{"id":12012,"date":"2014-03-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-27T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/creator\/?p=5633"},"modified":"2020-03-30T19:07:49","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T23:07:49","slug":"employee-wants-voluntary-benefits-can-deliver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/employee-wants-voluntary-benefits-can-deliver","title":{"rendered":"Why you should offer employee benefits for your employees"},"content":{"rendered":"

Healthcare costs are climbing. The impact of the Affordable Care Act has yet to take shape, and high deductible plans are creating gaps in coverage. People are worried. In fact, when discussing critical illness,\u00a047 percent<\/a> of employees listed \u201cfinancial burden\u201d as a more frightening prospect than death.<\/p>\n

And yet, amidst the turmoil, more and more employees are demanding add-on healthcare options \u2014 at no extra cost to their employers.<\/p>\n

Voluntary benefits allow your employees to add to their standard healthcare plans with options tailored to meet their individual and family needs. The cost of coverage is usually deducted from payroll, and benefit options can include dental, vision, life insurance, long- or short-term disability, accident insurance, critical illness, cancer coverage, pet care, and legal plans.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to see why the demand for voluntary benefits is skyrocketing. They empower employees with access to a broader range of options and put them in charge of customizing the package. Not only that, but because they\u2019re the ones paying into the program, employees can often take their paid voluntary benefits with them when they change companies. It\u2019s an appealing source of security in a shifting landscape.<\/p>\n

The benefits and challenges for leadership<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re thinking voluntary benefits would be nice <\/i>to have, but they don\u2019t qualify as a top priority for your startup, think again. Your employees\u2019 satisfaction with their medical coverage can impact everything from team morale to employee turnover.<\/p>\n

In fact,\u00a044 percent<\/a> of employees stated that they\u2019d be more likely to retain their current positions if offered an improved healthcare package. And\u00a090 percent<\/a> believe that companies providing voluntary benefits do a good job balancing the needs of their staff with their tightening budgets.<\/p>\n

These benefits can be a great way to demonstrate a real commitment to your staff\u2019s health and well-being, but as you know, introducing any change to a system as bureaucratic as healthcare can be a challenge. You might find resistance from your staff if:<\/p>\n