Employees are Looking in to new Benefits During Enrollment Season

U.S. workers plan to spend more time reviewing their healthcare options and enrolling in new benefits during this enrollment period, according to a survey by employee benefits provider, Unum. Employees also plan to pay more attention to the benefits their employers offer.

The survey, compiled of 1,500 full-time U.S. workers in August 2021, shared more than half of workers said they are more likely to stay with their employer because of the benefits their employer provides. However, the same amount of employees (57%) plan to enroll in benefits they were not enrolled in this year because they (68%) are more concerned about planning their family's financial needs, (66%) interested in company benefits, and (42%) concerned about their mental health.

"Choosing your benefits is one of the most important financial decisions you'll make this year," said Rob Hecker, vice president of Global Total Rewards at Unum. "The ongoing pandemic reminds us of the need to be prepared. You can protect you and your family's financial future with the right benefits."

Data from the survey found new trends due to the ongoing pandemic:

• 2 in 3 workers (67%) plan to pay more attention and spend more time reviewing their employee benefits.
• Generous PTO and paid family leave are the benefits most important to full-time U.S. workers. More than one third (37%) of workers say generous PTO is most important to them. While 36% said paid family leave is most important.
• The number of workers looking for a new job has almost doubled since spring. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers pulse survey, 65% of workers are on the hunt for a new job.
• More than half of workers (56%) are more likely to stay with their current employer because of the benefits package.

Eight in 10 employers believe the pandemic has made employees more interested in or aware of the benefits the organization offers.

An article by NPR recommends to learn what's predictable about your health and to educate yourself further on what plans can offer you. Most importantly, it's crucial to be aware of your deadline.