In a recent study on worker satisfaction in the U.S., only 49% of workers stated they were satisfied with their company benefits. At a time when employee satisfaction is increasingly important because of a mass exodus of employees paired with quiet quitting, employers need to prioritize not only salaries, but also benefits and work culture.

Companies and leaders need to develop new strategies to keep and attract talent. In a From Day One thought leadership spotlight session titled, “Using Benefits to Drive Employee Engagement,” Veronica Knuth, chief people officer at Quantum Health, a consumer healthcare navigation company, speaks to leaders on how to use benefits to increase employee engagement.

Personalizing and Communicating Company Benefits

When offering benefits, leaders need to ensure employees learn of company benefits as early as possible, Knuth said. By engaging with employees in the early stages of their job, leaders can help mitigate questions and concerns early and increase employee engagement.

“First, you may have candidates who are coming with pre-existing conditions who will want to know [these benefits], so make sure you have real ways to engage with them even in the candidate stage,” Knuth said. “Then, giving [employees] more benefits information when they have a job offer, an offer of acceptance or at new hire orientation. At 30, 60, even at 90 days on the job, companies should keep reminding new employees of where to find the benefits and what benefits they have access to.”

But having benefits is only a part of activating employee engagement, Knuth said. Companies and leaders need to personalize benefits for their employees, especially around key life changes or milestones. For employees of all ages, a certain birthday is usually a milestone for healthcare and requires companies to proactively reach out to their employees.

“We send our employees information when they turn 40 or 50 because there are some important things that they need to do from a healthcare perspective. When they reach those milestones, we need to make sure that they know what those things are, and how to access the providers,” Knuth said. “We also have to engage with early career employees. In Ohio, people age out of their parents’ benefits at 26 so [it’s important to engage] with employees on their 25th birthday to help them think about potentially needing to sign up for a benefit plan.”’

Companies should also build strong relationships with benefits champion groups like employee resource groups (ERGs) to not only help disseminate information but to also further expand and revise benefits offerings as needed.

“We talk to [our ERG leaders] about the healthcare needs of specific demographics and populations,” Knuth said. “It gives us an opportunity to say, “Did you know that we offer these benefits?” or “We’re planning to look at our 2024 benefits. What are the gaps that you’re seeing in your population?”’

Reducing Complexity

Finding and understanding information related to benefits can be overwhelming for employees. In a study on healthcare benefits by Jellyvision, researchers found 49% of employees find making health insurance decisions difficult. Over half of these employees (56%) stated they would like help from their employers to choose a health plan.

To reduce the complexity of benefits, companies should make sure adequate help is available for employees' questions and concerns, Knuth said. For a company, this may require setting up human and digital point solutions that are prepared to engage with employees at any time.

“Employees want to know where they can go when they have a challenging healthcare situation and they might want to talk to an individual, so make sure that you make that easily available,” Knuth said. “We [created] a document for our employees that [offers guidance on] when to use telehealth, when to go to their primary care provider, when to go to urgent care, and when to go to the emergency room. We [also] gave them the costs of those choices so that they’re more informed.”

Using Navigation and Care Solutions

Having a navigation and care solution partner for company benefits can also be an asset for companies and leaders. By working with employees directly, navigation and care solution partners can provide the personal and human-centric help that members need while ensuring they receive quality and cost-effective care.

Quantum Health does just that, Knuth says. As a leader in the industry, Knuth discusses what employers should look for in a navigation partner.

“If you are looking for a navigation partner, you want to look for a solution that is really at the center of the member which may be your employee, the employer, yourself, and the providers,” Knuth said. “The right navigation partner will simplify the user experience, increase member engagement, improve clinical outcomes and reduce claims costs to provide significant ROI.”

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Quantum Health, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.

Wanly Chen is a writer and poet based in New York City.