20 MAG 2024 · In this episode of BenefitsTV - The Podcast, the hosts discuss various workplace benefits topics, including personalization, education, and the role of advisors. They explore Rosario's experience as a finalist for Advisor of the Year and the need for innovation in the industry. The conversation covers the impact of larger companies entering the benefits space, self-funding strategies, engaging diverse workforce segments, and the importance of communication in enhancing benefits programs. The hosts encourage listeners to share their experiences in personalizing benefits and engaging employees. 00:00 Welcome Back to Benefits TV 00:28 Advisor of the Year: A Reflective Journey 01:04 Bringing Innovations to the North Bay 02:04 The Impact of Big Companies on Health Insurance 03:38 Engaging New Generations in the Insurance Industry 04:48 Addressing the Translation Barrier in Insurance 06:11 Generational Differences in the Workforce 07:01 Customizing Benefits for Diverse Employee Needs 10:17 Effective Communication Strategies for Benefits Programs 15:19 The Power of Personalization in Employee Engagement 18:16 Closing Thoughts and Invitations for Feedback

22 MAR 2024 · In this episode of BenefitsTV - the Podcast, co-hosts Andrew McNeil and Rosario Avila discuss the top benefits that Gen Z expects from employers, based on a study by the Standard Insurance company.  The episode delves into the changing landscape of employee benefits, highlighting Gen Z's growing influence in the workforce. By 2025, Gen Z is expected to comprise about 30% of the workforce, emphasizing the importance for employers to understand and cater to their needs. Surprising many, the top benefits for Gen Z include medical insurance, paid family and medical leave, retirement savings plans, life insurance, and mental health days, with a tie for fifth place between emergency savings accounts and mental health services. The hosts also touch on the significance of financial wellness, the rise of financial literacy, and the changing perspectives on work and family life. 00:00 Welcome to Benefits TV: Discussing Gen Z's Workplace Benefits 00:40 Casual Banter: Weather, Baseball, and Family Life 03:41 Diving Into Gen Z's Top 5 Expected Benefits from Employers 06:12 Exploring the Surprises in Gen Z's Benefit Preferences 16:58 The Importance of Financial Wellness and Emergency Savings 21:00 Concluding Thoughts and Encouragement to Engage with Benefits Advisors Contact us: Andrew McNeil - AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila - RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

12 FEB 2024 · In this episode of BenefitsTV The Podcast, co-hosts Andrew McNeil and Rosario Avila discuss the challenges experienced by organizations with open enrollment and benefits compliance at the tail end of 2023 and the start of 2024. They highlight important factors like communication to employees, early strategic planning, and proper understanding of the range of options to handle issues like rate increases. They also dive into a commonly found issue where some employers often confuse certain documents or overlook certain procedures which could lead to potential compliance problems, affecting even smaller employers. The hosts encourage employers to ask more questions and start strategic conversations early with their brokers, and also offer their audience to reach out to them for free audits to ensure compliance. They stress the importance of staying updated on changing requirements due to changes in company size as well. 00:03 Introduction and Welcome 00:36 Discussing Open Enrollment Challenges 02:08 Exploring Employer Experiences 04:24 The Importance of Communication in Benefits 06:13 Exploring Different Benefits Options 09:38 The Importance of Benefits Compliance 15:26 Closing Remarks and Contact Information Andrew McNeil - AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila - RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

9 GEN 2024 · New Year, New Beginnings: Embracing Changes in 2024 In this episode of Benefits tv, co-hosts Andrew McNeil and Rosario Abela discuss their first podcast of the new year. They talk about the importance of adapting to the changing norms, particularly in the work landscape. Specific topics included the need for improved communication and education regarding benefits programs, simplifying the employee experience, and embracing workplace flexibility. 00:11 Introduction and New Year Greetings 01:00 Reflecting on the Previous Year 01:38 New Year Resolutions and Changes 02:22 Covid-19 and its Impact 03:03 School Policies during Covid-19 04:01 Stanley Cup Craze 06:56 Beanie Baby Craze of the Nineties 09:09 NFTs and Other Recent Trends 09:31 Remembering Important Dates 09:56 Discussing Insurance and the Success Guide for Employers in the New Year 10:17 Highlighting Key Points from the Monthly Column 11:16 Communicate and Educate Your Benefits Program 15:58 Simplify the Employee Experience 19:52 Embrace Workplace Flexibility 24:29 Concluding Thoughts and Looking Forward Andrew McNeil - AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila - RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

28 NOV 2023 · In this solo-host episode of BenefitsTV - The Podcast, Andrew McNeil discusses two key topics: 'Zoom fatigue', and how employees feel about the benefits provided by their companies. He scrutinizes the root causes behind Zoom fatigue following a Stanford study and provides suggestions on reducing it. These include turning off the camera during meetings and shifting back to phone calls. Switching gears, he lays emphasis on how important it is for employers to communicate about the benefits they offer and to ensure their employees are excited about them. He also provides insights into how to achieve this through multi-platform communication, the use of real life stories to demonstrate the advantage of benefits, encouraging feedback and continually engaging with employees to enhance their understanding of the benefits they have access to. Show notes: - 00:11 Introduction and Overview - 00:32 Understanding and Combating Zoom Fatigue - 05:01 Exciting Employees About Their Benefits - 09:24 Conclusion and Preview of Next Episode Contact: Andrew McNeil - AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila - RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

1 NOV 2023 · On this episode, we chat with Will Seppi, owner of Costeaux French Bakery, about the 100-year history of this beloved Sonoma County bakery. Will shares how the business has evolved over the decades, while staying true to its old-world baking traditions and commitment to community. We also discuss some of the challenges facing small business owners today, including managing a multigenerational workforce and providing quality, affordable benefits. Show Notes: - Costeaux French Bakery was founded in 1923 as a French-American bakery distributing bread in Sonoma County [00:00:48] - The business was purchased by a French couple, John and Annie Costeaux, in 1972. The Seppi family bought it from them in 1981. [00:01:11] - Today Costeaux has 130 employees across multiple locations in Sonoma County, including a flagship cafe in Healdsburg. [00:02:21] - Core values like community, family, quality, and service guide decisions as the business grows. [00:02:37] - Managing a multigenerational workforce brings opportunities and challenges. [00:03:30] - Hiring for culture fit is crucial. Costeaux aims to create an interview process that gets to know candidates. [00:04:12] - Providing quality benefits at reasonable costs is an ongoing struggle, especially with rising insurance rates. [00:05:47] - Costeaux offers perks like employee discounts and birthday cakes to show appreciation. [00:08:25] - The bakery aims to maintain its culture by empowering managers to lead by example. [00:10:11] - Keeping service personal and human-focused is important, even as technology permeates business. No kiosk ordering at Costeaux! [00:19:03] Contact: Andrew McNeil: AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila: RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

16 OTT 2023 · In this episode of Benefits TV, Andrew and Rosario discuss strategies for employers and employees to deal with increasing health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. They talk about plan design changes like HRAs and HSAs, using telehealth, shopping for medications, and taking advantage of standalone providers. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:44 - Increasing premiums and plan changes 3:04 - Communicating changes to employees 4:28 - HRAs vs. HSAs 6:47 - Bronze plans with HRA funding 10:00 - First year utilization with HRA plans 13:35 - ICRAs for out-of-state employees 15:59 - Saving money with standalone providers 19:10 - Using urgent care over ER 21:40 - Telehealth pros and cons 25:00 - Provider navigation services 26:58 - Wrap up Show Notes: - Average premium increases Andrew & Rosario are seeing: 10-15% - Importance of communicating full cost of benefits to employees - HRA plans can provide immediate funding vs HSAs that are funded over time - First year of HRA plans often have low utilization as employees learn about new benefit - ICRAs allow employers to reimburse out-of-state employees for individual plans - Employees should shop pharmacies for best generic drug prices and pay cash if lower than copay - Visiting standalone labs/clinics is usually cheaper than hospitals - Urgent care is significantly cheaper than ER for non-emergencies - Telehealth is convenient but some providers are mandating it, frustrating patients - Provider navigation services can help negotiate medical bills and find cost-effective care Contact us: Andrew McNeil - AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila - RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

16 SET 2023 · In this episode of the Benefits TV - THE Podcast, hosts Andrew McNeil and Rosario Avila discuss the most popular employee benefits that different generations sign up for. They also talk about the importance of consistent benefits communication and education throughout the year, not just at renewal time. Tune in to hear which benefits appeal most to Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. In this episode, Andrew and Rosario cover: - Why term life insurance is an important benefit [00:07:00] - The critical value of disability insurance [00:10:30] - Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity plans [00:14:00] - Benefits that appeal to Millennials and Gen Z [00:15:00] - Tailoring benefits to different employee demographics [00:18:00] - Effective year-round benefits communication tactics [00:20:00] - Driving benefit appreciation and utilization through ongoing education [00:26:30] Contact us - Andrew McNeil AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com

31 AGO 2023 · In this episode, Andrew and Rosario discuss the importance of developing employees early on and embracing flexibility through workcations. They talk about onboarding vs. everboarding, cross-generational training, being present while on vacation, and more. Show Notes: - Why developing employees early leads to small business success (00:45) - The difference between onboarding and everboarding (02:30) - Cross-generational training - learning from experienced employees while bringing new ideas (06:00) - The importance of healthy dialog when questioning processes (08:30) - Tips for effective communication in a remote environment (07:30) - Balancing being present while on vacation but staying connected (11:00) - Setting communication expectations before unplugging (13:00) - The pros and cons of workcations (17:00) - Managing expectations as an employee or employer (18:30) Contact us: Andrew McNeil AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Rosario Avila RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com Instagram: @BenefitsTV

14 AGO 2023 · In this episode of Benefits TV, join hosts Andrew and Rosario as they discuss toxic work cultures - why they happen, their impacts, and how to fix them. They also debate whether mandating employees to return to the office will actually improve productivity in the post-pandemic landscape. Get insights on building positive company culture, the pros and cons of remote work, and more. Key Points Discussed: - 60% of employees report being in a toxic work environment and looking for new jobs - what contributes to negativity and how leaders can turn culture around. - With more positions able to work remotely now, forcing employees back to the office full-time may hurt rather than help productivity and culture. - Tips for improving company culture: anonymous surveys, transparency with employees, bringing in third-party perspective. - The importance of cross-training and information sharing between teams/departments. - Productivity benefits of working from home for many employees - lack of commute, fewer distractions, ability to focus. - The positives of some in-office time - collaboration, training new staff, relationship building. - There is no one-size-fits-all policy - leaders should consider hybrid remote/in-office options. Contact: Andrew McNeil AndrewM@arrowbenefitsgroup.com 707-992-3789 Rosario Avila RosarioA@arrowbenefitsgroup.com 707-799-9274