Stop Wasting Your Benefits Budget on “Confusion Tax.”

May 19, 2026

An electrician in a navy blue uniform stands in front of an electrical panel, scratching his head in confusion while holding an "Employee Benefits Summary Plan Description" booklet. The text overlay asks, "What percentage of your benefit plan is actually being used?" and highlights three main concerns: Wasted Spend, Confused Employees, and Missed Opportunities. A final note reads: "Let's make sure your plan is working as hard as you do."

Is Your Benefits Plan Strategy or Just Expensive Wallpaper?

Most employers look at enrollment numbers or payroll deductions. But that’s not the real question.

The real question is: Are employees actually using the benefits you’re paying for?

Most companies know exactly what they spend on insurance every month. Far fewer know if their employees truly understand the plan, trust it, or know how to navigate it when it matters.

When they don’t, the friction shows up everywhere:

  • For CFOs: It’s higher claims, wasted dollars, and renewals that feel like a blindside.
  • For HR: It’s the “groundhog day” of repetitive questions and enrollment-season burnout.
  • For Owners: It’s that nagging feeling that you’re spending a fortune on a retention tool that isn’t actually retaining anyone.

Offering benefits is only the starting line. Helping employees understand and utilize them is where the real value lives.

Because a benefits plan sitting untouched in a booklet isn’t a strategy. It’s expensive wallpaper.

So, ask yourself: Are your employees using the plan the way it was meant to be used?

Al Schiebel – al@shopbenefits.com | 404-256-2171
An Oakbridge Insurance Agency partner