Those who work in benefits consulting are at a crossroads. The last two years have disrupted just about everything we do, and the clients we're serving look a lot different than they used to. The physical, mental and financial strain of COVID-19 has driven employers to support their workforce by investing more than ever in their benefits packages, all while facing the pressures of ever-rising health care costs.

Meanwhile, employees are working remotely, dispersed across the country, and harder to reach than ever. And unfortunately, they're not getting the memo about all of the shiny new benefits offerings you and your clients have worked so hard to put together: our research shows that 2 in 5 employees say they don't understand the benefits communications they receive.

Even worse, our old benefits communication playbook no longer works. That thing we call the benefits portal? Employees only visit it once a year, according to recent Jellyvision study, while 50% of employees aren't confident that they know how to find the best care at the lowest cost. That all adds up to dollars down the drain: C-suite leaders say 53% of their healthcare spending is wasted due to benefits confusion.