HR teams are stressed, burned out, and ready to change professions. [1] That’s because they don’t have the resources they need and, as 95% of HR leaders report, their workload is overwhelming. [2, 3] A significant portion of their burden comes from answering benefits questions, which take up hours every week — even when it’s not open enrollment season. Imagine what would happen if employees didn’t have to hunt online or call HR for answers.

Healthcare’s complexity adds to HR’s responsibilities

Healthcare is often so complex it feels like a maze, leaving employees unsure where to start finding answers or where to go when they have them. This confusion leads many to turn to Human Resources, which helps employees, but increases HR’s workload significantly. Plus, the HR team that’s already juggling other tasks and priorities, may lack the capacity to offer one-on-one coaching and individual support that helps each employee live their healthiest life.

Even when HR teams do their best work and simplify healthcare benefits, employees may still find themselves confused. Knowing where to go, who to see, and when to do it can be overwhelming, and the wrong choice can be costly for employees and employers. That's why employees need a seamless path that leads them to the right doctor and better overall well-being.

How healthcare and benefits navigation experts can help

The answer for employees — and their HR teams — is a healthcare experience that makes it easy to get the answers and support they need in the moments they need them most. The right navigation solution can integrate employee benefits and health programs in one place. This ensures that employees get the right care from the right provider at the right time. Here’s a breakdown of five ways healthcare navigation can help your people.

1. Lighten HR's load: When it’s easy to get up-to-date health and benefits information, employees can make informed choices and get the healthcare they need. So, they don't have to call or email HR as often. With fewer questions from employees, HR folks can focus on strategic tasks.

2. Boost engagement: Personalized messages, educational resources, and targeted outreach help ensure employees know about their benefits and wellness programs. This gets employees more involved with their health and benefits, improves preventive care, and increases treatment and medication adherence.

3. Enhance access: A navigation team can help employees — no matter where they live or work — choose the right care and schedule appointments. This means all employees, including those from marginalized communities, can have prompt access to healthcare.

4. Lower healthcare costs: Healthcare navigation helps employees make informed decisions. With access to resources and decision-making tools, employees can better understand processes, benefits, and care options. This can reduce employer healthcare expenses and the time HR spends worrying about rising costs.

5. Improve experiences: HR teams shouldn’t have to spend hours or even days trying to understand how employees interact with healthcare benefits. The right solutions can show engagement, compare metrics, track trends, and measure satisfaction. So, your team can make adjustments that improve experiences and effectiveness.

Choose experts in healthcare and benefits navigation

The best solutions help people understand how and where to get the care they need. This includes curating a personalized care experience that improves well-being by offering expert support and helping employees make informed care decisions.

Accolade takes the time to educate employees, so they understand each care recommendation and why it's the next step in their journey. We also stay connected internally, across all channels, to provide cohesive member care across services. This approach not only enhances experiences, improves outcomes, and maximizes benefits investments, but it also alleviates benefits burdens on HR.

Contact us to learn more about how experts in healthcare and benefits navigation can improve experiences for employees and HR teams.

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-analytics/types-of-jobs-with-most-turnover

[2] https://hrexecutive.com/the-great-burnout-tackling-the-crisis-among-hr-professionals/

[3] https://peoplespheres.com/8-surprising-hr-burnout-statistics-in-2024/