Supporting employees with family-centric benefits
Employees often balance their jobs with caring for their families. Offering benefits that help support them may lead to a healthier and more productive workforce.
Millennials (the generation born between 1981 and 1996) are currently the largest generation group in the U.S.,1 making up 42% of the workforce, according to UnitedHealthcare data.2 And employers have seen a shift in what these employees need from their health benefits.
For instance, while 62% of Millennials surveyed said they believed that work is central to their identity, many also indicated that work-life balance is a priority and top consideration when choosing a new employer.3
This is likely driven by the fact that many Millennials and Gen Xers (those born between 1965 and 1980) are often referred to as the “Sandwich Generation,” — adults between their 30s and 50s who are simultaneously caring for their parents and children.
In fact, with nearly 71% of employees globally identifying as caregivers4 — including 78% of Millennials and 74% of Gen Xers — it’s no wonder these employees expect more complete, family-centric health benefits that support a broad spectrum of needs. And when working parents feel supported by their employer, they are more likely to be healthier and to stay with that employer. In fact, every $1 spent on childcare benefits by employers drives an $18.93 return on investment.5
Offering these 4 benefits may help deliver more of what matters to employees:
1. Behavioral health benefits
82%
of employees are currently at risk of burnout in the workplace7
Mental health remains a significant concern for Millennials, who reported higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to older generations. In fact, 39% of Millennials surveyed said they felt stressed or anxious at work most of the time.3 This may be due to feelings of burnout in the workplace, or external workplace factors like financial concerns and caregiving responsibilities.
Employers may support their employees’ wellbeing by offering behavioral health benefits with access to a robust network of specialists, self-care resources and digital tools that are available 24/7.
Digital tools are designed to help employees get the behavioral health care they need, when they need it. For instance, the UnitedHealthcare® app and myuhc.com® allow members to search for behavioral health providers by specialty. And if they are unsure about where to start, answering a few confidential behavioral health questions may get them headed in the right direction.
Offering a mix of in-person and virtual therapy options lets employees decide what format works best for their schedules. Selecting a carrier with an expansive behavioral health provider network may also be important to help employees access care in a timely manner. UnitedHealthcare understands the importance of a broad and diverse provider network and has expanded its behavioral health network by more than 52,000 providers, including more than 41,000 virtual network providers in the last year alone.6
For employees who prefer to take a self-guided approach, self-care apps like Calm Health include programs and resources — such as educational content and meditation tools — that may help them build life skills to better cope with stressors.
2. Women’s health benefits
In order to attract and retain top talent, employer-sponsored plans need to provide benefits that support women throughout all of life’s stages.
For example, Millennials drive the highest number of OB/GYN visits per member per year (PMPY) of any other generation, representing the top health care cost driver for that age group.8 They also drive the highest number of emergency room (ER) visits, with 10% of those being pregnancy-related.8 And with ER visits costing between 15–52x more than alternative sites of care,8 it makes sense for employers to offer family planning benefits and to help educate employees on their site of care options.
10%
of Millennials’ ER visits are pregnancy-related8
For employees starting families, preventive screenings, maternity care and postpartum care are essential. And for those who delay starting families, other family-building benefits may be in higher demand as women age and may find it more difficult to conceive. This may include coverage for fertility treatments, such as IVF, as well as support for adoption and surrogacy.
Through the UHC HubTM, UnitedHealthcare offers self-funded employers the option of including Maven, a digital platform that serves as a one-stop-shop vendor to provide women employees with real-time support. And employers that have offered Maven have seen a 96% increase in loyalty among employees utilizing this platform.9
The UnitedHealthcare Virtual Specialist offering is another option. Accessible through the UnitedHealthcare app, the program provides access to a virtual clinic, which is equipped to handle women’s health care needs, ranging from contraception to endometriosis.
3. Caregiver support
For employees with children between 10 and 19 years old, adolescent health services are important — especially since girls have twice as many claims for anxiety, depression and trauma than boys their age.8
60%
of caregivers reported having worked while feeling physically unwell4
Neurodevelopmental disorders are also common among this age group, with the most common diagnoses being attention-deficient/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 43% and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at 35%.10 Parents of adolescents impacted by a neurodevelopmental disorder may face a variety of challenges, including access to affordable medications and an increased risk of mental health challenges.
Substance use is also a concern for parents of adolescents. While the use of alcohol and high-risk substances has harmful physical consequences, it may also lead to mental illness and potential addiction issues.11
Employers can provide access to family advocates who may help parents navigate care options for children with complex medical and behavioral health needs. For instance, UnitedHealthcare Advocates can support employees in their search for short- and long-term care options, as well as available clinical programs to help with specific conditions.
48%
reported feeling stressed in their everyday life due to their caregiving responsibilities4
Child and Family Behavioral Health Coaching, which offers coaching support to children up to 17 years of with low- to moderate-severity behavioral health needs and their caregivers, may also help. The personalized process focuses on a behavioral, functional or other goal-oriented partnership between a coach and family based on evidence-based treatment methods.
In addition to raising their children, many employees within the “Sandwich Generation” also take care of aging parents. And bouncing between the workplace, childcare and parent medical appointments may be complicated and exhausting for those employees. That’s why flexible family leave policies and remote or hybrid work models are becoming increasingly attractive to these employees. Policies that allow for phased returns to work may also be helpful in easing the transition for new parents or those dealing with family health crises.
Multi-faceted digital options like Cleo — available through the UHC Hub — help employees better balance the responsibilities of family, health and work. Cleo is designed to provide support for finding childcare, transitioning through children’s different school levels, caring for older adults, transitioning to senior housing and more.
4. Financial support
50%
of Millennials and Gen Zers reported living paycheck to paycheck3
Financial stress may significantly impact mental and physical health — feelings of anxiety and depression, lack of sleep and digestive problems may all stem from financial stress.12 And financial stress isn’t uncommon, as surveyed Millennials and Gen Zers cited their finances and the welfare of family among their top stress drivers, with half reportedly living paycheck to paycheck.3
With a focus on financial wellness programs that educate employees about how to better manage their finances, employers may help alleviate that stress while also providing coverage to support them financially when needed.
Programs and resources that educate employees on topics including budgeting, saving for emergencies and planning for retirement may increase their financial literacy and help them feel more in control of their finances.
18%
higher likelihood to experience financial hardship from medical expenses among caregivers compared to non-caregivers4
Another more tangible way employers may help is by including coverage that directly impacts health care costs. For instance, UnitedHealthcare Benefit Ally® provides employees with financial support in the event of a covered unexpected medical event, such as an ER visit, treatment for a critical illness like cancer or a hospital stay. Benefit Ally is bundled with existing supplemental health benefits and medical plans, streamlining the administrative process for employers.
Preloaded debit cards like Care Cash® from UnitedHealthcare — which can be used toward visits to network primary care providers, virtual visits, urgent care and more — are another way employers may help alleviate the financial stress that can come with medical expenses.
By providing tools and resources to help employees better manage their finances, they may be less likely to put off or delay care due to financial issues.
