3 Ways to Help Boost Your Benefits Investment
Employers understand that a robust benefits package can be a make-or-break opportunity for recruitment and retention efforts. That’s why 81% of organizations planned to add or improve their employee benefits in 2025.1 But before adding new benefits to the mix, consider ways to maximize the value of the benefits you already offer. With a few strategic adjustments, you could unlock the full potential of your current offerings and elevate your recruitment and retention efforts. Here are three ways how:
Understand the Why Behind the What
Employee benefits are only as valuable as they are understood and utilized by your staff. If left overlooked, your investment will likely go to waste. One effective solution is benefits coaching— a strategy that equips your workforce with the resources and guidance they need to fully understand and take advantage of their benefit options.
Through benefits education, you can help bridge the knowledge gap felt by 85% of employees who report being confused about their benefits.2 Employee benefits can be complex, so be sure to offer ample time before open enrollment to help both new and experienced employees gain a clear understanding. Some benefit providers may offer educational services that include this style of coaching for you and your team. Using these services may not only save your team time, they may also help provide financial savings by reducing your claim costs and doctor visits.
Prioritize Your Available Health Programs
Don’t be tempted by the greener grass on the other side of your benefits investment. Whether you offer one or several of the programs below, you likely have tools in place to entice potential employees while ensuring top talent stays. Sometimes all it takes is a reminder of what you already have, including:
These programs aim to proactively support both employees and employers. This could lead to an overall more satisfied and healthy workplace, likely resulting in positive retention rates and less health claims. Given that recruitment and retention remain a top priority for many employers, leveraging programs like these could be the solution to meeting your unique needs.
Ensure You’re Covering the Correct People
One of the sneakier suspects in any budget audit may be the coverage of ineligible dependents. Your organization may be spending a lot more to cover those who aren’t eligible—up to $3,500 per dependent annually.3
An effective solution to this issue could be to implement a dependent verification review, or DVR. This process has your employees verify the eligibility of their dependents based on the requirements of your employee benefits package. Conducting a DVR can help you confirm you’re only covering the correct people.
This service can be conducted during any time of the year, though many employers elect to do this prior to open enrollment. Depending on the result of the DVR, employers could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Overall Takeaway: Boast about Your Benefits
Awareness is crucial in ensuring your current benefits package gets the attention it deserves. Recruiting top talent and retaining them is an evergreen challenge for employers, so be proactive by championing what you offer.
Discover more about American Fidelity’s employee benefits and services >
This blog is up to date as of July 2025 and has not been updated for changes in the law, administration or current events.
