Employee Benefits Market Check Survey: Enhancements to Employee Benefits Offerings

In today’s uncertain economic climate, employers face growing pressure to manage costs while continuing to support employee well-being and workplace satisfaction. Since benefits play a critical role in both attracting and retaining top talent, organizations must carefully balance offering competitive packages with staying within budget.

On April 17, we conducted a survey to better understand whether employers are planning to add or enhance employee benefits. The results are summarized below.

*Results based on 160 employer respondents.  Responses were open-ended and have been categorized into “Yes,” “No changes planned,” or “Considering/Unsure” for clarity and consistency in analysis.

Key Findings

While two-thirds of employers indicated they are not currently planning changes to their benefits offerings, several noted that they regularly evaluate their packages for competitiveness or have recently implemented improvements. Several respondents expressed interest in enhancing benefits but cited budget constraints as a barrier.

Among those planning to expand offerings, ideas ranged from student loan assistance and wellness programs to pet insurance, bonus incentives, advocacy services, retirement plan enhancements, EAPs, and more.

In today’s volatile economy, the importance of continuous benefits evaluation cannot be overstated. Workforce expectations, financial pressures, and market dynamics are constantly shifting. Staying attuned to benefit trends can reveal opportunities to improve employee support, often without significantly increasing costs. Low-cost or no-cost options, such as voluntary benefits, can still have a meaningful impact on recruitment, retention, and morale. Make sure you’re fully leveraging all available options – including any value-adds provided by your carriers, such as an EAP or financial wellness tool. Even in lean budget years, a proactive approach ensures your benefits strategy remains aligned with employee needs and your organization’s talent goals.

Should you have any questions regarding any of this information or want to discuss your employee benefits strategy, please contact your local Assurex Global adviser.