We all have that one job that we don’t really talk about. Whether it was the hours, the management, the clientele, or all three, we’ve all, at some point or another, worked a job that we’d rather not have to remember. In some cases, you may find yourself citing things like compensation or benefits when it comes to elements of a previous job that maybe weren’t up to the standard they should have been. When it comes to being a business owner, you want to do everything in your power not to be someone’s nightmare employer—this includes offering employee benefits that cover the needs of your employees now and in the future. This is easier said than done, however, and creating the perfect benefits package for every member of your organization isn’t something that can be done in a day.
Still, offering a comprehensive benefits package is a crucial element when it comes to improving employee retention, fostering a positive company culture, and attracting top talent. At Payday HCM, we’re very familiar with the age-old benefits package struggle. We receive plenty of questions from our clients on the kinds of things that employees tend to look for in a benefits package. While there are a few mainstays, each new year brings about a new set of benefits that employers can look to add to their benefits package in order to meet the needs of their current and future workforce. So, what benefits are people looking for in 2026?
Well, in this article, we’ll be breaking down the essential benefits to offer your employees in 2026. We’ll start by going over the importance of providing your employees with a good benefits package, including how it affects retention and hiring. Then, we’ll dive into some of the benefits that employees will be looking for most when it comes to either benefits offered by a new potential employer or benefits they’ll be looking for their current employer to offer.
In this article, you will learn:
- Employee Benefits Trends in 2026
- Employee Benefits to Offer Employees in 2026
- Tips for Creating a Comprehensive Benefits Package
Employee Benefits Trends in 2026
Employers will need to ensure their benefits package rises to meet the challenges employees will face this year.
Healthcare Costs in 2026
At this point, it’s no secret that healthcare costs are expected to rise in 2026. Mercer’s 2025 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans dubbed this an “affordability crisis,” meaning both employees and employers will be faced with tough decisions when it comes to healthcare and health insurance plans.
Alongside this, health insurance plan costs have been estimated to have gone up from anywhere between eight and ten percent. This means employers may need to get creative when it comes to offering benefits that are still comprehensive and meet employee needs, while still being affordable for themselves.
Rise in Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits
Paid family and medical leave benefits have continually grown in popularity over the years, and 2026 will prove to be no exception. Heading into the year, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington are all states that will either be adding paid leave requirements or amending their current ones.
This brings the total count of states with paid family and medical leave laws to 13. For employers, regardless of whether your business operates in one of these states, these benefits will continue to be sought after by job-seekers in 2026. These benefits exist separately from the federally-mandated Family and Medical Leave Act benefits, which provide employees with 12 weeks of unpaid leave following qualifying life events.
Financial Wellness in 2026
The two trends we just covered—healthcare costs and a rise in paid family and medical leave benefits—both have to do with rising costs. Whether it’s healthcare, child care, or another type of care, costs are going up, and employees will be looking for benefits from their employers to help address this.
While it’s hard to say that financial wellness is a trend per se (arguably, it’s something that’s always popular and should always be sought after), it is a trend insofar as employers offering benefits that directly address employee financial wellness. A Pew Research study from 2025 found that 28 percent of adults said they expected their financial situation to be worse a year from now—a 16 percent increase from 2024.
Employee Benefits to Offer Employees in 2026
Business owners need to ensure their benefits offerings help employees meet the needs introduced by these trends heading into 2026.
Additional Health Benefits Offerings
An employer-sponsored health insurance plan is often the most common in terms of benefits offerings from employers. But rising healthcare costs may change how employers approach offering healthcare benefits to their employees, whether that be by supplementing a traditional group health insurance plan or by offering cost-effective but still comprehensive health plan alternatives.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are a great first step for employers either looking to supplement their group health insurance plan or for employers who may not be able to afford to offer their employees a traditional health insurance plan. FSAs are likely the most accessible option, as employers need to offer a qualifying high-deductible health plan in order to offer an HSA.
Speaking of high-deductible health plans, revisiting plan structure can be another way to combat rising costs, including looking at level-funded health insurance offerings. Telemedicine and virtual care options are also a great way for employers to provide employees with benefits that can keep health care costs low, giving employees a more accessible alternative to traditional emergency care visits.
Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits
As stated above, the FMLA requires employers to provide employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid family or medical leave following a qualifying life event. Employers have the option to supplement this, however, by offering their own paid family and medical leave benefits. Around 27 percent of private-sector employees have access to some form of paid family leave, according to the Department of Labor.
While paid family and medical leave policies will vary from company to company and from state to state (also depending on local and state regulations), most follow the outline of the FMLA, providing employees with an amount of leave in the 12-week range following some kind of qualifying life event, often the birth of a child.
Financial Wellness Benefits
The term “financial wellness benefits” isn’t as neat as HSAs or paid family leave, as financial wellness benefits can take many forms—including just a good, old-fashioned raise. But when we talk about financial wellness benefits, we want to look specifically at benefits offered in addition to a paycheck, things like budgeting apps, financial wellness counseling, or earned wage access (EWA).
There are lots of other benefits that can be categorized to fit under the financial wellness benefits banner, including things like tuition reimbursement and even retirement plans. Generally, offering additional tools that empower your employees to stay on top of their financial health can fall under this label.
Tips for Creating a Comprehensive Benefits Package
Now that we understand the kinds of benefits that will be especially important to offer in 2026, we’ll go over some quick tips for creating a comprehensive benefit package.
A Benefits Package That Fits Your Company’s Needs
First and foremost, the best benefits packages are the ones that suit the needs of those within your organization. Offering a vast array of benefits is only helpful if those within your organization actually want or need to use them. Assessing what benefits your employees need can help you offer everything they need without you having to pay for anything they don’t.
The easiest way to do this is by soliciting feedback from members of your organization on the effectiveness of your company’s benefits package. Holding a benefits survey near the end or start of the year can help you gain a sense of what’s working and what isn’t, and how to adjust, knowing both what your employees need and the kinds of trends expected in the next year.
Working With A Benefits Administrator
Of course, putting together a benefits package, or even simply surveying your business on the kinds of benefits that would best suit your employees’ needs, isn’t something that can easily be performed with no help. Working with the right benefits administrator or service agency can help you save time and money while still ensuring your benefits are suited to your organization.
Like the aforementioned benefits survey, with its aim being to better understand your employees’ needs on the benefits front, a good benefits administrator should take the time to get to know your business so that they can create a benefits package that not only meets those needs, but also is designed withstand any changes in trends over the coming years.
Reap the Benefits of Your Benefits All Year Long
There’s nothing that can ruin a good job interview or even a new job faster than a lackluster benefits package. In today’s day and age, it’s easier than ever for employees to hop between employers based on the quality of their benefits packages. This is understandable: with each passing year, the landscape changes, and the challenges workers face shift, meaning individuals need to shift their responsibilities around to meet those challenges. This may include finding an employer whose benefits offerings can help them do this. Luckily, with the information provided in this article, you’ll be able to help your current employees meet the challenges of the coming year while also attracting new talent looking for employers who can help them do the same.
The importance of a comprehensive, cost-effective employee benefits package cannot be overstated: not only is a great benefits package an effective way of recruiting top talent, but it’s also an excellent method for demonstrating your appreciation to your current employees (on top of improving employee retention). Of course, creating a good benefits package requires a good benefits broker, one with enough experience in the industry and understanding of your business to create a benefits package that fits the needs of your current and future employees. Check out our article for the five features to look for in a benefits agency to get a better picture of what to look for in a potential benefits partner.
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