Get the most out of your Qualtrics benefits in 2023

Benefits can be some of the best - and trickiest - parts of the employee experience. While a robust and responsive benefits program can provide employees with access to everything from health insurance to special stipends, navigating (and remembering!) all that is available can be a Herculean task. We spoke to our Benefits team to get their insights on how to get the most out of your benefits in 2023. 

Get to know your benefits

While it may go without saying, the best way to start maximizing your benefits is to explore what your company has on offer and just what each benefit covers. Often people don’t realize that something is covered by their benefits, sometimes because of the name of the benefit or the term that is used to categorize a specific item. This means that people leave opportunities to maximize their benefit use on the table - sometimes resulting in the employee experience feeling less stellar than it could be.

Most teams that handle benefits have flyers and other written material that they can share which give high-level overviews of what each program has to offer. The Qualtrics Benefits team recommends that if you see a feature of your benefits program that is similar to coverage you’re looking for, reaching out to your provider to ask about coverage is a great way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your benefits. While each company’s benefits team will have solid knowledge of coverage, the actual provider will have the most robust information and can help you plan how to maximize your coverage. 

A total rewards mindset

It’s not just learning about the specifics in a particular part of a program that can help you maximize your experience, but ensuring you know about everything your company may offer. For many, the term “benefits” may only mean the program features that they opt into every year, when their actual benefits program encompasses a much wider range of offerings. Understanding everything on offer - from paid benefits to company discounts to company-sponsored partnerships - helps to ensure you’re making the most of what your employer has on offer. To understand where you might get started, we’ve assembled a list of benefits provided to the team at Qualtrics. 

Wellness takes the driver’s seat

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

An EAP gives you 24/7 access to support, resources, and information regarding topics such as: Wellness, Relationships, Work & Education, Financial, Legal, Lifestyle, Home & Auto, and Working Abroad. There are a multitude of podcasts, videos, on-demand trainings, and articles on these topics. You can even speak directly with a guide who will answer your questions and, if needed, refer you to a counselor or other resources. 

Many companies moved to offering EAP programs during the pandemic. To maximize your experience, make sure you check with your benefits team to see if an EAP is on offer where you work.

Qualtrics employees can explore the Wellness Benefits page on the company intranet for more information on your EAP program by country.

Experience Bonus

After your first year at Qualtrics, you have access to the yearly Qualtrics Experience Bonus! This bonus can be used for an “experience” of your choosing. Some team members have chosen to use the bonus for vacations, concert or event tickets, home improvement projects, or to become pet owners. 

In some companies, similar bonuses and other stipends refresh annually. Make sure you understand what’s available so you don’t miss out.

Qualtrics employees can explore the Experience Bonus page on the company intranet for the bonus amounts by country.

Ginger 

Starting in 2023, Qualtrics employees will gain access to Ginger. Ginger offers high-quality, on-demand mental healthcare and employees will have unlimited access to their behavioral health coaching and guided self-care resources. Video-based therapy and psychiatry services are covered up to eight (8) sessions per person per year. 

While not all companies offer dedicated mental health benefits, be sure to check any medical coverage to see what mental health coverage your employer may have added to your benefits. 

Wellness Reimbursement

Qualtrics administers our Wellness Reimbursement program through Forma. With Forma, you have the freedom to choose wellness options that are right for you. All eligible employees will receive a quarterly amount for eligible lifestyle expenses on the 1st of each new quarter. This benefit covers employees and their dependents.

A unique benefit like this may not be available at every company, but your employer may have negotiated rates at gyms or fitness stores, or may have opted for a health care policy that has a rewards program for participating in health-related activities. Be sure to investigate if your employer has added anything like this to your own programs. 

Qualtrics employees can visit the Wellness Reimbursement Program Policy page on the company intranet if they have additional questions.

Parental Leave

Qualtrics provides Parental Leave for Qualtrics employees welcoming children. While this policy varies by country, what remains consistent is the understanding that a major life event such as this is experienced by all individuals taking part in parenting a new child. The ability to take leave is supported for all parents, no matter how a child joins that family. 

When looking to maximize your parental leave, be sure to understand not only what your employer offers but what is also mandated at regional/governmental levels. Doing this research significantly before the arrival of your child, and having discussions with your manager in advance, ensures that you can feel in control of managing your parental leave experience.

Qualtrics employees can refer to their country’s page on the company intranet for more information regarding details of the Leave policy available.

Regional Shout-Outs

United States

HealthJoy 

HealthJoy is your one-stop shop for all your healthcare needs. The app houses your benefits wallet, benefits concierge & chatbot, 24/7/365 telemedicine, medical bill review, Rx savings review, and more! 

While not all employers may offer this digital health assistant, many providers are giving better digital access to their services. Read up on your own programs to maximize the way you use your medical benefits.

Rightway

Many employers have pharmacy benefits on top of their medical benefits. These pharmacy benefits are often underutilized by people, and should be something to inquire after when you’re understanding what your employer has to offer.

At Qualtrics, Rightway is our new 2023 Pharmacy Benefits Manager. Their health guides are trained professionals dedicated to simplifying the prescription medication experience for you. They provide benefits education, support you as you access care, and take care of actions for you. If necessary, your health guide will connect you with a Rightway pharmacist. They are here to be your trusted advocate who can answer your questions and take action for your health and pharmacy needs. 

Qualtrics employees can visit the Rightway Website for general information or read their FAQs to maximize their own use of the benefit.

401(k) Match

Even if Retirement feels like a distant destination, making sure to research your company’s 401(k) will have future you singing your praises. 401(k) accounts can be complicated for even the most financially literate, so consider how a financial planner could help you in your goals. Sometimes, 401(k) providers will provide access to financial planners. It’s worth investigating what your plan has to offer.

The team at Qualtrics is pleased to offer to all full-time and part-time employees a 401(k) savings plan. The 401(k) plan gives you an opportunity to prepare for retirement through pre-tax contributions, Roth contributions, and after-tax contributions. You can contribute between 0% and 90% of your base pay and/or bonus/commissions. Qualtrics provides a safe harbor employer contribution equal to a 100% match on the first 5% of your earnings that you contribute, and the Qualtrics match is deposited into your account quarterly. 

Vacation and Personal Days

One of the MOST underutilized benefits is vacation. Ensuring that you’ve taken your time off is critical to your success and the success of the company. Oftentimes companies increase vacation days with tenure, so be sure to educate yourself on your own company’s vacation policy.

Qualtrics employees receive 15-25 days of vacation each year according to length of tenure and 5 personal days. Personal days do not carry over. Unused vacation days do not carry over from year to year unless you are based in California, Colorado, Alaska, Montana, or Nebraska. 

Members of the Qualtrics team can see our Time Off/Vacation page on the company intranet for more details.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

We offer 3 types of Flexible Spending Accounts at Qualtrics: Healthcare FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, and Dependent Care FSA. Please note that any unused funds left in these accounts by December 31 of each year will be forfeited per IRS regulations. HealthEquity’s site has a list of eligible expenses by account.

FSA accounts are excellent ways to maximize your health benefits and reduce the amount of tax you experience on your gross salary. If you believe you’ll use your health benefits during the year, or have a dependent whose care qualifies, then utilizing an FSA can be a great benefit to consider. Make sure to check if you enrolled in one - any unused funds expire at the end of each year. 

Extended Healthcare Coverage

Some employers have added additional healthcare coverage to their plans. At Qualtrics, we expanded our healthcare benefits to include up to $4,000 in annual travel expenses for specific healthcare services that are not available within 100 miles of your home. This benefit covers employees and their spouses, partners, and dependents enrolled on a Qualtrics medical plan. 

Discounts and Partnerships

Another way to maximize your company’s benefits is to find out if there are any pre negotiated discounts or partnerships that you could take part in. Some retail businesses partner with companies that purchase large volumes of their products. In other circumstances, with enough interest, some companies will provide a corporate discount or business passes. 

At Qualtrics, partnerships with some ski resorts allows employees to take part in purchasing season passes. And in some locations, local fitness centers have provided discounts to Qualtrics employees because of the volume of individuals in the area. While this doesn’t happen for every retailer or location, making sure you enquire about them can help benefits teams pursue these opportunities for you in the future.

The gift of feedback

One of our favorite features in the Qualtrics Benefits offering is the way that our program evolves. The Benefits team does an annual pulse to understand what features are most important to the team. Utilizing a conjoint study approach, the Benefits team takes the time to understand what means the most to the employee population. It allows them to select the most important benefits to prioritize and results in a more responsive Benefits program. 

Throughout the year, the Benefits team also receives feedback from the Qualtrics team at large. They learn about challenges or successes in different parts of the program and are able to use that information to ensure our vendors are the ones that we want to partner with in future years.

While not every company runs these kinds of studies, working with your benefits team to provide feedback is something any person can do. By sharing your stories of experience, your benefits team is better able to assess the impact of its vendors and look to make improvements.

Making the most of your benefits is a core way to elevate your employee experience. In 2023, make sure to remain curious about your benefits and other programs and candid in your feedback to make the most of what your employer has to offer.