Employee Benefits Market Check Survey: Employer Health & Well-Being Strategies

As employers plan for 2025, strategic decisions around medical and non-medical benefit offerings are top of mind. With evolving employee needs and rising healthcare costs, companies are exploring various approaches to their employee benefits programs.

We hosted a webinar in September and asked employers to share their intended actions regarding two critical areas of focus: medical and non-medical plan strategies. The results are in the charts below.

*Results based on 110 employer respondents.

Key Findings

As employers brace for significant medical premium increases in 2025, many are faced with the challenge of balancing rising costs with tighter budgets. While some organizations may be limited in offering the same level of services as in previous years, the overall approach to managing employee contributions and benefits is evolving.

Despite these financial pressures, many companies are not planning to shift additional costs to employees. In fact, a strong majority—73%—intend to maintain or even decrease employee contribution levels, a significant increase from last year, when only 39% of employers chose this option. However, 26% of respondents indicated plans to change their medical carrier to achieve cost savings. This shift could have a notable impact on employees, potentially altering provider networks and overall plan experiences.

In addition, more than half of employers are focusing on expanding voluntary benefits, a flexible strategy that allows employees to select personalized coverage options without requiring significant employer investment. A robust voluntary benefit offering can serve a workforce with people in various life stagesAs organizations navigate these complex choices, the primary challenge remains balancing cost containment with the need to offer competitive, comprehensive benefits packages. The strategies employers adopt will be key in maintaining employee satisfaction and supporting retention in a competitive labor market.

There are many health and well-being strategies available to employers. Please contact your local Assurex Global adviser to discuss strategies, industry-level data, and other avenues to explore.