Dive Brief:

• Despite the critical importance of health insurance and retirement benefits, many employees remain misinformed about the best strategy for their needs, according to an article at InsuranceNewsNet.
• Because many employees don’t fully comprehend the insurance options their employers offer, some make ill-informed choices regarding their future needs, writes Veer Gidwaney, CEO and co-founder of Maxwell Health.
• Education must begin by addressing current misunderstandings. And when it comes to health insurance and retirement savings, misunderstandings only intensify. 

Dive Insight:

While Gidwaney's aricle is mainly aimed at insurance carriers and brokers, the overall message is one that HR and benefits leaders should heed. 

Employers should never assume workers have the insurance and retirement equation figured out. Those unsure about the best advice to give employees should consider partnering with a brokerage firm; this gives the employees access to financial advisors, for example.

In short, HR needs to engage its insurance broker and understand that cooperation is key when building relationships between the employee, the employer and the broker. Most employees want to save for the future and make earnest efforts to do so — many just lack the necessary information to make the most informed decisions. HR can step in and help maximize their options.