February is plumb-full of fun (and free!) podcasts! This month Employee Benefit News brings you even more of the "Five Minutes With..." and "Taking care of your small business" audio content you've grown to love on ebn.podhoster.com.

If you're new to the series, Here's the low-down: each month, EBN editors will interview readers like yourself and other benefit experts for a brief glimpse into benefit challenges, success stories and tips to improve your business. 

Many podcasts will correspond with articles in that month's issue, and some will accompany online-only content. 

This month, EBN spends "Five Minutes With ..."

Dennis Ackley, president of Missouri-based Ackley Associates. HR/benefit managers are the unfortunate staffers called upon to deliver the news workers never want to hear. To help companies design communication strategies for delivering bad benefits news, Ackley spoke with Associate Editor Lydell Bridgeford to offer several tips for employers to bear in mind. Click here to read the accompanying article, "Softening the blow of bad benefits news."

 

Steven Lash, president and CEO of Satori World Medical. Medical tourism is taking off as more and more U.S. employers take advantage of its savings. Lash outlines with Associate Editor Kathleen Koster the burgeoning industry and shows off his company's newest patented product: a medtour plan with a health reimbursement account. Read more about how experts predict medical tourism to have a breakout year in 2009 here.

 

Len Gray, the head of the America's M&A consulting business at Mercer. After you read our February report on merger musts (click here), listen to Managing Editor Leah Shepherd's podcast with Gray, as he offers further tips for handling benefits during a merger or acquisition.

 

Clinical psychologist and attorney Edward Trieber, the managing director at Harris Roth International. Trieber discusses how to help employees manage stress during a time of economic upheaval.

 

Editor-in-Chief Kelley Butler, who asks for your opinion on the best way to inform employees about impending layoffs and the resulting loss of benefits.

 

Keep track of industry updates -- RSS us and join the 1900 readers who hang onto every word!

Want to be interviewed for a potential podcast or give feedback? E-mail Editor in Chief Kelley Butler, Kelley.Butler@sourcemedia.com with suggestions.