The Bridge to Better Benefits: Why Employees Must Use Their Resources

When it comes to employee benefits, providing a robust program is only part of the equation. The other half—and often the more challenging part—is ensuring employees actually use the resources available to them.

Let me share a story that recently reinforced this for me.

At one of my clients, we have a program offering healthcare advocates. These advocates are specialists who can help employees navigate complex issues, from denied prescriptions to provider disputes. It’s a valuable resource designed to alleviate stress and save employees time and money.

But here’s what happened:

An employee reached out with a complaint about provider and prescription issues. She was understandably frustrated, so we jumped in to help. After some research, we realized she had never contacted the advocate program—even though it was designed to address exactly these kinds of problems.

It wasn’t the first time we’d encountered this, and to be honest, it’s a bit disappointing—not because employees come to us (we’re always happy to help) but because their first instinct wasn’t to lean on the advocate program.

Why This Matters

As benefits professionals and HR leaders, we spend countless hours curating resources to make employees’ lives easier. We hold open enrollment meetings, distribute communications, and create opportunities for one-on-one conversations to explain the value of these tools.

And yet, employees often default to letting their problems persist, unaware that a simple call or email could be the key to a solution. This situation highlighted a critical challenge:

• Awareness doesn’t always lead to action. Even if employees know a resource exists, they might not fully understand its purpose or how to use it.

In this particular case, the healthcare advocate could have:

• Worked with the provider to resolve billing or coverage issues.
• Identified why the prescription wasn’t covered and provided alternative options.
• Uncovered cost-saving opportunities the employee hadn’t considered.

Instead, the problem sat unresolved until the employee brought it to us.

The Real Work Begins After Open Enrollment

This situation is a reminder that education and communication don’t end after open enrollment. As professionals, it’s on us to continually encourage employees to use their benefits by:

1. Making resources easy to access – Ensure employees know exactly how and when to contact support programs.
2. Reinforcing the message year-round – Regular reminders through newsletters, team meetings, or targeted emails keep benefits top of mind.
3. Sharing success stories – Real-life examples of how these programs solve problems can make them relatable and inspire action.
4. Creating feedback loops – Ask employees if they understand their benefits and what barriers they face in using them.

A Call to Action for All of Us

This experience has driven home a simple truth: benefits are only as effective as the engagement they receive. Providing the tools isn’t enough—we need to show employees how to use them and why they matter.

If you’re a benefits professional, HR leader, or even an employee reading this, here’s my challenge to you:

• Employees: Don’t let healthcare problems linger. Reach out to the resources provided to you—they’re there for a reason.
• Leaders: Ask yourself how you’re driving engagement. What more can you do to educate and encourage your teams?

What strategies have you used to ensure employees fully engage with their benefits? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Let’s bridge the gap between awareness and action, together.

This story is a great reminder that communication is never "one and done." Let’s keep the conversation going.