Employers taking 'extraordinary measures' to keep up with workers' expectations

As millions of U.S. employees voluntarily resign and employers desperately scramble to find workers, a new survey suggests employee health strategy might be critical not only to keeping employees well but also keeping them at work. The “2022 Health at Work” report, released by Quest Diagnostics, addresses such hot-button topics as the changing world of work, employee health, and COVID-19.

“While there has been significant attention on low pay, lack of flexibility, and disrespect at work as main reasons driving the ‘Great Resignation,’ our findings suggest employee health programs play a major role as well,” Jay G. Wohlgemuth, chief medical officer at Quest Diagnostics, said in a statement. “Employers are taking extraordinary measures to attract and retain talent, and health care benefits, access, and affordability are areas of focus they can’t afford to overlook to compete for workers.”

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The 13-page report sheds light into the unprecedented employer-employee dynamics taking shape in a competitive labor market, as well as the challenges employers face to deliver quality, cost-effective health benefits that meet the heightened demands of workers. The report engaged both employers and employees to uncover points of agreement and disconnect, based on a survey of 423 human resources benefits managers and executives with decision-making authority (HREs) and 846 office workers at companies with 100 workers or more.

The report contains a plethora of insight, including the following:

• Among employees thinking about changing jobs, better benefits in general (38%), better health care benefits specifically (36%), and work/life balance (36%) were three of the top four reasons employees were considering making the change. Earning more money was the top reason, at 50%.
• Companies are as concerned about chronic conditions as they are about COVID-19. Nearly 80% of HREs worry about keeping employees safe from COVID-19, and 73% worry about employees’ exacerbated chronic conditions.
• Employees admitted they have neglected their own health during the pandemic. More than 60% of employees put off routine medical appointments and/or screenings over the last two years, and 77% of employees said preventative care was difficult during the pandemic.
• Two-thirds of employees said they are considering changing jobs next year, have begun a job change, or recently completed a job change. More than three in four (78%) human resources leaders said their organization has been impacted by the “Great Resignation,” and 90% believe they will need to improve benefit packages and increase wages.

Mental health a priority, too

The report also suggests that employers are increasingly prioritizing mental health, with 84% of HREs expressing concern about their employees’ mental health — which is nearly the same proportion (85%) who cited concern about employees’ physical health.

“Our report highlights the strategic importance of employer-based health care strategies that deliver comprehensive mental and physical health benefits,” Cecilia K. McKenney, senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Quest Diagnostics, said in a statement. “Many colleagues are struggling amid the unprecedented health care and economic crises caused by COVID-19. By promoting access to interventions that improve mental health, employers not only help at-risk colleagues navigate challenging personal and socioeconomic dynamics, [but] they also elevate their organizations as employers of choice.”