83% of employees say better benefits makes them more productive

• Key Insight: Discover how integrated, navigable benefits materially boost employee productivity and employer reputation.
• What's at Stake: Risk losing retention, engagement and productivity edge to competitors with superior benefits.
• Forward Look: Prepare for rising demand in digital therapeutics, benefits navigation tools and holistic total-rewards.
• Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

It's no secret that better benefits lead to a more efficient workforce, but how much are employees with more comprehensive benefits actually outperforming their peers?

Employees who feel fully supported through comprehensive benefits report being significantly more effective at work, with 83% saying they are always or almost always productive at work, according to a recent survey from HR technology and services provider Alight. Only 70% of less-supported employees say the same, meaning that organizations have to meet employees' benefit needs if they want employees to meet their expectations. 

"There are definitely pockets where people are still feeling like they need more and want more," says Laine Thomas Conway, VP of delivery enablement and engagement at Alight. "But [overall], employees that are having an integrated benefits experience feel so much better about both themselves and about their employers."

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Sixty-seven percent of employees with comprehensive benefits plan to stay with their current employer, according to the survey's findings, 64% report an exceptional employee experience, 76% say they tell others great things about their organization when given the opportunity and 38% are even extremely likely to recommend their employer to others. Employees' engagement levels rise even higher when they feel as though those benefits are helping them improve their well-being. 

Thanks to better benefits, 62% of employees have even effectively managed their stress levels, Alight's survey showed. As a result, 49% rarely experience feelings of loneliness at work and 45% reported no symptoms of burnout at all. 

"If we can create these more holistic benefits ecosystems that really support employees, we free up time, energy and mind space," Conway says. "That way they can actually be more productive at work, as well as more productive in their own personal lives." 

The benefits employees want

The kinds of benefits employees consider valuable varies. Access to low-interest short-term loans, caregiving support, fertility services, digital therapeutics and mental health apps, higher pay and substance abuse resources are among the most appreciated offerings among users. 

But employees don't just want a list of available benefits; they want help navigating them, too. Less than half of new hires have a good understanding of their total rewards, which is why benefits like personalized health management, financial management and support learning about the health system and costs are also ranked highly among workforces. 

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"Leaders, are you offering more than just the basic benefits?" Conway says. "Not only that, but are you giving them the right tools and technologies and services to support them on their journey?"

Organizations looking to add to their total rewards packages should also be mindful of how intentional they're being with their communications. Workplace trust remains relatively low, according to Alight, with only 42% of new hires believing their employer would support them through a health or wellness challenge. Conway recommends organizations only speak on benefits they actually plan to roll out in the near future. 

"People can really see the authenticity in how employers are both talking and acting on benefits," she says. "They can tell when it's all fluff or it's all bluster. Leaders should be thinking about that as they strategize."