Whether a veteran employee or a new college graduate hire, workers need more guidance than ever to understand and navigate today's complicated benefits offerings. In fact, according to the Center for Health Care Strategies, 9 out of 10 U.S. adults struggle with health care literacy or understanding their benefits.

Why should employers and their benefits advisors care? A lack of employee health care literacy reduces utilization, negatively impacts population health and adds to rising costs. A recent survey from HealthEquity found that 28% of employees who had a poor understanding of their benefits second-guessed their choices. Conversely, employees who understood their benefits were more likely to be satisfied with their jobs (58%). 

Employers can make benefits more approachable by being more purposeful in communications to an increasingly diverse workforce, personalizing benefits education, and streamlining offerings to make programs feel less overwhelming.