Using dental benefits to improve employee retention

Today, employee benefits are not only appreciated, they’re expected. Certain benefits, like Social Security and Medicare, workers’ compensation, time off for jury duty, and time off to vote, are required by law for full-time employees, but other benefits, like health insurance, are not necessarily a given. 

So where does dental coverage fit in? Do dental benefits help with improving employee retention? 

Let’s explore.

Why do employees leave their job?

Here are some of the top reasons employees decide to leave their job ¹:

• Better compensation (53% of the respondent).

• Better work/life balance (42% of the respondent).

• Better benefits (36% of the respondent).

• Career advancement opportunities (33% of the respondent).

• Desire to make a career change (33% of the respondent). 

What are some ways employers can improve employee retention? ²

Employer can make use of the following strategies to reduce employee turnover and boost morale:

• Improve the onboarding process
  It’s critical to make new employees feel welcome and part of the team. Make the onboarding process as simple as possible and offer employees hands-on support for enrolling in company benefits like dental and health insurance plans.
  
  
• Compensate employees more competitively 
  More than half of all workers are currently seeking to leave their company for higher pay.
  
  
• Focus on communication
  A lack of communication can lead to employees feeling devalued and more likely to seek employment elsewhere. Prioritize strong internal communication throughout the organization, especially when it comes to discussing complex topics such as employee health benefits.
  
  
• Offer training and development opportunities
  If employees don’t feel like they have opportunities to grow within their roles, they can feel stifled and be more likely to leave an organization for more career-development opportunities. Curb employees from leaving for this reason by investing in company training and development programs.
  
  
• Be open to feedback 
  If employees don’t feel like their concerns are heard or addressed, then you’re likely to have high company turnover. Develop confidential methods for gathering employee feedback to make people feel safe to voice their apprehensions and ideas.
  
  
• Offer health and dental benefits 
  A competitive benefit package ensuring basic health needs are met. Make sure you offer comprehensive coverage for health and dental care, including giving employees the choice between HMO and PPO insurance plans. 
  
  
• Dental insurance as an employee benefit
  About 90% of employers with 500 or more employees offer dental benefits. On the other hand, only 14% of employers with less than 10 employees offer dental coverage. However, dental benefits are increasingly becoming a priority to job seekers. With 78% of employees rating dental coverage as an important benefit, It would advisable for companies to offer dental insurance to remain competitive.

Top reasons dental benefits can improve employee retention

There are several reasons dental benefits can help make your company a star employer, including:

• Dental benefits can help you attract and retain top talent
  With dental benefits becoming increasingly important to job seekers, and many small businesses still not offering them, you have an opportunity to stand out from the crowd by offering dental benefits. Offering health and dental benefits shows that you care about the well-being of your employees, which improves company morale — it’s a win-win for all. 
  
  
• Dental coverage impacts your employees’ overall health
  Research also finds that many are unaware of how oral health and overall health are connected, as a significant number of people were unable to recognize the medical conditions that are linked to poor oral health, including strokes (38%), high blood pressure (37%) and diabetes (36%)³. Dental coverage makes it possible for employees to get regular checkups to maintain oral health and catch problems associated with diseases and medical conditions like diabetes and endocarditis early.  
  
  
• Employees with dental coverage miss fewer days of work
  Often, the reason that people skip going to the dentist is because of high costs. However, if employees miss a dental visit because of costs, it’s more likely that they’ll have to take time off from work later. Therefore, it’s important to encourage the use of dental benefits now and help limit the future number of days employees may need to be absent from work. 
  
  
• Preventive dental care can help avert more serious oral health problems
  Regularly seeing the dentist is incredibly important in preventing oral health problems like gingivitis, gum disease and cavities. 
   

While offering dental benefits to your employees is not required, they’re becoming increasingly important in attracting and retaining talent. Offering dental coverage is beneficial to employees and employers alike, since employees miss fewer days of work, their overall health improves, and company morale increases. If you’re interested in obtaining dental benefits for your employees, then check out dental coverage for small businesses and mid-large corporations.