A note from Stacey
Have you ever left an event with more questions than you arrived with—in the best possible way?
That was me after attending the CWOC Human Capacity Executive Leadership Summit, hosted by TruStone Financial. It was a thought-provoking day filled with conversations about brain health, leadership and the people behind every business.
One idea stayed with me: what someone is capable of doing and what they have the capacity to manage today can be very different.
Think about your most dependable employee—or even yourself. The skills, knowledge and experience may still be there, but stress, health concerns and life’s demands can affect how much we can take on at any given time.
As employers prepare for benefits renewals and make decisions for the year ahead, this is an important reminder to look beyond the numbers and consider the people behind them.
EDUCATIONAL INSIGHT
A benefits renewal provides important information about premiums, claims and plan utilization. However, numbers do not always tell the complete story.
The CWOC AiR framework presented at the summit encouraged leaders to move through three stages:
Awareness: What are we noticing within our workforce?
Information: What are our claims, utilization reports, employee questions and feedback telling us?
Reflection: What does this information mean, and what response would genuinely support the organization and its people?
Before changing a plan, employers can ask:
• Which benefits are employees using and valuing?
• Are stress, caregiving responsibilities or health concerns affecting employees’ capacity?
• Are valuable services being overlooked?
• Do employees know how to access mental-health, EAP or virtual-care resources?
• Would better communication solve part of the problem?
• Does the plan still reflect the workforce and business today?
A thoughtful renewal considers costs and claims—but it also considers employee experience, workplace culture and long-term sustainability.
CLIENT SUCCESS STORY
A growing employer had traditionally waited until the renewal proposal arrived before reviewing its benefits plan.
The immediate concern was cost, but the early review uncovered a broader opportunity. Employees had access to helpful resources—including mental-health support and virtual services—but awareness and utilization were low.
Rather than immediately reducing benefits, we reviewed the plan information, confirmed employee records and discussed which services could better support the team.
The result was a more informed renewal conversation, clearer employee communication and more time to consider targeted plan changes.
Sometimes the right solution is not adding or removing a benefit. It is understanding what employees need and helping them access the support already available.
ACCURATE INFORMATION SUPPORTS BETTER DECISIONS
Keep the original compliance checklist because it remains highly relevant:
- Employee names, birth dates and employment status
- Current salaries, particularly for life and disability coverage
- Occupations, divisions and employee classes
- New hires and waiting-period dates
- Terminations and employees on leave
- Eligible dependants and student status
- Valid spousal waivers
- Beneficiary information
- Outstanding plan amendments
Accurate records do more than support correct coverage and premiums. They help employers understand who their plan is supporting and where potential gaps may exist.
Eligibility rules and reporting requirements vary by contract. Always confirm the applicable provisions with the insurer or within the plan document.
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT
With Thanksgiving last weekend, I am especially grateful for opportunities to continue learning—and for the clients, partners and business leaders who are willing to share ideas and explore better ways to support people.
One question from the summit continues to stay with me:
“What is affecting your ability to do your best work right now?”
We may not be able to remove every source of stress, but listening to the answer can help us make more thoughtful decisions about workplace support and employee benefits.
If your renewal is approaching, this is an ideal time to look beyond the premium and consider how well your plan is supporting the people behind your business.
I would be happy to help you review your plan, understand the numbers and identify practical opportunities for improvement.
Benefits built around your business.
Stacey Aarssen
Benefits Redesigned
Have a benefits question you would like answered in a future issue?