How to Create Employee Benefits Strategies

75% of benefits go unused. But some companies just cracked the code. According to HR Dive, new data reveals what we've been sensing: 73% of workers are financially stressed, affecting everything from productivity to retention. The solution isn't adding more benefits - it's making the ones you have actually accessible. I'm inspired by the HR leaders who are reimagining this completely. One client discovered their lowest-paid employees weren't using the 401k match - not from lack of planning, but because every dollar went to necessities. So they increased base pay first. Participation jumped from 20% to 78%. Another realized their wellness programs competed with second jobs. They created paid wellness time. Suddenly, those yoga classes filled up. The most innovative approach I've seen? A tech company that asked every employee: "What would need to change for you to use every benefit we offer?" The answers transformed their entire compensation philosophy. Here's what's working: • Emergency savings programs before retirement matching • Paid time for benefits education during work hours • On-site services that eliminate travel costs • Benefits that scale with income levels • Financial coaching that meets people where they are 82% of workers say benefits matter when job hunting. But they're not looking for more perks - they're looking for benefits they can actually use. The opportunity is massive: Imagine if that 75% of unused benefits became 75% of employees thriving. Your culture transforms. Your retention soars. Your people become your greatest advocates. The companies leading this change understand: When you build benefits around real lives, not ideal ones, everybody wins. What would it take for every person in your organization to fully use their benefits? That's where transformation begins. #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeBenefits #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst #HRInnovation

HR managers should take this into account now in order to develop employee benefits that really help employees: 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝗻𝗱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Most benefit decisions for 2026 will be made in the coming weeks - often under time pressure, cost pressure, and “we’ve always done it this way” pressure. But the companies that get benefits 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 don’t start with vendors or budgets. They start with intention. Here’s what Benefits Managers should focus on 𝘯𝘰𝘸 to design benefits that actually work for employees: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 Challenge last year’s assumptions. What was renewed because it made sense - and what was renewed because it was easier? 2️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 Employees don’t think in policies and percentages. They think in life events: illness, family, financial stress, flexibility, security. If a benefit can’t be explained through a real-life moment, it won’t be valued. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 Low engagement is rarely a benefit problem. It’s a communication and education problem. Before expanding your portfolio, make sure people actually understand what already exists. 4️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 Global and diverse workforces don’t experience benefits equally. Look for gaps between white-collar and blue-collar employees, HQ and local teams, high earners and essential workers. Equity is built in the details. 5️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 Not just cost. Not just utilization. But clarity, confidence, and trust. Do employees know what they have? Do they know when and how to use it? Do they feel supported? 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲. And the best time to improve that promise is not during renewal season - it’s right now. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿? #employeebenefits #humanresources

It doesn't matter how amazing your benefits package if your team doesn't use it. I've learned that what I value might not be the same as what my team values. As I shared on Episode 136 of "Build to Enough," at Little Fish, I've implemented unique benefits that make my employees feel valued while also recognizing that they are human. For example, I offer "Sick and Sad Days"—time off that isn't counted against anyone if they're sick or just can't do it that day. I wanted to ensure they have room to take time off when they aren't at their best. We also close for five weeks out of the year: one week during spring break for tax season, one week at the end of summer, and two weeks at the end of the year. These breaks are automatically built in and fully paid for everyone. We offer flexible work hours with some overlapping core hours, but they can work at a time that suits them best. Plus, we have an annual all-expenses-paid company retreat, a 401k match, and internet reimbursement. Now, I didn't start with all of this. Bit by bit, I figured out what made the most sense for the business and what the team actually wanted. If you're looking to develop a benefits package that truly supports your team, here are some steps to consider: 1. Assess your team's wants and needs - Ask them what they value and what perks would make a difference in their lives. 2. Prioritize core benefits - Focus on essentials like PTO, health benefits, and retirement plans, but don't forget to explore other perks. 3. Research your options - There are many health and retirement plans available for small teams. Do your homework to see what will work best for your team (and your budget 😉 ). 4. Consider supplemental benefits - Look for inexpensive perks that have a significant impact, like flexible hours or remote work options. 5. Maximize your budget - Allocate a specific amount for benefits and make the most of it. Seek group buying opportunities and tiered benefits to offer more without overspending. 6. Review and adjust regularly - Benefits aren't a set-it-and-forget-it deal. As your team evolves, so should your benefits package. Creating a benefits offering that truly supports your team not only helps retain your current employees but also makes your company a place where people want to work.

Every year, HR rolls out amazing benefits packages… and every year, employees either ignore them or realize too late what they had. Why? Because benefits communication is broken. Here’s how to actually make benefits visible, valuable, and used: 1️⃣ Know What Actually Matters Benefits aren’t one-size-fits-all. - Health insurance is gold. In some countries? It’s irrelevant. - Early-career employees want student loan help. - Parents- Flex time. HR needs to segment benefits messaging like a marketer—not just blast generic emails. 2️⃣ Build a Benefits Guide People Actually Read Fix the long, complicated, benefits guide - Use plain language (if it sounds like legal jargon, rewrite it). - Centralize everything in a digital portal (no one wants to search email chains). - Link directly to forms & enrollment pages (fewer clicks = more action). And please, make it mobile-friendly. 3️⃣ Timing Is Everything Dropping all benefits info at once? Overload. Instead, align benefits messaging with real-life moments: - Open Enrollment? Focus on healthcare options. - Summer? Promote work-life balance perks. 4️⃣ Addressing Barriers to Benefits Utilization Most employees don’t think about benefits until they need them—by then, it’s often too late. - Streamline offerings so employees actually use them. - Email campaigns, push notifications, and in-app reminders keep benefits top of mind. - Targeted communication matters → Growing families? Highlight maternity/paternity benefits. Burned-out employees? Push mental health support programs. When employees actually remember their benefits, they use them. 5️⃣ Make It Engaging (Yes, Really) No one wakes up excited to read a benefits PDF. But what if they could win by learning? - Give incentives for employees who attend an info session - Use provider tools (most vendors have ready-made engagement tools—use them). 6️⃣ Ensure Inclusivity in Benefits Benefits should work for everyone, not just a select group. - Analyze benefit usage to see what’s actually helping employees. - Financial wellness & EAP programs should be accessible across different locations. - Demographic-focused benefits → What works for a 25-year-old engineer might not work for a 50-year-old manager. - Many providers offer multi-region support—leverage them. An inclusive benefits package is about offering the right benefits to the right people. 7️⃣ Benefits Are a Recruitment Weapon Salary alone doesn’t close top candidates—the right benefits do. A $5K raise? Cool. An extra week of PTO + student loan assistance? Now you’re talking. Recruiters need to sell the total rewards package, not just salary. 8️⃣ Review, Adapt, Repeat If employees aren’t using a benefit, it’s not working. Either: - They don’t know about it (fix your communication). -They don’t need it (switch it out for something better). Use data. Track engagement. Adjust. Want higher retention? Don’t just offer better benefits. Communicate them better.

Yes, benefits are expensive. So is turnover. Pick one. Organizations love to call benefits a “nice to have” right up until they’re rehiring the same role for the third time in a year. Here’s the part that gets ignored: People are not leaving only for more money. According to Betterment, over 50% of employees said they would leave their job for the same or even less pay if the benefits package was better. Read that again. That’s not a compensation problem. That’s a value problem. When benefits are weak, employees feel like the company is optimizing for short-term savings instead of long-term humans. And once that trust erodes, salary alone won’t fix it. Turnover costs you: ♨️Recruiting fees ♨️Ramp time ♨️Lost productivity ♨️Team burnout ♨️Institutional knowledge But benefits are visible. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. They tell people: “We expect you to be here.” “We understand life exists outside work.” “We’re not pretending burnout is a badge of honor.” You don’t need Silicon Valley perks to compete. You need thoughtful ones. Here are 5 low-cost ways organizations can attract and retain talent right now: 1. Flexible schedules: Not “work-life balance” on a slide. Actual flexibility. Start times, end times, and autonomy over when work happens. 2. Summer Fridays: Leaving at 3pm instead of 5pm once a week costs very little. The goodwill lasts all year. 3. Surprise PTO: An unexpected half-day or full day off does more for morale than another pizza lunch ever will. 4. Meeting-free Friday's or Monday's: Designated no-meeting afternoons or days so people can actually execute. This is a productivity benefit disguised as respect. 5. Volunteerism: Reward your people by giving them two days per calendar year to volunteer. Allow them to pick the cause and watch your community clout rise. Benefits don’t need to be flashy. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭. The market has already been very clear. People will take the same pay, or less, for a better quality of life. If your retention strategy doesn’t account for that, the consequences won’t be theoretical. You’ll see them in next quarter’s attrition report.

82% of HR leaders say their people strategy isn’t aligned with their business goals. Most leaders deeply care about their people. They want to do the right thing. But benefits have long been treated as an HR function, not a reflection of leadership philosophy. The truth is, benefits are a language. They communicate what you believe about people. If your company values growth, does your team have access to learning and coaching? If you value balance, are your benefits designed to help employees rest and recover? If you value purpose, do your offerings connect people to something bigger? This isn’t about adding more perks or throwing money into something that doesn’t reflect who you are. It’s about designing alignment. Start small: 🎯Audit your benefits through your mission statement. 🎯Ask employees where the gaps are. 🎯Rebuild with care and intention. Because the best benefits strategies aren’t transactional, they’re transformational. They say: “We see you, and we’re building something worth belonging to.” As an employee benefits advisor, I advocate on the company’s behalf to connect their benefits strategy to their values and goals. FNIC Trusted insurance advisors

We call them “benefits" - but if your team doesn’t value them, they’re just really expensive line items you’re constantly trying to justify. Open enrollment is coming. Budgets are tighter. Expectations are high. This isn’t the time to roll out perks based on industry buzz or what your competitor is doing. It’s time to lead strategically. Use your data. Look at what’s actually being used. Ask what your people actually want. Not in theory. Not in an anecdotal, “Sam said he’ll leave if we don’t offer pet insurance” kind of way. Gather input that reflects your whole workforce and aligns with your reality. A few open enrollment pre-work must-have’s: Pull usage data from your current plans to see what’s actually being used and what might not be worth the cost. Survey employees, but limit options to what’s financially feasible (this helps avoid wishlist inflation). Don’t wait until Q4. Start cross-functional planning now. Keep an eye out for quick wins: low cost/low time, high impact changes. You don’t need the trendiest benefits. You need the right ones. Ones built on what your team actually values and what your business can sustain, with a plan that didn’t start the week before open enrollment. ---------------------------------------------------------     If this got you thinking differently about HR, you’re in the right place. Follow along.