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