The most impactful benefits for men right now

• Key insight: Learn why employers must redesign benefits and outreach to close men's care gaps.   
• Expert quote: Reza Amin: Employer coverage "doesn't translate into care" due to fragmented, reactive benefit pathways.  
• Supporting data: 150 million Americans receive employer health coverage, yet many men underutilize it.  
  Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

This year's Men's Health Month produced data and expert insight on current challenges men face, and how employers can provide meaningful support.  

From their physical, mental and financial health to family caregiving responsibilities to work, men have a lot to manage. Yet they often delay or neglect their own care and underutilize benefits, said Reza Amin, CEO of digital men's health clinic Bastion Heath, leading to unnecessarily negative outcomes. 

"Today, over 150 million Americans receive health insurance through their employer. However, for many men, that coverage doesn't translate into care," he said in an EBN column he authored about men's health and wellness. "This is primarily due to the fact that there are no clearly defined benefit pathways, no set screenings, and no culturally attuned outreach. Instead, men are left to navigate a maze of fragmented specialties, often reactive and siloed."

The right benefits and resources, communication strategies, and an empathetic company culture are invaluable parts of men's ability to be present in all the ways required. Prioritizing these four men's health categories can help benefit leaders get a jump on impactful program design.  

Physical health
"Men are silently struggling with issues that are largely treatable and manageable if caught early," Amin said. They're also skipping preventive care in large numbers. In addition to encouraging employees to take the time they need for routine care and health screenings, benefit leaders should continuously communicate what is covered by insurance for a low-cost way to stay on top of health, said Whitney Stidom, VP of consumer enablement at eHealth.

"It's important just to talk about what preventative care and screenings are available and covered by insurance, because a lot of times they're available at no or low cost," she said. "Of the 42% of men who said they skipped recommended medical care in the past year, 33% of them cited cost concerns as the top reason."

Read more: 

• With 42% of men skipping preventative care, improving these 4 health categories is critical
• Why men's health should be defined as a core benefit
• The right benefits help men avoid cardiac issues and cancer
• A urologist explains why men can't afford to delay care

Mental health
Research from Pew shows men aged 50 and under are increasingly lonely, and insurance company The Standard reports Gen Z men are taking more mental health leave from work than their older coworkers and, when they do so, are less likely than women to return. Mental health needs to become less stigmatized and better supported for these trends to change, said Nathan Whiteley, VP of absence management and disability services at The Standard.  

"By offering employee assistance programs, accommodations, or other employer-provided mental health benefits, organizations can empower men to take care of their mental health," he said. "Providing this type of support also tends to have a positive impact on productivity."

Read more: 

• Why Gen Z men are taking more mental health leave than their older colleagues
• How men can utilize benefits to support their health
• Employers can shift the dialogue around men's mental health
• 5 easy things that support men's mental health

Financial health
Rising costs are hitting many Americans hard, and financial concerns are the primary reason many are abnormally stressed, according to data from Prudential. Clear, consistent reminders about financial wellness benefits can help employees stabilize their situation, easing this area of strain on their mental well-being, said Jon Trevisan, vice president and head of distribution at Prudential Group Insurance.

"The most successful organizations will likely take a holistic approach that balances managing costs with delivering meaningful benefits that support overall employee financial health," he said. 

Read more: 

• US financial literacy falls to lowest level in a decade
• Rising medical costs, inflation amplify employee financial stress
• Beth Conradson Cleary evangelizes financial wellness
• New workers are missing out on 401(k) savings, and employers can help

Caregiving 
The number of male caregivers who are also working full time is quickly growing, but benefits aren't keeping up. In a survey of 1,000 men across generations, caregiver-focused e-commerce platform Carewell found that 1 in 3 were provided care to a loved one, 1 in 20 were demoted or fired because of these responsibilities, and 1 in 4 of those hide their duties from their employer. The level of understanding and effort to support these employees must change in order to prevent loss of talent.

"We have to stop thinking of family caregivers as an invisible workforce," Rita Choula, senior director of caregiving at the AARP Public Policy Institute, said in a press release. "They are trying to hold the entire long-term care system together, and they're doing it at great personal cost. With the oldest baby boomers turning 80 next year, the need for family caregiving will only intensify in the years ahead."

Read more: 

• Most US workers hide caregiving duties fvrom HR
• How employers can support mentally, financially strained caregiver staff
• Voluntary eldercare benefit is high-demand, low-cost win for employers
• A comprehensive checklist to boost caregiving support for employees