Worcester Business Journal

26 Worcester Business Journal | January 8, 2024 | wbjournal.com B E S T O F B U S I N E S S E M P L O Y E E S E R V I C E S Sullivan helps employers stand out in a tight labor market BY EMILY MICUCCI Special to WBJ W ith a team of 10, Marlborough- based Sullivan Benefits offers deep industry experience in employee benefits consulting to its mid-market companies. Chrystine Heier, founder and president of Sullivan Benefits, said her employees average 29 years in the field and 12 years with the company and include benefits analysts, client consultants, and wellness experts. "Our team is really committed to continuous education. Everything is changing constantly, and we have to be on top of it," Heier said. Specializing in mid-market companies with anywhere from 50 to a few thousand employees, Heier said such clients had a great need for benefits consulting when she formed Sullivan Benefits with a former partner in January 1999. at need remains today, as such companies oen have lean human resource departments facing ever- evolving federal and state laws governing employee benefits. e big new changes have been state laws around family leave and medical leave, as well as the federal Affordable Care Act of 2010 which, among many things, increased coverage requirements for employers across the nation. e majority of her clients are private businesses, and many are family-owned. "ere is just a ton of compliance, so that's what we help them with," Heier said. "ey really care about their employees and are looking to have a program that's really going to help their employees." at instinct is crucial in a tight labor market, which is the other major problem Sullivan Benefits helps solve. Flexibility is king, she said, and that doesn't necessarily need to cost more money. It may be a matter of offering multiple health insurance plans, or simply flexible work arrangements. One trend is to offer lifestyle benefits, which offer employees a stipend to spend however they want. "It's more inclusive of all sorts of people's situations, letting them spend the money how they want to," Heier said. An insurance broker as well as a consulting firm, Sullivan Benefits is committed to transparency, sharing with clients how much they earn as they negotiate health plan, helping control costs. Heier said employee communication is another key component of the work; that may mean BEST EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTANT Sullivan Benefits* Marlborough www.sullivan-benefits.com Top executive: President Chrystine Heier Founded: 1998 Employees: 10 Notable runners-up: UltraBenefits, Marsh McLennan 49 Main St. Sturbridge, MA 01566 www.ClearComIT.com/sittingduck/ "Preferred IT vendor" of the * No opt-in required

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