Special Edition: Building a Total Rewards Plan for Every Employee

11/12/24 • 14 min

In this special “On Aon” episode, we take a closer look at one of the four key client megatrends impacting organizations around the world: the workforce. With new skills gaps emerging and employee preferences shifting, the pressure is on for business leaders to reimagine their rewards programs — including healthcare. Our experts focus on the current state of healthcare affordability, its impact on recruiting and retention, and what companies can do.

Experts in this episode:
Byron Beebe, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Human Capital
Farheen Dam, Health Solutions Leader, North America

[1:37] Key concerns regarding healthcare costs
[3:40] Healthcare affordability refers to both the employee and the employer
[6:07] The impact of healthcare affordability on employee recruiting and retention
[8:31] Strategies for tackling the challenges of healthcare affordability
[11:07] The urgency of addressing accessibility issues

Additional Resources:

2024 Client Trends Report: Better Decisions in Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce

On Aon Special Edition: 2024 Business Decision Maker Survey

On Aon Special Edition: Aon’s 2024 Client Trends Report

2024 Business Decision Maker Survey

The Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2025

Tweetables:

“We’re still feeling the impact of inflation from after the pandemic.” — Farheen Dam
“Historically when we use the term affordability, we think about it in terms of individuals.” — Farheen Dam
“The reality is that total reward budgets are being swallowed up by healthcare just to maintain the status quo.” — Farheen Dam
“In order to build the most robust and valuable total rewards package they can, employers have to address healthcare spending.” — Farheen Dam
“In this high trend environment, doing nothing simply isn’t an option for employers.” — Farheen Dam

Experts in this episode:
Byron Beebe, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Human Capital
Farheen Dam, Health Solutions Leader, North America

[1:37] Key concerns regarding healthcare costs
[3:40] Healthcare affordability refers to both the employee and the employer
[6:07] The impact of healthcare affordability on employee recruiting and retention
[8:31] Strategies for tackling the challenges of healthcare affordability
[11:07] The urgency of addressing accessibility issues

Additional Resources:

2024 Client Trends Report: Better Decisions in Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce

On Aon Special Edition: 2024 Business Decision Maker Survey

On Aon Special Edition: Aon’s 2024 Client Trends Report

2024 Business Decision Maker Survey

The Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2025

Tweetables:

“We’re still feeling the impact of inflation from after the pandemic.” — Farheen Dam
“Historically when we use the term affordability, we think about it in terms of individuals.” — Farheen Dam
“The reality is that total reward budgets are being swallowed up by healthcare just to maintain the status quo.” — Farheen Dam
“In order to build the most robust and valuable total rewards package they can, employers have to address healthcare spending.” — Farheen Dam
“In this high trend environment, doing nothing simply isn’t an option for employers.” — Farheen Dam

Previous Episode

Better Being Series: Understanding Burnout in the Workplace

Burnout is on the rise everywhere. Understanding and managing burnout not only benefits employees but also improves the bottom line. Today’s Better Being episode focuses on the increasing dangers of burnout, warning signs that burnout is building and strategies for preventing – rather than merely coping with – the work stressors that lead to burnout.

Experts in this episode:
Rachel Fellowes, Chief Wellbeing Officer, Aon
Christina Maslach, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley

[3:58] Classification of burnout as a stress response
[11:00] The danger of viewing burnout as a disease
[12:28] Three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory
[14:58] Symptoms of classic burnout patterns
[17:21] Six areas of mismatch that result in burnout
[23:03] Effective strategies for burnout improvement
[24:18] Distinguishing between coping and prevention

Additional Resources:

Aon’s website

Better Being Series: Are You Taking Care of Your Digital Wellbeing?

Better Being Series Dives into Women’s Health

Rachel Fellowes LinkedIn

Aon’s Workplace Wellbeing

Aon’s 2022-2023 Global Wellbeing Survey

Christina Maslach Resources:

UC Berkeley Psychology Website

UC Berkeley Research

Social Psychology Network

Maslach Burnout InventoryTM (MBI)

The Burnout Challenge

Tweetables:

“[Burnout] is not a pathology itself, but it's the lack of recovery afterward that really becomes the problem.” — Christina Maslach
“With burnout, employees are switching from doing their very best to doing the bare minimum.” — Christina Maslach
“We need to recognize burnout as a phenomenon that can happen in the workplace because of the health consequences it can have.” — Christina Maslach
“We should not honor increasingly difficult jobs by just coping with it, we should get rid of some of these stressors or make them less frequent.” — Christina Maslach

Next Episode

The Future of Healthcare: Key Factors Impacting Medical Trend Rates

Aon’s 2025 Global Medical Trend Rates Report analyzes the factors driving medical costs around the world. In this episode, Aon experts discuss the best strategies companies can explore to help mitigate rising costs — now and in the future.

Experts in this episode:
Celine Ng Tong, Global Benefits Consultant
Kathryn Davis, Global Benefits Data and Analytics Leader

[1:17] In-depth overview of the report findings
[3:55] Trends in weight management drug costs
[6:25] Proactive healthcare cost management strategies

Additional Resources:

Aon’s website

The Global Medical Trend Rates Report 2025

Special Edition: Building a Total Rewards Plan for Every Employee

2023 Global Medical Trend Rates Webinar

Tweetables:

“This is the first time since 2021 that the trend rate has been projected to be lower than the previous year.” — Kathryn Davis
“What employees are still struggling with, with their health, and what is driving these costs, hasn’t changed in ten years.” — Kathryn Davis
“Effective wellbeing programs are an excellent option that keep employees healthier and save medical costs.” — Kathryn Davis