For years, employee benefits have been viewed as an unavoidable expense. Scott Kirschner believes that's the wrong way to look at them.

In this episode of Broken Benefits, Lee Lewis sits down with one of the industry's most respected benefits leaders to explore how thoughtful benefits strategy can become a catalyst for business growth, employee engagement, and long-term organizational success.

Rather than focusing solely on controlling healthcare costs, Scott explains why the most successful organizations approach benefits as a strategic investment. From building credibility with executive leadership to aligning benefits with broader business objectives, he shares the lessons learned throughout a career spent proving that better healthcare decisions can deliver measurable business value.

The conversation explores why benefits leaders should think like business executives, how data and financial discipline influence decision-making, and why innovation often begins with asking better questions.

Whether you're a benefits professional, HR executive, CFO, or business leader, this episode offers practical insights into transforming benefits from a cost center into a competitive advantage.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:41 Why Better Benefits Are a Business Strategy

5:12 The Biggest Mistake Employers Continue to Make

10:03 Benefits Are About More Than Healthcare

15:18 Creating Value Employees Actually Notice

20:44 Why Cost Cutting Alone Doesn't Work

26:07 Building a Benefits Strategy Around People

31:54 The Data Employers Should Be Paying Attention To

37:46 Measuring Success Beyond Claims Costs

43:38 How Leadership Shapes Employee Experience

49:57 The Future of Employer-Sponsored Benefits

55:46 Final Advice for Benefits Leaders