As the competition for top talent intensifies, employers across industries are forced to reimagine the workplace to meet the needs and demands of today's workforce. The physical and emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Great Resignation, has shifted the workplace dynamic, creating an employment market in which employees remain willing and able to leave their jobs for better opportunities. Strategic employers are responding, leveraging benefits to recruit and retain workers and bolster the organization's employer brand.

Top HR challenges

HR professionals worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic, focusing on protecting the health and safety of employees and keeping their organizations up and running. Unfortunately, employers have received little reprieve in the pandemic's aftermath and are now confronted with a war for talent and the need to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The challenges don't end there. Cost containment remains top of mind for HR professionals as they continue to face rising costs for medical plans and other benefits. According to Alera Group's 2022 Healthcare and Employee Benefits Benchmarking Report, cost of benefits tops the list of concerns for HR professionals related to human capital management (35%), followed by employee retention (32%) and recruitment (27%). The survey identifies key HR tactics strategic employers are adopting to ensure sustainability and growth and to secure their position as an employer of choice.