The Ultimate Benefits Package? One That Comes With The Power Of Choice
Let's talk about menopause in the workplace.
Not the conversation you expected? In truth, conversations about how to deal with menopause in the workplace are as rare as workplace resources for those experiencing it.
But think about the message the absence of such considerations sends to individuals going through menopause. They may worry no one at work will empathize with their experience. Instead, they might choose to hide their symptoms, which can include depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation and cognitive impairment, all of which contribute to burnout. In the process, they likely spend more time and energy at work worrying about how to handle it themselves.
If we dig deeper, this conversation isn't really about menopause at all. It's about the critical link between choice, benefits and productivity.
A modern company with a large workforce of women may naturally think to offer maternity care benefits, and for good reason. But among that population, there might be some who would be more motivated by fertility or menopausal care. And then again, some employee motivations may be unrelated to healthcare.
When companies adapt their offerings to meet the diverse needs of their workforce, they announce to candidates, "I want employees to be able to show up as their whole selves without having to worry about external factors." Through highly personalized benefits, leaders also build higher-performing teams.
There's more than one side to healthcare.
I once worked at a company that offered mental health benefits, but had few conversations about it. Instead, workloads were heavy. Performance expectations were high. People were burning out, quitting and worse. Unsurprisingly, employee usage of mental health benefits was off the charts, more than any other offering. But it wasn't until leadership noticed that usage and made mental health an intentional part of the conversation that we were able to effectively address our workforce crisis.
Benefits are expensive, but higher usage leads to healthier employees and, ultimately, a healthier bottom line for the company. According to McKinsey and the World Economic Forum, "enhanced employee health and well-being could generate up to $11.7 trillion in global economic value." This would require organizations to offer traditional healthcare options, but also nontraditional benefits, like flexible schedules and mental health services.
In fact, the best healthcare options won't fit into a one-size-fits-all package. Most respondents in a 2023 CNBC/SurveyMonkey survey wanted fully paid healthcare premiums (51%), much more than those who wanted free food onsite (26%). Look closer, however, and Gen-Z workers felt dramatically different: free food (42%) was just as important as fully paid healthcare premiums (41%), with student loan repayments (34%) right behind them.
While their preferences may differ, employees care about benefits. More and more, I see candidates eager to understand a company's benefits before being hired. In 2025, Gallup reported that the percentage of employees who would take another job for better pay and benefits rose from 41% pre-pandemic to 54%.
Meanwhile, companies paying attention are already personalizing benefits. In Aon's 2024 U.S. Health Survey, 25% of employers reported plans to "increase flexibility and choice of benefits to better fit personal priorities," and 34% were exploring navigation apps using personal data to connect individuals to relevant options. Once technology companies integrate AI into those platforms, I think highly customized healthcare benefits will become table stakes.
Personalized perks align passion and mission.
Healthcare benefits are vital, but only a part of the picture. The top two drivers workers cited for accepting a new job in a 2022 Gallup survey were better pay (64%) and better work-life balance (61%). More interestingly, the third biggest factor for nearly six in ten respondents was "the ability to do what I do best."
Tapping into that passion requires an understanding of what really excites someone about their work. Then leaders can design organizational perks that speak the language of that individual's particular motivators.
It may sound obvious to say that satisfaction is the biggest driver of performance, but for the skeptical, recent research now backs this up (subscription required). Satisfaction comes from how motivated, valued and supported an employee feels day-to-day. Some get this through higher pay. But others crave praise, power, prestige or purpose.
Let's say a company offers healthcare and two perks: a spot bonus program and a points program earning products through an online retailer. They may consider this "good enough," but these offerings only cover employees motivated by their pocketbooks. Adding perk options that also tap into other motivators—a new title, more responsibility, a seat alongside leadership or a chance to give back to the community—would be more effective at driving widespread productivity.
Choice returns greater value.
Companies that spend money on benefits want them to be highly utilized, which is more likely when packages reflect their workforce's needs. Choice is key.
To change your current offering to an options approach, first, look externally. See what others are offering and where your competitors have an advantage. Then look internally at your own data around which benefits people are using (and not using), and see how that connects to your population, their ages and their experiences.
Finally, ask your people. Finding out what matters to them is the easiest way to understand their individual motivators. Until I ask people which reward they would choose given the choice, I might never learn that some would gladly exchange a week of PTO for a few days of paid volunteer work on company time. Knowing your employees is the best way to discover relevant benefits offerings they will want to use.
With choice and personalization, leaders can offer the most competitive rewards.
Does this mean highly customized healthcare? Yes. Does it mean additional organizational perks that drive individuals to go above and beyond? Also yes.
Just as compensation comes with bonuses and rate changes for merit and equity, perks and benefits can come with flexibility based on how people want to be rewarded. That process of personalization may look different for every company, but those that act first will lead the way.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Trump Budget Office Is Withholding H.I.V. Funds That Congress Appropriated
The Trump administration is ignoring a directive from Congress and refusing to fully fund a landmark H.I.V. program that is widely credited with saving millions of lives over the past two decades. The Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russell T. Vought, has apportioned only $2.9 billion of $6 billion appropriated by Congress for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in the 2025 fiscal year spending bill, according to budget documents and members of the program's staff. PEPFAR, as the program is known, was created in 2003, during the George W. Bush administration, to provide funding for H.I.V. prevention and treatment to low-income countries. It has long enjoyed broad bipartisan support and is often cited as the most effective public health campaign ever, credited with saving an estimated 26 million lives. In July, the Trump administration withdrew a proposed $400 million rescission from PEPFAR's budget in the face of bipartisan Senate opposition. But that fight was a distraction, according to staff members who work on the program, because, they said, they have repeatedly been told by Mr. Vought's budget office that the program would be receiving only about half of the $6 billion appropriated by Congress for the 2025 fiscal year, even with that $400 million restored. That cut is visible in budget documents that appear on a federal website tracking the activity of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The Trump administration took that website offline in January, but it was restored late last week after a court order. Whether the executive branch can withhold money appropriated by Congress has been a focus of a number of legal battles since the President Trump took office vowing to slash government spending and terminate many foreign aid programs. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Study finds link between metabolic syndrome, Parkinson's disease
Folks with metabolic syndrome have up to a 40% higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study says. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of health problems that include excess belly fat, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels. It's already known to increase people's risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. And now researchers have found an association between metabolic syndrome and Parkinson's, a degenerative nerve disease that primarily affects motor skills, according to findings published Wednesday in the journal Neurology. "Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder among older adults after Alzheimer's disease, and metabolic syndrome affects an estimated 1 in 4 adults and is highly modifiable," researcher Weili Xu, a professor in geriatric epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said in a news release. "Our findings suggest that metabolic syndrome may be a modifiable risk factor for Parkinson's disease," Xu said. For the study, researchers analyzed data for more than 467,000 participants in the UK Biobank, a large-scale health research project in the United Kingdom. Nearly 2 of 5 people (38%) had metabolic syndrome. Participants were followed for a median of 15 years, during which more than 3,200 developed Parkinson's disease. Median means half were followed longer, half for a shorter time. People with metabolic syndrome were about 40% more likely to develop Parkinson's than those without the syndrome, results show. Researchers also pooled their research with data gathered in eight previous studies, creating a group of nearly 25 million people with more than 98,500 cases of Parkinson's. In that meta-analysis, the team found a 29% increased risk of Parkinson's among people with metabolic syndrome. "We also found a higher risk of Parkinson's disease for people with both metabolic syndrome and a genetic susceptibility for Parkinson's disease," Xu said. "This suggests that maintaining metabolic health may be especially important for people who have genes that increase their risk for Parkinson's disease." Parkinson's occurs when the body's ability to produce the neurochemical dopamine is damaged or destroyed. A lack of dopamine causes the movement problems associated with the disease. Researchers said the health problems associated with metabolic syndrome might impair dopamine production in the body. High blood pressure and high cholesterol also might damage the tiny blood vessels in the brain, contributing to Parkinson's. Researchers noted that their findings could not prove a direct cause-and-effect link between metabolic syndrome and Parkinson's, only an association. "Future studies are needed to see whether working to control metabolic syndrome could help prevent Parkinson's disease," Xu concluded. More information The American Heart Association has more on metabolic syndrome. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Play Farm Merge Valley
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
CMS Establishes New Billing Code for Breast Pump Replacement Valves Following Cimilre's Advocacy
BOSTON, August 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Symmetrical Health, LLC, doing business as Cimilre Breast Pumps, announced today that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a new HCPCS Level II code A4288, "Valve for breast pump, replacement." This decision follows a formal request submitted by Cimilre, spearheaded by Jacqui Penda, CLC, to recognize replacement valves as essential breast pump components. Breast pump valves are critical to the performance and efficiency of personal breast pumps. They attach to the underside of the breast shield, maintaining suction and facilitating milk flow into the collection container. Manufacturers recommend replacing valves every 1–3 months, as worn valves compromise suction and efficiency, potentially impacting milk supply. Previously, replacement valves could only be billed under generic codes, creating barriers for coverage and leading many mothers to delay replacing them due to out-of-pocket costs. With this new HCPCS code, replacement valves are now clearly defined, allowing providers to more accurately bill for and supply essential equipment to breastfeeding families. "This decision by CMS is a meaningful win for mothers and families," said Jacqui Penda, CLC, of Symmetrical Health dba Cimilre Breast Pumps. "Valves are small but absolutely essential to the performance of a breast pump, and without them, breastfeeding outcomes can be jeopardized. By establishing a dedicated code, CMS has acknowledged the importance of proper pump maintenance and helped remove a barrier that too often discouraged families from replacing worn valves. This change ensures more parents will have access to the supplies they need to continue breastfeeding with confidence." This step brings replacement valves in line with other recognized breast pump parts such as bottle sets, breast shields, tubing, caps, and locking rings—reinforcing their importance to breastfeeding success. About Cimilre Breast Pumps Cimilre is dedicated to supporting parents on their breastfeeding journey by providing innovative breast pumps and accessories designed with comfort, performance, and accessibility in mind. With a focus on advancing maternal health through technology and advocacy, Cimilre continues to champion policies that make breastfeeding equipment more affordable and widely available. View source version on Contacts Tabatha YoungEmail: marketing@ Phone: 888-394-2422
