Notes from our expert team.

Student loan debt is a financial pressure point for a large share of the workforce, and most employers still aren't doing anything about it. That changed meaningfully in 2025: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made employer student loan repayment assistance a permanent tax-free benefit under Section 127, removing the expiration date that had kept many employers from building real programs around it. Combined with the SECURE 2.0 401(k) match provision, which lets employers make retirement contributions on behalf of employees who are paying down loans instead of saving, there are now two distinct and complementary tools available. With only 14% of employers currently offering student loan assistance, this is still a genuine differentiator for recruiting and retention.

CFOs don't see benefits as a business investment by default. That's HR's job to change. This post gives HR leaders a practical framework for quantifying benefits ROI in financial terms, covering turnover costs, absenteeism, health plan spend, and what finance teams actually want to see when you walk into that conversation.

Most self-funded employers have access to more data about their health plan than they realize, and most of them aren't using it. Claims data shows exactly where your money is going, which cost drivers are structural vs. one-time, and where there's room to intervene. This guide breaks down what's actually in a claims report, how to spot what matters, and how to work with your broker to turn findings into concrete action before your next renewal.

Most employers accept annual rate increases from their carrier without ever seeing the data behind them. Self-funding changes that, giving HR leaders control over plan design, cost management, and the claims data that makes smarter decisions possible. The transition takes planning, the right partners, and a clear strategy. This guide walks through all of it.

Parental leave has become one of the clearest signals employees use to evaluate whether a company's values hold up in practice. This post gives HR leaders the benchmark data they need to evaluate where their policy stands, understand what employees actually expect in 2026, and make the case internally for going above average.

Employee wellness programs deliver measurable ROI, but only when they're designed to address all three pillars of wellbeing: physical, mental, and financial. This guide breaks down the most common design failures that keep programs from delivering, what leadership participation actually looks like in practice, and a three-step framework for building a wellness strategy that drives real business results.

Lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs) are employer-funded benefits that give employees flexible dollars to spend across a defined set of categories, from fitness and mental health to childcare, professional development, and beyond. Unlike traditional benefits that assume a one-size-fits-all workforce, LSAs put choice in the employee's hands, increasing perceived value without necessarily increasing employer spend. This guide covers what LSAs are, how they work, what they typically cover, and what HR leaders should weigh before adding one to their benefits strategy.

Most people with an FSA or HSA are leaving money on the table. This guide covers 30+ eligible items you can buy with pre-tax dollars in 2026, from massage guns and fertility tests to light therapy masks and dental aligners, plus a year-end checklist so you never forfeit your balance again.

Women make up the majority of the HR profession and are increasingly reshaping benefits strategy with workplace equity as the explicit goal. Equity in the workplace means giving employees access to what they actually need to participate and advance, not just equal access to the same resources. For HR leaders, that distinction has real implications for how benefits are designed, what gets measured, and which gaps are worth closing. This post breaks down what equity-driven benefits look like in practice, why women in HR are leading the charge, and how any HR leader can start applying the same framework.

Choosing between an HDHP and a PPO is one of the most important financial decisions employees make each year, yet most people do it without the full picture. This guide breaks down how high deductible health insurance actually works, who it's a smart fit for, and where it can backfire, including real talk on costs, HSA benefits, and what families with frequent care needs should watch out for. Whether you're an HR leader building your benefits strategy or an employee staring down open enrollment, here's what you need to make the right call.

Women's health is a career-long conversation, but most benefit packages treat it as a single moment. This piece breaks down six areas where employer coverage still falls short, from menstrual and hormonal health to menopause and chronic conditions, and highlights what leading companies are doing differently. Whether you're an HR leader benchmarking your benefits or an employee who's felt the gaps firsthand, it's a look at what genuinely inclusive coverage can look like.

Ancillary employee benefits, like wellness programs, flexible work options, and financial wellness tools, go beyond traditional offerings to support employees' full lives and boost satisfaction, productivity, and retention. This guide breaks down the types of ancillary benefits, how to implement them effectively, and why they’re essential in a modern, people-first workplace. With actionable tips and real-world examples, it's your roadmap to building a benefits package that truly stands out.