The Beneficial Workplace features data-driven conversations about employee health and well-being. 

Host Emily Ferreira sits down with Mercer experts to discuss our latest survey research and what it tells us about how employers are designing their benefit programs and the trends we’re seeing ahead. 
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Latest episodes

Episode 12: Women's health: Now essential to an inclusive benefits program

Host Emily Ferreira speaks with inclusive benefits specialist Lindsay Bower on Mercer survey data in the area of women’s health and how employers are addressing their needs today, where gaps remain and what we see for future offerings.

Episode 11: Latest trends on prescription drug costs and GLP-1s

Emily Ferreira speaks with Senior Pharmacist Raymond Brown to discuss the most recent trends in prescription drug costs, pharmacy benefits and GLP-1s. 

Episode 10: Not just foosball and free food: Benefit shifts in the tech industry

Listen as Emily Ferreira and her guests Parshva Shah and Serafina Miller break down findings from Mercer’s Tech Total Rewards Survey.

Episode 9: Bills, benefits and burnout: Top-of-mind issues for employees

Emily Ferreira and Megan Connolly discuss new survey findings about what is keeping employees up at night and how employers can provide a more supportive work environment.

Episode 8: Health benefit cost increases for 2024 and beyond

Emily Ferreira delves into the preliminary cost increase data from the 2023 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans and speaks with Chief Actuary Sunit Patel on his thoughts on what's behind those increases and what we can expect looking forward.

Episode 7: The future of PTO and leave

Emily Ferreira and Shauna Bryngelson discuss the state of paid time off programs and address what’s on the horizon for flexibility in workplace leave programs.

Episode 6: Beyond the salary: addressing healthcare affordability for employees

Emily Ferreira and Mendy Stein talk affordability strategies in employer health plans ranging from traditional cost-sharing to value-based offerings in response to employee demand. 

Episode 5: Taking pride in your LGBTQ+ Benefits 

Emily Ferreira and Eliza Hilfer draw on recent research from family-building support to gender affirmation care trends in benefits that matter to LGBTQ+ employees.

Episode 4: Mental health beyond the benefits department

Emily Ferreira and Dr. Mary Kay O’Neill discuss stats on workforce mental health post-pandemic and how employers can create a supportive environment. 

Episode 3: Beyond the 50th percentile: Benefits for the modern workforce

Emily Ferreira and Amy Laverock discuss key takeaways from a new survey of 17,000+ workers worldwide on Gen Z, digital healthcare, health equity and more.

Episode 2: Embracing equity in women’s health and benefits

Emily Ferreira and Julie Campbell discuss gender gaps in health benefits and ways employers are thinking holistically about women’s health to close those gaps.

Episode 1: Better benefits in the era of rising costs

In this first episode, Emily and fellow researcher Beth Umland discuss the implications of shifting trends emerging from latest National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans.
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