Health insurance? Sure, it’s great. Necessary even. But if that’s the crown jewel of your employee benefits package, we need to have a little chat.
Because in 2025, offering health insurance and calling it a day is like handing someone a flip phone and saying, “You’re welcome.” It’s outdated, underwhelming, and everyone knows you can do better.
Today’s workforce isn’t just looking for benefits. They’re looking for proof that their employer gets it. That you understand what it’s like to live in this chaotic, expensive, complicated, always-online world. Health insurance is expected. But if you want to turn heads, keep rockstars from bouncing, and attract people who actually care about your mission? You need to level up.
Let’s dive into the next-level benefits that separate the employers who get it from the ones still stuck in 2006.
1. Disability Insurance, Because Life Happens and Bills Don’t Care
Want to know what’s not sexy, but really matters? Disability insurance. Short-term. Long-term. All of it. A better name for this benefit is paycheck protection insurance because it means your paycheck is mostly covered even if you can no longer work.
Because here’s the harsh truth. If one of your employees trips over their kid’s LEGOs and throws out their back, they’re out of commission. And if you don’t offer income protection? They’re out of a paycheck, too. And then what? They start GoFundMe campaigns to pay rent? Not a good look.
Paycheck protection insurance is one of the most underappreciated benefits out there, and also one of the most affordable to provide. It’s the difference between “I can focus on recovery” and “I need to go back to work with a concussion.” Show your people you’ve got their back when their back gives out.
2. Mental Health Benefits that Are Not Just a Hotline in the Brochure
Let’s make this one loud and clear. Mental health support needs to provide support.
The old-school “Employee Assistance Program” (EAP) where people get a dusty pamphlet and a 1-800 number? That’s not help.
Burnout, stress, anxiety, depression. These aren’t just buzzwords. They’re productivity killers. They’re also just killers. And if you’re not offering real solutions like virtual therapy, mental health app subscriptions, or stipends for wellness-related expenses, then you’re leaving your team to fight invisible battles alone.
Want loyal, energized employees who show up and don’t ghost your Slack messages? Invest in their mental wellbeing. This isn’t charity. It’s survival. And yes, it’ll pay you back in productivity and loyalty tenfold.
3. Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs), AKA “Choose Your Own Adventure” Benefits
Imagine giving employees a pot of money they can use for whatever helps them live better. Gym memberships. Home office gear. Financial coaching. Healthy meal kits. Yoga retreats. Snowshoes. Salsa classes. You name it.
With LSAs, you set the rules, but your team chooses what matters to them. It’s like a buffet of support instead of a sad, frozen entrée.
And the best part? You’re sending a very clear message: “We trust you. We see you. We know that everyone’s version of ‘wellbeing’ is different.” And when people feel seen? They stick around.
4. Debt-Assistance
This one’s personal for a lot of folks. If your employees are carrying student loan debt that costs them more than some people’s annual salary, tossing them a raise is nice, but helping them tackle their loans? That’s unforgettable.
Even a small monthly contribution toward their loans tells them, “We’re not just here to work you. We’re here to help you work out your finances.”
You don’t need to be a tech giant to pull this off. A $50 or $100 monthly payment adds up. It also shows your people that you’re prepared to invest in their future.
5. Being a Company That Actually Cares about Parents
Want to create loyalty so deep people name their baby after you? Give them real, meaningful time off when that baby shows up.
Too many companies treat parental leave like a begrudging favor. “Sure, we’ll let you take six weeks unpaid but check your email every morning from the hospital.” That’s not right.
Offer paid maternity and paternity leave. Make it normal for new parents to unplug. Offer a phased return if possible. Let people be fully present for life’s milestones and take care of their families, without the guilt.
You don’t need a billion-dollar HR budget. You just need to care more than the legal minimum.
6. Helping People Actually Understand Their Money through Financial Wellness
You could be paying your team pretty well, and they’d still be financially stressed. Why? Because no one teaches this stuff.
Money anxiety doesn’t disappear with a healthy paycheck. So give your employees access to tools that build real financial confidence:
- Budgeting workshops
- Free sessions with financial advisors
- Credit counseling
- Emergency savings programs
- Access to student loan strategists
When people feel in control of their money, they bring their whole selves to work. That means better focus, fewer distractions, and fewer late-night freakouts over interest rates.
Financial wellness is freedom. Give them the keys.
7. Not Being a Control Freak
This one’s more of a philosophy than a line item, but it might be the most powerful benefit of all.
Flexibility doesn’t just mean “you can work from home on Fridays.” It means you trust your people to get their stuff done without hovering. It means asynchronous work options, flexible hours to the extent your business allows it, and believing that people can manage their own time.
If your policies scream “clock in at 8:59 or else,” you’re going to lose talent to companies that treat people like full-fledged adults.
Flexibility is the new currency. Spend it freely.
Bottom Line: Health Insurance Is the Floor, Not the Ceiling
Lots of companies offer health insurance. That doesn’t make you special. It just means you’re not actively trying to sabotage your team.
But if you want to be the kind of workplace that people talk about in group chats like, “Dude, they actually care about us,” then you’ve gotta go beyond the basics. You gotta look for innovative employee benefit solutions.
Start offering benefits that make life easier, safer, and more manageable. Give your staff less stress, more time, better finances, and more freedom.
You don’t need to rework your whole budget to do it, either. You just need to be intentional. Be thoughtful. Be human.
And if you’re thinking, “Okay, this all sounds amazing, but where do I even start?” That’s where employee benefits brokers come in.
The Benefit Doctor will work with you to build creative, strategic, human-first benefits plans that make employees happy and make you look like the genius you are.
Let’s build something better than basic. Let’s build something legendary.
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Infographic
Today’s employees want more than just a paycheck and basic benefits—they expect employers to recognize the demands of a fast-paced, costly, and always-connected world. This infographic explores next-level employee benefits designed to meet those expectations.
