What are the most in-demand benefits for 2025?

How on earth is it 2025?

Endless pigs in blankets and leftover turkey seem but a distant memory, while the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special (other television programmes are available) is still sending emotional shockwaves through this humble writer’s household.

But with a new year brings new opportunities, new resolutions and new demands from employees up and down the country. And front of centre of all this? Yep, you guessed it. Employee benefits!

Our research has found that colleagues are now demanding more support from their employers. There’s an increasing value being placed on employee benefits, with half (48%) of employees admitting they would leave their job if another company offered them a better benefits package, rising to 56% for younger employees aged 18-34.

There’s no need for us to beat around the bush. The bog-standard approach to employee benefits is long gone. Forget your standard package, it’s time to show your people what they mean to you, with a personalised portal jam-packed with benefits they actually want.

But benefits might that consist of? Forget crystal balls, we’ve done the hard work for you and surveyed 2,000 adults to find out what they want included in their employee reward package for the year ahead.

The most in-demand benefits for 2025

In for a penny, in for a pound!

Remember when a can of coke used to cost 50p? (perhaps we’re showing our age here).

It feels like in today’s modern world, we’re only a few days away from another cost of living crisis. Household bills, food shopping and other financial costs may impact the way we save nowadays, but increased Pension contributions continue to top the bill as the most in-demand employee benefit requested by workers.

Admittedly, some choose to live in the moment, but an ever-increasing amount of employees are now beginning to appreciate the importance of saving for a comfortable retirement. After all, could you live off of £221.20 a week, the maximum state Pension allowance?

Factor in all of your outgoing expenses, and boosting your Pension fund all of a sudden becomes more appealing.

A Pension can mean different things to different generations and demographics, so it’s important to educate your employees on this vital subject.

Why not also read our five key reasons for Gen-Z workers to prioritise their Pension.

According to our research, only 15% of employers currently offer Private Medical Insurance as a perk to employees.

Demand for this handy offering is continuing to grow, with it particularly high amongst female employees and workers over 55.

The latest NHS figures show that over 7.6m people are currently on the waiting list across England whilst around 300,000 people have waited for more than 12 months. In April 2024, one million people were waiting to access mental health services on the NHS.

Private healthcare is a benefit that employers could utilize to help improve talent attraction and retention. Some employees are also blissfully unaware that they may already have access to PMI, so it’s important organisations ensure they are effectively communicating their benefits offering to boost engagement and to ensure employers aren’t missing out.

Another year, another energy cap rise. Would you Adam and Eve it…

Sadly, we don’t do sarcasm here at Zest, but as we look to find a spark to get us going into the new year, we don’t really want to pay for it.

Energy companies have once again increased our bills, and it could get worse when the next cap is revealed in the upcoming months. To meet these rising costs (especially during the winter months where the need to heat our home takes priority), employees are asking their employers to step in and help.

As for shopping discounts and high street vouchers, the old ‘shop until you drop’ mantra has been, well, dropped.

With the nation learning to become more savvy with their money, high-street shopping trips are perhaps few and far between nowadays. But whether it’s new school uniform for the kids or perhaps a dress for a big night out, employees are looking for a little help towards their leisurely shop.

Eat healthier, lose weight, dry January and 10,000 steps a day.

The start of 2025 is full of New Year’s resolutions, with employees looking for different ways to try and improve their wellbeing.

It’s important to look after number one (and two, three and four etc. if you have a family), which is why 19% of employees surveyed are now requesting a wellbeing allowance from their employers.

Being able to treat yourself to a relaxing spa day or cover the expense of a new exercise machine would certainly boost morale, and while employers may see it as an additional expense, a wellbeing fund can prove a great way to improve employee satisfaction, motivation, and ultimately the most important aspect and why businesses offer benefits, talent attraction and retention.

We all need a little support once in a while.

Many employees are finding themselves financially, mentally and emotionally drained as a result of macro-economic events in recent years. While people react to situations differently, it’s more than likely to drive a large number of sick days across the country.

Picture the scene. An employee needs to take time off as they’re struggling with their mental health. They don’t feel comfortable enough to discuss the issue with their employer, meaning they either take the time off worrying about the repercussions or simply continue to go about their daily role with the business.

Now imagine how that makes the employee feel. It’s likely their morale has been deeply impacted, and ultimately it will likely lead to them joining a new company in the near future.

By providing mental health support and paid mental health days, employees know they are supported by their employer and are more than likely to stay loyal.

After all, they are your most important asset!

Our very own CEO, Matt Russell, knows the continued economic challenges means many employees are looking for long-term financial support from their employer, with a need to be much more effective when it comes to rewarding and attracting talent.

“Employers must ensure they listen to which benefits are most important to their employees – this is vital to boost morale and productivity, providing organisations with a competitive edge. In order to do this, employers need to use benefits technology that enables them to track the uptake on specific benefits, communicate with employees to understand their needs and adapt the support on offer.”

Other key stats our research found when it comes to what employees want:

• 45% employees say a good benefits package is the most important thing they look for in employment, again rising to 52% for those aged 18-34.
• Six in ten (60%) say the high cost of living has meant company benefits have become more important to them when deciding where to work, rising to nearly seven in ten (67%) for those aged 18-34.
• 44% say that they’re not expecting a pay rise next year due to the increase in Employer National Insurance.

So, what’s the solution?

Without blowing our own trumpet, Zest!

We believe in personalisation and customisation. After all, it’s the heartbeat of any good employee benefits offering. By catering to the unique needs of each employee and treating them as an individual, you can help build a deeper level of engagement.

With Zest, we’re building a future where employees are at the heart of every decision and organisations understand that employee engagement is not a one-time thing but an ongoing activity.

The right technology acts as an enabler of all this, allowing you to continuously improve and adapt your benefits offering to your employees. Our innovative employee benefits technology also helps transform your benefits management, giving employees the power of self-service.

With Zest, you’ll get:

• Centralised benefits whenever, wherever they need.
• Total Rewards Statement giving a full picture of their compensation.
• Empowers employees to understand their reward entitlement.
• View available benefits, policies, wellbeing content, and their full package.
• Self-service: modify personal benefits in seconds.
• Superior flexibility with seamless third-party integrations.

To find out how Zest can help you implement the benefits your employees are demanding, book a demo with our team today.