Rebooting benefits for a digital-forward workforce
High-tech employers know how to innovate. Applying that same discipline to health benefits may help improve employee well-being and their bottom line.
From coding sprints and product launches to remote collaboration and constant connectivity, work in the high-tech industry is fast paced, highly demanding and increasingly digital. Employees are tasked with managing complex systems, navigating constant technological shifts and meeting the expectations of users who want seamless experiences. For employers, it is about upholding innovation and market leadership on behalf of the customers they serve. This environment creates a distinct set of workforce considerations — and a clear mandate for employers to invest in health benefits that support employee performance and well-being.
Because this workforce tends to consist of younger, highly educated professionals who are typically digitally savvy, many understand the importance of work-life balance and tend to prioritize their mental and physical health.1 In fact, employees in this sector tend to be more likely to engage with a primary care provider (PCP) and have a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, as well as maternity claims compared to other industries.1 Yet, many still seek benefits that go beyond traditional medical coverage to encompass whole-person health.
When designing health plans, high-tech employers balance universal factors like cost, network access and compliance. Taking the industry-specific factors of their workforce into consideration is equally important to meeting health care needs. Company leaders must work together to ensure their benefits packages are not only competitive but also sustainable in the long term.
Cracking the code to better benefits
1. Prioritize mental health benefits
The high-pressure environment of the tech industry makes mental health support a critical component of any benefits package. Behavioral health issues, such as stress, anxiety, burnout and related risks of sleep and digestive disorders, are prevalent due to the high-pressure work environment.2 Employees have indicated access to mental health apps and enhanced employee assistance programs (EAPs) would be valuable resources to address their well-being.3 Employers can consider using these tools as a way of enhancing their employees’ well-being and creating healthier workplace cultures that are in tune with employee needs.3
2. Embrace digital health and virtual care
Given the industry’s comfort with technology, digital health tools are a natural extension of the employee experience. Employers can prioritize digital-first benefits and consider offering wearables, digital therapeutics, virtual health options and condition-management apps that may help monitor health and support care needs. The integration of digital health tools also extends to how employees interact more seamlessly with their health plans. For instance, as a consumer centric, copay-driven health plan, Surest® has become a top consideration for employers in this sector.
3. Support family planning and women’s health
As employees start families or plan for the future, the demand for family planning and women’s health* benefits becomes increasingly important. Given this industry’s high maternity-related costs, employers should look to provide access to women’s health support resources, such as contraception coverage, fertility support, doulas, maternity and neonatal services.1 In fact, 2 in 3 employers plan to invest in family health benefits within the next 3 years — a 44% increase from 2024.4 Employees are demanding more support across the full spectrum of women’s health, including fertility, maternal health and menopause care.5 Offering robust family planning benefits may be a key differentiator.
4. Choose a plan design geared to the employee population
The demographic makeup of this industry’s workforce may warrant offering a variety of plan designs that allow employees to choose the right plan for them and their families. For example, employers that provide traditional high deductible health plans (HDHPs) may also want to consider adding in a more modern plan design option that may further support these healthier, more engaged employees with intuitive digital experiences and upfront cost information. Employers may use quality provider networks or other strategies to help navigate employees to quality, lower-cost care options.5
5. Fostering a culture of well-being
Promoting overall health and wellness programs can help support employees looking to build healthy lifestyle habits. Gamifying these programs with leadership boards and team challenges can help boost engagement and create a culture of well-being based on healthy competition. To push this further, employers may consider adding an incentive-based aspect that rewards employees who complete certain healthy activities.
A trusted advisor for the high-tech industry
For employers in the high-tech industry, it’s critically important and in their best interest to invest in a carrier that can help them design benefits packages that enable simpler, more affordable and supportive care for their employees. With decades of experience serving clients across a spectrum of industries, UnitedHealthcare has the insights and strategic expertise to help employers in the high tech industry get more value out of their health plan.
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