Media Feature
SHRM Features Courtney Perez on Education and Cost Containment
In a new article on open enrollment priorities, Perez says transparency and regular communication help employees make better decisions.
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Article Summary
SHRM reports that 57% of HR professionals name controlling benefits costs as their top open enrollment priority this year, well ahead of improving benefits education at 24%. Courtney Perez, OneDigital’s vice president of education and engagement, says a significant education gap remains and points to data, regular communication, and a central place for benefits information as ways to close it.
With healthcare costs climbing, many employers are heading into open enrollment with their eyes on the budget.
A recent SHRM article explores what that means for HR priorities this season and features insights from Courtney Perez, vice president of education and engagement at OneDigital.
According to a September SHRM pulse survey, 57% of HR professionals say containing or controlling benefits costs is their top open enrollment priority, more than twice the 24% who named improving benefits education. The focus reflects the pressure employers are under as health and benefits costs continue to rise at steep rates.
Education as Part of the Cost Conversation
Even with cost in the spotlight, Perez told SHRM that education remains a priority for employers. “There’s still an education gap that’s significant,” she said. Closing it matters for the bottom line as well as for employees, since people who understand how their benefits work are better positioned to make choices that help control healthcare costs.
Using data, communicating regularly with employees, and giving them one place to find information on all their benefits and how they work is key. Better communication improves employees’ understanding of their benefits and helps them make decisions that save money for both employees and the organization.
Perez highlighted where employers can focus their efforts: helping employees understand the value of preventive care exams, guiding them to the right place for care, and making sure they know what that care costs. The article also notes that experts see transparency as especially important this enrollment season, with employers explaining what employees are being asked to pay, what the organization is doing to manage rising costs, and how much it continues to contribute.
Read the full article here: This Is HR’s Top Open Enrollment Priority