The cost of healthcare is reaching a breaking point. The average employer’s healthcare spending is expected to rise by 8.5 percent this year, well above inflation—and that doesn’t even include the costs associated with health-related absenteeism and lost productivity, estimated on their own to be north of $575 billion annually.

To reverse these trends, well-intentioned employers have invested heavily in health benefits and wellness tools, ranging from mindfulness apps, to health coaches, to ready-to-use chronic condition programs, all to help employees manage common (and costly) health issues. And yet, nearly half of U.S. employees have difficulty understanding their health benefits, and only two-thirds are confident they’re taking advantage of those benefits. It’s all too overwhelming.

Sadly, even with all the resources at their disposal, America’s workforce isn’t getting any healthier, and employers are finding it more challenging than ever to engage employees in health and wellness—especially those who are struggling the most with their physical and/or mental health. Sure, companies have high-tech ways (analyzing health claims) and low-tech ways (flyers in the break room) of finding and nurturing at-risk individuals, but too many unwell people continue to fall through the cracks.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.