Industry
Cannabis
Employees
217
Headquarters
California
HR Leader
Zoey Shipman
Director of People
HR Challenge
Align Two Open Enrollments, Change HRIS
Results
One Open Enrollment, New Benefits & HRIS
About Nabis
Cannabis Distribution & Insights
Nabis is one of the leading cannabis distribution companies in California. They distribute 80 cannabis brands to more than 750 dispensaries in California, covering 99% of licensed retailers in the state. Their in-house proprietary software allows brands to manage and ship their wholesale orders at lightning-fast speeds. Based on the data amassed by their software, Nabis can help brands forecast volume, target new accounts, and identify opportunities for product diversification.
Meet Zoey, Director of People
Zoey began her career as a people manager for various start-up companies. Without much HR presence in start-up environments, Zoey relied on webinars, networking, and workshops to learn more about human resources.
She now leads the HR department at Nabis, where she needs to make additional considerations each day, due to strict regulations in the cannabis industry. Though being in uncharted territory is challenging, Zoey looks forward to being part of a pioneering industry.
HR Challenges
Zoey Had Multiple Benefits Challenges During Covid
Diversifying Benefits Offerings
Nabis offered benefits to their employees, and their sister company’s employees. Roles ranged from warehouse workers to software engineers, so they needed a robust plan to compliment all workers at both companies.
Align Two Open Enrollments
Not only did Nabis need more diversity in their plans, but they were outgrowing their small business HRIS and needed to vet new systems.
Outgrowing Current HRIS
Not only did Nabis need more diversity in their plans, but they were outgrowing their small business HRIS and needed to vet new systems.
“Our HRIS was also our broker, and they charged pretty substantial fees to handle our benefits. I knew finding a new solution would be beneficial, but we didn’t have the time, especially during COVID.”
Bennie’s Action Items
Expand the Benefits Plan
“We were approached by Beam with a 4% increase for open enrollment, but Bennie negotiated this down to 0%, which was a huge saving for us.”
Merge Two Enrollments
“We were managing two companies with two different open enrollments in May and October. Before Bennie, I didn’t know we could merge these into one open enrollment.”
Change HRIS During Covid
“When Bennie brought a new HRIS to my attention, I told them that I didn’t have time to make the transition, but Bennie replied with, ‘We can help with that,’ and they absolutely did.”
Support Employees
“We ended up using the Bennie application quite a bit during COVID. Employees preferred to message through the app instead of calling carriers, and they had easy access to telehealth.”
Expand the Benefits Plan
“We were approached by Beam with a 4% increase for open enrollment, but Bennie negotiated this down to 0%, which was a huge saving for us.”
Bennie Improved the Plans, and the Employee Experience:
Bennie expanded the limited Kaiser plan for Nabis to include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, along with Beam for dental and vision.
Along with expanding traditional benefits, employees gained access to the Bennie technology, which unlocks a private, discounted marketplace for voluntary benefits. At no additional cost to Nabis, employees could elect pet insurance, student loan repayment options, mental health services, family planning, and more.
Merge Two Enrollments
“We were managing two companies with two different open enrollments in May and October. Before Bennie, I didn’t know we could merge these into one open enrollment.”
Bennie Methodically Merged the Two Open Enrollments:
Bennie began preparing for the merger by completing the proper paperwork, communicating with insurance carriers, and updating Zoey on the process. Bennie was able to bring both open enrollments together to drive efficiencies for Nabis.
“For the first time ever, our employees were able to participate in an open enrollment presentation with our broker. They could learn more and ask questions about their plans.”
Change HRIS During Covid
“When Bennie brought a new HRIS to my attention, I told them that I didn’t have time to make the transition, but Bennie replied with, ‘We can help with that,’ and they absolutely did.”
Bennie’s HR Tech Consulting Provided Deep Knowledge:
Zoey knew she needed to vet a new HRIS system, but the initiative would have been a huge undertaking during COVID. Luckily, Bennie offers HR technology consulting and has a deep understanding of the HR technology landscape. Bennie helped Zoey identify the technology needs for Nabis. We evaluated new systems, negotiated pricing, and supported her through the implementation.
“I’ve worked with many brokers in the past, and they’ve never tried to get a handle on our HRIS system. They were only focused on the benefits portion.”
As a cannabis company, Nabis was limited in their HRIS selection, due to federal banking regulations affecting payroll. Bennie understood the unique needs of cannabis companies like Nabis and made recommendations that considered these limitations.
Support Employees
“We ended up using the Bennie application quite a bit during COVID. Employees preferred to message through the app instead of calling carriers, and they had easy access to telehealth.”
Employee Support During Covid-19:
Nabis employees now have access to the Bennie app, where they can ask any benefits-related question, 24/7. This was especially helpful during the global health pandemic.
An Invaluable Partnership with Nabis
Employee Benefits, Streamlined
Nabis was able to expand its benefits plan, merge two separate open enrollments, change their HRIS, and implement the Bennie technology, all during the COVID pandemic. With a small HR team of 2, Bennie filled in the gaps, acting as an extension of the HR team to move the needle on time-sensitive initiatives.
Best of all, working with Bennie was at no additional cost to Nabis. We focused on providing white-glove consulting services and free benefits technology to their employees.
“Bennie was proactive, instead of reactive, which you don’t usually see in brokers. They had an eagerness to move Nabis in the right direction.”