As we enter the final quarter of 2025, HR leaders across the U.S. are turning their attention to one of the most critical and often underestimated levers of organizational success: employee benefits.
Open enrollment season is no longer just a compliance milestone. In today’s talent economy, benefits are a defining factor in how employees choose where to work, how long they stay, and how engaged they are while they’re there. With rising healthcare costs, growing demands for personalization, and a workforce that continues to prioritize flexibility and well-being, the question isn’t just what to offer, but how to make your benefits strategy meaningful and future-proof.
At BSI, we work with organizations of all sizes to design benefits strategies that align with both workforce expectations and business goals. As you prepare for 2026 open enrollment, here are the most important trends and strategic considerations every employer should be thinking about.
The New Standard: Benefits as a Total Well-Being Strategy
Over the past several years, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in how employees view benefits. Today, they are not merely looking for health insurance; they are seeking total well-being support that touches every aspect of life: physical, mental, financial, and emotional.
In particular, mental health continues to dominate the conversation. On-demand therapy, virtual mental health platforms, mental health days, and emotionally intelligent workplace cultures have gone from progressive perks to employee expectations. And it’s not just younger generations asking for these benefits. Across age groups, the demand for accessible, stigma-free mental health care is growing, and employers that fail to meet it risk losing talent to those who do.
At the same time, financial wellness is emerging as a critical area of focus. With inflation pressures and the growing cost of living, employees are bringing their financial stress to work, and it’s affecting performance. Emergency savings accounts, student loan repayment assistance, and access to financial coaching are all gaining traction. We’re advising clients to think beyond retirement planning and look holistically at how to support financial resilience.
Healthcare costs, meanwhile, are projected to rise +8% in 2026, according to recent data. This creates a complex challenge: how can employers continue offering robust care options while keeping costs manageable? The answer lies not in cutting benefits, but in redesigning them.
Rethinking Cost Management
With the cost of healthcare climbing and budgets under pressure, we understand the temptation to cut or shift costs back to employees. But the smartest employers are rethinking the design of benefits, not just the cost.
Innovative plan design strategies, like steering toward centers of excellence, leveraging telehealth-first models, or offering narrow but high-value networks, are gaining momentum. Some companies are setting new benchmarks by dramatically reducing employee contributions and simplifying access to care, recognizing that when benefits are easier to use, they’re more likely to improve outcomes and satisfaction.
Elevating Benefits Through Technology
The days of static PDFs and confusing portals are giving way to experiences that guide employees through enrollment with ease. This year, we’re urging our clients to evaluate their tech stack. Are your benefits platforms mobile-friendly? Is your enrollment process easy to navigate? Do employees have real-time support, educational resources, and easy access to information to help them make better decisions?
Technology doesn’t just streamline back-end operations; it significantly improves the employee experience. And when employees better understand their benefits, they’re more likely to use them effectively, which leads to healthier, more satisfied teams.
Communication is the Strategy, Not the Afterthought
We say this every year, and it remains true: benefits are only as valuable as your employees’ understanding of them.
Too often, we see companies invest in comprehensive benefits, only to bury them in jargon-filled PDFs or rely on a single enrollment email to drive awareness. In 2026, that won’t cut it.
Clear, engaging, and ongoing communication is essential. Benefits literacy campaigns, segmented messaging based on life stage, and virtual Q&A sessions all go a long way. And the best communications don’t just happen during open enrollment; they’re woven into the employee experience year-round.
Looking Ahead: Strategic Benefits for a Changing Workforce
As a benefits consulting firm, we believe 2026 presents a pivotal opportunity. The economy remains uncertain, and talent expectations are rising. In this environment, benefits strategy becomes a true differentiator, not just for attraction and retention, but for driving real business outcomes.
Our best advice to HR and business leaders as we approach open enrollment is this:
- Listen deeply to your people. Use surveys, focus groups, and data to understand what employees actually value, and what they’re missing.
- Design benefits that reflect how people live today. That means more personalization, more flexibility, and more emphasis on well-being.
- Use technology to elevate, not complicate, the experience. Make benefits engaging and accessible.
- Think long-term. Great benefits aren’t built overnight, but with the right partners and insights, you can evolve your strategy to meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s expectations.
If your organization is rethinking its approach or looking to modernize for 2026 and beyond, we’d be happy to help. Let’s make benefits a business advantage, not just a line item.