You may feel as though medical benefits get more attention from your employers, but make no mistake: voluntary benefits are in the spotlight. Employers want them, employees want them—they’re no longer an afterthought.

What are voluntary benefits?

Voluntary benefits, or supplemental insurance, are benefits and services offered to employees by employers through the workplace; most often paid for by the employees through payroll deductions, while the employer pays for the costs of benefits administration. Voluntary benefits may include:

• Dental
• Vision
• Disability
• Emergency Transportation
• Long Term Care Coverage, and much more

So why are voluntary benefits so popular?

When employers expand their benefits package to include voluntary benefits, it gives employees feel more valued leading to better morale and retention. Employers want to offer these benefits because they are understanding the oral health-overall health connection—that healthy teeth equal better overall health, which equals a healthy workforce with less absenteeism.

Need more reasons why voluntary benefits aren’t an afterthought? Here you go!

Low cost to employers. Voluntary benefits are a great way to provide employees with the benefits they want with little or sometimes no cost to the company.

Employee retention. Companies with robust benefits packages see less employee turnover and find it easier to attract quality prospective employees.

Group rates. The purchasing power of your group gives employees access to voluntary benefits at low group rates.

Reduce out-of-pocket expenses. Dental, life, short-term disability, and vision, help employees handle out-of-pocket costs that can come with serious accidents or illnesses — costs major medical insurance is not designed to cover.

Promote goodwill with employees. By giving employees the ability to choose from options that fit their and their family’s healthcare needs, your groups are showing care for employees’ situations—which goes a long way.

For these reasons, you should definitely not put voluntary on the back burner.