By Ashley Stahl, Originally Published in Forbes
After a friend’s dad passed away in a motorcycle accident, I promised myself I’d never hop onto one… Until a friend convinced me to give it a try in Bali last winter.
I hopped on.
We rode through the jungle for two minutes.
And a bug flew into my eye.
That turned into six doctor’s visits, a flight home to Los Angeles, a virus in my eye, and a $7,000 medical bill that my insurance wouldn’t cover. After shelling out $6,000 a year to have health insurance in the first place as an entrepreneur, I couldn’t help but wonder: do I live in a country where people cannot afford their own health?
Let’s face it, as much as it hurt to pay this amount for a quick ER visit and a few ganders at my retina, I could afford it.But it got me thinking, what about the people grinding it out every day to make a living who are suddenly facing these bills? When you consider that 66.5% of bankruptcies in the U.S. are due to medical bills, something has to change.
One population in the United States that is very concerned about healthcare, ironically, is Millennials (born 1980-2000). In a recent study, two-thirds of millennials admitted that they trust the healthcare system as it stands, with 37% rating U.S. healthcare as “terrible” or “poor.”
Why does it matter that millennials think this way? Well, considering that this generation makes up the largest portion of the workforce, and even with their reputation for job hopping, Deloitte found that they are the most loyal to employers who are willing to tackle the issues they value, you should care what they think about healthcare.
Here are four of the top views Millennials carry about healthcare, and how employers can evolve to meet the future needs of their workers.
1. Access and speed need to be a priority.
When it comes to doctor visits, Millennials are most dissatisfied about long wait times, office inefficiency, arduous bill payment systems, and inconvenient availability for booking appointments. A solution for this is that 74% of Millennials would prefer to book online. This isn’t too much of a surprise considering that Millennials are known for wanting things quickly and conveniently.
Although as an employer, you can’t control your doctor’s office, you can control the culture your office creates to encourage health and wellness among employees in their day-to-day lives. Establish a precedent in your office that your team’s health is a priority, and remind them that stepping away from the office to see a doctor is acceptable and encouraged.
Look into offering a few extra days of paid time-off to accommodate general doctors’ appointments or any emergency medical events. This way, employers don’t feel like they have to sneak away on their lunch break, use an entire sick day (when they’re not actually sick, and just going in for a check up), or worse, using a vacation day for an appointment that is necessary to upkeep their health. One survey found that 60% of people pick a healthcare provider simply due to their proximity.Don’t pigeonhole your employers into visiting doctors within a mile radius from your office.
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If you have the capabilities and resources, bring a doctor on-site periodically or offer annual health screenings on campus. Find avenues of convenience to bring healthcare and support to your employees.
2. Medical bills are on their mind before they consent to procedures.
Imagine being ill and avoiding a doctor because the fear of how much it may cost, outweighs the benefits of getting help. This scenario is pretty common, and why 54% of Millennials avoid seeing a doctor when they may know they need to.Due to the rise in out-of-pocket fees, 41% of Millennials, compared to 18% of seniors and 21% of Baby Boomers, are now requesting estimates before agreeing to treatment.
When establishing which medical providers to offer your employees, be sure to do your research on possible additional costs they’d face. Find the carriers with options best suited for your workers wellness... If you provide a few carrier options, know it will improve your retention if you help in explaining the plans and what costs do (or don’t) come with them. This will show that you understand what your employees value, and make the decision process easier on them.
3. Skepticism is high.
Nearly half of Millennials don’t have a relationship with a physician, and are even less likely to trust institutions than their older counterparts, such as Boomers and Gen-Xers. In fact, Millennials’ dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system has inspired a large portion of them to take their health into their own hands and seek alternative pathways. Being a tech-savvy generation, 55% of them believe the information they can find online is as reliable as visiting a doctor.
As an employer, look to provide online resources for health information within your company’s portal or internal platform. If you have a relationship with primary care physicians or a healthcare company, consider having a doctor available for onsite office hours, or look into the growing option of telehealth, and have a doctor available for Skype and phone calls.
4. Health is holistic.
Offer amenities that cater to preventative and holistic health. This could look like providing onsite access to dietitians, personal trainers, and acupuncture. Encourage healthy habits by offering access to fitness trackers or a health app to get the Millennial generation on board with their health. Since 27% of Millennials already report using a fitness app or device, they will appreciate your offer for something that helps them prioritize their health.
Health isn’t just a physical manner to Millennials. In a recent survey, 90% of Millennials cited wanting healthcare support that also covers their emotional and mental well being. This is perfectly supported by a recent report from Blue Cross Blue Shield, noting that diagnoses for major depression have risen 47% for the Millennial demographic with social media and debt largely to blame.
Just because Millennials view work, healthcare or the world as a whole differently than previous generations, it doesn’t mean they are working less. Burnout, a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, has impacted more than 84% of Millennials at some point in their careers thus far. Burnout causes a litany of health effects, such as, insomnia, heart disease, high blood pressure and substance misuse. Although there are ways to recover from it, having a strong healthcare plan and a supportive work environment is a must.
Just because something worked for generations prior, doesn’t mean it will work today.Start tuning into what the bulk of the workforce has to say when it comes to healthcare, and realize that the health of your team isn’t just a health issue, it’s a business issue.
Without a healthy staff, you can’t have a healthy business.
For a FREE course to land a new job you love, launch your dream business, or find your purpose, visit https://ashleystahl.com/
