Health benefits are hugely valuable for the human beings that work for organizations that offer them. A lot has changed about the way we work in the country and in the world over the last few years of tumult and chaos. With new health needs pushing their way to the front for employees in 2022 – including COVID-related issues and mental health care – here are some of innovative ideas these companies have added to their benefits slates.
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
Our purpose at Cambium Learning Group is to ensure teachers and students feel seen, valued and supported, and that purpose extends to our employees as well. As a part of our work to accomplish that purpose, we offer a robust health plan that covers various aspects of staff’s lives, both at home and in the office. Our health plan includes family support programs (enhanced pregnancy and baby bonding leave), generous paid time off including volunteer time and enhanced mental health programs through coaching, diverse networks and behavioral health apps. We also offer Remote First flexibility and a stipend to ensure office equipment and related productivity expenses don’t present an undue burden to our employees post-pandemic. All of these benefits are available to employees on day one of hire.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Over the past few years, we have seen the workforce as we know it change and adapt to meet the needs of the new market landscape. Part of this change includes how companies offer health care to their employees, as employees report better mental and physical health in companies that support their entire life experience. At Cambium, as we adapted to a Remote First approach, we needed to ensure employees had access to health care regardless of their geographic location. This meant providing flexibility for how employees can spend their benefit dollars and concierge service so employees have visibility and understanding of the benefits offered to them and therefore get the most value out of them.
Check Out Cambium Learning Group’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
In August, we introduced Octane in Action, our new health and wellness program that works in tandem with our existing health benefits and was developed as a result of employee feedback. Octane in Action provides activities, resources, and discounts that help support our team’s total well-being, including mental, physical, and financial health. Through Octane in Action, we hold company-wide fitness challenges and weekly educational classes focused on topics ranging from financial planning and parenting topics to healthy eating so our people can learn how to manage their well-being and take full advantage of the benefits we offer – like our employee assistance program, 401k contributions and matching, and low-deductible healthcare plans. As we continue to shape Octane in Action alongside our team, we’re excited to bring more value and support our team’s overall health in and out of the office.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Mental, physical, and financial health are all interconnected, which is why we put total health and wellness at the core of how we work. During COVID-19, we rolled out many new benefits to cultivate our culture of wellness, like three emergency days off with “no questions asked,” which can be used for caregiving, mental health, and other emergencies, and expanded the number of remote and hybrid roles we have to give employees greater flexibility. We also offer resources like Health Advocate to connect our employees with professionals who can help them navigate their healthcare and benefits, as well as a confidential employee assistance program to support our people through life’s ups and downs.We are focused on providing our team with comprehensive, holistic care with an emphasis on work-life balance, mental health benefits, and wellness programs that teach and motivate employees. Octane in Action is an extension of our wellness benefits, and it builds on our existing health benefits, helps our people understand and access their benefits, and better supports our employees in all aspects of their health journey in ways that matter to them.
Check Out Octane’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
Curative Insurance Company’s new health insurance plan has several perks for employees, which is available to employers with 51 or more employees in the Austin area. We walk the walk — our revolutionary healthcare plan is utilized by our own employees, who benefit from transparent and affordable healthcare. By bringing physical, mental, social, and emotional health together, we want members to feel resilient and balanced.
We get members off to a strong start with a Baseline Visit to provide participants with information to help them understand their current health and potential risks. It may also be used to offer employees services or resources through their health plan. Curative offers $0 co-pay and $0 deductibles for all members who complete their Baseline Visit within 120 days after enrollment and visit in-network providers. We’re removing unexpected costs so employees can focus on what matters: their health.
Slated to open in 2023, Curative members also get exclusive access to the Curative Commons, a next-generation health and wellness center located in the heart of downtown Austin at 900 Congress with medical, wellness, community, and fitness resources. Additionally, members get 24/7 telemedicine* visits with waits of 10 minutes or less.
Curative Pharmacy’s preferred drugs list covers many popular generic, brand name, specialty, and over-the-counter drugs. Members that use an in-network pharmacy will pay $0 for preferred drugs and a small co-pay for non-preferred drugs. Curative is also developing programs to help members reach individual goals, whether healthy pregnancy, diabetes, weight management, or other health needs.
*Healthcare provided through the NormanMD network of medical providers. Treatment options and eligibility determinations made by independent licensed medical providers.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Current approaches to healthcare are deeply flawed by primarily focusing on treating disease, cost-sharing barriers that discourage utilization, thereby incentivizing patients to wait on ailments before seeking care. That approach generates unnecessary pain, suffering, and loss of productivity, all while driving high costs by waiting for sickness to strike.
With the Curative, with $0 co-pays and $0 deductibles, members will be encouraged to actively engage with driving their healthcare and will be incentivized to use resources. In addition, plan members will engage with the plan’s healthcare professionals to co-create a health care plan, mapping out a course of action with all the recourses necessary to maximize whole health and well-being.
Check Out Curative’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
Two new additions for all employees this year are: Ginger, an app that offers mental health support through coaching via text and video-based therapy and psychiatry, and Headspace, a meditation app. Our Appian Benefits Team is a firm believer that mental health and self-care are top priorities. Many of our events are focused on mental health, especially the last couple years. We want to alleviate burnout and make sure we’re providing a safe space for coworkers to share about mental health and get access to support they need.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Having a remote support system! In 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, we were talking in the AppianWellness chat about how so many of us felt isolated and lacked motivation. So we started a month-long fitness challenge where people could join a team, do any kind of activity, and track it in an app, all while raising donations for charity. It helped with camaraderie and feeling connected with coworkers all around the globe. Because it was virtual for everyone, our coworkers in Australia and Europe had the same experience as we did in the US, and it was so fun to see everyone’s progress and feel connected.
Check Out Appian’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
We’re proud to offer bumper to bumper coverage for employees and their loved ones that extends far beyond the typical coverage—including a FREE medical plan option. Wellbeing 365 supports all areas of life including personal finance and career growth, community involvement, and all-around physical and mental health and wellbeing. With convenience on the forefront, DriveTime Family employees have access to virtual options for wellbeing ensuring they have proper access to the services they need.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Virtual care was on the rise before the pandemic, but it has now become the standard. We have added a number of virtual care options for both physical and mental health in the past two years, with more to come. Additionally, it has been a priority to keep costs low for employees while still providing high quality care options.
Check Out DriveTime’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
Medallia strives to provide a holistic view of benefits offerings that support employees through life’s different journeys. We have implemented bespoke programs that focus on different aspects of health and wellbeing that include free comprehensive mental health coaching and therapy for employees and their dependents. The program also provides support outside of mental wellbeing and has coaching for physical, social, and financial wellness. For those who are starting or expanding their family, Maven Clinic is available 24/7 to support pathways in fertility, egg freezing, pregnancy, return to work and early pediatrics.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Being able to provide equitable programs to support not only life’s journeys for employees and their families, but to include the needs across multi-generations in order to align work-life balance for employees. To further support this, Medallia does provide quarterly global mental health days and recently increased the paid time off for maternity and parental leave, that is available in all locations. As remote work becomes the primary method of working, this can lead to issues of disengagement and loneliness that can impact all aspects of wellbeing. This is a reason why Medallia places high importance on listening to our employees — providing them with programs that support wellbeing in all facets to support our diverse employee population.
Check Out Medallia’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
At Nextdoor we want to provide a benefits and perks program that ensures we are making the right investments in our community of employees. We believe that employees are the most productive and can make the most impact for the neighborhood when they are feeling their best both emotionally and physically. Within the most recent years, Nextdoor has implemented a few different benefits to create a robust program. Cleo, our family forming benefit. They have been instrumental in helping new, adoptive, surrogate, and experienced parents with finding support and guidance for all things parenting! Another benefit we have brought on is Modern Health. We really value the importance of our employees’ mental health and the platform has been exactly what we needed to accomplish this! Modern Health has been a great resource for our neighbors to use whether it’s personalized therapy sessions or career coaching. Lastly, we have partnered with Origin financial to help complete our benefits program. Origin has provided our employees with personalized financial advising whether our employees are looking to begin their financial management journey or want to optimize their wealth. The platform has been crucial in helping our employees feel financially confident.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
With an increase in uncertainty from the pandemic and now the economic stressors, the need for mental health and financial benefits has increased significantly. At Nextdoor, we prioritize the health of our employees so they can show up to work with their best self and we are constantly exploring new opportunities to ensure we support employees physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
Check Out Nextdoor’s Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
As a hearing technology company passionate about changing people’s lives, the health and wellbeing of Earlens employees is imperative. Over the summer, Nadene Cherry, a corporate mindfulness leader guided led an invigorating series of 8 meditation sessions guiding us to reconnect to ourselves and our purpose. For National Wellness Month in August, we launched an Ergonomic Training Course sharing ideas for in-person and remote employees to practice ergonomics daily. Other annual health benefits include pet insurance and a partnership with Vizer which is a Fitness App that donates meals to local food banks for certain fitness activities and milestones.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
Hearing loss, a medical epidemic associated with dementia, depression and social isolation affects an estimated 30 million people in the United States. Despite the high prevalence and public health impact of hearing loss, only about one-fifth of people who could benefit from a hearing aid seek intervention. We believe providing hearing health coverage is imperative because everyone deserves to hear well and live happy.
Check Out Earlens’ Careers Page Here!
What new healthcare benefits are you offering employees in recent years?
We offer plenty of flexible and cost-effective solutions for employees. We focus on five key categories: Physical Health, Emotional Wellbeing, Caregiving Support, Financial Wellness, and Lifestyle benefits.
What would you say are the most recent significant changes to a workforce’s healthcare needs?
The most significant changes to our workforce’s healthcare needs have been in the areas of leave of absence time off and pay, expansion of mental health services, childcare assistance, and adding a corporate wellness-incentive program.