By Cassandra Pratt, Chief Human Resources Officer, Progyny
AI, digital health platforms, and healthcare apps have transformed how people access information and care. While those innovations have created tremendous opportunities, new research suggests employees still want something deeply human from their healthcare experience: guidance, empathy, and support.
A recent
As employers continue to invest in benefits and well-being programs, what can they learn from these findings? We sat down with Cassandra Pratt, Chief Human Resources Officer at Progyny, to discuss the role of human connection in employee well-being and why personalized support remains critical in today's workplace.
Q: Digital health tools have exploded in recent years. Why do you think employees are still seeking human support?
Pratt: Technology has made healthcare more accessible in many ways. Employees can schedule appointments online, access educational resources instantly, and receive care through virtual platforms. Those advancements are important and should continue.
At the same time, healthcare decisions are rarely just logistical. They're emotional. Whether someone is navigating fertility treatment, pregnancy, menopause, caregiving responsibilities, or a health diagnosis, they're often dealing with uncertainty, stress, and significant life decisions.
What our survey reinforced is that employees don't just want information. They want someone who can help them understand what that information means, guide them through their options, and support them through the experience. Technology can provide answers, but human connection helps people feel understood.
Q: One of the survey findings showed that healthcare-related stress can affect workplace performance. Why should employers pay attention to that?
Pratt: We often talk about employee well-being and productivity as separate conversations, but they're deeply connected.
When employees are managing a complex healthcare journey, they don't leave that stress at the door when they log into work each day. They're scheduling appointments, coordinating care, worrying about test results, managing finances, and balancing responsibilities at home.
Our survey found that 43% of respondents said healthcare-related stress affected their ability to perform effectively at work. That's significant.
For employers, it reinforces the importance of creating an environment where employees feel supported not only through benefits coverage, but also through resources that help reduce friction, confusion, and emotional burden, such as care navigation, benefits advocacy, mental health support, caregiver resources, flexible scheduling, and clear guidance around costs and coverage.
Q: Mental health has become a growing workplace priority. How does it intersect with healthcare benefits?
Pratt: Mental health doesn't exist in isolation. It is often influenced by what's happening in other parts of a person's life.
Research has shown that individuals experiencing infertility can report levels of anxiety and depression comparable to those facing other serious medical conditions, such as cancer or heart disease. We also know that pregnancy complications, caregiving responsibilities, and menopause symptoms can affect emotional well-being.
Employers increasingly recognize that supporting mental health means supporting the whole person. That includes making it easier to access care, reducing stress associated with navigating the healthcare system, and ensuring employees have trusted resources available when they need them.
Q: What role does human guidance play in creating a better employee experience?
Pratt: Employees want to feel like they're more than a case number or a claim.
Human guidance helps create continuity during what can often be a fragmented healthcare experience. Having someone who understands your situation, can answer questions, help coordinate next steps, and simply check in can make a meaningful difference.
In our survey, 60% of respondents said their interactions with a Progyny Care Advocate helped reduce stress, and more than 75% of those respondents rated Progyny's contribution to stress reduction a 4 or 5 out of 5.
Those findings reinforce something many HR leaders already know: employees remember how supported they felt during important moments in their lives.
Q: What should employers take away from these findings as they evaluate benefits strategies?
Pratt: The biggest takeaway is that innovation and human support are not competing priorities.
Employers should absolutely continue exploring new technologies that improve access, efficiency, and outcomes. But technology works best when it's paired with meaningful human interaction.
As healthcare continues to evolve, employees are telling us they want digital tools that make care easier to access and trusted people who can help them navigate the journey.
The organizations that are most successful in supporting employee well-being will be the ones that recognize the value of both.
