The impact of COVID-19 on vision wellness and benefits
Brokers and employers must take note of the following trends and expectations to ensure they are prepared to meet an emerging demand for better vision solutions and benefits from their employees – whether the work continues from home or back in the office.
As a result, adults are now spending over 13 hours per day in front of screens, which has led to digital eye strain that has negatively impacted productivity, disrupted sleep, and decreased overall wellness. In addition, COVID-19 has caused many employees to delay annual eye exams, leading to the emergence of other vision challenges.
The shift to a remote working environment has changed the way workers view their vision health, with many now seeing its importance as part of their overall wellness. Additionally, two major trends developed in 2020 that are likely to shape the vision benefits landscape well into 2021; employers must take note of the following trends and expectations to ensure they are prepared to meet an emerging demand for better vision solutions and benefits from their employees – whether the work continues from home or back in the office.
2020 trends
1. Blue light-blocking glasses took center stage The first trend that emerged in 2020 as a result of the remote work environment was the prevalence of employees buying and using blue light-blocking glasses. Many of us are spending a significant portion of the day in front of screens, from back-to-back Zoom meetings, to non-stop emails, and the use of digital forms of entertainment to unwind. Turning to blue light-blocking glasses has provided relief and filtered out harmful blue light for users, leading to increased demand for blue light-blocking solutions among eyewear brands. Surprisingly, 63% of HR decision makers are aware of blue light-blocking glasses as a potential solution to digital eye strain, yet only 24% have provided the product to their employees, according to a recent survey by Zenni. However, the interest around blue light-blocking glasses has not slowed down among employees looking for their own solutions.
2. The relationship between vision and productivity became clearer With employees online longer each day than ever before, many became aware of the negative impact(s) on their vision and searched for at-home solutions to help combat day-to-day blue light exposure, which can negatively impact sleep. One Indiana University Kelley School of Business study found employees who wore blue light glasses, versus those with placebo lenses, slept better and longer. The quality and quantity of sleep led them to achieve better work outcomes, including higher engagement, helping behavior and more. In addition, mitigating digital eye strain can reduce headaches and increase productivity.
2021 expectations
1. Blue light protection is here to stay Building on new precedents set in 2020, several trends are likely to define vision wellness in 2021, particularly as the return to the office stalls, and employers consider building enhanced vision programs into both their voluntary and regular health benefits programs. First and foremost, blue light protection is here to stay. If and when we return to the office in 2021, blue light technology will have solidified its stake in the workplace, due to benefits employees experienced while working from home. In fact, over 75% of financial service and technology HR professionals, according to a survey from Zenni, understood issues caused by blue light, indicating a movement toward implementation within their organizations. Beyond serving as a simple way for employees to boost productivity and vision health, providing blue light-blocking glasses to employees demonstrates a commitment to their overall well-being during another potentially unpredictable year.
2. Eye exams will see major uptick In addition, everyone will want and need to schedule eye exams once they feel safe returning to doctors’ offices. Many people postponed these appointments to avoid in-person doctor’s office visits in 2020, but with potentially damaging consequences. Now, people will return to their optometrists to update prescriptions, mitigate new issues that have emerged, address any chronic issues and, in general, revamp their focus on eye health. To support employees’ vision health and ensure they don’t face out-of-pocket expenses that threaten financial wellness and peace of mind, employers should and likely will consider enhancing vision benefits within their health care programs.
3. Employers will revisit and enhance vision offerings Lastly, stemming from the above recognized needs among employees, employers will seek to enhance their vision offerings to support their team’s eye health, providing brokers with an opportunity to clearly communicate the importance and value, both tangible and intangible, of vision benefits. With nearly half of all HR decision makers (49.) surveyed by Zenni in 2020 responding that they are considering making changes to their current employee vision insurance or benefits within the next six months, we can expect changes to come to fruition in 2021. While benefits serve as a valuable tactic to attract and retain talent, stronger vision and eye health offerings can lead to improved levels of productivity, thus, positively impacting the bottom line. In addition, this will complement the broader growth in the voluntary benefits industry as employers seek to bring a holistic menu of benefit options to their employees, empowering them to personalize their individual packages. Customization is key in 2021, and custom vision options, where possible, will be seen as paramount.
The benefits space shifted significantly in 2020. Employers revamped their employee offerings, including mental, physical and financial wellness tools; and now, they have an opportunity to enhance vision packages to meet a shift in ongoing employee needs stemming from the pandemic. 2021 will be a year of eye care transformation driven by HR decision makers, as they seek new, creative ways to support their employees’ overall health and wellness.
Sana Dhawan is Zenni’s director of business development and marketing partnerships.