Your Role Goes Beyond Policies—It’s About Impact
If you advise on employee benefits, your work is about so much more than selecting plans. You’re guiding organizations through some of the most important decisions they’ll make about employee well-being. In a marketplace where benefits can feel interchangeable, your true value isn’t in what you sell—it’s in how you help clients use what they already have.
Cancer touches millions of employees and their families, yet many workplaces don’t have a clear plan to support those navigating a diagnosis or caring for a loved one. This is where you can make a difference—not by offering another product, but by showing clients how to maximize the benefits they’ve already invested in.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the perfect time to step up with a high-impact, human-centered service your clients likely need but may not know how to implement: a caregiving benefits map that ensures employees impacted by cancer receive the support they deserve.
The Problem: Most Organizations Struggle to Support Employees Affected by Cancer
Whether you’re a broker, HR consultant, or benefits advisor, you’ve likely seen it—organizations want to do the right thing, but they don’t know where to start. They may have excellent resources in place, yet employees either aren’t aware of them or don’t know how to apply them to their situation.
- Half of all people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
- 50% of employees struggle with whether to disclose their cancer diagnosis at work.
- Employers often want to provide meaningful support but fear added costs or operational disruptions.
Your role isn’t just about offering benefits—it’s about turning those benefits into real, tangible support for employees.
The real issue isn’t a lack of resources—it’s a lack of clarity. That’s where Benefits Mapping comes in.
The Solution: Benefits Mapping for Employees Impacted by Cancer
Most organizations already have the right benefits in place, but they aren’t being fully utilized. Instead of selling more, your job is to help connect their existing benefits to real employee needs.
By walking your clients through a caregiving benefits map, you help them build a workplace known for supporting employees during life’s toughest moments—without increasing costs.
Here’s how you can help them implement high-impact, cost-effective solutions:
- Health & Safety Measures
Ensure immune-compromised employees have access to remote work options, protective equipment, and flexible scheduling. - Financial Security
Help clients leverage disability insurance, critical illness riders, and financial assistance programs to support employees undergoing treatment. - Leave Donation Programs
Recommend peer-to-peer leave-sharing systems that allow employees to donate unused PTO to coworkers in need. - Cognitive Challenges & Workplace Adjustments
Offer education on “chemo brain” and provide strategies for supportive work arrangements to help employees experiencing cognitive challenges during treatment.
By guiding clients through these strategies, you shift from being just a benefits provider to a trusted advisor—helping organizations communicate human-centered solutions that align with their business goals while showing employees they truly care.
The Benefits Mapping Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for Benefits Advisors
To help your clients build a workplace that genuinely supports employees affected by cancer, follow this structured Benefits Mapping plan:
- Assess Current Benefits – Review existing benefits to identify gaps in caregiving support—from disability insurance to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Improve Communication – Help HR teams proactively communicate benefits to employees before they’re in crisis, ensuring they know how to access available support.
- Implement Simple, High-Impact Solutions – Recommend low-cost, high-impact measures, such as flexible scheduling or remote work, to accommodate employees undergoing treatment.
- Foster a Supportive Workplace Culture – Encourage initiatives like breast cancer awareness events or leave donation programs to build engagement and empathy.
By taking these proactive steps, you’re not just another benefits advisor—you’re a strategic partner helping organizations protect their most valuable asset: their people.
Conclusion: Differentiate Yourself in a Crowded Market
If you work in benefits, you’ve likely felt the pressure of commoditization—clients focusing on cost rather than the expertise and impact you bring. But the advisors who help clients make a real difference with their benefits will:
- Strengthen client relationships by delivering meaningful business value.
- Improve employee retention and engagement for their clients.
- Become the go-to expert for caregiving benefits solutions.
Organizations are actively searching for ways to better support employees facing medical challenges. Show them how to use their existing benefits to do it.
