Employers today are doubling down on reducing costs and improving employee engagement. Our survey of more than 1,300 HR leaders reveals 45% of respondents cite both “driving down total spend” and “engaging our workforce” as top strategic priorities. In the face of dueling employee benefits goals, however, it’s clear that HR leaders will need to evaluate and reinvent their benefits programs.
These days, leaders are looking to derive more value from every dollar they spend and as a leading cost driver, employee benefits top the list. An important part of this conversation isn’t just what benefits are offered, but why — and how they can serve your employees best. A striking insight from our 2025 Benefits Insights Report is the generational divide in how benefits are valued. These differences can be framed as “performance” vs. “delighter” benefits. The data tells a compelling story of shifting preferences and expectations across four generations in the workforce. It’s one that can elevate the advice of benefits brokers and advisers and bring a more strategic approach to employers’ benefits program design.
