Employers grew more concerned about the high cost of pharmaceutical drugs last year, even as the White House rolled out a series of policies intended to lower prices of some popular medications.

Nearly three-quarters of employers said they were moderately, very, or extremely concerned about pharmacy costs being “unsustainable” in 2025, according to a recent report from NFP, a benefits consultancy that’s part of Aon. That’s up from 67% who expressed moderate to extreme concern about pharmacy costs in 2024.

The growing focus on pharmacy spending comes as employer health costs are projected to rise more than 9% this year, driven in part by coverage of costly GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Managing GLP-1 spending has become a strategy of its own, according to one NFP leader, who advocated for collaboration among CHROs, CFOs, and corporate boards to address this issue.

For more on how HR is seeking to control prescription drug spend, keep reading here.—CV

Burnout is a serious problem for workers in the UK, according to recent reports, so some companies are exploring new ways to help employees reconnect and destress.

Several employers in the UK have installed beehives “on rooftops, in courtyards, and car parks” as a way to help workers build community and reconnect with nature, the Guardian reported.

​​“There’s something very special—almost spiritual—about enabling your employees to take time away from work to see how nature has created the greatest example of how every business should run,” Chris Payne, co-founder of Green Folk Recruitment, told the Guardian.

For more on the creative wellness benefits UK employers are offering, keep reading here.—KP