Need To Know January

January 2021
BenefitsPRO.com Marketing Blog:
Digital Engagement Dramatically Rises During the Pandemic

As the majority of employee benefits professionals transitioned to working at home during the pandemic, their use and engagement with BenefitsPRO email newsletters and the mobile site have substantially increased.

Over the course of the last year, BenefitsPRO has seen:

8.2% increase in newsletter open rates
31% are mobile visitors, up from 27% last year

Tamara Gentry,
Group Publisher, BenefitsPRO

The reason for increased engagement: Our audiences are even more interested in employee benefits industry news and analysis in these challenging times. Plus the huge variety of ways to consume information makes it easier to integrate digital media use into their busy day.

Curious about data detailing how employee benefits professionals engage with digital media? You can find more information in the 2021 BenefitsPro Media Kit.

How have your media consumption habits changed in the last year? Drop me a line with your thoughts at [email protected].

Paul Wilson,
Editor in Chief, BenefitsPRO

Trends Employee Benefits Marketers Need to Know

Biden’s Impact on Benefits: The incoming Biden administration will impact the health care and benefits space in a number of ways, including potential changes that companies could make to their health insurance during the Biden presidency, Biden’s plans to attempt to work with Republicans on health legislation over the next four years, and ways the new administration will attempt to further the legacy of President Obama and the ACA

Open Enrollment Update: November marked the beginning of open enrollment for ACA marketplace plans. In an enrollment year unlike any other, the industry is closely watching stats from the first few weeks as an indication of what’s to come.

Health Care Cost Updates: We’re also continuing to analyze the ongoing ups and downs of the ACA, as well as the various potential ramifications of the ongoing Supreme Court hearing. And we’re keeping a close eye on how the chaos of 2020 will impact health care costs going forward, including prescription drugs, the credit strength of the health insurance industry, the impact of inflation.

Wellness and Remote Work: In the retirement plan advisor/plan sponsor sphere, we’re continuing to see increasing interest in employee financial well-being — and due to the ‘new normal’ of remote working, employers are turning to remote financial wellness programs. Financial wellness programs are an important benefits trend that will continue into 2021 — not only because of the financial fragility of many workers but also because retirement advisors are seeking products and services to offer that will justify their value to employers.
We noted in November that employee mental health is becoming a bigger priority among our HR audience, and studies and articles from November continued to highlight its importance. Going into December, we focused on how the holiday season, usually a source of stress for employees, will be even more difficult this year, and what employers can do to support employees.