American employee burnout has surged to a six-year high, according to the latest Aflac WorkForces Report, revealing a workforce that is not only overwhelmed but also grappling with significant anxiety over healthcare costs—a reality many employers appear to underestimate.
The $1,000 question: A major driver of this pressure is financial fragility, with a striking two in five U.S. employees (44%) admitting they couldn’t afford an unexpected $1,000 medical bill. The report coins the term “medanxiety” to describe the anxiety over out-of-pocket costs now plaguing more than half of employees, with Gen Z reporting the highest levels of strain.
Chasm in the C-suite: A chasm exists between employer perception and employee reality. While 78% of business leaders believe their teams can handle a surprise medical bill, that confidence doesn’t align with their workers’ bank accounts. For instance, only 65% of employees report being happy with their benefits—a reality that clashes with the 75% of employers who believe their teams are satisfied.
Communication breakdown: The friction stems from a fundamental communication disconnect. The confusion is so widespread that, as HR Dive notes, many workers don’t even know how to enroll in their plans. And despite a push for digital tools, more than a third of employees (37%) still want to talk to a real person for help.
The report suggests supplemental insurance could be a key tool for businesses, with 90% of employees viewing it as a core part of a benefits package. As Aflac’s Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Owenby puts it, offering solutions that ease financial stress “directly improves productivity and retention.”
Also on our radar: The stakes for getting benefits right are higher than ever, with another recent study showing over 60% of employees would leave their job for better benefits, even if it meant lower pay. Meanwhile, the federal government has tried to address surprise medical bills through the No Surprises Act. The confusion is perhaps best captured by one startling statistic: most employees reportedly spend less than 30 minutes choosing their benefits, underscoring the need for clarity.
American employee burnout has surged to a six-year high, according to the latest Aflac WorkForces Report, revealing a workforce that is not only overwhelmed but also grappling with significant anxiety over healthcare costs—a reality many employers appear to underestimate.
The $1,000 question: A major driver of this pressure is financial fragility, with a striking two in five U.S. employees (44%) admitting they couldn’t afford an unexpected $1,000 medical bill. The report coins the term “medanxiety” to describe the anxiety over out-of-pocket costs now plaguing more than half of employees, with Gen Z reporting the highest levels of strain.
Chasm in the C-suite: A chasm exists between employer perception and employee reality. While 78% of business leaders believe their teams can handle a surprise medical bill, that confidence doesn’t align with their workers’ bank accounts. For instance, only 65% of employees report being happy with their benefits—a reality that clashes with the 75% of employers who believe their teams are satisfied.
Communication breakdown: The friction stems from a fundamental communication disconnect. The confusion is so widespread that, as HR Dive notes, many workers don’t even know how to enroll in their plans. And despite a push for digital tools, more than a third of employees (37%) still want to talk to a real person for help.
The report suggests supplemental insurance could be a key tool for businesses, with 90% of employees viewing it as a core part of a benefits package. As Aflac’s Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Owenby puts it, offering solutions that ease financial stress “directly improves productivity and retention.”
Also on our radar: The stakes for getting benefits right are higher than ever, with another recent study showing over 60% of employees would leave their job for better benefits, even if it meant lower pay. Meanwhile, the federal government has tried to address surprise medical bills through the No Surprises Act. The confusion is perhaps best captured by one startling statistic: most employees reportedly spend less than 30 minutes choosing their benefits, underscoring the need for clarity.
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