The Benefits Communication Disconnect Who Feels Stress From Medical Expenses?
Closing the Gap Between Interest and Enrollment More Than Supplemental: Preparedness and Protection
How do benefits communication, supplemental health benefits, and medical expense challenges affect employee financial wellbeing? A series of recent studies from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), conducted in collaboration with Lincoln Financial, explores the connections between benefits communication, employee understanding, voluntary benefit enrollment, financial resilience, and workplace satisfaction. Together, the research examines how employees engage with employer-sponsored benefits and how those benefits can support financial security and overall well-being.
The findings suggest that many employees may not fully understand or recognize the benefits available to them, even when employers and benefits providers invest heavily in communication efforts. Gaps in employee awareness and benefits knowledge can limit participation in voluntary benefits and reduce the value employees receive from workplace benefits programs. The research also highlights the importance of clear, accessible benefits education, finding that employees respond positively when benefits are explained in straightforward, easy-to-understand language.
The series further explores the financial pressures associated with unexpected medical expenses and the role that supplemental health benefits can play in supporting financial preparedness. Medical costs can create lasting financial challenges for many workers, while supplemental health coverage may provide an additional layer of protection against financial disruptions. Employees who participate in supplemental health benefits also report stronger financial confidence, higher satisfaction with their benefits, and more positive experiences with employer communications.
Taken together, the research points to a broader theme: Effective benefits communication, employee education, and access to voluntary benefits are closely linked to employee engagement, benefits utilization, financial resilience, and well-being in the work force. For employers, benefits professionals, and policymakers, the findings underscore the importance of helping workers understand, evaluate, and make informed decisions about the benefits available to them.
The Benefits Communication Disconnect Who Feels Stress From Medical Expenses?
Closing the Gap Between Interest and Enrollment More Than Supplemental: Preparedness and Protection