In the midst of what is being coined "the Great Resignation," employers and brokers will need to be more strategic than ever when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. It starts by recognizing that today's post-pandemic workers simply have different appetites when it comes to their health benefit packages. By being mindful of where today's workforce is coming from in terms of their priorities, needs and concerns, we can better meet, and even exceed, their desires for their benefits.

Employees value different perks than before; employers should invest accordingly

Five years ago, trendy coffee machines, ping-pong tables and open-concept workspaces filled commercial offices designed to attract the best and brightest talent, but today's workers have lived through a pandemic, and these perks are simply not wooing them like before. Many workers continue to operate from their home offices, basements and bedrooms, and together, we're all weathering the ongoing ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, employees' core desires when it comes to their benefits have been simplified down to what impacts them the most outside the office. One of those is, of course, their health care.

At its core, the pandemic was a health care crisis that cemented the importance of investing in comprehensive health benefits for employees. As a result, it's important to help clients assess their current options with a critical eye. Are they offering their employees flexible options that provide access to the health care services they need most? If not, it might be worth identifying which benefit partners could help provide what employees value most in the wake of COVID-19 (i.e., online care, virtual exercise programs, mental health care, etc.).

To be clear, it's not the concept of perks themselves that is an antiquated idea. Rather, it's about confirming that the perks employers offer employees are truly meaningful and valuable in our post-pandemic world. And this enrollment season is the perfect opportunity to ensure we're helping clients invest in what's truly important to their employees.

Modern benefits will address the insecurities workers felt during the pandemic

From Gen Z to the baby boomers, we've all experienced volatility over the past two years. And while these generations may look a lot different from each other, the insecurities we experienced during the pandemic were universal. As the economy took a hit, we worried about our jobs; as COVID-19 cases surged, we worried about our health; and as we were forced to stay home, we re-assessed what truly contributes to our holistic well-being. When it comes to benefit offerings, let's not forget what today's workforce has been through. We must find ways to ensure greater peace of mind when it comes to their insecurities and how they thrive.