How Healthcare Benefits Help Construction Retain Top Talent

Welcome to Episode 101 of I'm The Gaffer

Gavin Coyle talks healthcare strategy & employee benefits with Donovan Pyle – Founder & CEO of Health Compass Consulting, author of "Fixing Healthcare," and the expert who's helping construction companies save millions while delivering better care to their teams.

If you're a construction owner wondering "How do I keep good employees?" or "Why is healthcare so expensive?" – this episode is your blueprint.

We cover:
– Why healthcare plans are your secret weapon for attracting and retaining talent in competitive labor markets
– The rigged system: how brokers misalign incentives and make MORE when your costs go up
– Donovan's journey from the music industry to healthcare consulting
– The $4,000 per employee you're wasting on healthcare (25% of total spend is pure waste)
– Pre-tax benefits advantages: why benefits beat salary increases dollar-for-dollar
– Employee Benefits Voice: the survey tool that reveals what your team actually values
– Pet insurance to concierge doctors: surprising benefits employees want
– Building fiduciary committees for smarter healthcare governance
– The shocking connection between employee turnover and workplace safety incidents
– How to budget for benefits: $500-$3,000/month per employee explained
– Free resources to optimize your healthcare plan and eliminate waste

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Episode Highlights:
00:00 Intro + Hustro sponsor
00:26 “The Game Is Rigged” — why healthcare lacks transparency
01:02 Welcome to the show + guest intro: Donovan Pyle
02:20 Donovan’s journey: music → insurance → healthcare consulting
04:40 Why healthcare plans matter in construction businesses
05:25 Using benefits to attract & retain talent post-COVID
06:20 The real cost of employee turnover
07:10 Why benefits can outperform salary (tax advantage explained)
08:21 Understanding what employees actually value
10:18 Surprising benefits employees care about (pet insurance)
11:35 Designing flexible benefits for diverse teams
13:08 Global perspective: healthcare taxation & policy differences
15:11 Why traditional brokers are misaligned
16:20 Unbiased consulting model & fiduciary responsibility
18:40 Hustro sponsor message (construction productivity)
19:25 Healthcare transparency laws & disclosure requirements
21:06 Hidden waste in employer health plans
22:23 Role of HR, CFO & leadership in benefits decisions
23:41 Fiduciary committees & governance frameworks
24:30 Innovative benefits: concierge primary care
26:45 Keyman insurance & cyber risk protection
29:33 What employee benefits really cost (US benchmarks)
31:31 Benefits as a strategic & exit-planning advantage
33:05 Maturity model: aligning incentives & shared-savings caution
34:43 Conference workshop: measuring benefits value
36:12 Final insights, mindset lessons & how to contact Donovan

FREE RESOURCES FROM DONOVAN
Download the free executive summary of "Fixing Healthcare"
→ https://fixinghealthcare.com

CONNECT WITH DONOVAN
LinkedIn →   / donovanpyle  
Website → https://donovanpyle.com
Company → Health Compass Consulting
Book → "Fixing Healthcare" (available on Amazon)


I'm The Gaffer, hosted by industry expert Gavin Coyle, is the essential podcast for construction people, offering insider insights, expert interviews, and actionable strategies to blueprint unprecedented success in the dynamic world of construction. Whether you are still 'on the tools', just getting started, a seasoned site manager focused on large-scale project management, or a fast-growth building industry entrepreneur/developer, this podcast is for you.

Gavin's guests, ranging from influential thought leaders to boots-on-the-ground practitioners, share their stories, successes, and failures, and offer invaluable lessons and tips, allowing you to have a 360-degree view of the construction landscape. This podcast is a must-have shared learning space for any person looking to achieve success in the building industry.

As a construction person, this podcast is your go-to source for navigating the complexities of the construction industry, where success is not just built; it's crafted with precision, passion, and the right knowledge.

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