How to Keep Up With Changing Retirement Needs

Posted by Maggie Gallagher on Sun, Jun 28, 2020 @ 09:56 PM

With the ongoing economic impacts of the Great Recession, astronomical student debt, COVID-19, rising housing costs, and myriad other financial factors, retirement looks a lot different today than it used to. Gone are the days of finding a job, staying with the company for 40 years, and retiring with a handshake and a gold watch. Pensions and 401(k)s are increasingly hard to come by. Plus, with often insurmountably expensive real estate costs, fewer people are entering the realty market. As a result, many people don’t have valuable homes to supplement their retirement nest eggs.

Given these kinds of factors, it’s little surprise that the concept of “retirement” has shifted. In this landscape, one thing is clear: If financial services groups want to continue to stay relevant, they will need to change their approaches, advice, and outlook to match what financial wellness means to millennials and members of Generation Z.

healthy mind john hancock

Rethinking Retirement Age

In a 2018 study by Bankrate.com, millennials responded that they think 61 is the ideal age to retire. Despite this aspiration of early retirement, however, approximately two-thirds of millennials have nothing saved for retirement.

Because of increased debt and decreased financial opportunities, more people than ever are being forced to reevaluate what’s realistic when it comes to retirement. For many, this means bumping out that expected age of retirement. Some don’t even expect to retire at all, instead considering part-time jobs, second careers, or other money-making opportunities as they get into the later years of their lives.

Increased longevity further complicates the issue. Across the globe, people are living longer than ever, which seriously skews issues related to realistic retirement age, health insurance, and life insurance.

Rethinking Financial Wellness

Companies that provide financial planning and other money-management services are often viewed as symbolic of a bygone era. After all, someone who has nothing saved for retirement, doesn’t own a home, and is working on paying down $50,000 in student debt can feel as if these companies aren’t relevant to their financial realities.

That doesn’t need to be the case, though. These companies can still help younger clientele reach their financial goals; they just have to shift how they think about accomplishing this endeavor. John Hancock, which is based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, is one such company successfully refining its approach. 

“At John Hancock, we know it’s time to look beyond outdated concepts like ‘net assets’ and to build financial solutions that fit into customers’ whole lives—with easily accessible products that reflect their values, their approach to wellness, and their holistic well-being,” says Meghan Fackler, a thought leadership manager at John Hancock. “That’s why we’re redefining retirement, insurance, and investing for the modern generation of consumers to address both their health and wealth.”

To connect with this modern generation of consumers, one key is reframing the idea of financial wellness as the most important kind of wellness. Financial service providers are finding that the younger generation prizes a more holistic approach to well-being, and providing advice that resonates means tailoring to that mind-set.

Twine is an app that provides financial advice and automated money management to empower users to manage multiple savings goals with a partner – it’s a smarter way to collaborate and save for what matters. Twine is for people who might not have their own financial advisor but want to make better financial decisions to reach their goals, regardless of their income or age. The app simplifies saving for major milestones like down payments, weddings, and vacations by allowing users to collaborate and link accounts with others to stay on track. Twine is built, developed and powered entirely by innovative technology while leveraging the financial expertise of John Hancock.

twine john hancock

“We believe good health and financial wellness are essential ingredients to overall well-being, and we want to help motivate people to make healthier
choices—for themselves and their future,” says Fackler.

With this goal in mind, John Hancock has had success especially with one initiative: a partnership with the Vitality Group, which can serve as a template for similar companies looking to connect with younger investors.

“In 2015, we started a new chapter in our 155-year history when we partnered with the Vitality Group to help our clients live longer, healthier lives,” says Feckler. “As the first life insurance company in the United States to offer a wellness-based rewards program, John Hancock life insurance with Vitality gives our customers the financial protection they need while also helping them earn savings on their premiums, shopping gift cards, and travel discounts for their everyday healthy habits, such as going for a walk, eating well, and getting a regular health check.”

John Hancock was recently honored with multiple Stevie® Awards in the 2020 American Business Awards®, earning the company a Grand Stevie® Award. This designation is reserved for the top 10 most-recognized organizations. 

The 2021 American Business Awards are not open for entries yet. The 2020 International Business Awards® are accepting nominations through July 28, 2020.

Request the entry kit

Topics: American business awards, Grand Stevie Winner, Grand Stevie Award, financial awards

Stevie Awards Announce Winners of 2019 Best of the IBA Awards

Posted by Daniel Ferguson on Wed, Aug 28, 2019 @ 09:00 AM

Grand Stevie Award winners will be presented with trophies at the Andaz Vienna am Belvedere Hotel, on 19 October.

IBA 2018 Grand winner

The Stevie® Awards have announced the winners of the Best of the IBA Awards in The 2019 (16th Annual) International Business Awards®, the world’s premier business awards competition.

Nominees in the 2019 IBAs were not able to apply for the Best of the IBA Awards directly. Winners were determined by a points system based on the total number of awards won in the IBAs with a Gold Stevie win counting for three points, a Silver Stevie win for two points, and a Bronze Stevie win for 1.5 points.

This year’s Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners in The International Business Awards were announced on 14 August. The winners of the Best of the IBA Awards will be presented with Grand Stevie Award trophies at The 16th Annual International Business Awards banquet at the Andaz Vienna am Belvedere Hotel in Vienna, Austria on 19 October.

Winners of the 2019 Grand Stevie Awards are:

Most Honored Organization: International mail and logistics company DP DHL Group, with 86.5 award points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries submitted by their offices and affiliates in 32 countries. This is the 11th Grand Stevie Award won by DP DHL Group in one of the Stevie Award competitions since 2014.

Most Honored Public Relations Agency: LLYC, with a total of 69.5 award points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries submitted on behalf of clients like BBVA, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks. The Madrid-headquartered global communications and public affairs consulting firm won a Top 10 Grand Stevie Award in 2018.

Most Honored Awards Consulting Agency: Melissa Sones Consulting, with a total of 36.5 points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries submitted on behalf of numerous innovative clients in fields from consumer products, technology and filling board-level positions to best research paper and business book. The consulting agency is based out of New York, NY.

Most Honored Marketing Agency: Switching-Time, with a total of 20 points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries submitted mostly on behalf of outdoor brand Columbia. The agency is based in Shanghai, China.

Most Honored Interactive Services Agency: The XD Agency, with 20.5 points earned by Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie-winning entries submitted on behalf of clients such as Porsche and Red Bull.  The Atlanta, Georgia USA-based strategic communications agency is hyper-focused on experience design. The agency also won the Grand Stevie for most honored interactive services agency in The 2019 American Business Awards®.

Top 10: These are the top Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners among all other organizations honored in the 2019 IBAs. They’ll also be presented with Grand Stevie Award trophies.

1. MSL, worldwide (66.5 points)
2. IBM, worldwide (65)
3. ASDA’A BCW, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (59.5)
4. The Audacious Agency, Coombabah, QLD Australia (37)
5. PT Petrokimia Gresik, Gresik, Indonesia (35.5
6. (tie) Dell Technologies, worldwide (30)
Ooredoo, worldwide (30)
8. Dan Lok Education Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada (29)
9. (tie) Jeunesse Global, Lake Mary, FL, USA (24.5)
Thai Life Insurance Plc., Bangkok, Thailand (24.5)

“Of all the outstanding organizations and achievements that were recognized among this year’s record-breaking number of IBA nominations, these 15 organizations stand out as the ones with the widest breadth of achievement,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. “The Best of the IBA Awards are intended to honor organizations that show an especially strong dedication to honoring the work of their employees, commitment to their clients, and a sense of innovation, and we look forward to celebrating these firms with Grand Stevie Award trophies at our gala event in Vienna on 19 October.”

The International Business Awards feature a wide variety of categories to recognize achievement in every facet of work life, including management awards, new product awards, marketing awards, PR awards, customer service awards, website awards, and more.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements in the 2019 IBAs were determined by the average scores of more than 250 professionals worldwide in the three-month judging process.

For more information about The International Business Awards, including a complete list of all Stevie Award winners in the 2019 competition, visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Interested in winning a Stevie Award in 2020?

Request the entry kit

 

Topics: International business awards, Best of the IBAs, Grand Stevie Award, The International Business Awards

Telkom Indonesia Wins Grand Stevie® Award as Organization of the Year in 2017 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards

Posted by Maggie Gallagher on Tue, May 23, 2017 @ 02:52 PM

 Wins for Third Year in a Row;
Other Grand Stevie Winners are Yongin City (South Korea) and Toyoko Inn Co.,Ltd. (Japan)

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the world’s premier business awards programs, announced the winners of three Grand Stevie Award trophies in its fourth annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only awards to recognize innovation in the workplace throughout the entire 22-nation Asia-Pacific region. All organizations in the region are eligible to submit nominations.

Telkom-Indonesia-2-4.jpgGold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners in the various categories were announced on 19 April. Those awards were determined by the average scores of more than 50 executives worldwide earlier this year.

All awards will be presented to winners during a gala event at the Hilton Hotel in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, June 2. Tickets for the event are now on sale

The three Grand Stevie Award winners announced are:

  • Telkom Indonesia, winner of the Grand Stevie for Organization of the Year for the third year in a row. The leading telecommunications and network services provider in Indonesia won the most award points in the competition this year with eight Gold, five Silver, and eighteen Bronze Stevie wins in a variety of categories for innovation. Each Gold win earns three points, each Silver win two points, and each Bronze one and a half points for the Grand Stevie-winner calculation.
  • Yongin City won a Grand Stevie for Highest-Scoring Nomination of the Year in the competition this year. The one million population metropolitan city of ‘People-centered Yong-In’ won for its nomination of the city's mayor, Chan Min Jung, who also won the Gold Stevie Award for Innovative Management in Non-Profit or Government. 
  • Toyoko Inn Co.,Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, which submitted the highest-scoring nomination from the host nation of this year’s awards ceremony.

The 2017 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards have recognized organizations in 15 nations including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S.A. and Vietnam. More than 700 nominations about innovative achievements in the 22-nation APAC region were considered by the judges this year.

“We are very pleased with the results of the 2017 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, with the growth in the number of entries and the depth and breadth of the stories of business innovation that we received,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. “We are very much looking forward to greeting and celebrating this year’s winners in Tokyo on June 2.”

Details about the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and the list of Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners are available at http://Asia.Stevieawards.com.

* Sponsors and partners of the 2017 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards include PR Newswire Asia, the official news distribution partner of the awards, and the Korea Business Communicators Association.

Topics: Asia-Pacific Business Awards, Grand Stevie Award, Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards

2017 German Stevie Award Winners Celebrated at Gala Banquet

Posted by Maggie Gallagher on Mon, Apr 03, 2017 @ 06:07 PM

Entry Fees Waived for 2018 German Stevie Awards; Weber Shandwick Wins the Grand Stevie Award

The third annual German Stevie Awards were celebrated at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg on Friday, March 31. President and Founder of the Stevie Awards, Michael Gallagher, handed out the gold, silver and bronze Stevie Awards to winners from across Germany. Highly-ranking representatives from more than 50 winners received their awards on stage.

German Stevies 2017.jpgIn their third year, the German Stevie Awards have already established a leading role in Germany. They are part of the Stevie Awards programs, which are widely considered to be the world's premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in the workplace in programs such as The International Business Awards for more than a decade.  All organizations in Germany were eligible to submit nominations.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Grand Stevie Award to the communications agency Weber Shandwick Germany. The PR agency, headquartered in Munich, Berlin, and Frankfurt has won German Stevie Awards for three consecutive years. This year they won two Gold, two Silver, and one Bronze Stevie Award. Because of these successes, Weber Shandwick earned the most points out of any other organization and recieved the Grand Stevie Award, the top honor.

Winners were selected in variety award categories, ranging from best companies of the year to best customer service and HR solutions, to new products and marketing campaigns. There were many categories for creative minds such as best videos, company-related e-books, and apps or websites. "The quality of the nominations this year was just outstanding," said Michael Gallagher. He was delighted to meet many of the winners in Hamburg at the awards gala.

At the end of the award ceremony, some exciting news about the German Stevie Awards 2018 was announced. The big surprise: This coming year, the 4th annual German Stevie Awards will not have any entry fees. "We want to give all companies the opportunity to participate in the German Stevie Awards," explains Michael Gallagher. "This is why we are completely waiving the entry fees for the 4th German Stevie Awards." The award ceremony will then take place on April 13, 2018 in Berlin. Nominations for the 2018 German Stevie Awards starts on September 6, 2017. Request your entry kit for 2018 here.

Topics: company awards, German Stevie Awards, Grand Stevie Award

CallidusCloud Wins Grand Stevie® Award for Organization of the Year in 2016 American Business Awards

Posted by Maggie Gallagher on Thu, May 19, 2016 @ 01:00 PM

The Stevie® Awards today announced Grand Stevie Award winners in The 14th Annual American Business Awards competition. Winners will be presented with their Grand Stevie trophies at the ABAs’ gala banquet on June 20 in New York.

CallidusCloud, the Dublin, CA based software developer, received the Grand Stevie for organization of the year, for earning the most award points (76) in The 2016 American Business Awards. OtStevieAwardTrophy.jpgher top ABA Grand Stevie winners include TopSpot Internet Marketing (Houston, TX) for interactive agency of the year (17 points), Merkle (Columbia, MD) for marketing agency of the year (16), and MWW (East Rutherford, NJ) for public relations agency of the year (17.5). This is the fourth year in a row that MWW has won this award.

The Grand Stevie Awards were granted to the organizations that submitted the best body of entries to The American Business Awards this year, in their own name or in the names of one or more clients, with a Gold Stevie Award win counting for three points, a Silver Stevie win for two points, and a Bronze Stevie win counting for 1.5 points. The organizations with the most points won.

Besides CallidusCloud, TopSpot Internet Marketing, Merkle, and MWW, Grand Stevies were also awarded to the 10 other organizations with the most points in the 2016 competition. There were a few ties this year.  The other winners are:

  1. Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA (52 points)
  2. Tied at 27 points: Jeunesse Global (Orlando, FL) and Lakeshore Recycling Systems (Morton Grove, IL)
  3. Accenture, Chicago, IL (22)
  4. Isagenix International, Gilbert, AZ (20)
  5. Tied at 18.5 points: Cigna (Bloomfield, CT) and John Hancock (Boston, MA)
  6.  Tied at 17.5 points: AT&T (Dallas, TX) and New American Funding (Tustin, CA)
  7. SoftPro, Raleigh, NC (17)

The American Business Awards honor an all-inclusive spectrum of American business people and organizations -- from non-profits, emerging start-ups, major public companies and government agencies, to corner-office executives, product developers, marketers and web development teams. More than 3,400 entries were submitted to The 2016 American Business Awards and more than 250 executives nationwide participated in judging.

Stevie Awards are conferred in five levels of distinction: Grand, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and People’s Choice. More than 400 executives and their guests are expected to attend the June 20 awards gala at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.

For a complete list of all 2016 American Business Awards’ Stevie Award winners visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

This is the first year in which Stevie winners in The American Business Awards are announced before the awards gala. In the ABAs’ first 13 years, finalists were announced in advance of the awards gala, but the Stevie winners weren’t revealed until the night of the presentations.

Topics: ABA, American business awards, Organization of the Year, Grand Stevie Award, Marketing Agency of the Year

Fareportal Wins Grand Stevie® Award for Organization of the Year in 2015 American Business Awards

Posted by Maggie Gallagher on Tue, Sep 15, 2015 @ 09:53 AM

The Stevie® Awards held one of its awards galas for its 13th annual American Business Awards competition on Friday night, and announced the winners of its Grand Stevie Award trophies.

Fareportal of New York, NY received the Grand Stevie for organization of the year, for earning the most award points (54.5) in The 2015 American Business Awards. Other top ABA Grand Stevie winners include C-4 Analytics (Saugus, MA) for interactive services agency of the year (11 points), MSLGROUP (nationwide) for marketing agency of the year (21), and MWW (nationwide) for public relations agency of the year (30). This is the third year in a row that MWW has won this award.

Engility2The Grand Stevie Awards were presented to the organizations that submitted the best body of entries to The American Business Awards this year, in their own name or in the names of one or more clients, with a Gold Stevie Award win counting for three points, a Silver Stevie win for two points, and a Bronze Stevie win counting for 1.5 points. The organizations with the most points won.

Besides Fareportal, C-4 Analytics, MSLGROUP, and MWW, Grand Stevies were also awarded to the 10 other organizations with the most points in the 2015 competition. There were a few ties this year which resulted in 11 members of the top 10. They are:

1. Tied at 23.5 points: AT&T (Dallas, TX) and Accenture (Chicago, IL)

3. Quality Systems, Inc. (Irvine, CA, 21.5)

4.   Tied at 19.5 points: Isagenix International (Chandler, AZ) and SoftPro (Raleigh, NC)

6.   Dell Inc., Round Rock, TX (19)

7.   Capital One Investing, Seattle, WA (18)

8.   Engility, Chantilly, VA (17.5)

9   Three-way tie at 17 points: Cisco Systems (nationwide), Davies Murphy Group (Burlington, MA), and Finn Partners (nationwide)

Friday’s gala was the second of two American Business Awards ceremonies this year. The first took place in Chicago on June 22 and honored winners in disciplines such as customer service, human resources, corporate communications, information technology, live events, publications, and selected categories for company/organization, management and marketing.

The American Business Awards honor an all-inclusive spectrum of American business people and organizations -- from non-profits, emerging start-ups, major public companies and government agencies, to corner-office executives, product developers, marketers and web development teams.

More than 200 executives attended Friday’s event at San Francisco’s Julia-Morgan Ballroom. Stevie Awards were conferred in five levels of distinction: Grand, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and People’s Choice. See the press release issued earlier today for a summary of the other Stevie Award winners.

For a complete list of all 2015 American Business Awards’ Stevie Award winners visit http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

More than 3,300 entries were submitted to The 2015 American Business Awards and more than 200 executives nationwide participated in judging to determine this year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners.

Entries for The 2016 American Business Awards will be accepted starting in October.

Topics: business awards, American business awards, Grand Stevie Award