As benefits leaders consider 2026 renewals and plan ahead for their 2027 strategies, new opportunities are emerging in how organizations approach musculoskeletal (MSK) care. While traditional Centers of Excellence (COE) have focused on surgical interventions, a new approach, non-operative COEs, prioritize conservative treatment and early intervention over surgical treatment. This shift represents a strategic response to mounting cost pressures driven by inappropriate utilization of surgery, and recognizes that many MSK conditions can be effectively managed without surgery.

The MSK Crisis Demanding Immediate Attention

Recent data surrounding MSK care in the U.S. paints a sobering picture. A 2024 article published in Elsevier’s Lancet Regional Health – Americas journal reports MSK diseases are “the leading cause of years lived with disability” and “an increasing health burden and economic cost of $980 billion annually.” The study found that research involving all types of MSK diseases are underfunded, especially neck pain (0.83% funded), low back pain (13.88% funded), and osteoarthritis (35.08% funded).¹

Over the past decade, the employer-employee relationship has been tested by relentless external pressures — and it’s buckling under the weight. Pandemic-era upheaval, rapid policy shifts, and technological disruption have driven both employers and employees into survival mode.

In that churn, trust has eroded. A 2024 Gallup study found only 19% of employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organization, a 20% decrease from 2019.¹

As we honor National Caregiver Month this November, it’s time to recognize that caregiving is no longer a peripheral issue—it’s a central force shaping workforce dynamics, employee well-being, and organizational resilience. For over 35 years, the Boston College Center for Work & Family (BCCWF) has driven progress on critical work-life issues related to caregiving, emphasizing the importance of flexible work, paid leave for parents and caregivers of all types, and promoting men as equal caregivers. From our recent conversations with work-life practitioners and thought leaders, it is clear that employers are looking for ways to better understand the care demographics of their workforces and the invisible loads they carry, and respond with supports that make a difference.

The Caregiving Reality: Universal, Invisible, and Intensifying

“Working while caregiving” is a nearly universal experience. Whether supporting aging parents, children with disabilities, spouses with chronic illness, or navigating end-of-life care, employees are managing complex responsibilities alongside their professional roles. Yet many do not self-identify as caregivers, and only 56% report that their supervisor is aware of their caregiving status (AARP 2015).

World Mental Health Day is recognized every October to promote mental health education and advocacy worldwide. This year’s theme, “Mental Health in Emergencies and Catastrophes,” could not be timelier. Over the past decade, studies have shown that experiencing a traumatic event is a major risk factor for the onset of mental health challenges and substance-use conditions. Data show just how high this risk factor is today.

Since October 2023, KGA has experienced a 33% increase in requests for organizational support following a crisis. Within this same time, we have seen a 77% increase in requests for support following a workplace crisis (e.g., violence or accidents in the workplace) and a 300% increase in requests for support following a national or international crisis. These data demonstrate both an increase in frequency of these crises, as well as an increased need for support among employees

Menopause is a natural transition that affects nearly all women. The more we learn about this life change, the more we understand how much it impacts people’s personal and professional lives. Based on recent research, companies must understand menopause better to improve the health of their employees and the bottom line.

What exactly is menopause?

Menopause is defined as 12 months after a woman's last menstrual cycle. While the starting point is known, the length of this hormonal transition — and the severity of symptoms — varies from person to person.

Financial wellness has an immense impact on an individual’s health, life, and work. Because of this, employees are looking to their employer for help managing their financial stressors.

Employers are uniquely positioned to provide support in the form of benefits, education, and other resources to their workforce. As a plan sponsor, you have the ability to offer a suite of resources that meet your employees wherever they are in their financial wellness journey and help prepare them to confidently take their next steps toward better financial wellness today, tomorrow, and long into the future.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a reality. It's becoming a practical tool for HR teams when strategizing compliance and compensation. For professionals navigating pay transparency laws, shifting employee expectations and tight labor markets, AI offers both opportunities and questions.

• How can AI support more equitable, strategic compensation decisions?
• How do we ensure that automation complements, rather than replaces, human insight?

This post explores how AI is changing compensation practices, with a focus on actionable use cases, ethical considerations and tools that balance innovation with accountability.

Primary care physicians and advanced practice professionals provide a gateway to better health. They enable and direct preventive care, which in turn plays a significant role in helping people avoid chronic diseases, reducing overall health care costs.

Those benefits are quantifiable. For example, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that breast cancer screenings can reduce breast cancer deaths among 50- to 74-year-old women by 26% while promoting early diagnosis and reducing health care spending¹.

Employers seeking to mitigate risk and manage rising healthcare costs should be mindful of the need to strengthen their social contract with their workforce. That’s going to make it critical to step up their game with voluntary benefits: the more effectively they harness the power of their employee benefits data to get there, the better it’ll serve everyone’s interests.

Smarter use of analytics can help you design and offer health plans tailored to which employee groups they best suit – from low-wage earners to executives. Given the abundance of new benefits products and vendors, using employee benefits analytics is also a great way to clear the mud so you can focus on products that are the best fit for employees with unique needs.

For those of you who may not know me, I see a lot of concerts. There’s something about the way live music brings people together in a shared experience that’s both exhilarating and deeply human.

Just like a great concert relies on coordination behind the scenes, a strong compliance culture supports a company’s rhythm. It ensures that everyone—from front-line employees to leadership—knows the beat we’re marching to. It sets the stage for trust, safety, and integrity, creating an environment where everyone can perform at their best. For me, compliance isn’t about restriction; it’s about harmony. It’s making sure systems are in place so the show can go on without a hitch—whether that show is a Friday night setlist or a key business initiative.

In today’s complex world of work, employee wellbeing has become more than a buzzword—it’s a critical pillar of sustainable business performance. Yet, approaches to wellbeing vary significantly across countries, shaped by cultural norms, government policy, and societal expectations. From Scandinavia’s flexible work structures to Japan’s growing mindfulness culture, global perspectives offer valuable lessons for organizations looking to create more inclusive and effective wellbeing strategies (globally or domestically).

As companies operate across borders—or manage multicultural teams—there’s an opportunity to learn from international wellbeing models and adapt them to diverse workforces. Below are five approaches to employee wellbeing from countries outside the US and across the globe and what organizations can take away from them.

Take a look around your workplace. Notice anything different?

Maybe someone who used to be energized and dependable now seems checked out. Maybe Mondays come with a wave of absences. Burnout is quietly spreading. And those sudden resignations? They’re starting to feel like a pattern.

In the world of Leave of Absence (LOA) administration, each employer must decide whether to insource or outsource their LOA case management process. There are pros and cons for both strategies and even when outsourcing, there will be oversight. This article attempts to explore the factors an employer may consider when deciding on their LOA administration strategy.  

Insourcing LOA administration refers to managing these requests internally within your own organization. Typically, insourced or in-house LOA administration utilizes the employer’s own employees as part of an LOA group or team (i.e., case managers) and LOA case management software. This approach allows organizations to maintain direct control over the administration process, ensuring that policies are consistently applied and aligned with company culture. Alternatively, the outsourcing of LOA administration is exactly what it sounds like – it typically involves hiring a third-party administrator (TPA) or insurer to manage LOA administration on behalf of the organization. This option can take advantage of the TPA/insurer’s scalability, expertise, streamlined processes, and potentially reduce administrative burdens.

Technology is transforming health care with enhanced data insights, personalized solutions, and simpler tools that help members achieve their health ambitions.

With three out of five Americans saying the health care system is stressful to navigate, technology – AI specifically – is transforming employee plan member experiences.¹ This is important as positive experiences improve outcomes and reduce high-cost services such as avoidable emergency room visits.² Encouragingly, the shift is already underway and Americans are embracing the change, with one in five ready to use generative AI as a doctor’s assistant, and most are willing to use AI to help support routine health care activities, like scheduling appointments, refilling medications and updating contact details.³  

Pelvic floor pain for women can be caused by many factors. Your employees or their family members shouldn’t have to suffer alone.  Learn about the different treatment options and expert recommendations that you can share with your workforce and their loved ones. 

You go running for the first time in months. The next day, your legs are stiff and crazy sore. You volunteer to help your friend move and wake up the next morning with your back a little achy. When it comes to pelvic pain, however, the who-dun-it may not be so obvious. It hurts when you pee — but it’s not the tell-tale sting of a urinary tract infection. Your pelvis feels heavy and achy, but you’re not on your period. Get this: These symptoms could be a muscle thing, too. Just like your thighs and calves, the muscles in your pelvic floor can get tight or inflamed and lead to symptoms that may interfere with everyday life. And just like for other muscles, there are steps you can take to find relief. 

Did you know that women make up 57.6% of the US workforce? As an employer, you can collaborate with your health insurer to support this population through maternal health resources.

For example, mental health is a significant concern when it comes to maternal health, both during pregnancy and afterward. By understanding the full continuum of women’s health in the workplace, employers can empower employees to live healthier lives while also supporting retention efforts.

For a third consecutive year, The NEEBC community gathered to connect and learn about ever-developing innovations making a difference for the workforce.  NEEBC’s January 23^rd sold-out conference – Innovation in Employee Benefits: Changing the Game – provided an exciting window into the future of employee benefits, discussing cutting-edge developments in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HR, leave management, and health benefits. Here’s a summary of the key topics and insights shared throughout the event.

1. AI-volution in Employee Benefits
Mike Brennan, Partner of HR Digital Transformation Services at Mercer, led an engaging discussion on the transformative impact of AI in the employee benefits space. Brennan outlined how AI can drive productivity and enhance employee value. The future of work, he suggested, will shift from routine tasks (HANDS work) to more strategic thinking (HEADS work) and eventually towards work that fosters human connection (HEARTS work).

The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) landscape has become increasingly complex as states propose a variety of paid leave laws across the country, even though there were no new mandatory programs enacted in 2024. Multiple states are, however, working to finalize regulations and establish their PFML programs, beginning to collect contributions in 2025, and preparing to pay benefits in 2026. In addition, while various federal programs have been proposed with the goal of aligning practices across states, there has been little movement; and we expect, with the new administration, the stalemate will continue.

Outside of New England, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, and the District of Columbia have mandatory paid family and/or medical leave laws in place. Employers should be aware of all paid leave laws for the jurisdictions in which they have employees working and ensure they comply with any and all applicable regulations.

In 2025, employee benefits are in the front row for both leadership and workforce interests.  It begs the question: What’s the view from this new seat, and why has this happened? NEEBC hopes the following answers the question.

An evolving benefits landscape in 2025 is certain. It is influenced by rising healthcare costs propelled by drug expenses, GLP-1 demand for weight loss, the growing complexity of medical treatments and high-cost claims, and the prevalence of chronic health conditions.  It will be further shaped by a new federal government administration, demand for talent with specialized skills including AI, and changing workforce expectations.