Why Should Brokers Care About DE&I(B)?

By Jessica DePhillips and Michael Naumann

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive (Belonging) (DE&I(B)) continues to be a prevalent topic in our industry, as employers are increasingly prioritizing these initiatives.

We are both actively engaged in DE&I(B) initiatives within our organizations focused on workforce, workplace, and the marketplace, as well as participants on a Voluntary Benefits DEI Carrier Panel. As such, we wanted to collaborate and to share our thoughts with you on this important topic in our industry today, simply because employers are increasingly prioritizing these initiatives.

Employees are expecting more from their employers, starting with equal opportunities for employment, promotion and pay, and now including more customized benefits and other rewards. In a merciless job market, recruiting, keeping and motivating young team members isn’t just a good idea, it’s vital.

In order to do this, employers fall into one of two buckets:

1. Actively examining every aspect of their benefits, pay and job/growth opportunities to ensure they are relevant and effective across every employee segment; or

2. One incident away from doing so

When a client in the second bucket approaches you with an urgent need to review, augment or update their plans, you need to have an answer. But what if the incident that prompts the change is a pitch from a competitor who’s been proactively thinking and talking about DE&I(B) as a strategy, not just a requirement?

That is one reason brokers should care DE&I(B) is at the heart of so many organizations and their employees. Celebrating differences and providing an environment that fosters acceptance, is a step in the right direction.

Traditionally there is wiggle room in the benefits world: insured products can be filed in such a way as to leave room for flexibility of plan design and/or administration. Like the example above, yesterday you were okay advocating or providing a plan that did the right thing when push came to shove; today, the mere absence of clearly communicated intent presents a risk.

You cannot continue with the status quo be prepared to move out of your comfort zone, make mistakes and engage in a continuous journey of learning. For example:

- Avoid acronyms and emphasize everyday language

- Add non-binary gender descriptors in addition to he/she, him/hers

- Remove gender pronouns; use gender neutral names for family members:

- Replace “husband” and “wife” with spouse

- Replace “son” and “daughter” with children

- Streamline definition of “dependent”

- Update mental/nervous limitations

- Update alcohol/drug (substance) limitations

- Update age limitations to enroll and continue coverage

- Update elective surgeries exclusion sections (eg gender reassignment surgery inclusion)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is 30 years old. So is the language. The problem is, state variations, including Paid FML versions, have not just updated language, but updated eligibility compared to the OG. Keeping track is a pain, let alone keeping up with being compliant. There’s virtually no chance of a national omnibus plan coming along to standardize everything anytime soon (or ever), so that’s your chance. You can be a source of information but more important, an advocate for streamlined, cohesive policies While FML continues to evolve, we're fortunate there is a lot of data and resources available to stay informed. Start by subscribing to Matrix-Radarcom, a decade-old resource for insights into leave laws and regulations.

HR Departments are challenged – not just at enrollment time, but all the time. They are challenged to do more with less, now more than ever. They are required to communicate a universe of important information, all the time, to all corners of the ever-changing, ever evolving, multi-generational workforce. And communicate equitably to everyone. In order to consistently do this well, employers need guidance and direction. To the extent you can help resolve this problem, you are a hero.

Think of all the opportunities:

- Materials in multiple languages and media sources

- Live “experts” available to answer questions during specific periods

- Employer-sponsored, direct communication campaigns like SMS/text: People can delete emails without thinking; text messages may gain more traction

Brokers are employers, too. That means there’s someone in your organization thinking about DEI right now. How can you leverage that person/program? They have a vocabulary all their own, probably different from yours, but immediately relatable to your clients. Maybe there are shared programs, or programs primed and ready for sharing with key clients. How about recognition? Sponsoring or nominating clients for their leadership in DEI is a big win, but it requires you to know what they are doing, where, and why.

We all want to be a trusted advisor. To do so, that means fully understanding, valuing and supporting your client’s world view.

Many employers are prioritizing training in diversity, equity and inclusion, cultural competence and empathy. This helps employees learn about different cultures and perspectives, which can create a more inclusive workplace. How can you lead by example? Do you have something to add or content to share? Could you co-sponsor a program, maybe a train-the-trainer opportunity exclusively for clients?

Be proactive and ready to support your client’s needs and it will pay dividends in the end. After all, it’s not just about a reactive approach to DE&I(B) but strategically thinking ahead to how you can assist.

All of these ideas are ways we can collectively further develop DE&I(B) initiatives and can create an environment of belonging for our clients and their employees.

Jessica DePhillips, Voluntary Benefits Practice Leader for the Central/East Markets, and Co-Chair, Mercer Voluntary Benefits Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Jessica is responsible for developing solutions for employers in the mid-market and large/jumbo case employer segments, as well as serving as a regional Mercer Voluntary Benefits representative to align Marsh McLennan sister companies for cross-sell opportunities and other strategic solutions.

Michael Naumann, Worksite Practice Leader (Western US) for Reliance Matrix. Michael Naumann has over 23 years of diverse experience across employee benefits, enrollment solutions, affinity-based programs and third party administration. At Reliance Matrix, Michael creates sales and marketing strategies to accelerate worksite growth, drives business development, and influences product development.