Personalizing Employee Benefits for a Multigenerational Workforce
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How to Personalize Employee Benefits for Multiple Generations
An increasingly multigenerational workforce is challenging employers to deliver benefits that meet diverse employee expectations. The one-size-fits-all model is no longer effective.
Today’s employees want personalized workplace experiences and tailored benefits that support their health, career, and financial wellbeing.
Data-driven approaches, such as workforce segmentation and OneDigital’s Employee Value Perception Study, help employers uncover what truly drives retention and engagement. Understanding how different segments perceive value allows organizations to tailor offerings and communication strategies that meet employees where they are.
Employers can personalize benefits for a multigenerational workforce by using employee value perception data, segmenting needs by life stage, and delivering targeted communication that improves utilization, engagement, and retention.
To answer these questions, OneDigital surveyed 5,000 U.S. employees across life stages. The findings from the Employee Value Perception Study reveal the unique benefit priorities of today’s workforce and provide a blueprint for designing programs that better align with employee needs.
What Do Employees Value Most in Their Benefits?
Career-Focused Contributors Need Growth and Flexibility
Employees with 3–12 years of experience reported the lowest job satisfaction. They value flexibility regarding when and where they work and look for opportunities to build skills and advance their careers.
The study also shows that life stage heavily influences benefit priorities. Younger employees tend to prioritize psychological safety, development opportunities, and flexibility. Dual-Income, No Kids or DINKs often struggle with tax and healthcare decisions, while single parents prioritize financial protection and schedule control.
Executives Are Financially Anxious
Senior leaders, those with 15+ years of experience, reported surprising levels of financial insecurity.
28% are considering borrowing from their retirement accounts and cited debt, healthcare costs, and financial anxiety as top stressors.
OneDigital’s Employee Value Perception Study found that across the broader workforce, financial insecurity is rising as well.
17% of respondents are considering taking a loan from their retirement account; more than 37 percent report feeling despondent because of debt, and 56 percent say they could not handle a major unexpected financial expense.
Despite positive behaviors like saving regularly and monitoring expenses, many employees still feel uncertain about their financial stability.
Single Parents Value Financial Protection
Single parents prioritize:
- Life insurance
- Disability coverage
- Dependent care FSAs
- Remote flexibility
- Mental health support
Single and Childless Employees Seek Connection
Single and childless employees were less satisfied with their jobs and benefits and were less likely to feel connected to coworkers. Despite this, they expressed high confidence in their financial and health outlook.
How Can Employers Improve Employee Benefits Perception?
Research from OneDigital’s study highlights a significant perception gap: even when organizations invest in strong benefits, employees often do not recognize their value.
To close this gap, employers should:
- Create visibility by integrating perception data with benefits insights (learn more in OneDigital’s Impact Studio).
- Control costs by offering segmented, targeted benefits that increase utilization. Explore the Cost Containment Hub for more cost-saving strategies.
- Drive impact with consistent communication that helps employees understand and appreciate the resources available. OneDigital’s Open Enrollment Hub offers tools to support education year-round.
OneDigital’s study also revealed that nearly 35 percent of employees want someone to talk to about their finances, yet few take advantage of existing support programs. This gap represents a major opportunity for employers to improve financial wellbeing communication and accessibility.
Why Personalization Is Essential
Personalizing employee benefits is no longer optional. In a competitive labor market, tailored benefits help employers support diverse needs across generations and life stages. When employees feel understood and supported, engagement rises and retention strengthens.
Explore the full insights in OneDigital's Employee Value Perception Study Whitepaper and learn how employers are modernizing benefits strategies while responding to rising healthcare costs.
Ready to understand what your employees truly value? Discover how an on-site Employee Value Perception Study can help you uncover benefit priorities, improve communication, and align your programs with what matters most to your workforce.