First, let's get the obvi out of the way. It was simply awesome to enjoy a national conference IN PERSON after 18 long months! I left this year's Expo with a renewed appreciation for face-to-face connections with industry partners.

Much of the conference focused on resiliency and how we, as benefit specialists, can shift our focus to support clients and partners in new ways. Today, I'm sharing some key takeaways…

1. A few big themes

Employees want benefits that meet their changing needs, along with a workplace that offers a culture of support. To that end, below are a few trending themes.

Address specific employee needs The following needs came up in multiple conversations throughout the week:

• Personal/work life balance is a must. Up to 43% of women leave positions because they don't feel supported in growing a family without sacrificing career goals. This shows up in a variety of ways such as the desire for a phased back-to-work approach after family leave, increasing requests for fertility coverage and the flexibility to work from home. Which leads me to the next point.
• Working from home is here to stay. A vast majority of professionals – men and women – don't want a return to the typical Monday-Friday 9 to 5 office grind (as highlighted in the recent Microsoft Work Trend Index).
• Health care is a confusing time suck. Transparency and advocacy tools are key to easing the pains of a complicated health care system. Employees want a go-to resource for trusted guidance in their health care journey. A rep from their insurance carrier or an impersonal WebMD search aren't sufficient and shouldn't be the top options.

Guide employers in recruiting & retaining efforts We're back to a crazy job market. "The Great Resignation" has left many employers scrambling for talent. The right benefit mix is vital, but so is the communication strategy behind them. Simply throwing benefits out there without consistent messaging negates the value and nobody will remember they have them or use them.