Employers want to do the right thing when it comes to health benefits for their employees, not only because it is humane, but also because it makes good business sense to take care of their most important assets. As health benefits have become increasingly costly, employers have struggled to find the key to meeting healthcare needs without breaking the bank. Many have pinned their hopes on wellness initiatives, the most popular offerings including newsletters and websites, weight-loss programs and smoking cessation programs.
These types of wellness initiatives are baby steps when it comes to moving the needle on employee health issues and costs. To move forward, there needs to be a shift in the way companies think about their most important asset, their employees, and the risks that they pose to the overall financial health of the company. Employers at this stage in the game are leaning in one of two directions; they either want to get out of the benefits business and send employees to the exchange, or they are going to buckle down and approach the health and welfare of their employees with a new way of thinking. With the help of a knowledgeable benefits broker and an experienced partner, employers can start to think like risk managers when it comes to employee health. Only then will their efforts begin to make a difference, both for the health of employees and the bottom line-impact of benefit costs.
