For plan sponsors that like to tinker with benefits packages, the pandemic provided a novel opportunity to review the goodies received by plan members. And tinker they did.
According to a survey of U.S. employers by the nonprofit Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), 40% of respondents say they had revised the benefits package during the pandemic. About two-thirds say they considered employee preferences when the changes were made, and 80% say they solicited employee feedback after the new benefits were unveiled.
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The most common benefit to be added to the buffet: the option to work remotely. Most frequently removed? Subsidized child care. Both make perfect sense in the context of how work got done during the pandemic.
Overall, the top three benefits added, as reported by respondents, are:
- Remote work options (42%)
- EAP/behavioral health (27%)
- Caregiver leave (20%)
The top three takeaways:
- Subsidized child care (52%)
- Financial wellness programs (48%)
- Tuition assistance (47%)
Employers cite the usual factors for making the choices they did: a balance between cost-cutting and still being able to retain and attract top talent.
"Looking beyond the pandemic, employers plan to continue mental health coverage, expand leave benefits, and offer remote or hybrid work options. However, employers are also looking at cost mitigation and cutting benefits such as paid parental leave, weight management/exercise programs, and financial wellness support," IBI says in a release.
The Institute encourages sponsors to "proceed with caution on cost mitigation, and utilize empathy when considering changes to your benefit plans."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
