As an active hotelier and owner of Hotel Pommier, Pritesh Patel delves deep into the diverse aspects of the hospitality industry, balancing tasks from managing his properties' physical assets to overseeing intricate hotel operations.
At the heart of these operations lies the demanding realm of human resources. Pritesh continually hires, trains, and retains staff. His team, which varies from 9 to 15 members across departments like the front desk, housekeeping, and management, emphasizes the importance of employee satisfaction. This focus becomes even more crucial in light of ongoing turnover concerns and the continuous need for employee training.
Pritesh's hotels stand out for their unique offerings and community ties, but providing health benefits for his staff consistently posed a challenge. Before 2019, a glaring gap existed: no formal benefits program. This deficiency not only presented an operational hurdle but also affected the hotels' ability to attract and retain talent, especially when competing with nearby state government roles that offered better benefits.
Against this backdrop, Pritesh urgently sought a viable health benefits solution, driven not only by operational needs but also by his commitment to the well-being of his staff. So the journey began, and with a common solution many companies turn to when it comes to health benefits. But the options were more confusing and problematic than they were solving for anything.
Here’s Pritesh’s journey.
Tackling the Maze of Traditional Health Benefits
The absence of formal health benefits for employees was not just a bureaucratic hiccup but a significant concern that affected both employee morale and the overall competitiveness of his properties in attracting and retaining top talent.
Exploring the option of conventional group health insurance seemed like the next logical step, but the journey was anything but smooth. Pritesh quickly encountered several challenges:nswer, she is able to direct the employee to Take Command.
- Inefficiencies in the Process: Acquiring group health insurance quotes was a time-intensive and often frustrating endeavor. Responses from agents were slow, and sometimes entirely absent, extending the wait times and delaying potential implementation.
- Overwhelming Options: When information did come through, it wasn’t straightforward. The intricacies of deciphering various plans, understanding the myriad of coverages, and comparing benefits were far from simple. Pritesh was handed dense, 30-page PDF documents that required in-depth scrutiny, making the decision process strenuous.
- Financial Implications: Beyond the complexity, the financial side of things was intimidating. Many group health plans expected small businesses like Pritesh’s to shoulder significant risks. These self-funded plans posed potential financial liabilities that could have consequential effects on the business’s bottom line.
This journey into the realm of group health insurance brought to light a clear realization: the conventional route was not only cumbersome but might not be the most viable or advantageous solution for Pritesh's unique operational needs.
Discovering a New Path with Take Command
In the midst of grappling with the complexities of traditional
health insurance, Pritesh stumbled upon Take Command through
a seemingly innocuous avenue: a Twitter post. This discovery
opened the doors to the world of Individual Coverage Health
Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA) – a concept previously
unfamiliar to him.
Several factors about Take Command captured Pritesh's attention and interest:
1. Transparency in Pricing
Unlike many other options on the market, Take Command presented its pricing in an open and clear manner. This straightforward approach removed the guesswork and allowed Pritesh to assess the financial viability of the offering with ease.
2. Authoritative Content
The ICHRA guide provided by Take Command served as a comprehensive resource. It not only educated Pritesh about the benefits and mechanics of ICHRA but also instilled confidence in Take Command's expertise and knowledge in the domain.
3. Employee Flexibility
Beyond the logistics and costs, what truly resonated with Pritesh was the prospect of empowering his employees. The approach championed by Take Command enabled staff to select a healthcare plan that best suited their needs, whether they preferred a top-tier plan or a more basic one. This sense of choice and empowerment aligned with Pritesh's ethos of valuing his team's well-being.
All these factors combined to create a compelling case for Pritesh to consider a partnership with Take Command. The revelation offered a glimmer of hope in resolving the health benefits conundrum he had been facing.
Transforming Employee Health Benefits with Take Command
Embarking on this new journey with Take Command heralded a significant shift in how Pritesh's hotels approached employee health benefits. The transformation was evident on multiple fronts:
1. Smooth Enrollment Process
Take Command's enrollment process proved to be both intuitive and efficient. From the feedback Pritesh received, employees found the transition easy to navigate. A pivotal point was the implementation with the existing payroll system, Paylocity, which facilitated seamless reimbursements without added administrative hurdles.
2. Empowerment and Efficiency
By partnering with Take Command, Pritesh was able to streamline the benefits process and grant his employees a degree of autonomy previously unavailable. The team could now select from a spectrum of health plans, tailoring their choices to their specific needs and circumstances. This not only ensured better coverage but also fostered a sense of empowerment and appreciation among the staff.
3. Minimized Administrative Overhead
One of Pritesh's initial concerns was the potential time commitment and complexity of managing a new benefits system. However, with Take Command's solution, these concerns were allayed. The platform's design minimized administrative tasks on Pritesh's end, freeing him to focus on other pressing operational matters.
4. Positive Operational Shift
Reflecting on the collaboration with Take Command, Pritesh acknowledged the profound impact it had on his businesses. Beyond the logistical improvements, there was a noticeable uplift in employee morale. With enhanced benefits, the team felt more valued and secured, translating to a more positive and productive work environment.
In essence, the partnership with Take Command was not just about revamping a benefits system. It represented a holistic transformation, touching on operational efficiency, employee welfare, and the broader organizational ethos.
Reflections on a Partnership: The Take Command Impact
As Pritesh looked back on the transformative journey with Take Command, several key reflections stood out:
Operational Renaissance
Take Command was more than just a service provider; it became a pivotal catalyst for change in Pritesh's hotel operations. The streamlined approach to benefits not only relieved the administrative burden but also instilled a renewed sense of vigor and purpose in the management of his properties.
Boosted Employee Morale
One of the most tangible impacts of this collaboration was the palpable boost in employee morale. Better health benefits, combined with the empowerment to choose, made employees feel more valued and acknowledged. This enhanced job satisfaction and brought about a positive ripple effect throughout the hotels.
Looking Ahead
With the success of this initiative, Pritesh is optimistic about the future. He contemplates scaling up, exploring additional benefits, and potentially integrating more of Take Command's offerings to further enhance his operational efficiency and employee welfare.
A Recommendation to Peers
Based on his experience, Pritesh would not hesitate to recommend Take Command to other business owners. Especially for those navigating the intricate maze of employee benefits, Pritesh's story stands as testament to the difference the right partnership can make.
In wrapping up, the journey with Take Command underscores the profound impact that thoughtful, efficient, and employee-centric benefit solutions can have on a business. For Pritesh, it was not just about solving a problem but about pioneering a path that combined operational prowess with genuine care for his team.
