Health and Safety: Retailer Magazine Q2 2022

the Retailer Q2: 2022 | Quarterly magazine

SERVING AG, CONSTRUCTION AND OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT DEALERS ACROSS IOWA AND NEBRASKA

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Few things are more important than the health and safety of yourself and your employees. And protecting your mental health is just as significant as your physical health.

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CONTENTS

3

6

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT

Employees who are mentally and physically healthy are more productive, less absent from work, and feel better about themselves—all of which are beneficial to the bottom line.

Equipment dealerships are dealing with supply chain disruptions, ongoing pandemic consequences, and staffing shortages, all of which can certainly affect employees’ mental and physical health. Exposure to stressful working conditions can have a direct influence on worker safety and health, but how do you identify and transform stressful job conditions?

12

14

NEBRASKA FIELD NOTES

IOWA HEALTH INSURANCE

Modern equipment design makes safety awareness much more effortless, but unfortunately it also makes safety easier to overlook.

Health insurance can be a confusing and ambiguous topic.

Here are six things Iowa Field Director Tom Junge learned about health insurance while promoting the INEDA Healthcare Program to members last year.

16 FEATURE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT Medical costs continue to climb and health insurance premiums are volatile. When this trend eventually ends, only the companies that have prepared for the future will be left standing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 1

CONTENTS

OFFICERS: Tim Kayton Chairman

Albion, NE

Scott Raber Vice Chairman

Fremont, NE

Scott Beach Past Chairman

Grinnell, IA

EDA DIRECTOR: Ivan Dorhout

Rock Valley, IA

DIRECTORS:

19

22

FEATURE HIRING VETERANS

FEATURE EQUIPMENT BUYING TRENDS

As an employer, hiring a U.S. Military Veteran who is struggling with their mental health might seem too difficult or challenging at first. However, you might find one of your hardest working and most loyal employees in a Veteran.

Low farm machinery inventory continues to impact sales and trade-in activity. This spring season will be very telling of what’s to come.

Kevin Clark Jay Funke Kent Grosshans Brian Koonce Matt Vande Hoef

Lincoln, NE Edgewood, IA Central City, NE Marcus, IA Hull, IA

STAFF:

Mark Hennessey Tom Junge Mark Othmer Donna Miller Will Rogers Cindy Feldman Gwen Parks Sydney Upah Gretchen Burch Channon Timm David Adelman Tim Keigher

President/CEO IA Field Director NE Field Director Operations Manager Director of Gov’t. Affairs Marketing Director Controller Mktg. Comm. Designer Admin. Svcs. Assist.

Admin. Svcs. Assist.

IA Legislative Director NE Legislative Director

CONTACT INEDA: 8330 NW 54th Ave. Johnston, IA | 50131-2841 E: info@ineda.com | W: www.ineda.com P: 515.223.5119 | F: 515.223.7832 TF: 800.622.0016.

Affiliated with:

26 MARKETING VIEW You have 8 seconds or less to captivate and retain your audience. Every second and every scroll counts—that’s why it’s so important for your above the fold content to hook your visitors.

2 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:

Individual subscriptions are available without charge to Association members. One-year subscriptions are available to all others for $30.00 (4 issues). Contact INEDA for additional information. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered.

It is furnished with the understanding that the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, the publisher, is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Changes in the law may render the information contained in this publication invalid. Legal advice or other expert assistance should be obtained from a competent professional.

Vol. 111 No. 2

executive insight Our health tends to be one of the first things that we let suffer—especially during busy times, like RIGHT NOW. When we’re so busy, we often fall into bad habits that persist even when the busy season passes. Whether you’re a service technician, owner, manager, parts/service employee, or general staff member, the wheels fall off the wagon very easily when it comes to personal health. Eventually, we might find ourselves overweight, stressed out, and fueled by Monster energy drinks, Mountain Dew, coffee, or all of the above.

An unhealthy life style affects not only our own individual health, but it also affects our families, coworkers, employees, and others too. Unhealthy behaviors can sneak up on all of us, and before we know it, we are spiraling downhill at a faster and faster pace, making it very difficult to slow down or stop.

It’s hard to overestimate the value of a healthy workforce. Employees who are mentally and physically well are more productive, less absent from work, and feel better about themselves, their jobs, and their employers—all of which are things that contribute to the bottom line.

But health insurance premiums and employee medical claims are at an all-time high in the United States—and they are continuing to climb. What can you, as an employer, do to help your employees manage chronic health conditions and prevent the unhealthy behaviors that contribute to them in the first place?

Health experts have seven recommendations that you can implement to help your employees become and stay healthy.

1. Ease job stress According to the CDC, work-related stress is the leading workplace health problem and a major occupational health risk, ranking above physical inactivity and obesity. And the pandemic has only intensified this stress.

This is going to sound like a wild concept, but creating a mandatory long weekend is a great idea for your service techs or other employees who routinely put in long hours. Some service techs love to work. They love it so much, they will work themselves to exhaustion. Schedule a mandatory long weekend for them to unwind—and don’t contact them for any reason.

2. Encourage movement According to the American Heart Association, physically active jobs now make up less than 20 percent of the United States workforce, down from roughly half of jobs in 1960. And this “sitting disease” is taking its toll. “The effects of a sedentary lifestyle add up,” said Memorial Hermann Medical Group Pearland family medicine physician Dr. Jennifer Ukwu. “Sitting for long periods has been associated with increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart attack and stroke.” She suggests encouraging employees to take frequent breaks to move around, encouraging lunchtime walks (and discouraging employees from eating lunch at their desks), and providing access to onsite or local fitness facilities.

3. Educate employees Many unhealthy behaviors might be prevented by simply educating employees. “Each month represents a different opportunity to educate employees on a different health topic,” Dr. Ukwu said. “February is National Heart Month, for instance, and October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. [Dealerships] can use these national campaigns as a springboard for your

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT | 3

own internal awareness campaigns, perhaps inviting local health care providers to speak on related topics at employee events. And they can encourage their employees to team up to support local events.”

4. Encourage preventive care Unfortunately, many people let their annual physical and health screenings lapse during the pandemic. “The first step in managing a health problem is knowing it exists in the first place,” Dr. Ukwu said. “Every employee should know their numbers, including their body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and resting heart rate, and blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It is also important to be current on health, including cancer screenings. Early detection really does save lives.”

5. Prevent injury When was the last time your dealership conducted a safety audit and rewarded employees for identifying unsafe practices? Sometimes, we get caught up in the routine of simply doing the work and forget about the risks associated with it. Safety is always at the top of the list for our members. A safe, clean work environment is much healthier and less hazardous for employees.

6. Encourage time off Encouraging employees to use their vacation time is not only good for them, it’s also good for your business. Vacation can reduce employee stress and minimize burnout. And rested employees are productive employees. It’s up to managers to model good behavior, too. To encourage employees to use their earned vacation time, many companies have stopped compensating departing employees for their earned time. Some are even offering financial incentives to employees to use all of their vacation time.

7. Don’t skip the small things While employers are working hard to cost-effectively provide major health and wellness benefits to their employees, Dr. Ukwu encourages employers not to forget the smaller, but still meaningful, gestures.

“We have all been so far apart for the past two years; we long for human connection,” she said.

“An impromptu lunch or a small outdoor gathering that brings employees back together can go a long way in lifting spirits and boosting employee morale.”

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4 | EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

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Stress Management in the Dealership: The Effect of Stress on Employee and Company Health

“

The nature of work is changing at whirlwind speed. Perhaps now more than ever before, job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations.

”

FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT | 7

The nature of work is changing at whirlwind speed.

Perhaps now more than ever before, job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations. Equipment dealerships are dealing with supply chain disruptions, ongoing pandemic consequences, and staffing shortages, all of which can certainly affect employees’ mental and physical health.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure to stressful working conditions (called job stressors) can have a direct influence on worker safety and health. There are six main job conditions that may lead to stress:

1.

The Design of Tasks Heavy workload; infrequent rest breaks; long work hours and shiftwork; and hectic and routine tasks that have little inherent meaning, do not utilize workers’ skills, and provide little sense of control.

8 | FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT

2. Management Style Lack of participation by employees in decisionmaking, poor communication in the dealership, lack of family-friendly policies.

3. Interpersonal Relationships Poor social environment and lack of support or help from coworkers or supervisors.

4. Work Roles Conflicting or uncertain job expectations, too much responsibility, wearing “too many hats.”

5. Career Concerns Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for growth, advancement, or promotion; rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.

6. Environmental Conditions Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problems.

Stress sets off an alarm in the brain, which responds by preparing the body for defensive action. The nervous system is aroused and hormones are released to sharpen the senses, quicken the pulse, deepen respiration, and tense the muscles. This response (sometimes called the fight or flight response) is important because it helps us defend against threatening situations. The response is preprogrammed biologically. Everyone responds in much the same way, regardless of whether the stressful situation is at work or home.

Short-lived or infrequent episodes of stress pose little risk. But when stressful situations go unresolved, the body is kept in a constant state of activation, which increases the rate of wear and tear to biological systems. Ultimately, fatigue or damage results, and the ability of the body to repair and defend itself can become seriously compromised. As a result, the risk of injury or disease escalates.

Some employers assume that stressful working conditions are a necessary evil—that companies must turn up the pressure on workers and set aside health concerns to remain productive and profitable in today’s economy. But research findings challenge this belief. Studies show that stressful working conditions are actually associated with increased absenteeism, tardiness, and intentions by workers to quit their jobs— all of which have a negative effect on the bottom line.

Low morale, health and job complaints, and employee turnover often provide the first signs of job stress. But sometimes there are no clues, especially if employees are fearful of losing their jobs. Lack of obvious or widespread signs is not a good reason to dismiss concerns about job stress or minimize the importance of a prevention program.

According to American Psychologist, there are seven changes that a workplace can make in order to prevent job stress: 1. Ensure that the workload is in line with workers’ capabilities and resources.

2. Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills.

3. Clearly define workers’ roles and responsibilities.

4. Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs.

5. Improve communications and reduce uncertainty

about career development and future employment prospects.

6. Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.

7. Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job.

Although it is not possible to give a universal prescription for preventing stress at work, it is possible to offer guidelines on the process of stress prevention in organizations. In all situations, the process for stress prevention programs involves three distinct steps: problem identification, intervention, and evaluation.

Step 1: Identify the Problem Information should be obtained about employee perceptions of their job conditions and perceived levels of stress, health, and satisfaction. Group discussions among managers, labor representatives, and employees can provide rich sources of information. Such discussions may be all that is needed to track down and remedy stress problems in a small company. In a larger organization, such discussions can be used to help design formal surveys for gathering input about stressful job conditions from large numbers of employees.

•

Hold group discussions with employees.

•

Design an employee survey.

•

Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health, and satisfaction.

•

Collect objective data.

•

Analyze data to identify problem locations and stressful job conditions.

Step 2: Design and Implement Interventions Once the sources of stress at work have been identified and the scope of the problem is understood, the stage is set for design and implementation of an intervention strategy.

Certain problems, such as a hostile work environment, may be pervasive in the organization and require company-wide interventions. Other problems such as excessive workload may exist only in some departments and thus require more narrow solutions such as redesign of the way a job is performed. Still other problems may be specific to certain employees and resistant to any kind of organizational change, calling

FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT | 9

instead for stress management or employee assistance interventions.

Before any intervention occurs, employees should be informed about actions that will be taken and when they will occur. A kick-off event, such as an all-hands meeting, is often useful for this purpose.

•

Target source of stress for change.

•

Propose and prioritize intervention strategies.

•

Communicate planned interventions to employees.

•

Implement interventions

Step 3: Evaluate the Interventions Evaluation is an essential step in the intervention process. Evaluation is necessary to determine whether the intervention is producing desired effects and whether changes in direction are needed.

Time frames for evaluating interventions should be established. Interventions involving organizational change should receive both short- and long-term scrutiny. Short-term evaluations might be done quarterly to provide an early indication of program effectiveness or possible need for redirection. Many interventions produce initial effects that do not persist.

Long-term evaluations are often conducted annually and are necessary to determine whether interventions produce lasting effects.

Evaluations should focus on the same types of information collected during the problem identification phase of the intervention, including information from employees about working conditions, levels of perceived stress, health problems, and satisfaction. Employee perceptions are usually the most sensitive measure of stressful working conditions and often provide the first indication of intervention effectiveness. Adding objective measures such as absenteeism and health care costs may also be useful. However, the effects of job stress interventions on such measures tend to be less clear-cut and can take a long time to appear.

The job stress prevention process does not end with evaluation. Rather, job stress prevention should be seen as a continuous process that uses evaluation data to refine or redirect the intervention strategy. 

www.KreamerLaw.com

(515)727-0900 Mergers & Acquisitions Business Law Succession Planning Samuel I. Kreamer, J.D., C.P.A. sikjdcpa@kreamerlaw.com

Licensed in both Iowa and Nebraska INEDA Associate Member

Wills, Trusts, & Probate 7155 Lake Drive, Suite 200 West Des Moines, IA 50266 7155 Lake Drive, Suite 200 West Des Moines, IA 50266

10 | FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT

Insightful Guidance.

Proactive Solutions!

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10516 Burt Circle | Omaha, Nebraska | 402.445.4040 | koskicpa.com FEATURE COMPANY CULTURE | 11

FEATURE STRESS MANAGEMENT | 11

ne AROUND

NEBRASKA

NEBRASKA FIELD NOTES

MARK OTHMER, Nebraska Field Director [marko@ineda.com]

I

s winter over yet? I certainly hope so, as every year it seems to be a little harder for me to handle cold weather and strong winds. Hopefully the spring wind will blow in some rain from the south, as it has been a very dry winter. Water is the lifeblood of crops on the plains, and it’s always concerning to start the growing season short on moisture.

Keep safety in your mind As folks begin moving farm equipment to the field, we should always help our customers keep safety at the forefront of their mind.

It’s easy to get in a hurry and forget to

12 | NEBRASKA FIELD NOTES

complete critical safety tasks. One thing I see overlooked on a daily basis is lock-outs on hydraulic cylinders when farmers and technicians are working on machinery.

One ruptured hose on even a small piece of equipment can cause serious injury and even death, so techs must be careful while servicing equipment. Either install lockouts to ensure a machine cannot fall to the ground, or—better yet—complete the service work with the tractor engine turned off and all hydraulic pressure relieved from the hoses in order to settle the equipment on the ground.

Modern equipment design makes safety awareness And try to stay fresh! much more effortless, but unfortunately it also Modern equipment is much more comfortable to makes safety easier to overlook. Late model tractors operate for longer hours, and farmers continually now automatically disengage power take-offs when take advantage of that. While it may seem like the operator leaves the tractor seat. It’s unfortunate farmers are staying awake and aware of potential that the occasional owner/operator will find ways to safety issues, the longer famers continuously operate override some safety switches in order to continue a machine increases the probability of an accident running a tractor without someone at the controls. occurring. Please remind your customers that a This situation is asking for a disaster to happen. If well-rested equipment operator is a safe equipment you’ve ever been unlucky enough to see the results operator; nobody wants to experience a farm of an entanglement in a PTO, it’s a stark reminder accident. All this advanced technology is there for a to never compromise safety switches on equipment. reason—to help farmers accomplish more in a day I’ve had the misfortune of visiting customers in than ever before—and the long hours might not be the hospital twice because of lack of respect for an as necessary as they think.  operating PTO. Thankfully, I was able to visit them in the hospital, “A well-rested equipment as both people survived. More often operator is a safe equipment than not, you’d be attending a operator.” funeral with this type of disaster.

Look out above!

Usually you hear the saying “Look out below!,” but my friends at the Nebraska Rural Electrification Association (NREA) are asking that we remind our members and their customers to be aware of overhead electrical lines. As equipment continues to get larger, wider, and especially taller, awareness of overhead power lines while in transport is a necessity. Every year in Nebraska, serious injury occurs due to equipment contact with overhead power lines. Please keep this in mind as you transport or haul equipment. Equipment hauled on a trailer or truck is much more vulnerable to coming in contact with overhead power transmission lines.

nebraska SALES TAX spotlight Q. Do oil and oil filters qualify for the

sales tax exemption for ag repair and replacement parts?

A. Yes. Because these items are in or on the originally

purchased machine that qualified for the ag sales tax exemption, the items also qualify for the exemption.

This would also include grease and gear lube.

INEDA CALENDAR OF EVENTS Iowa Regional Meeting • Wednesday, May 25, 2022 • FFA Enrichment Center, Ankeny, IA Nebraska Regional Meeting • Thursday, May 26, 2022 • Fonner Park, Grand Island, NE Iowa Legislative Golf Outing • Tuesday, June 14, 2022 • TBD Nebraska Legislative Golf Outing • Tuesday, June 21, 2022 • TBD

NEBRASKA FIELD NOTES | 13

ia

AROUND

IOWA

6 THINGS

TOM JUNGE, Iowa Field Director [tomj@ineda.com]

I Learned About Health Insurance While Introducing the INEDA Healthcare Program to Members Before the INEDA Healthcare Program was launched in 2021, it had been over 20 years since INEDA offered a group health insurance program. The only thing I knew about members’ health insurance plans is what was included in the Salary Compensation Survey that we conduct every other year. After visiting most of our Iowa members throughout the last six months, I would like to share six things I learned about health insurance:

1

The type of plans and the amount that members contribute are all over the board. Some companies pay 100% of the employee plan and either 50% or 0% for the family; others pay 50% for both the employee or family; and others even pay 100% for both the employee and the family. Deductibles are also all over the board, ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. The 2021 Salary Compensation Survey shows that the average deductible is now around $3,000.

2

Even smaller dealerships (25 employees or less) are utilizing partially selffunded plans. For example, one member has established a $5,000 deductible for employees and a $10,000 deductible plan with the insurance company and uses a third-party administrator to handle the few instances when employees exceed their $5,000 deductible. This member said that in the few years that they have been structuring their plans this way, they have

14 | IOWA HEALTH INSURANCE

saved enough in reserve to cover the difference between the $5,000 and $10,000 thresholds.

Before hearing these stories over the last six months, I was under the impression that this type of plan was only used by large dealerships with well over 100 employees.

3

Members are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to Health Savings Accounts (HSA); they either strongly promote a high deductible plan with an HSA to employees or they don’t want to talk about this type of plan at all. For companies that support HSA plans, they say it is the only way to go. Employees, especially younger ones, save considerably on premiums and have the opportunity to build a nice reserve over time. The HSA can be used anytime—not a use it or lose it scenario like flex accounts. Other members are concerned that employees don’t have enough savings to cover a high deductible plan. I have found that in some instances that the conventional co-pay plan that they offer has a deductible very close to that of a high deductible HSA plan.

In my personal experience, I switched to a high deductible plan with an HSA a few years ago and I believe strongly in them. I was paying $5,000 a year in premiums to not even use my health insurance that much. I also had co-pays and chiropractor visits that I still paid for out-of-pocket. When I switched to the high deductible plan with an HSA, my

premiums dropped by $2,400/year and the employer contributed another $1,300. I now have a reserve built up and use my savings to pay for the doctor and chiropractor office calls.

4 5

I didn’t know that a health insurance program could refund premiums if insurance claims were low for the year. Only two members that I visited had such a plan, and both were getting money refunded back to them. One had a plan very close to the one offered by the INEDA Healthcare Program. Most members haven’t heard of health insurance plans like this.

Insurance agents are not always looking out for their clients’ best interests like they claim. I’ve run into situations where, after INEDA Healthcare quoted a company for health insurance, their current agent counteroffered a price similar to INEDA Healthcare’s price. Why didn’t they offer this to their client before INEDA Healthcare did?

Was it the convenience of renewing the policy or did one insurance company pay more commission than another? Insurance agents also often use the buzzwords “grandfathered plan.” I’m wondering if they are saying these buzzwords just to keep businesses from shopping around elsewhere and finding lower prices.

6

Finally, I discovered that some members don’t have much of a choice in health insurance due to local doctor groups or hospitals/ clinics not accepting all insurance companies that are offered in the state. The lack of competition in specific areas in Iowa is costing our members dearly. For instance, a two-store dealership in Iowa could have saved $62,00/year in premiums for a similar deductible plan with the INEDA Healthcare Program, but the local doctor group wouldn’t accept the carrier. I think members need to stand up to these few organizations. Maybe this is an issue for the local Chamber of Commerce or even state legislator to address.

Although health insurance isn’t a glamourous topic, it is a huge expense and one of the main issues that dealer members asked INEDA to research. The INEDA Healthcare Program provides members with a better, less expensive option. It is also extremely satisfying to our staff when one of our members saves money with a service that INEDA offers, like the INEDA Healthcare Program.

For more information about the INEDA Healthcare Program, please contact Gretchen Burch at gretchenb@ineda.com or visit inedahealthcare.com. 

iowa SALES TAX spotlight Q. Does it matter if the dealer or the supplier

cancels a supplier agreement for the Iowa Dealer Protection Law to be applicable?

A. At the 2021 Iowa legislative session, INEDA added

verbiage to the dealer protection law to clarify the intent of the law that regardless of which party cancels a dealer/supplier agreement, the law abides.

“If a dealership agreement is terminated by cancellation or nonrenewal by either the dealer or supplier, the supplier must repurchase equipment and parts in the dealer’s inventory and must repurchase special tools and computer hardware or software required for the dealership.” .

IOWA HEALTH INSURANCE | 15

PLAY THE LONG GAME:

TY BURKE, The Accel Group [tburke@acceladvantage.com]

The Importance of HSAs in an Unstable Employee Benefits Market

M

edical costs continue to climb, health insurance premiums are volatile, and unemployment is a hot topic. Whether this trend lasts the remainder of the year or another five years, it will eventually end.

When that time comes, the companies left standing will be those that have prepared for the future. Now is the time to double down on your vision and revisit the core values that helped shape your organization.

Manage the circumstances on hand but manifest a better tomorrow. Dream.

16 | FEATURE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT

I just returned from a family trip to Walt Disney World, and I took a picture of this quote while at Magic Kingdom. “You can design and create and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” – Walt Disney I’m not certain what the employee benefits package at Walt Disney World looks like, but it is apparent that the cast members are taken care of. They feel secure and valued. For the remainder of this article, I will focus on the use of a health savings account (HSA) as a long-term benefit to give employees a sense of stability, and in return perhaps they will bring some of that Disney magic to your organization.

The Convergence of Health And Wealth For all of us, benefits are a big deal. They help protect us from illness and bankruptcy. As we continue to navigate the pandemic, the convergence of health and wealth is upon us, and financial wellness is top-of-mind. An HSA is one financial tool that people are taking advantage of in increasing numbers.

making healthier lifestyle choices and putting away the funds needed for when a health event does occur. The most successful HSA programs often involve employer contributions in the early years. If employers contribute seed money to HSAs or offer a match contribution, it provides an incentive to get the employees to start putting funds away for future use. Ideally, this money would come from premium savings at the employer level.

For many organizations, the path to an HSA can be The Investment Power of an HSA challenging. This product needs to be paired with In recent years the product has continued to evolve. a qualified high deductible health plan (QHDHP).

Now, an HSA can be invested in the market just While making this transition, it is common for like a 401k, with tax-free interest. There are many employees to feel like you are stripping away the different online or traditional banks that offer this first dollar coverage that a traditional health plan service. includes. A QHDHP looks and feels different. It is essential to spend the time on the front end to make Think of an HSA as a “health IRA.” sure your employees fully understand When you turn 65 those funds will the plan design of a QHDHP as well as act like a traditional IRA. However, When the time the perks associated with an HSA. you were able to enjoy the tax-free

What is an HSA?

comes, the companies left standing will be those that have prepared for the future.

An HSA is a tax-advantaged savings account. HSAs were created in 2003 to provide individuals who have HDHPs with a tax-preferred method of saving money for medical expenses. The account is controlled by the employee.

If the funds within the HSA are not used, they will continue to grow. The HSA fund is tax-deductible, compounds tax-free interest, and is tax-free to withdraw for medical bills. In 2022, you can contribute up to $3,600 for self-only coverage and up to $7,300 if you have your family on your health plan. In addition, people ages 55 to 64 can make $1,000 “catch-up” contributions to their accounts.

The logic behind the HSA/HDHP arrangement is that people will have a clearer idea of their medical costs and more control over their spending, enabling them to reduce their medical costs.

Taking Ownership of Your Health Habits Consumer-driven financial tools like HSAs encourage individuals and families to better manage health expenditures. Since they are paired with a QHDHP, and those types of plans typically do not include traditional copays for office visits or a prescription drug card, the way an individual consumes healthcare changes. There becomes a focus on

contribution, tax-free growth, and taxfree distributions out. Completely taxfree money!

With that being said, many people are not aware that they can invest the money in their HSA. Most industry experts project that less than 10% of HSA accounts nationwide have at least part of their HSA assets invested. The opportunity for long-term growth in these funds is exponential.

Set Your Strategy For many organizations, there is merit in playing the long game and going down this path. A savings account that encourages participants to put away money, make better lifestyle choices, and become better consumers of health care is extremely valuable. In addition, it is now also considered a wealth building tactic with its investment upside.

As with any change, there may be a few challenges along the way. However, it can be incredibly beneficial to your team, impactful to your bottom line, and a powerful wealth-building tool to those who get started!

If you are interested in learning more, our team at INEDA Healthcare would enjoy connecting with you!

Contact us via email at gretchenb@ineda.com or visit inedahealthcare.com. 

FEATURE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT | 17

HSA

VS

FSA

Control

Control

Owned by the employee

Owned by the employer

Funding

Funding

Employer and/or employee funded

Employer and/or employee funded

2022 Contribution Limits

2022 Contribution Limits

$3,650 individual; $7,300 family

$2,850 individual and family

Health Plan Eligibility

Health Plan Eligibility

Must be enrolled in a High-Deductible Health Plan

Must be offered a group health plan by employer

Can Participants Invest Funds?

Can Participants Invest Funds?

Yes

No

TAKE A CHANCE ON HIRING VETERANS

WILL ROGERS, Director of Government Affairs, [willr@ineda.com]

I

served in the United States Army from 1989 to 1992 and engaged in combat as part of Operation Desert Storm. After my time in the service, I came back to Des Moines and joined VFW Post #9127 in Beaverdale, eventually becoming Post Commander in 1998. Through the VFW, I got to know hundreds of my fellow Veterans, and many of them were experiencing some level of hardship with their mental health.

As of today, there are roughly 19 million people in the United States who have served in the U.S.

Armed Forces. And over the past 20 years, 3 million people have served in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

As an employer, hiring a Veteran who is struggling with their mental health might seem too difficult or challenging at first. However, under the right circumstances, you might find one of your hardest working and most loyal employees by hiring a Veteran. Having a conversation with the prospective employee about their needs is a good place to start, so long as you don’t run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or any other federal or state employment laws.

FEATURE HIRING VETERANS | 19

Veterans’ struggles with mental health aren’t a new thing. As long as there has been wars and military conflicts, service members have been wounded, maimed, and killed. And when we see a Veteran who has lost a limb or been paralyzed, we empathize with that person’s physical injuries. It is often the unseen and undiagnosed issue of Veteran’s mental health that is elusive and therefore not given the attention it deserves.

One of the many issues regarding the general subject of mental health is the stigma surrounding it. Even still today, mental health issues can be seen as a weakness or cowardness. Eliminating this stigma is important to helping someone struggling with their mental health seek treatment and begin to heal.

The term “post-traumatic stress disorder,” or PTSD, came into widespread use in the 1970s in large part due to the diagnoses of United States Military Veterans of the Vietnam War. It was officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980. According to the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, 20 percent of service members who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from either major depression or PTSD. And of that number, 19.5 percent of Veterans in these two categories have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

These three service-related disorders alone have an enormous impact on the demand for Veteran mental health treatment. Untreated, these mental health concerns can have a profound impact on a Veteran’s ability to lead a normal life. They can result in the

20 | FEATURE HIRING VETERANS

inability to work and provide for their economic needs, often leading to abuse of self-medication with alcohol or drugs, resulting in family conflicts, suicide, violence towards others, or prison time.

Often, Veterans with PTSD are normal, productive, and disciplined people. But this normal state can be disrupted by a trigger event. These can consist of loud noises such as car backfire, the sound of gunfire, or a scream from a child. A smell, flashing lights, or even another person can cause an episode.

But mental health problems aren’t always permanent and can be addressed proactively.

Traditional mental health therapy can significantly improve quality of life for a Veteran. But there are also some emerging treatments that are showing amazing results. In addition to treatment, the U.S. Armed Forces and Department of Veteran Affairs have made great strides to diagnose and treat PTSD and other mental health issues. Just a few examples are: • The Veteran In-Patient Mental Health Program at dozens of VA hospital around the country specialize in assisting Veterans with mental health diagnoses.

• The 24-hour Veteran Crisis Hotline is aimed at suicide prevention and extending help to veterans and their families in critical times of need.

• Private sector mental health care providers in rural and remote areas are receiving more access to funding and treatment options.

One last advancement that has been considered a major improvement is the discharge upgrade.

Previously, when a service member receives a dishonorable discharge, they are barred from accessing the VA Medical System. Through the new discharge upgrade program, the military has now created an opportunity to discharge these service members in a way that will allow them access to healthcare, disability payments, and employment in state or federal government jobs.

According to the American Legion’s “Guide for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder,” employers may consider one or more of the following accommodations when hiring a Veteran with mental health issues: • Allow the employee to take a break and go to a place where s/he feels comfortable to use relaxation techniques or contact a support person.

• Allow for a flexible start/end time or allow employees to work from home.

• Allow the presence of a support animal which is now protected by the ADA. • Encourage the employee to walk away from frustrating situations and confrontations.

• Provide disability awareness training to coworkers and supervisors.

As an employer, you know that not every person you hire will work out. You may have had a bad experience in the past hiring someone with mental health struggles. I encourage you not to let that experience keep you from recruiting and hiring Veterans to be a part of your dealership. The next person you give a chance to might be your best employee yet.

For more information regarding hiring of Veterans with mental health issues, please contact Will Rogers at willr@ineda.com. 

• Allow the employee to make up any time missed.

• Identify and remove environmental triggers such as particular smells or noises.

FEATURE HIRING VETERANS | 21

EQUIPMENT BUYING TRENDS Forecasting machinery purchases and financing activity in 2022.

FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF AMERICA, AgDirect/Equipment Buying Trends

A

surge in machinery spending in 2021 compounded by ongoing supply chain disruptions left dealers facing one of the most severe shortages of farm equipment in decades.

While conditions are slowly starting to improve, low farm machinery inventories continue to impact sales and trade-in activity.

“We’re entering a new era of the equipment market and experiencing a huge shift in how customers plan for equipment purchases,” says Lucas Scheibe, an AgDirect territory manger in North Dakota. “Dealers aren’t stocking as much iron up front and are challenged with helping

22 | FEATURE EQUIPMENT BUYING TRENDS

customers adjust to scheduling purchases 12 to 15 months in advance versus following typical, seasonal sales patterns.”

have a big impact on buying and selling momentum through yearend,” he adds.

Consequently, used equipment prices are up 20% in certain product areas, more hours are being put on machines by the time they are traded, and buyers are taking on more risk in selling their used equipment before their new machine is delivered.

Looking at the year ahead, interest rates are expected to increase; however, they will likely remain at levels that are still historically low.

At the same time, inflation and rising input costs are putting a dent in producer’s pocketbooks.

“On the lending side, quoting slowed and some equipment deals were hindered or fell through altogether,” says Scheibe. “Now through April will be a waiting game to see what which trades go through as well as the wave of early orders that were placed last year.”

“The spring season will be very telling of what’s to come and will

Looking ahead

“Overall, we’re expecting to see average trends in financing activity coming off the headwinds of rising interest rates and consumer prices,” says Scheibe. “Strong Q3 projections may inject some confidence moving forward and as supply chain issues get corrected, we should see prices on used machinery start to normalize.”

AgDirect finances a large portfolio of tractors, and according to Scheibe, everything from small loader tractors to large framed 4WD track machines are currently in high demand. The used low hour sprayer market is hot, and combines are starting to tick upward. Scheibe says he has also seen more used tillage equipment moving than in previous years.

“Because of limited availability, it may be tough to find a unit that fits within a customer’s budget and hour range, but AgDirect is here to partner with dealers to provide product offerings in the form of a loan or lease that can help get customers into machines that would have otherwise been out of reach,” he says.

For example, AgDirect is currently offering leasing programs for customers to take advantage of special residuals and lock in a low lease payment on planters, sprayers and combines.

• FPO, PRO and PUT residuals on new and used planters, drills, air seeders, air carts and toolbars now through June 30, 2022.

• PRO and PUT residuals on low hour used sprayers (no floaters) now through June 30, 2022.

• PRO and PUT residuals on new and late model (2017 or newer) combines now through August 31, 2022.

Additionally, AgDirect equipment financing includes flexible loan and lease options with no recourse to dealers. Customers can apply online or work with their dealer to complete the simple application process and receive a quick response within one business day.

Scheibe. “Ultimately, AgDirect is here to support dealers as they shift or realign their business strategies in 2022.”

AgDirect offers competitive rates and terms for both new and used equipment purchases.

Check rates, quote payments and compare options with our free AgDirect Mobile application, or learn more about AgDirect equipment financing by locating your nearest AgDirect territory manager or contacting the AgDirect financing team at 888-525-9805. 

“Our goal is to help dealers be more successful in moving equipment whether that’s keeping them up-to-date on the rate environment or speeding up the transaction process,” says

Jerry Pigsley, Attorney Licensed to practice law in Iowa and Nebraska

www.woodsaitken.com

For over 50 years, Woods Aitken’s labor and employment attorneys have represented local, regional and national businesses in a broad spectrum of industries. We provide services in human resources counseling, employment litigation, and traditional labor law.

INEDA Human Resources Helpline (855) 277-5575

The helpline is available for general advice at no charge to INEDA members.

Representation on specific matters may be subject to charge to the individual member, but no charge will be incurred without the member’s agreement first.

FEATURE EQUIPMENT BUYING TRENDS | 23

TAGS, FORMS, AND SUPPLIES

O

ur services provide the tools, resources and expertise our members need to be successful, expand profits, and plan for the future. From merchant credit card services, forms, and supplies to general business and management consulting, our team at the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA) has the tools and expertise to help our members succeed.

INEDA offers a variety of forms and supplies including equipment tags, seals, custom envelopes, custom forms, decals, and labels. A full list of

products is available on the following page. For more information or to place an order, please contact Gretchen Burch at gretchenb@ineda.com.

Please note that prices are subject to change without notice. Prices do not include freight or sales tax. 

Tags, Forms, and Supplies

Custom Forms and Supplies Envelopes Envelopes available with security blue tint and peel and seal.

#11 Regular Envelopes #11 Window Envelopes #10 Regular Envelopes

Arrow Tags

#10 Window Envelopes

Self-locking, fade-proof, and waterproof plastic tags. Each box includes 200 tags and one (1) permanent marker. Available in red, blue, green, yellow, and white.

#9 Regular Envelopes

Size: 4 3/8” x 3”

#8 Window Envelopes

#9 Window Envelopes #8 Regular Envelopes #6 3/4 Business Reply Envelopes

Starting at $42.52/box

Statement Envelopes

Forms Please contact INEDA about other custom forms.

Invoices Laser Checks Purchase Orders Purchase Order Books Rental Contracts Repair Orders

Wrap Tags Write on it with permanent marker. Each package includes 198 tags. Available in orange, yellow, green and white.

Sales Tickets Time Tickets Whole Goods Invoices

Other

Size: 11” x 1”

$44.56/pkg

Decals (including thermal kiss, mylar, and vinyl) Labels

Email for pricing

How to Order: Custom Tags Emboss up to 16 characters (black, white, blue, or red text). Consecutive numbering; your choice of starting number (up to 7 digits). Customize from 16 colors.

Size: 7 1/2” x 3/8”

Email for pricing

For more information or to place an order, contact the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA) at gretchenb@ineda.com.

Prices subject to change without notice.

Prices do not include freight or sales tax.

8330 NW 54th Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 | 515.223.5119 | ineda.com March 2022

MARKETING VIEW

CINDY FELDMAN, Marketing Director [cindyf@ineda.com]

MARKETING

How to Design Above the Fold Content for Uber-Good Engagement You have 8 seconds (probably less) to captivate and retain your audience. Every second and every scroll counts.

Your above the fold content needs to hook your visitors and motivate them to stay on the page. A great page with poor above the fold content is like a brilliant book with a terrible cover. Yeah, yeah—we all know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover… but everyone still does it. And visitors will do the same thing with your email, landing page, or article.

Does your above the fold content need to be your #1 priority? Probably not. But with how much digital users jump between websites and devices, it’s important that your

26 | MARKETING VIEW

above the fold content encourages visitors to stay. That doesn’t necessarily mean the content needs to have a Buzzfeed-worthy headline or an irresistible CTA— but it does need to deliver on the promise that got visitors there in the first place.

looks like on my IOS device:

What Does Above the Fold Mean?

It’s impossible to optimize your content for every device—that’s why it’s important to make responsive designs. You want all your emails fully responsive so that users can create high-quality experiences, no matter what device their recipients are using.

Above the fold is the first content your visitors see without having to scroll. Anything that requires scrolling to view is considered below the fold.

Newspapers first popularized the term “above the fold.” On a newsstand, only the uppermost headlines and images would be visible, and these needed to attract a reader to pick up the paper to read more. Although there is no fold on your computer screen, there is the end of a browser window, and users need to scroll if they want to see more.

Depending on the device you’re using, while reading this article, you likely saw the featured image and headline (and maybe a snippet of text) above the fold.

Other sites with large navigation bars and CTAs require you to scroll down to find the article. Imagine that experience at a newsstand— do you think the paper with only Home, About, Blog, and Contact Us visible is going to get picked up? I think not.

When designing content (whether that’s emails, blog posts, or landing pages), think about the experience on different devices.

Varying screen sizes will impact what lands above the fold and what falls below the fold. On a phone, for example, the traditional page design is turned sideways for portrait mode.

Best Practices for Designing Above the Fold Content

And here’s what it looks like on my desktop (bottom right).

In both versions, you can see the headline and featured image, but you can see more of the introductory text on the mobile device.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to create great user experiences. While there’s no magic bullet to effective above the fold page content (sorry!), there are a few best practices you can keep in mind to improve your design: 1. Deliver on your promises. If someone visits your page from an email, ad, or hyperlink, make sure your above the fold content sets the stage for what you’re going to deliver. For

What’s Above the Fold for You Might Be Below the Fold for Them Depending on how you view a piece of content (mobile, desktop, tablet, etc.), what’s viewable above the fold varies. For example, take a look at our recent Inspiration for Your 2020 Email Campaigns post. Here’s what it

MARKETING VIEW | 27

example, if your ad guarantees “the top 10 holiday sending hacks of 2019,” then your page better address that promise from the get-go.

2. Don’t try to cram everything above the fold. Put your best content at the beginning— not all your content. Unless you’re Dr. Pepper and can somehow pack 23 flavors into a delicious drink, take a minimalist approach. Less is more. Use an image and some clever copy to entice your visitors to continue scrolling down the page.

3. Encourage scrolling. Make it obvious that the next step the visitor should take is to scroll down. You can do that with visual cues (like downward facing arrows) or by being clear with your copy: “Continue reading.”

3 Impressive Above the Fold Content Examples Enough talk—let’s look at some real-life samples. I found a few awesome examples of websites, articles, emails, and more from brands that nailed their above-thefold design. Here’s what you can learn from them.

SPI’s Above the Fold Website The Smart Passive Income Blog achieves great above the fold balance with this web design (right). Here’s what they do right: • The homepage above the fold content is clean, uncluttered, and has plenty of white space.

• The premise of the entire site is outlined well in just 4 lines of copy, and it also has a simple, conspicuous CTA: “Get Started.”

28 | MARKETING VIEW

• Social proof is visible right from the get-go with big brand names adding credibility to the site.

One thing the page doesn’t do well is it creates a “false bottom.” As you can see from the screenshot, the above the fold content looks like the only content, since the section ends level with the bottom of the browser. This gives the vibes that there’s nothing more on the page.

By adding a visual cue or making the above the fold content not perfectly flush with the bottom of the browser, it’d be obvious to a website visitor that more content is accessible by scrolling.

Frontier’s Above the Fold Email This email from Frontier (next oage, top right) checks all the right boxes when it comes to above the fold content. It features an appealing hero image (how can you not love an owl in a Santa hat?), witty copy, and powerful deals coupled with simple CTAs— all above the fold.

Frontier could have taken it one step further by pushing up the “Book Now!” buttons that are currently sitting below the fold.

But all-in-all, this email gets the

above the fold element right.

Trello’s Above the Fold Blog Design I’m a huge fan of Trello and an even bigger fan of their blog.

Their article design (next page, bottom right) gives you a perfect above the fold view of the piece you’re going to read. You can see the title, author, hero image, and even a snippet of text that has the opportunity to suck you in.

Where it falls short is simplicity.

With the above the fold view, you’re surrounded by several distractions: “Sign Up,” “Get Started,” “Follow Us,” “Recent Posts,” etc. Remember to keep your above the fold content uncomplicated to move users smoothly through the experience.

Be mindful of your above the fold content, even on social media.

Ads have character limits, but if you use all the allotted characters, viewers will likely not be able to see the entirety of your message.

Social Media Ads Be mindful of your above the fold content, even on social media.

Ads have character limits, but if you use all the allotted characters, viewers will likely not be able to see the entirety of your message.

Be Above the Rest And that’s all there is to it. No, optimizing your content for above the fold isn’t going to magically double your conversion rates overnight, but it will improve your users’ experiences and these strategic changes can make a measurable impact. 

WITH OVER 65 YEARS OF TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE, OUR #1 GOAL IS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION!

515.278.1010

The experienced team at Transportation Consultants offers the following services: R US DOT# & MC# applications R Fuel Tax Reporting R IFTA Filings & Renewals

R UCR Filings & Renewals R 2290 Filings & Renewals

INEDA’s Truck Compliance HELPLINE: 515.278.1010 |

www.tcipermits.com

MARKETING VIEW | 29

Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association 8330 NW 54th Ave. Johnston, IA 50131-2841

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Presorted Std. U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Permit No. 762

Nobody delivers financing as simple, as fast or more flexible.

AgDirect® financing was built for agriculture. We prove it every day.

Great customer service includes great equipment financing. And no other financing offers a better customer experience than AgDirect. Along with competitive rates, we deliver simple, hassle-free applications, multiple financing options and flexible terms that add value to every deal.

Call us at 888-525-9805 or visit agdirect.com today.

Chris Steinkamp Iowa (402) 677-2308

Dan Takle

Iowa (515) 249-2728

Alex Bauer

Nebraska (402) 540-6921

Chris Schimke

Nebraska (605) 941-7115

AgDirect is an equipment financing program offered by Farm Credit Services of America and other participating Farm Credit System Institutions with lease financing provided by Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation.