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3 Proven Strategies to Keep Employees Happy
Mathew A. Matarrese
SVP, Sales Distribution and Business Development
Published April 19, 2021
Employers today are competing to attract—and retain—top talent. Employees often have high demands of the companies they work for and aren’t afraid to leave for a better opportunity meaning employers need to work harder than ever to build workforce loyalty and keep their MVEs (most valuable employees) satisfied.
Despite a downturn in the economy in 2020, March 2021 boasted the greatest boom in employment since August 2020, according to the Labor Department.1 As employment opportunities rise, HR professionals across all industries are spending time and resources to boost their culture and keep their employees happy and situated. In fact, eighty seven percent (87%) of employers say that improving retention is a critical priority for their organization.2
At Combined Insurance, we understand why retaining employees is so important, especially in the insurance business. Here are 4 ways companies can strengthen their retention efforts.
When it comes to employer-sponsored benefits, healthcare benefits are the most important. A Society for Human Resource Management’s 2019 Strategic Benefits (SHRM) survey reveals 86% of employers believe health-related benefits are very important or extremely important to their workforce.3
Telemedicine is one of the fastest-growing health care benefits, accelerated further by the pandemic. In fact, in 2021 most employers are offering telehealth benefits for acute services, and 9 out of 10 are offering telemental health benefits.4 Telemedicine is quick, easy, and convenient, making it less of a hassle to see a doctor and more likely employees will take care of their health. Healthier employees mean less sick days and increased productivity.
At Combined Insurance, we believe that offering supplemental insurance products is another important benefit employers can provide. That’s why we offer a wide range of supplemental insurance, including:
Accident and Sickness
Critical Illness and Cancer
Income Replacement
Life
These products are designed to help fill in the gaps employees’ major medical insurance doesn’t cover and to assist in ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. This is something people appreciate, as no one wants to face high medical bills or be stuck dipping into savings if they miss any work as a result of an accident, sickness or unplanned hospitalization. And since these policies are paid for directly by employees, employers don’t have additional benefit costs as a result of offering them as part of a comprehensive benefits package.
One of the employee benefit challenges companies face is also an opportunity: ensuring employees understand the value of their benefits package. The SHRM study found that nearly three-quarters of employees (73%) spend less than an hour reviewing their benefits at enrollment time.5 In fact, a Fidelity report shows employees are often unaware of their benefits and don’t take advantage of them.6
Employers are eager to get the word out about their great benefits packages and boost their EVP in the process. It’s critical that they find ways to connect with employees and deliver benefit education that resonates and has an impact on benefits selection and usage—because those benefits are an important part of the employee experience and help boost their company loyalty.
To learn how Combined Insurance can help with voluntary benefits and communication, contact us today.
Products underwritten by Combined Insurance Company of America (CICA) (Chicago, IL) in all states except New York. CICA is not licensed and does not solicit business in New York. In New York, products are underwritten by Combined Life Insurance Company of New York (Latham, NY).
These policies contain exclusions and limitation. See the policies or contact Combined Insurance for costs and complete details of coverage.
