gBETA Madison: Have a startup, product, or idea? Want free help?

Have a startup, product, or idea? Want free help?

gBETA Madison is accepting applications through September 7.

Program Dates: October 1, 2020 – November 20, 2020

| APPLY |

About gBETA:

gBETA is a program of nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor. gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity. The upcoming fall program will be 100% virtual.

Participating Companies Receive:

• Access to a community of entrepreneurs including their fellow cohort members, as well as gener8tor and gBETA alumni.
• A formal relationship with at least 2-3 mentors with relevant expertise.
• Introductions to the gener8tor network of successful entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and technologists.
• Individualized coaching and mentorship from the experienced gener8tor team.
• Office space.
• $1M+ in deals and perks from vendors like SoftLayer, Rackspace, Amazon, PayPal, Zendesk and Microsoft.

Want to learn more?

| SIGN UP FOR OFFICE HOURS |

Want to participate?

| APPLY |

Email Jenni Le (jenni@gener8tor.com) with any questions.

Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools Joins Network of Partners Working to Deliver 5,000 At Home Supply Kits to Students

As the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) prepares to start the 2020-2021 school year, an urgent need for individual sets of school supplies has emerged. Students need their own sets of supplies at home in order to properly engage in virtual learning. The need will continue once a return to in-person learning in our school buildings becomes possible. In order to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols, the sharing of classroom supplies will no longer be an option, necessitating a supply kit for each student.

In response to this URGENT need, the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools and MMSD have partnered with the community to purchase, package, and distribute up to 5,000 individual supply kits to MMSD’s most vulnerable students so they can begin the 2020/2021 school year on the strongest footing possible. The average cost of a supply kit is $50 and an initial round of 2,500 kits will be purchased and assembled. Another 2,500 supply kits will be secured with additional funds from the community. For ongoing updates and to see collaborating organizations, please visit the Foundation’s school supply page. We greatly appreciate the publicity this initiative has already received, including a great article issued by the Wisconsin State Journal.

All donations for school supplies are being processed through the Foundation’s MMSD Community Resource Fund. This effort will help deliver everything from pencils, notebooks, and headphones to those scholars most in need. Volunteers interested in helping assemble kits will be able to sign up at www.volunteeryourtime.org – as we await final details on volunteer arrangement, please contact the Foundation at fmps@fmps.org for more information.

While in-kind donations will be graciously accepted, financial gifts will make the greatest difference by ensuring all students receiving at home supply kits get the same materials. Again, please visit the school supply page for how you can contribute.

Timpano Consulting: 08/13 Workshop Creates Space for Employers to Explore New Workforce Strategies

People are invited to dive into the takeaways from the recent study involving over 100 employers and employees about the impact of the pandemic response on work and work life.

The interactive, virtual workshop will feature the study co-authors, Melanie Schmidt (Timpano Consulting) and Brett Remington (Blue Rock WI), who will present take-aways from the research, offer recommendations for reimagining management practices and workplace standards going forward, facilitate conversations among participants, and deliver low-/no-cost ways to optimize performance going forward. The format will include presentation and small group discussion.

Attendees should bring materials to write down ideas and formulate ideas. The Workforce Strategies: 2020 and Beyond report is available for download at https://bit.ly/workforcestrategies.

Register for the low-cost workshop through https://bit.ly/0813workforceworkshop.

Direct questions through insights@timpanogroup.com

Timpano Consulting: Research Points to Need for New Management Practices through 2020 and Beyond

Remote Work Arrangements Are Here to Stay:
Alignment of expectations and resources becomes more critical to sustain success

BROOKLYN, Wisc. and WATERFORD, Wisc., July 30, 2020 – Over 75 percent of employers believe they need to implement new management policies and practices to accommodate remote working as a standard future practice, and employees are interested in more flexible working arrangements going forward, according to a recent study conducted by Timpano Consulting and Blue Rock WI, management consulting firms specializing in workforce optimization.

The research effort involved surveys, interviews, discussions, and critical analysis about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on employers and employees. Over 100 individuals spanning sectors, industries, sizes, and position types shared perspective; ninety percent of respondents were based in Wisconsin.

“Remote working is here to stay,” said Brett Remington, Blue Rock WI president. “Employers who figure out how to shift management practices to focus on outcomes rather than activities will be better positioned to raise productivity and secure profits.”

While 63 percent of employers anticipated a negative impact on their year-end organizational performance as a result of the pandemic, 77 percent of employers reported the performance of their workforce in remote work arrangements was about the same or better compared to the beginning of the year. Forty-three percent of employees working remotely were more satisfied with their job performance compared to the beginning of the year, and 32 percent felt about the same in terms of performance.

Ten percent of employees working from home during the pandemic preferred to return to their workplace as soon as possible, yet 80 percent of employees wanted to keep the practice as long as it makes sense for them and their work or until COVID 19 is no longer identified as a public health issue. Employees ranged in terms of how frequently they would choose to work remotely, with half preferring 5 days or more per week, and half preferring a hybrid arrangement of a few days per week or per month. All employee respondents who were working at home during the pandemic believed they could comfortably do so for at least a few months, with 77 percent indicating six months or more.

“Few organizations expect to return to business as usual from last year,” said Melanie Schmidt, Timpano Consulting president. “Employers must figure out how to best utilize their workforce to rebound and deliver value for customers – be that in person, remotely, or some sort of hybrid.”

Overall, employees are ready to adapt when given more flexibility, support to succeed, and clarity around expectations. Surveyed supervisors and managers welcome training and support to deliver on it.

The future has its challenges – but they can be addressed. Employers and employees shared concerns about the work-related challenges caused by internet connectivity (broadband access) and it being harder to communicate with coworkers. Yet, employers overestimated the challenges of distractions at home and underestimated employee anxiety about how they may be personally affected by the coronavirus.

Other Survey Findings:

• At the beginning of the year, only 30 percent of employers surveyed used remote working as routine practice, though 94 percent shifted to it during the pandemic. Looking ahead, about 10 percent intended to return fully to a ‘traditional’ workplace with 58 percent intending to deploy a hybrid model and 23 percent still unclear about how they would approach future work arrangements.
• Seventy-five percent of employees expressed confidence that they had the right resources to navigate through the crisis response, and 75 percent were confident in their leadership teams to make the right decisions through the crisis.
• Over half of employee respondents reported working more hours than before the pandemic; eight percent reported working fewer hours.
• Public sector employers expect remote work arrangements to be in the mix; most private sector employers intend to increase remote working while some functions return to the traditional setting; and, most nonprofit employers are likely to introduce more remote work opportunities.
• Across all sectors, employees want more outcomes-focused management and clearer expectations in terms of their accessibility and responsiveness. They also desire weekly communications from their leadership teams for how the organization is handling business complications due to the coronavirus.

The pandemic surfaced issues already existing within organizations. According to Schmidt and Remington, best-in-class organizations listen to their employees when formulating their strategies rather than instituting practices based solely upon others’ experiences, broad research reports, or management team assumptions. They observe that every organization’s workforce is comprised of different ideas about what will work best, and employers won’t be able to satisfy everyone so they must work toward solutions that deliver the greatest value to their mission and find ways to help employees navigate the changing times.

Interviews and discussions occurred in June; the survey of employers and employees was conducted for a week in mid-June.

A copy of the full report is available online at https://bit.ly/WorkforceStrategies_0720report.

Highlights from the report will be shared at a virtual public event on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at 1:30PM. The 45 minute presentation is free, with registration required via https://bit.ly/futureworkforce0806

Timpano Group includes a cross-sector strategy consulting firm that helps mission-driven organizations build capacity and achieve outcomes with processes that engage stakeholders to achieve sustainable transformation. More information can be found online at https://www.timpanogroup.com.

Blue Rock WI works with organizations interested in closing the gap between their performance and their potential. Services deliver enterprise-based performance improvement by simplifying the complex, focusing on achievement, and igniting passion for purpose across sectors. More information is available online at http://www.bluerockwi.com.

–end–

For more information:
Melanie Schmidt, (608) 695-7320 or mschmidt@timpanogroup.com

New coverage provisions for WPS Health Insurance and Arise Health Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli, Director of Communications
608-977-7343
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

New coverage provisions for WPS Health Insurance and Arise Health Plan

MADISON, Wis.—July 28, 2020—WPS Health Insurance and Arise Health Plan are adding new coverage provisions for customers in selected health plans, including some related to COVID-19.

“We realize that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present significant challenges for health care consumers. The new coverage provisions we are announcing today are intended to provide some financial relief for our customers. We want to assist our customers in achieving good health outcomes by making it easier for them to receive the care they need,” says Jim Baird, Executive Vice President of WPS Health Insurance.

Here is a summary of the new coverage:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Generic drugs used to treat depression are added to the $0 preventive drug list effective July 1, 2020.

• HIV PrEP: Specific HIV preventive drugs, such as Truvada, are added to the $0 preventive drug list effective July 1, 2020.

• Insulin $25 cap: Starting at your renewal date on or after Oct. 1, 2020, the maximum you will pay for insulin is $25. The insulin program is not part of the insurance policy and is offered at no additional charge. Enrollment in this program is subject to contract renewal.

• Telehealth related to COVID-19 testing: Services have 0% cost sharing through March 13, 2021.

• COVID-19 antibody testing: Physician-ordered in vitro diagnostic testing for COVID-19, including antibody testing, is now covered with 0% cost sharing through March 13, 2021.

• Coverage for furloughed employees: The work exception for group health plans is extended to Aug. 31, 2020.

• Prior authorization: Requirements are waived for COVID-19 laboratory tests and treatment through Dec. 31, 2020.

Note: Self-funded group health plans have the option to select these benefits except for HIV PrEP, which is a mandated benefit. Those enrolled under a self-funded employer plan should check with their group leader to see if these benefits are covered. Group leaders with questions may contact their WPS Health Insurance or Arise Health Plan account manager.

For more information about COVID-19, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit these pages for WPS Health Insurance and Arise Health Plan.

About WPS Health Solutions

WPS Health Solutions is a nationally regarded government contractor and a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health insurer. The WPS Health Insurance division offers affordable health plans and benefits administration. The WPS Government Health Administrators division administers Part A and B Medicare benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and the WPS Military and Veterans Health division serves millions more members who are active in the U.S. military, veterans, and their families. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions) has been based in Madison, Wis., for more than 70 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.