How to select benefit plans.(Brief Article)

When choosing benefits, understand staff needs

The key to developing an attractive benefits package is understanding the needs of your employees -- no matter their age, marital status or position within the company, said Ken McDonnell, research analyst with the Employee Benefit Research Institute in Washington, D.C.

In poll after poll, McDonnell said, the most desired benefit among employees is a health plan.

When choosing a health plan, employers must search for plans that offer the best services at the lowest cost to employees and to the company, he said.

Most HMOs do a good job of moderating costs while giving employees options, McDonnell said. They offer mobile …