This Green Circle Life survey focused on topics that HR professionals identified as issues and trends in 2020, including but not limited to controlling healthcare costs, employee attraction and retention, company culture, multi-generational workforce management and improving Human Capital management.

Companies ranging in size from less than 250 employees to ones with more than 5,000 employees were polled. More than 62 percent of participants reported they worked in the healthcare industry and more than 70 percent reported they were directly involved in HR initiatives at their company. Here are the survey findings categorized by topics:

General:

• On a scale from 1-10, 62 percent of respondents shared that technology is the most important solution for their organization for enhancing HR services
  • 31 percent ranked it higher than 6
• 53 percent shared that their employees are happy with the benefits and HR services offered
  • 40 percent are somewhat happy, and the remaining 6.7 were not happy with the benefits and services offered
• More than 48 percent noted that driving cultural change and engaging employees in company culture is an important goal for their institution to reach in 2020
  • When asked further about workplace culture, 40 percent report having a positive environment as most important to employers as they attract and retain employees

Multigenerational Workforce:

• When asked about a strategy for engaging a multi-generational workforce with benefits, 64 percent responded that they need to improve and develop their strategy
  • 50 percent have a strategy in place, but it needs to be improved
  • 14.3 percent do not currently have a strategy in place, but they are working towards developing one
  • The remaining 35 percent have a strategy in place, and it is successfully deployed
• 44.4 percent of respondents reported the benefits challenges employers face when they have a multi-generational workforce is lifestyle and priority conflicts
  • 27.8 percent reported a communication gap, followed by 16.7 percent reporting their workforce faces challenges with the different technological preferences

Benefit Use:

• More than 58 percent said they had a strong and effective strategy in place to educate and encourage employees to use their benefits
  • 29.4 percent said they have a strategy in place, but it can be improved, while the remaining 11.6 percent said they do not have any strategy in place but are planning to develop one
• 30 percent noted the primary hurdle getting their employees to engage with benefits is a lack of interest and understanding of the overall benefits provided
  • Following closely, 25 percent said the challenge is the perception that it is a time-consuming or a difficult process
  • 20 percent indicated the process is disjointed or the benefit vendor platforms were difficult to use
  • 15 percent reported that it is hard to reach employees
• The top 3 strategies used by employers to encourage employees in learning about and using their benefits include:
  • Using an integrated HRIS and benefits enrollment platform, 26.9 percent
  • Promoting wellness programs and health resources online, 23 percent
  • Printing an annual benefits guide and mailing it to the employees, 19 percent
• To control healthcare costs, 24 percent of employers responded they are offering multiple health plan choices to employees
  • 20 percent are focusing on providing wellness rewards programs to promote healthy behavior as a solution to their healthcare costs
  • 13.8 percent said it was important to offer telemedicine and another 13.8 percent reported offering holistic wellbeing programs as a solution