Credit union human resource professionals face the difficult task of reducing health care plan costs while keeping employee benefit packages robust enough to draw and retain top talent.

CUNA's recently released 2010-2011 "Credit Union Staff Benefits Report" found that as cost increases are projected to return to double-digit levels, 65% of credit unions provide health insurance to their employees and nearly all credit unions with $50 million or more offer it. According to the report, half of credit unions had 2010 health insurance costs increase at least 10% over 2009 costs.

Given the uncertainty about the full impact of health care reform on health care coverage as an employer-provided benefit, HR executives may have even more trouble understanding employee expectations and determining how the credit union can offer value to its employees through benefits while keeping costs in check.