Who Are Your People? A Resourceful Benefits Approach

Benefits solutions that fill gaps and align with your population’s needs can change health outcomes and cost.

When Apple releases its latest iPhone, do you jump on the bandwagon? The newest version must be better, right? If a streaming service upgrade promises to unlock premium viewing and exclusive access, do you justify the extra cost for a potential better experience?

Our world at home, work and in the community is loaded with shiny objects — the latest, greatest solutions that are supposed to solve problems. The health benefits marketplace is no different, and a temptation to chase a golden coin can lead employers into programs and offerings that promise savings, access to care, and better outcomes.

But are you investing in a program of offering that is needed by your employee population?

A “never hurts to try” mentality or race to be an early adopter might not benefit your population. The reality is, we are constantly introduced to health innovations and enticing benefits solutions that can distract us from the resources that will best serve our employees.

There’s a lot of noise out there. There’s also a sense of keepin’ up as employers aim to position benefits as a valuable recruitment and retention tool, which we know to be true.

During our 21st annual IN-VALUE-ABLE Conference and Expo, we set the stage for members to engage, empower, and transform benefits. We gathered for two inspiring days of sharing ideas and discussing topics that challenge organizations, while exploring change-driving opportunities and understanding myths and misconceptions.

Mining data to determine utilization, gaps in care or quality, and benefits costs can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Take a step back and simply ask: Who are your employees, what gaps in health exist, and what resources/tools can best improve outcomes?

Look at the numbers to learn what tools and programs best support the health needs of your current employees so they can be happier, healthier, more productive and engaged team members?

Would your population benefit from the latest maternity benefit? What about on-site health clinics or virtual visits? Is a know-your-numbers program a better fit? Does your population struggle with muscular skeletal problems or nutrition and exercise?

It’s all about resource management — matching your benefits offering to address gaps and opportunities for health improvement and cost control. Your benefits will be designed to truly improve employee wellbeing and mitigate healthcare expenses if you concentrate on areas where your plan can make a real impact. The key is to put resources in place that address what the data is saying about your population.

Overwhelmingly, the data is telling us we’re not doing enough to support employees with obesity and to change the trajectory of rising costs and increasing obesity rates. At the conference, we unveiled our 2025 white paper report, a deep dive into the obesity epidemic. We know that obesity raises the risk of top healthcare cost drivers, including cancer, musculoskeletal surgeries and heart diseases. For organizations that identify obesity in their employee populations, understanding the numbers, and health impact can guide benefits design.

A telling statistic not published in the report: Obese employees drive benefits costs up by $6.69 per hour compared to team members with healthy BMIs. This number compounds when you figure an increase of $53.52 per obese employee per day — and $267.60 per week, which amounts to $13,915 annually for one person who is struggling with obesity.

Our white paper research revealed if 10% of our members did not develop obesity, our member group could achieve up to $30 million in healthcare savings annually.

Far beyond cost, what else would you save your employees by tailoring benefits to address applicable concerns? Some include time in waiting rooms, surgeries, prescriptions, related mental health concerns, and improved health for the whole family.

Benefits solutions that fill gaps and align with your population’s needs can change the whole story.

So, what’s your employee population’s story? How can you deliver more value from benefits that are meaningful, actionable and relevant to your workforce? By taking this approach to benefits design and thoughtfully selecting the “extras” and innovations suited to your people, we can make progress as a member community.

About Health Action Council 
Health Action Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization representing mid-and large-size employers that enhance human and economic health through thought leadership, innovative services, and collaboration. It provides value to its members by facilitating projects that improve the quality and moderate the cost of healthcare purchased by its members for their employees, dependents, and retirees. Health Action Council also collaborates with key stakeholders – health plans, physicians, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry – to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare in the community.