Survey: Nearly a Quarter of Workers Ignore Employee Benefits Changes
With open enrollment season in full swing at companies nationwide, employees who miss out on benefits may be simply throwing money away. A new CareerBuilder.com survey reports that nearly a quarter of workers (23 percent) do not pay attention when new, potentially cost-saving benefits are offered by their company. The survey was conducted among more than 6,100 U.S. workers and more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals between Aug. 21 and Sept. 9, 2008.
The price tag for missed benefits can be high, notes the site. In fact, more than half of employers (52 percent) reported that missing open enrollment costs workers $250 or more in out-of-pocket expenses and 20 percent of employers said it costs workers $1,000 or more.
Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder.com vice president of human resources, suggests employees keep benefits on their radar and monitor HR communications and take advantage of the easily accessible opportunities to save money and improve their personal bottom line; speak if they have specific questions about their benefits plan or deductions; and be proactive by asking their employer about benefits they may not yet offer.