is grounded in the belief that a good plan actually benefits any business’s bottom line.

That’s because a comprehensive benefits package is highly sought by professionals faced with multiple job prospects. “As a way of attracting and retaining new talent, a quality plan is a powerful tool,” says Ramon Solinas, president and senior advisor at Solinas & Associates Insurance Services Inc. and regional marketing director for B.C. for the Chambers Plan.

He adds: “In fact, a 2018 survey by Sanofi Canada showed that when asked if they would prefer a $5,000 annual raise or a comprehensive benefits plan, 63 percent of employees surveyed chose the latter.”

Of course, benefits packages are almost as varied as the number of businesses in Canada, and the not-for-profit Chambers Plan was developed specifically for small businesses, which have traditionally had the hardest time getting employee benefits (it provides services to firms in more than 900 Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade across the country).

The Chambers Plan also fully reflects the five key attributes the Chambers of Commerce believes are essential to any good package, namely:

• Coverage (customization allows for the selection of benefits instead of those in a bundle that may not be needed);

• Premium stability (the Chambers Plan is a pooled plan where premiums are based on the average of claims across all participants, thus spreading the risk);

• Guarantees (the Chambers Plan offers guaranteed renewable coverage or benefits that don’t require medical questionnaires);

• Claim payments (the Chambers Plan provides efficient and convenient payment options);

• Longevity (the Chambers Plan gives participants a voice in the plan’s evolution, with options to control costs today and in the future). 

Solinas cites other portions of the plan that would be of great interest to either existing or prospective employees of small businesses. “For example, our Business Assistance Service is included free in every plan,” he says. “This gives owners access to professional accounting, legal and human resource experts—all of whom understand the challenges small businesses face.”

The plan also, via its Best Doctors service, allocates 50,000 medical specialists at the ready for every Chambers Plan participant, which connects seriously ill individuals and their treating physicians with world-renowned specialists. 

Yet another useful element of the plan is its health and wellness mobile app, which enables participants to log in at any time and get more details about the plan, how much they’ve spent, or even submit claims remotely.

 “We’ve taken a holistic approach to group benefits and, frankly, the Chambers Plan benefits any small business’s bottom line because its high quality and breadth of services is attractive to high quality prospective talent,” says Solinas.

For more information about services and benefits, or for a free quote, go to www.chamberplan.ca.