Read about how employee expectations around their health benefits have evolved.
Employees don’t evaluate their health benefits against what existed a decade ago. They compare them to the digital, on‑demand experiences they have every day as consumers – from banking apps to online shopping and food delivery. In that context, health benefits aren’t just a coverage decision. They’re an experience. When benefits feel confusing, fragmented, or hard to use, they fall short of the standard employees now expect.
Workers want benefits that are easy to understand, simple to access, and personalized to their needs. The stats below highlight how employee expectations have evolved and what today’s workforce now assumes a “good” health benefits experience should look like.
1. Only 20% of adults in the United States believe they have high health insurance literacy
Health insurance literacy is the ability to understand, evaluate, and use health insurance information to make informed decisions about care and services. This research also found that 75% of people with high health insurance literacy are satisfied with their employer benefits. (Source: Cigna Healthcare)
2. 87% of workers believe employers should be investing in their continued education and understanding of benefits and programs
Employees increasingly see benefits education as part of their employer’s responsibility. (Source: Strategic Education, Inc.)
3. Only about two‑thirds of employees know where to find information about their benefits
When benefits aren’t accessible through a single digital “front door,” employees struggle to use them, which is something they wouldn’t accept from consumer services. (Source: Marsh McLennan)
4. 69% of employees with access to a digital benefits platform say benefits communications are engaging vs. just 55% without access
Employees clearly expect benefits information to be delivered through modern, centralized digital experiences, not just emails or PDFs. (Source: Marsh McLennan)
5. 54% of employees want personalized benefit recommendations
Employees are no longer satisfied with one-size-fits-all approaches. They want personalized, tailored guidance rather than generic information. (Source: SHRM)
6. 65% of employees would trade their current benefits for more personalized options
This reflects growing expectations for consumer‑grade, digital benefits experiences. (Source: Aon)
7. 82% of employees say fertility and family‑building benefits make an employer more attractive
Employees increasingly expect reproductive, maternal, and family support to be part of a comprehensive health benefits experience. (Source: Progyny)
8. 73% of millennials and Gen X employees are using or are interested in using AI-powered care navigation tools that recommend the right provider or care setting
Millennials and Gen X also show interest in smart health devices, robotic assistants, and other emerging technologies. (Source: PWC)
9. 94% of people who have used virtual care are willing to do so again
Today’s workforce expects telehealth to be a standard option, and nearly a quarter would switch doctors to ensure they have access to virtual options. (Source: Deloitte)
10. Only half of the workforce (53%) know how to access mental health care through their employer-sponsored health insurance
Employees expect employer mental health benefits to be usable, and not just available. (Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness)
11. 50% of employees say they would feel more cared for if their employer improved its benefits communications
That means more proactive outreach like reminders, nudges, and preventive care prompts. (Source: SHRM)
12. 74% of insured employees say they would work harder to help their workplace succeed if they are satisfied with the pharmacy benefits their employer provides
However, only 38% said they trust their employer to act in their best interest when it comes to prescriptions, and just 37% agreed that their employer shows they care about them based on the pharmacy benefits they offer. (Source: Evernorth Health Services)
13. 80% of employees expect a connected digital pharmacy experience where they can track prescriptions, dosages, and refills
In addition, 78% want to see their exact out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions before they pick them up at the pharmacy, and 77% want to receive automatic refill reminders. (Source: Evernorth Health Services)
14. 40% of employees are actively seeking jobs that offer better, more integrated benefits
Integrated benefits create value for employees by reducing fragmentation, improving care coordination, and making it easier to navigate services. (Source: Employee Benefits News)
15. Employees who report a positive benefits experience are twice as likely to trust their employer
When benefits feel intuitive, connected, and genuinely supportive, employees are more likely to believe their employer is acting in their best interest, not just offering coverage. (Source: NEEBC)
