Tag: gig worker tips and tricks

Meet the team: Michael

HealthEE by HBG prides itself on having a friendly support team, and that begins with having a friendly face at the helm. Today we are spotlighting Michael the Customer Support Team Lead here at HealthEE by HBG. In speaking with him, he shared, he is an avid gym-goer and fitness enthusiast. “I love spending time with my family and friends. A fun fact about me is that I love to cook!” Michael shared when I sat down with him.

Michael, being the fitness fanatic he is, loves our Wellbeats virtual fitness program. He enjoys interacting with different members and knowing that he and the team positively impact members’ benefits and experiences. When I asked him about his favorite interaction to date, he replied, “As a growing company, we take pride in every interaction with our members. Most recently, we had a member who, unfortunately, was laid off from their organization and was looking to cancel their monthly subscription for medical coverage. While we were sad to see him go, he was extremely appreciative and grateful for our positive outlook and high-touch customer service. He said he would come right back to HealthEE once he was employed again. Until then, we look forward to serving more of our members!” Michael’s interaction is a prime example of how HealthEE by HBG is different from other benefit offerings. With no open enrollment periods, the member could cancel his medical coverage as soon as the following month. The other factor making HealthEE by HBG different is the support team itself. In Michael’s words, “0ur attention to detail and sincere hope to help each and every single one of our customers and current members differentiates us from the traditional support teams in the industry – we take pride in everything we do!” Whether you have questions about plan specifics or want to ensure your doctor remains in network, the HealthEE Support team is ready to help. Like detectives, they will find you the answers you need to make a well-informed decision for you and your family. Want to speak with Michael? You can contact him directly at michael@hbgnow.com, by phone at (888) 655-4053, or by our customer support email address at support@hbgnow.com. 

Should you go freelance?

With industries announcing hiring freezes and the work-from-home movement in full swing working in the gig economy is hotter than ever. However, if you consider taking on freelance work either full-time or as a side gig, you may need help with where to start.
First of all, you must take a step back and consider how you work and whether your preexisting work habits would coincide with the freelance culture:
Ask Yourself these questions.

If you concluded that yes, you are the correct type of person to go solo, then read on the freelancer starter checklist.
Before taking the plunge, you should get your finances in order. Start by making a budget to ensure you put money aside as a safety net when you first start. You will also need to set up a financial bookkeeping system to have a strategy for organization from the outset, which goes hand in hand with opening a business bank account to keep track of incoming and outgoing payments specific to your business.

To prepare yourself for success, create a schedule and stick to it. Rookie mistakes include burning out from working too much or sidetracked by less important tasks.

A social presence is vital for any freelancer as it’s how you promote yourself. Use social media as a tool to promote your work as well as build connections. Having potential clients lined up will make the transition easier, so along with Instagram, make sure your Upwork and other gig sites are up and running and you have begun reaching out. For Networking, Linkedin is a no-brainer.

Fill your toolbox with everything you need to succeed. Freelancing is a one-person show, so you must cover all your bases. Do you need Adobe Creative Suite? Canva? Whatever programming it is, get your ducks in a row.

Create yourself a workspace or decide upon a public one. In metropolitan areas, you can throw a rock and hit a WeWork. Since the pandemic, several other options for co-working spaces have arisen, but if you plan to work from home, creating a quiet, organized, designated area for you to be productive will be critical to your success.

Lastly, When you decide to leave your corporate 9-5, you’re also preceding your employer-sponsored benefits. With gethealthee.com, you can access affordable health benefits with no employer sponsor and no open enrollment, meaning you pay on a monthly or quarterly basis and can hop on or off anytime, making it the ideal platform for freelancers to shop for coverage. Before becoming a full-time freelancer, you should schedule a call with a HealthEE advisor to deduce the best range.

Sources:

Thinking of going freelance? Here’s 8 things you should consider