Employee satisfaction improvement through enhanced health benefits.

While job satisfaction is on the rise, nearly half of employees say they are unsatisfied with their jobs. And, with technology facilitating a higher number of remote workers, one of the biggest challenges for employers today is competing to retain and attract qualified staff. As a result, it’s of the utmost importance that you offer a culture and benefits package centered on employee satisfaction.

Job satisfaction is a reliable predictor of employee retention. In today’s job market, the competition for highly skilled employees is stiff. In order to compete, organizations need to go beyond the standard health benefits package to include enhanced benefits that help to attract and retain high-value employees.

Let’s look at some of the most popular benefits among employers that can increase employee satisfaction:

Care Advocacy

Getting the care needed from the right provider at the right time can be hard. Easy, affordable access to healthcare can impact an employee’s physical, mental, and social health…and ultimately quality of life. In fact, a 2017 survey by urgent care provider CityMD demonstrated that patients need more education when it comes to deciding whether to access care in an urgent care or emergency setting.

Employers should make efforts to knock down barriers and offer employees assistance in navigating the complicated world of healthcare. Enlisting a third party to help employees navigate the healthcare maze is an option that all employers, but particularly self-funded ones, should consider. They can help employees understand what coverage they have as well as when and how to access appropriate services.

Virtual Care

Virtual care is a way for employers to help their employees address health and wellbeing concerns outside of the doctor’s office. It offers a whole-person, wrap-around approach to care that includes physical, mental, and financial support. Some important components of virtual care include:

Chronic Condition Support

According to the CDC, 60% of American adults have some sort of chronic disease. Even more, four in 10 adults have two or more chronic diseases. Considering these statistics, it’s likely that several of your employees have at least one chronic condition such as diabetes, depression, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and COPD. Chronic diseases take an enormous personal toll on employee wellbeing. Many with chronic conditions often experience problems with absenteeism, productivity, and an overall decline in the quality of life at work. All of these can lead to low employee satisfaction.

Implementing a chronic care management program is an excellent way for an employer to demonstrate its support for employees with chronic conditions. These programs focus on improving the health of employees who have or are trending toward these difficult medical conditions. When these employees engage with the program, they begin to feel healthier, happier, and more productive. As a result, they are more satisfied with their jobs.

Behavioral Health

It goes without saying that when employees are feeling great, it shows. But what about the employee whose mental or emotional wellbeing is suffering? The CDC reports that 80% of adults with depression reported at least some difficulty with work, home, or social activities because of their symptoms. Mental health issues can have an impact on employers through increased absenteeism and poor productivity. However, and maybe even more importantly, they can also adversely impact employee morale and satisfaction.

Much like the other programs and services above, implementing a digital behavioral health program is a great way to let your employees know you care about them. The best behavioral health programs offer a variety of resources and services including behavioral health screenings, programs, treatments, and follow-up. They can also identify employees who may be at risk for behavioral health issues.

As employers have a harder and harder time recruiting and retaining high-value employees it’s vital to consider the importance of good benefits. Those who do will see greater success and better employee satisfaction.