Key takeaways
Quality over quantity: In 2026, HR leaders must rethink benefits. Selecting fewer, more meaningful benefits that genuinely support employees will have far greater impact than long lists of underused options.
Data proves the value: According to our Perkonomics Report, 79% of employees feel more valued with a good benefits package, 68% say it boosts productivity, and nearly half of undervalued employees would stay if benefits met their needs.
Impact is the new ROI: The real measure of success isn’t how much you offer, but how the benefits help people feel safe, supported, and seen.
Doing more with less and still making it count
Right now, every HR and people leader I speak to is walking the same tightrope: balancing empathy with economics.
Costs are up and budgets are down, yet expectations are higher than ever.
That’s the reality as we head into 2026. People leaders are being asked to deliver more support, more visibility and more care, often with fewer resources. It’s not because the intent isn’t there - it’s because the numbers simply don’t stretch as far as they used to.
As we gear up for the new year, now is the time for a mindset shift on employee benefits. Especially as employee value has never been about how many benefits are offered - it’s about which ones genuinely make a difference.
A long, glossy list of benefits that no one uses doesn’t build trust. But a small, thoughtful package that helps someone feel more secure, less stressed, or simply seen - that’s what makes the difference.
What the data tells us
The data from our latest Perkonomics Report 2025, based on a survey of 4000 UK employees, makes the need for relevant benefits clear:
- 79% of employees say they’d feel more valued with a good benefits package
- 68% say it would make them more productive
- And among those who currently feel undervalued, 47% say the right benefits would make them more likely to stay
That right there? That’s the real ROI.
Benefits aren’t “nice extras” anymore - they’re how people see and feel that their organisation values them. They show whether an organisation truly understands its people or simply provides for them.
This is why adaptable, well-communicated benefits and support matter more than ever. Because when employees see that their financial, emotional, and practical needs have been considered, they don’t just use those benefits - they trust them, and trust is what builds culture.
Ask yourself this: Which of your benefits genuinely helps people feel safe, supported, and valued - and which ones are still there because they’ve always been there?
Because as budgets tighten, the question isn’t: “What can we cut?”
It should always be: “What can we keep that really counts?”
Because impact is the new ROI in 2026. It’s not about doing more; it’s about offering support that matters.
Want to hear more from Natalie about Financial Wellbeing? Follow her on LinkedIn and subscribe to her newsletter More than Money, where she unpacks the “so what” behind the latest industry trends and news.
Share