Benefits professionals have a unique opportunity in the coming year to immediately use what we've learned to move workforce health – and health equity – forward. (Image: Shutterstock)

It's hard to believe we're far enough into the COVID-19 pandemic to start applying lessons learned, and we are all still learning. While HR and benefits leaders mobilized quickly to support employees, the global crisis pointed out gaps in health care access that employers and government leaders must address.

From the disproportionate impact on Black, American Indian and Latinx communities to the mental health issues arising from uncertainty and lockdowns, COVID-19 revealed the cracks in our system that can exclude many. When your zip code has a greater impact on your health than your genetic code, it's clear that we must find concrete ways to improve the health care experience for every person.