In the past, an imperfect and often complicated health care system, along with rising costs, impacted consumers’ ability to easily access care. According to the America’s Health Rankings 2024 Annual Report, nearly 11% of adults nationally and 9.7% in Washington avoided care due to the expense in the previous year.

Offering benefit plans that leverage technology to improve and simplify experiences may be key to increasing workplace satisfaction. Recent data suggests that having access to a highly satisfactory health care digital experience made 58% of members more likely to have a positive opinion of their employer.

Technology continues to reshape many aspects of our lives, including how people use their health care benefits. The pace of innovation has the potential to transform the way people traditionally navigated their health care options.

By making the most of technological advancements, employers may be able to improve their workforce’s health care experience and potentially lower their total costs of care. Here are three tips to consider:

Offer a health plan with a simple provider search experience. Many people like to research products before making a purchase and the same is true when it comes to health care. In fact, a study found that nearly half of people research care providers before scheduling an appointment. 

 Some health insurers are now incorporating advances in data analytics and even artificial intelligence to help members access health care more easily and affordably. Some plans offer features that allow members to describe their symptoms in plain language when searching for care. For example, UnitedHealthcare recently introduced Smart Choice, a new enhanced provider search experience that creates a clear and straightforward approach to navigating care options. The tool shows eligible members prioritized Smart Choice results with a dynamic score for each provider based on quality, convenience, the member’s health benefits and their personal preferences.

Make employee mental health a priority. Mental health challenges continue to grow and can have a significant impact on employees. According to new data from America’s Health Rankings, 16.1% of adults in Washington reported experiencing frequent mental distress in 2024.

To focus on just one condition, 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders that can impact quality of life both inside and outside the office, and anxiety is now the No. 1 mental health issue among American workers.

To address these challenges, many employees now expect accessible and flexible mental health offerings — such as therapy apps and virtual counseling, which can provide convenient, confidential support.

By integrating mental health resources into health benefits packages, employers can help reduce mental health stigma, promote early intervention and improve employee productivity and retention.

Support employees with innovative wellness programs. By adopting a whole-person approach to employee health, employers may be able to contribute to more positive health outcomes and a healthier work environment.  

One way to support whole-person health is to consider offering the workforce wellness programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, as well as programs that help with the management of chronic conditions. 

About 80% of U.S. businesses with more than 50 employees offer wellness programs, according to a recent survey. Some wellness programs can help people stay focused on their health goals, in part by utilizing technology.

By prioritizing employee health and leveraging the latest technology and innovations employers can help enhance their employee experience, incentivize a healthier and more productive workforce and lower total health care expenses.