Employers play a role in advancing health equity

Recruiter. Government regulation expert. Employee benefits administrator. Payroll processor. Therapist and confidante. Strategic advisor. In recent years HR roles have expanded far beyond what any of us could’ve expected.

 

There’s no question that you and your team deserve a long winter’s nap. But first, there’s another challenge for us all to address together. In our recent conversations with HR leaders here at Jellyvision, one theme has remained present: diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a top priority. Employers are looking for ways to meet employees’ increasing expectations to rectify the United States’ long history of discrimination and make way for a more inclusive workforce.

 

Addressing systemic and institutional systems of inequity can be both an incredible and overwhelming opportunity, and it can be difficult to determine where to start. As we (and our workforces) ask how company leaders can better support and create space for a diverse range of employees, there’s one blind spot we should prioritise: health equity.

 

While it’s clear that the socioeconomic disparities in our healthcare system deserve some much-needed attention, health equity isn’t yet at the forefront of our conversation about DEI in the workplace – and it should be.

 

According to a recent Jellyvision study, 29 percent of HR professionals have never even heard the term “health equity”. Less than half say they understand what health equity is, and 30 percent say they don’t understand it at all. And even when there’s awareness, companies have been slow to address health equity: 15 per cent of HR professionals say their organizations aren’t doing anything on this front, and 44 per cent say their organizations have only started working towards health equity within the past two years.

 

In short, making health equity a reality for people is not only imperative – it’s urgent. 

 

Now is the time to prioritize health equity

 

If you’re new to health equity, it’s okay. We’re all learning together, so let’s start with a definition from the experts. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says health equity means increasing opportunities for all employees to live their healthiest lives, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make.

 

While this definition seems straightforward, a history of healthcare discrimination since America’s inception has driven inequities that exist to this day. Among countless statistics, Black Americans face higher mortality rates from heart disease, cancer and strokes than white Americans. More than half – 52 percent – of women say that their weight has been a barrier to receiving appropriate healthcare. And one in four insurance providers don’t offer coverage for same-sex couples.

 

So as we look to remain competitive in today’s job market and work to retain the staff we have, it’s time to figure out where there are gaps in our healthcare offerings and start course-correcting now.

 

Employers are uniquely positioned to address this problem

 

You may be inclined to write off healthcare inequities as a macro problem that can only be solved by better government oversight, medical practice reform or a more concerted effort from insurance providers. And you’d be right in making those assumptions. But employers insure half of the people in this country, and we have a unique opportunity to meaningfully impact more equitable healthcare access and outcomes.

 

While companies invest a lot of resources to provide benefits that meet the needs of their employees, there’s a disconnect in how those benefits truly support health equity. For example, three quarters of HR professionals say employees at their organizations have equal access to healthcare, and 78 percent believe their employees understand the health services available to them. But one in five employees say their employer’s health plan is not easy to use. Asian employees are 11 percent less likely to know where to find information about their healthcare and benefits than their white counterparts. And LGBTQ employees are 17 percent less likely to understand their benefits than the general population.

 

The good news: HR pros are ready to do the work: 82 percent agree that working towards health equity is the right thing to do for all organizations, and 86 percent agree or strongly agree that advancing health equity among the workforce is an important responsibility of human resources professionals.

 

Advancing health equity together

 

We can’t advance health equity alone – 77 percent of HR leaders agree on that. But organizations have a moral imperative to try. Regardless of your experience with health equity, we must commit to addressing this topic together. As employees’ primary healthcare insurance providers, HR leaders can play a role in addressing the imbalances in healthcare access at their own organizations, and ensuring employees know about, understand and are taking full advantage of the resources they’re being provided with.

 

Initial steps to address health equity in your company include figuring out where there are gaps in your healthcare offerings. Get to know the needs of your individual employees and tailor our benefits communication strategies to unique employee populations. Ask your workforce what other benefits and resources would be most helpful and do everything you can to provide them.

 

Let’s educate ourselves to make sure our workforces have adequate access to healthcare, when and how they need it. You don’t have to be an expert, and you don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to start sometime. Healthcare inequalities have existed for centuries, and employees are looking to HR teams for solutions. Now feels like an excellent time to start.

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Read Jellyvision’s full report, It’s Time to Confront the Health Equity Problem (And HR Pros Say It Starts with Them).

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by Turiya Gray, Chief People Officer, Jellyvision