Access, Culture, and Customization – 3 Ways Organizations are Rethinking Employee Healthcare Benefits

At its seventh annual Client Forum, Premise Health gathered benefits leaders from across the country to discuss how today’s trends are impacting their organizations and their people. During the opening session, the company polled the more than 200 attendees to learn their greatest priorities and focus areas for this year and next. From the results, a few key trends rose to the top.

Continue reading to learn how benefits leaders are looking at access, culture, and customization in 2022 and beyond.

Customization is Key

When asked to identify top priorities for 2022, nearly half of respondents selected “recruiting talent,” followed closely by “expanding healthcare access” at 30% and “reducing healthcare costs” at 23%. While recruiting talent is a common challenge across industries, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Today, employers are focused on studying the unique needs of their team members and getting creative in how they personalize benefits to attract and retain those populations.

From maternity support to childcare and mental health resources to work flexibility, organizations must ensure the solutions they offer match the needs of their people. Unsure what step to take next? The easiest way to determine what’s important to your population is to ask, whether through a company-wide survey or feedback from business resource groups. By thinking creatively and customizing your benefits offerings, you’ll ensure greater engagement and utilization across your workforce.

A Closer Look at Culture

Additionally, what many have realized over the last few years is that when it comes to talent attraction and retention, candidates want to understand what it’s really like to work for a company. What experience will they have working on your team? Will they feel like they can bring their full self to work each day? To be an employer of choice, organizations need to look beyond compensation and place a deliberate focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

Research shows businesses that spend time and resources on removing barriers and promoting DEIB initiatives are 2.6 times more likely to increase employee engagement and improve retention. This is in part because organizations that take the time to understand their people are more likely to create a sense of belonging and connection among employees.

Additionally, social determinants of health, or the conditions in which people live, work, and play, have a profound impact on the ways people interact with the healthcare ecosystem. When employers are able to recognize these differences and identify gaps in care, they are better able to ensure equitable access across their population.

Expanding Access to Care

When asked to share their focus areas for healthcare in 2022, almost half (47%) of respondents selected onsite wellness centers. Additionally, 23% of attendees selected nearsite wellness centers and 17% selected virtual primary care.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much discussion about what the future of work would look like and whether onsite healthcare would continue to provide value as workforces moved to remote or hybrid environments. The results are clear – while digital care continues to be a great asset to both patients and providers, it will never fully replace the need for in-person care services.

What we learned from many of our attendees is that onsite health and benefits offerings are one of the most effective ways to attract employees back to the workplace. From massage therapy services to meditation rooms and onsite pharmacy to fitness classes, these offerings incentivize employees to return to work and help companies to rebuild their corporate cultures.

These insights from Premise Health clients reflect the broader employer landscape. To be an employer of choice, organizations must put their people first. Whether that is through customized benefits offerings, DEIB initiatives, or expanded access models, employee attraction and retention is all about understanding your people and addressing their needs.

With 30+ products and digital and in-person access points, Premise Health has the tools and resources to customize a solution that meets the needs your population. Contact us today to learn more.