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Image: Adobe Stock Benefit leaders are well aware of the healthcare costs associated with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, but what about the toll on retention and engagement? For example, the American Diabetes Association reports that, on top of the $307 billion spent on medical costs for diabetes care in 2022, indirect economic costs including absenteeism, loss of productivity and inability to work due to disease-related disability tacked on more than

Image: Adobe Stock Having a small business doesn't have to mean sacrificing the ability to offer workforces a complete retirement package .    According to a 2024 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only 38% of small businesses offered retirement plans, with many of the organizations choosing to opt out due to cost, complexity and lack of awareness around the rules, options and benefits. Investing in unconventional retirement strategies like a flat-fee 401(k),

Image: Adobe Stock Benefit leaders are becoming increasingly bogged down by the benefit administration process, and it's keeping them from some of the more meaningful aspects of their jobs.  HR and benefit managers currently spend 12 hours on average — more than a fourth of their work week — on payroll and benefit-related administrative tasks, according to a recent employee benefits report from benefit management platform Payroll Integrations. Twenty-seven percent admit to s

Image: Adobe Stock Estate planning has quickly become one of the most in-demand workplace benefits, as employees search for financial security that goes beyond equitable compensation and 401(k)s. Ninety-six percent of Americans agree that having a will is important , according to legal services provider LegalShield, yet nearly half do not have one. And while 66% of employees want estate planning benefits , only 38% of employers actually offer support in this area. Leaders sho

Image: Adobe Stock Your employees are your company's most valuable asset and your first customers. When they feel informed, valued and connected to the company's mission, their satisfaction and productivity improve. This is the core of internal marketing — promoting your company's values, goals and brand to the people who work there. It's a powerful approach that transforms employees into enthusiastic brand ambassadors. So, how can you build a program that achieves these res

Image: Adobe Stock Artificial intelligence is changing the game for benefit leaders, improving the benefit selection and delivery process, while simplifying common pain points, too. Eighty-one percent of benefit leaders say they have explored or already implemented AI to improve benefit administration efficiency, according to human capital software company UKG. To understand where that technology is having the greatest impact, a recent study from the ERISA Industry Committe

Image: Adobe Stock As benefit managers head into 2026, many are rethinking what it really means to support employees — and recognizing that benefits play a bigger role than ever in shaping the day-to-day employee experience .  Rising healthcare costs , economic uncertainty, and evolving workforce expectations are forcing employers to move beyond one-size-fits-all offerings. The good news? Small, intentional changes to benefits strategy can have an outsized impact on employee

Image: Adobe Stock As healthcare premiums continue their relentless climb , employers face a familiar and frustrating cycle: enhance benefits to attract and retain talent , or scale them back to control costs. This tradeoff often results in higher out-of-pocket expenses for employees, delayed care and growing dissatisfaction with the system. It's a cycle that's been repeating for decades. We chase the deepest network discounts, tweak plan designs , switch carriers, shift cost

Image: Adobe Stock Much ink gets spilled every year on the state of Americans' retirement security. Recent headlines have touted the record-high savings rates  in 401(k) plans. Reading these, it's easy to assume that all is well for retirement savings and people are saving in ways that will help them be secure.    The problem, however, is that these headlines obscure reality. Most of the savings rates that are shared publicly are based solely on people who are already partici

Image: Adobe Stock Every fall, millions of Americans make a big decision when they choose their health plan for the year ahead. During open enrollment , employees pay closer attention to their benefits than at any other time. But while the act of enrollment gets the spotlight, the choices that matter most are those that shape cost, quality and access to care . In reality, open enrollment is an intentional combination of strategic plan design decisions before an employee ever

Image: Adobe Stock Appreciation for the value of life insurance has grown since the pandemic. However, new LIMRA research suggests an uphill educational climb for benefit brokers and their employer clients just ahead of Life Insurance Awareness Month in September and open enrollment. Among the key findings supporting this conclusion: 57% of those who only have life insurance through their employer believe they have enough coverage, which doesn't square with reality. The medi

Source: Adobe Stock Surging benefit costs are straining company budgets. Next year, employers are projected to pay nearly 9% more per employee for health benefits — for the exact same coverage.  This increase comes just as workers are beginning to seek and expect quality benefits and personalization, due in part to the rapid and sweeping changes brought on by the pandemic. Today, 65% of workers worldwide are interested in better benefits and personalization, and nearly 40

Source: Adobe Stock After delaying a rule requiring high-income 401(k) savers aged 50 or older to make catch-up contributions in Roth accounts, the IRS has signaled that it will take effect starting next year. That gives financial advisers working with 401(k) sponsors or clients earning more than $145,000 less than two months to ensure a Roth account is available and help those clients decide whether to contribute to it, noted Jay Cirame, vice president of ERISA consulting at

Image: Adobe Stock Retirement has long been seen as a well-earned reward for decades of hard work. But leaving the workforce is still a distant dream for the majority of Americans.  According to a new survey from financial services organization TIAA, less than half of Americans expect to retire between the ages of 65 and 70. In fact, while 62% of respondents believe financial stability is achievable in their lifetime, just 37% think they will be able to retire in a realisti

Image: Adobe Stock As the 2026 open-enrollment season beckons, nowhere is the need for better benefits design more urgent than in the prescription drug arena — the fastest-growing portion of group health expenses for decades.  Centivo Co-founder Alan Cohen notes the exogenous effects of GLP-1s and specialty drugs that are driving up health care inflation. And with more employee cost shifting expected, he cautions that "we better get ready for 7% to 15% per year increases in

Image: Adobe Stock The cost of care remains a major concern for employees , many of whom avoid seeking treatment simply because they don't know what they'll have to pay.  Uncertainty around medical expenses can lead to delayed care, potentially turning manageable conditions into chronic ones. Without clear information, employees are left to navigate a confusing system on their own. Premiums vs. out-of-pocket Employees are facing increasingly difficult decisions when it come

Image: Adobe Stock Much like Amazon revolutionized shopping for goods and services, savvy benefit advisers have an opportunity to do the same for open enrollment. Holistic and curated benefit offerings are key to attracting and retaining younger generations, according to Chris Morbelli, EY's life and group insurance transformation leader, who cites EY-LIMRA research over the past two years to support this premise.  "We believe over time there are certain benefits more specif

Image: Adobe Stock Women are increasingly responsible for providing benefits and financial support to their families, but are frustrated with what's available through their workplace. Benefit managers play a key role in identifying and filling the gaps. Currently, fewer than 60% of women with a household income of less than $50,000 reported knowing enough about managing money , insurance and benefits, according to survey findings from financial solutions and insurance firm T

Image: Adobe Stock This week, benefit managers and HR pros are convening in Las Vegas for Employee Benefit News' annual conference,...

Image: Adobe Stock Diversity is key when it comes to generating income in retirement, advisers say. But across the board, one source of...