Continuing Education: Keeping Employees In-the-Know About Health Care
bcbsm
| 3 min read
Having employees who are engaged in their own health care is a huge benefit for your company. Healthier employees are more productive and contribute to a more positive work environment for your team. That’s why it’s so important to make sure employees understand their health care options, seek preventive care and stay motivated to take care of themselves. To successfully achieve all of that, you’ll need to go beyond providing basic information about the company-sponsored insurance plan at orientation. Instead, keep health at the top of people’s mind by touching base regularly about their well-being and available resources. Here’s how to get started: Break Down the Basics Health care can be confusing, even for your most experienced employees. Make sure everyone is equipped with the resources they need to understand their coverage. When they’re selecting a plan, give them a comprehensive breakdown of the coverage options your company offers. Include definitions of basic health insurance terms like “copay” and “deductible”—that can go a long way towards making the process easier. Also be as transparent as possible about what is covered by the company and what costs are on the employees—health insurance is a crucial benefit, so it’s important to keep everyone as informed as possible. Promote Preventive Care Encouraging your employees to participate in preventive care services can help them reduce their risk for serious diseases and avoid other illnesses completely. Provide reminders for annual physicals and flu shots with signs around the office, email alerts, calendar reminders or regular team meetings. It’s impactful to use statistics to reinforce the importance of preventive care. For example, mention that the flu leads to 75 million sick days each year and could cause employees to miss up to a full week of work. Develop Office-Wide Wellness Programs Creating a culture that focuses on workplace wellness is another way to support the long-term health of employees and allow them to be proactive about their well-being. This can be done by providing healthy snack options, in-office fitness programs and mental health support on a company-wide basis. Employees’ interest in improving their health with these programs will likely translate to an increased focus on preventive care. Spread the Word About Savings There are many ways employees can save money on their care or treatment, so ensure they understand their options. Whether it’s by taking advantage of HSAs (health savings account) or FSAs (flexible spending account) or using an online pharmacy to save on prescriptions, employees need to be aware of these resources and feel comfortable using them. Provide Key Contacts In additional to knowing the “what” behind their health care options, make sure employees know the “who” and “where.” Understanding who to contact for help is a major part of supporting employees. To that end, be sure to circulate a handy list of relevant contact names, emails and phone numbers that can provide answers to any and all of employees’ questions. Want to learn more about the ways we support a knowledgeable, empowered workforce? Check out these blogs:
- The Go-To Handbook for the Newly Insured
- A Glossary of Common Insurance Terms
- Creating a Workplace Wellness Culture
Photo Credit: US Department of Agriculture
