Kathryn Mayer is <i>HRE</i>’s former benefits editor and chair of the Health & Benefits Leadership Conference. She has covered benefits for the better part of a decade, and her stories have won multiple awards, including a Jesse H. Neal Award and honors from the American Society of Business Publication Editors and the National Federation of Press Women. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Denver.
New analysis has big implications for HR executives left managing company healthcare costs for the year.
<= 10 employee benefits to bet on A crushing amount of student debt–to the tune of $1.6 trillion nationally, according to the Federal Reserve–is causing employees to clamor for assistance with the load. Employers are starting to listen. Today, about 8% of employers offer a student-loan-repayment benefit, according to statistics from the Society for Human […]
<= HSAs Research continues to indicate that employees are financially stressed: Many live paycheck to paycheck, don't save as much for retirement as they want to, don't have funds for emergencies and have trouble focusing on work because of money concerns. Enter the financial-wellness program, a high-impact benefit that can help employees get on track, […]
<= Mental-health assistance Tuition assistance has been around for a while, but it's growing in popularity. The benefit helps employees attain higher education and develop their skills, which can be valuable for both the employer and employee. "As the pace of technological change accelerates, the role–and value–of education in the workplace is exploding," says Patrick […]
<= Vaping support Virtual-care options can be valuable in terms of saving employees time and saving employers money. One big advantage? They can help triage and treat certain illnesses and conditions during any hour of the day and, in the process, save money on pricy emergency-room visits. "Given the challenges with access to primary-care services […]
<= Flexible work schedules As the prevalence of high-deductible health plans grows, the value of the plans' associated health-savings account is growing with it. For employees, HSAs provide "tremendous opportunity to maximize their savings dollars and help them stretch further–which will only become more important as healthcare costs continue to rise," says Begonya Klumb, head […]
<= Paid parental leave Wellness components that address mental health are growing in importance as more employees struggle with conditions including stress, anxiety and depression. Employers are beginning to recognize the toll mental-health concerns take on workers' personal and professional lives. "The business case for offering effective and affordable mental healthcare is strong," says Michael […]
<= Tuition assistance The rising benefit–which allows new moms to pump during a business trip, then ship the milk home overnight in a pharmaceutical-grade cooler, at no cost to them–is niche, to be sure. But it can have a big impact on the retention of new moms. According to Ovia Health, one in three women […]
<= Breast-milk shipping Tobacco cessation–focused on both traditional cigarettes and chewing tobacco–has historically been a priority for employers, and HR professionals in particular. But a growing number are turning their sights on vaping support and cessation. The move is driven by scores of stats showing the increase of vaping–and its drastic health impact. Digital programs […]
<= Student loan repayment As the topic of work-life balance becomes more important, one workplace offering seems to have become more important, too: flexible work schedules and remote work options. A survey of more than 1,500 workers from Unum found that flexible and remote work options were the second most-desired non-insurance perk. Advocates say the […]
Resources
Maven
From Maven
By focusing on evidence-based guidance and early intervention, employers can achieve measurable ROI, including a 55% pregnancy rate without treatment and an average of $8,200 in savings per birth.
Download Resource
LearnLux
From LearnLux
Discover how New Balance deployed a holistic financial wellbeing program to support its diverse workforce. Learn how their approach helped boost engagement, inclusion, and overall employee health.
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Summit AR
From Summit AR
Recover employee-related costs professionally and effectively with Summit AR, helping your organization reclaim what it’s owed while protecting employee relationships and your reputation.
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HireRight
From HireRight
HireRight’s 2026 Global Benchmark Report uncovers how organizations are adapting their screening, hiring, and workforce management strategies against a backdrop of AI-powered fraud, identity misrepresentation, and fake candidate profiles.
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Wex
From Wex
By shifting away from generic bulk emails, Wex didn't just save valuable time--they unlocked incredible results.
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AllWork
From AllWork
This Buyer’s Guide will help you navigate the flexible worker model selection process, drawing on AllWork’s experience in helping mid-to-large-sized companies with onboarding, managing, and paying flexible workers at scale.
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Maven
From Maven
With a diverse workforce that leans male, Deutsche Bank prioritized solutions that could support all employees equally--including fathers and caregivers--with a seamless, culturally competent experience.
Download Resource
Wex
From Wex
As the workforce’s needs become more complex, layoffs loom and resources shrink, it’s imperative to be strategic about supporting your HR and benefits team while protecting your own well-being.
Download Resource
Maven
From Maven
Employers are expanding women’s and family health benefits despite climbing healthcare costs. Yet employees report feeling less supported than they did just a year ago.
Download Resource
Transcarent
From Transcarent
Our survey of 1,340 HR and benefits decision-makers shows broad optimism about AI paired with pragmatic expectations.
Download Resource
Maven
From Maven
The proof is in the outcomes. When employers invest in menopause care, symptoms improve, productivity rises, and costs drop--by an average of $1,600 per employee.
Download Resource
Transcarent
From Transcarent
From GLP-1s to specialty oncology drugs, pharmacy spend is rising at an unsustainable rate, faster than any other benefit category, and most employers can’t explain where the dollars are going.
Download ResourceMaven
From Maven
By focusing on evidence-based guidance and early intervention, employers can achieve measurable ROI, including a 55% pregnancy rate without treatment and an average of $8,200 in savings per birth.
Download ResourceLearnLux
From LearnLux
Discover how New Balance deployed a holistic financial wellbeing program to support its diverse workforce. Learn how their approach helped boost engagement, inclusion, and overall employee health.
Download ResourceSummit AR
From Summit AR
Recover employee-related costs professionally and effectively with Summit AR, helping your organization reclaim what it’s owed while protecting employee relationships and your reputation.
Download ResourceHireRight
From HireRight
HireRight’s 2026 Global Benchmark Report uncovers how organizations are adapting their screening, hiring, and workforce management strategies against a backdrop of AI-powered fraud, identity misrepresentation, and fake candidate profiles.
Download ResourceWex
From Wex
By shifting away from generic bulk emails, Wex didn't just save valuable time--they unlocked incredible results.
Download ResourceAllWork
From AllWork
This Buyer’s Guide will help you navigate the flexible worker model selection process, drawing on AllWork’s experience in helping mid-to-large-sized companies with onboarding, managing, and paying flexible workers at scale.
Download ResourceMaven
From Maven
With a diverse workforce that leans male, Deutsche Bank prioritized solutions that could support all employees equally--including fathers and caregivers--with a seamless, culturally competent experience.
Download ResourceWex
From Wex
As the workforce’s needs become more complex, layoffs loom and resources shrink, it’s imperative to be strategic about supporting your HR and benefits team while protecting your own well-being.
Download ResourceMaven
From Maven
Employers are expanding women’s and family health benefits despite climbing healthcare costs. Yet employees report feeling less supported than they did just a year ago.
Download ResourceTranscarent
From Transcarent
Our survey of 1,340 HR and benefits decision-makers shows broad optimism about AI paired with pragmatic expectations.
Download ResourceMaven
From Maven
The proof is in the outcomes. When employers invest in menopause care, symptoms improve, productivity rises, and costs drop--by an average of $1,600 per employee.
Download ResourceTranscarent
From Transcarent
From GLP-1s to specialty oncology drugs, pharmacy spend is rising at an unsustainable rate, faster than any other benefit category, and most employers can’t explain where the dollars are going.
Download ResourceMaven
From Maven
By focusing on evidence-based guidance and early intervention, employers can achieve measurable ROI, including a 55% pregnancy rate without treatment and an average of $8,200 in savings per birth.
Download Resource