Financial security is top of mind for many employees and is a big part of creating a positive long-term effect on their lives and well-being. (Photo: Shutterstock)

As health care and related core benefit costs increase, so does the financial squeeze on your company and your employees. Add to the mix a competitive job market, with unemployment holding steady at 3.8 percent, you're faced to up the ante of your recruitment and hiring strategies. Now is definitely the time to embrace new, creative ways to get and keep that top talent through progressive benefits, while offsetting the rising cost of healthcare.

For the past six years the year-over-year increase in health care premiums has held steady at 5 percent, making the total increase 55 percent for average family premiums. Who can keep up with this? Health care costs are inflating faster than wages are growing and now represent 12 percent of total take home wages—that's a 100 percent increase from 30 years ago.

Related: Americans fear health care costs could bankrupt them, hurt economy