Redefining Healthcare Benefits Programs to Appeal to a New Generation of Workers

Since 2016, Boomers no longer represent the largest percentage of the U.S. workforce. For HR professionals, this reality signals a major shift in how their companies develop strategies to recruit and retain talent. Why? Because today’s younger workers want different things than their predecessor generations and are motivated differently.

As a result, employers can no longer view healthcare benefits simply as medical, dental and vision offerings. Rather, a more contemporary, comprehensive view must be adopted. That means focusing on holistic programs that meet the full needs of employees and their entire families.

This holistic approach is what forms the foundation of today’s Direct Primary Care (DPC) model. DPC is an alternative healthcare payment model that works through a simple, flat, affordable membership fee. It is sometimes also referred to as a direct-to-employer model because it effectively eliminates the middle man (a/k/a/ the insurance company) from the equation. No more fee-for-service payments and no more third-party billing.

Its benefits are particularly attractive to Millenials and other younger workers. In fact, a 2016 article in Forbes described the Millenial generation as the driving force behind DPC’s anticipated market growth, largely because the buying and lifestyle preferences of today’s workers most align with what this disruptive healthcare delivery model has to offer.

Today’s workers don’t want to wait for anything. They want answers now. That’s why leading DPC providers, like Everside Health, have created health apps that, among other things, allow employees to speak directly with medical professionals outside of the confines of the traditional brick and mortar office. As one option, patients can message a question to their healthcare provider and receive an answer without ever having to step into a medical office.

Although older generations were often hesitant to admit the need for help with such issues as depression and anxiety, today’s younger workers don’t associate the same stigma with a need for help. Especially in the era of COVID, where the incidence of depression and anxiety are on the rise, as well as feelings of isolation resulting from a more remote workforce, employers need to recognize the value of providing mental health support services. This doesn’t just mean providing mental health specialists; rather, it includes the promotion of various popular mental health apps and making available stress-reduction activities, such as meditation, yoga, biofeedback, and sleep enhancement routines, among others. A growing challenge is the shortage of mental health professionals. While this is not a new phenomenon, it is one that is continually getting worse, forcing employees to seek help from other sources, including their primary care physicians. In response to this increased need, Everside (among others) provides specialized training to its healthcare providers to help them better assess various mental health issues.

This new generation of workers grew up with the Internet. Doing things online is second nature, including scheduling an online appointment with their doctor. That partially explains the continued popularity of virtual health offerings, especially by younger employees. Companies like Everside have invested heavily to expand their virtual care offerings. These programs gained momentum during the peak of the COVID pandemic when people were afraid to venture out but have continued to grow in demand as patients have discovered their time and convenience benefits.

Partially as a result of their greater use of the Internet, today’s employees are huge researchers. They don’t like surprises and spend a lot of time investigating products and services and seeking online referrals before making a commitment. DPC takes the guesswork out of what employees will pay for healthcare. Doctors are paid on a retainer vs. the traditional fee-for-service, so there is greater credibility in the recommendations they make since there is no financial incentive for them to order unnecessary tests or procedures.

Previous generations were taught to visit the doctor only when they were sick. But as the market evolves to meet the needs of younger workers, there is greater education around the value of engaging with healthcare providers to maintain health. In response, leading healthcare providers like Everside have developed total healthcare packages that address the physical, mental and emotional needs of employees. It’s one of the reasons why Everside employs a full wellness team that makes available webinars and onsite events designed to help create healthier, more educated workforces. The most popular wellness programs are those that consider more than just diet and exercise and tackle creative approaches to achieving an overall feeling of well-being.

Gone are the days of employers expecting to offer a one-size-fits-all health benefits plan. Today’s workers expect to interact with their healthcare providers differently. Some are seeking help with weight loss. Others want to make meaningful changes in their diets as part of an overall healthier lifestyle. Others value having a type of life coach who is available to listen and offer expert advice on ways to limit the effects of stress and poor health decisions. A key benefit of some of the newer patient portals is that they give employees the control they want over their health and the ability to custom-tailor how they receive care and the type of care they receive.

Despite their greater reliance on technology, today’s workers want to feel that they are being listened to and treated as individuals. Studies show that this younger age group is less likely to trust a doctor or seek advice, preferring to visit online sources such as Web MD. What Everside care providers have found, however, is that this age group is extremely responsive when someone takes the time to get to know them. It’s a key reason why DPC models that allow health professionals to maintain lighter patient schedules and longer appointment times have been so successful. This allows providers to take the time to ask about a patient’s lifestyle, concerns and limitations so that meaningful changes can be made in overall health outcomes.

Perhaps one of the most important issues worth addressing, however, is the need for employers to rethink how they view their own healthcare benefits programs. Many employers still continue to look at healthcare benefits as a rapidly escalating cost factor. Savvy HR professionals, however, know that the right healthcare benefits program can represent a valuable investment that will pay back dividends for years to come if implemented correctly. Everside has collaborated with a wide array of employers that have documented measurable decreases in claims costs and improvements in morale as a result of employees engaging in a number of different on-site wellness programs and taking a more active role in managing their health.

Especially in light of The Great Resignation, employers need to recognize the value of investing in the well-being of their employees. Healthy and happy employees are typically more productive employees. Plus, the feeling of being cared for can create a near-unbreakable bond that helps to retain top talent in an unprecedented tight labor market.

For more information on how to transform your company’s healthcare program into one which offers sustainable value for the new generation of workers, visit eversidehealth.com or call 844-205-6403.