Given the pandemic’s effects on employees’ health, it’s no surprise that employers are expected to expand their wellness offerings in 2021. Here, we’ll take a look at the three most popular trends to watch:
- Greater Focus on Holistic Well-Being
Similar to last year, employers will likely continue to focus on offering wellness benefits that address overall well-being rather than just physical well-being. Plans include access to mental health professionals and assistance dealing with stress and depression. Companies using this method are focusing more on metrics like employee satisfaction and retention than one-size-fits-all health plans. Employees are likely to expect a robust offering of wellness resources moving forward, which means it’s important for employers to consider evaluating their current offerings to stay on trend.
2. Expanded Mental Health Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an underlying pandemic that’s affecting workers, regardless of whether employees are working onsite or remotely.
Employers have taken various approaches to addressing the mental health concerns and stress employees are experiencing. One of the most prominent trends for 2021 is that employers are looking to expand access to mental health resources for their employees, including employee assistance programs (EAPs).
3. Expanded Financial Wellness Resources
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers were focused on expanding financial wellness resources. However, the pandemic has put significant strain on employees across the country.
According to MetLife’s 18th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study 2020, 81 percent of employees report feeling major financial stress since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To combat this, many employers are offering financial wellness programs to help reduce these stressors. These programs vary in complexity but can include virtual personal financial planning meetings, tuition reimbursement, seminars and payday loan assistance. The idea is to offer enough services for anyone in your workforce to take advantage of, no matter their financial situation.
For more information on how the MBA can assist your organization with its benefits offering, contact the HR team at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or visit www.mbausa.org.
