I do love trying to have fun at the end of the year to see what I think may change or be upcoming for the new year but like usual in the benefits industry, I think that in many ways it will be status quo. This may not be a bad thing though, as the status quo may have big opportunity and have a great impact on employees.
I read an article about a topic yesterday that we have been talking about for years, and I think it is and will remain super relevant in 2024. It was about benefit plan flexibility and the need and desire for it. There are a bunch of buzzwords or new trends and themes that get thrown around in the industry like DEI, multi-generational workforce, student loan benefits, fertility benefits, virtual health, etc., but it all comes down to flexibility for each plan member. I had an HR consultant say something to me that makes a lot of sense and when she said it, it made me cringe, but it does ring true: “Meet people where they are at.” I think this is still true, especially in the context of employee benefits.
The reality is that Advisors have and continue to face a very big challenge in the market in that if you have smaller groups, or any groups for that matter, it's how you can provide something useful or perceived to be useful (even if they do not use it) for each employee. Since so many of the external environmental factors are still there, this will continue to be a huge challenge in 2024 for:
Multi-generational workforce
Low employment, making the fight for talent harder
Inflationary pressures – In benefit plans, dental fee guides, and cost pressures on employees in their everyday lives.
I am as excited as ever about this business and I think there is so much opportunity for everyone in this space for next year and into the future. We have only scratched the surface of what we can do.
Steve McEwan
COO & Co-Founder
myHSA