Figure 2 Figure 4 Six in ten employees are satisfied with the health benefits they receive now Among employees whose healthcare costs have increased, half decreased and would not want to trade their benefits with their wages. their contributions to a retirement plan, delayed seeing a doctor, increased Which one of the following statements would you say is closest to the way you feel about the health credit card debt, or used up savings. Four in ten had difficulty paying basic benefits you currently receive through (your/your spouse’s) employer or union? (Has healthcare coverage expenses. through employer or union: 2021 n=1,483) January 6, 2022, #417 Has increased spending on health care expenses in the past year caused you to do any of the following? 2021 2020 2018 2017 (Had increases in healthcare costs in the last year: 2021 n=557) Percentage Saying Yes 63% 63% 61% Worker Satisfaction With Health Benefits Is 58% Increase your contributions to Delay retirement/work longer 43% your Health Savings Account* 63% than planned Higher, but Costs Remain a Concern (n=170) Delay or reduce the amount you Decrease your contributions to a 42% 49% save for a child’s education* retirement plan** Worker satisfaction with health benefits rose materially in 2021: The percentage of workers reporting that they Have difficulty paying for basic 24% were extremely or very satisfied with health benefits increased from 55 percent to 63 percent between 2020 and 42% Delay going to the doctor 48% nece 21% ssities** 20% 19% 18% 18% 18% 17% 2021 (Figure 1). The proportion of those extremely or very satisfied was essentially flat between 2013 and 2018. Have difficulty paying for other 40% Increase your credit card debt 48% bills Figure 1 Drop/Reduce other insurance 40% Nea Use rly up a lla orll m e ostm ofpl you oy r sae vie ngs s continue to be 47% at least somewhat satisfied with their benefits** You are satisfied with the health You would rather have more health You would rather have fewer health current health plan. Up from 2020, more than six in ten are very or extremely benefits you receive now benefits and lower wages benefits and higher wages Take a loan or withdrawal from a Take less time off of work/Use 39% 46% satisfied. retirement plan** less paid time off* Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2017-2018, 2020-2021 Workplace Wellness Surveys. Decrease your contributions to Overall, how satisfied are you with your current health P uinsu rchase ra n ad ce dit io pn lan al in ?su (rHas ance th oealth insurance coverage: your Health Savings Account* 46% 38% Sti ll, cost continues to be a point of concern, and employees are making tradeoffs as a result. help with expenses 2021 n=1,633) (n=170) Decrease your contributions to Delay or reduce the amount you Extremely or Very Satisfied So44% mewhat satisfied Not too satisfied Not at all sa 38% tisfied • One in three emp otlhoye er saes vin gs saw their health care costs pi anc y torw ea ard s e stuid n 2021 ent loan d — ebts* in line with 2020 reporting. 70% (Figure 3). Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2021 Workplace Wellness Survey. 63% • As a result of higher health care costs, employees have reduced their contributions to retirement savings 60% plans, delayed going to the doctor, increased credit card debt, and had difficulty paying for basic 55% The EBRI report, “2021 Workplace Wellness Survey,” was published as the September 2021 EBRI Chartbook, necessities, among other things (Figure 4). 51% 50% 50% 50% 49% 49% and is available online here. 50% Figure 3 Annual Change in Health Care Costs The 2021 Workplace Wellness Survey is made possible with funding support from the following 40% 41% organizations: AARP, Cigna, Fidelity Investments, Lincoln Financial, Mercer, Morgan Stanley, NRECA, 39% 39% 38% 38% 37% 2020 2021 Unum, Voya Financial, and Wells Fargo. 34% 30% 70% 65% 28% The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute based in 62% 20% Washington, DC, that focuses on health, savings, retirement, and economic security issues. EBRI does not lobby 60% and does not take policy positions. The work of EBRI is made possible by funding from its members and 10% 9% 9% 9% 9% 8% 10% 7% 7% sponsors, which include a broad range of public, private, for-profit and nonprofit organizations. For more 4% 3% 3% 50% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% information go to www.ebri.org or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn. 0% 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021 Greenwald Research is a leading independent custom research firm and consulting partner to the health and 40% wealth indust So riues rce :t ha Emt p ap loyeepl Be 35% in es efi cr t Reea seat rch iv e qua Institute nt andi t Ga re ti eve a nwald nd Resequal arch, 2i0t1at 3-i 2ve 021 W m oe rkp thod lace W s t ello neshel s Sup rvecom ys. panies stay competitive 33% and navigate industry change. Leveraging deep subject matter expertise and a consultative approach, Greenwald 30% offers comprehensive services to answer strategic business questions. For more information, go to In the recently released Workplace Wellness Survey, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and www.greenwaldresearch.com Greenwald Research examined a broad spectrum of worker attitudes toward financial wellbeing, employment- based health insurance, and retirement benefit issues. The survey found that despite the fact that many employees 20% are satisfied with their health benefits, some are willing to make tradeoffs. 10% • Nearly 1 in 5 workers would rather have more health benefits and would accept lower wages in return. 3% • In contrast, about the same number of workers would rather have higher wages and would give up some 2% health benefits in return. 0% ### Increased Stayed the S sa am me e Decreased • There has been little change in the percentage of employees willing to make such tradeoffs since 2017 (Figure 2). Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2020–2021 Workplace Wellness Surveys. 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