Working Advantage Survey: Nearly 80% of Employers Plan to Maintain or Increase Benefits in 2026

By GlobeNewswire On Jan 27, 2026

Employers spent 2025 navigating a variety of challenges, not the least of which were heavy economic pressure and high cost sensitivity. As a result, some large enterprises (especially in the tech sector) enacted massive layouts.

Yet 2026 isn’t looking to be a year of widespread corporate cost-cutting. On the contrary, results from a recent Working Advantage employer survey paint a healthy picture when it comes to employee benefit budgeting trends.

Putting Money Into Benefits and Back Into Employees’ Wallets

According to the Working Advantage survey findings, nearly four in five organizations (79%) will either continue to fund their employee benefits budget as-is or invest more dollars in their benefit offerings.

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At a time when many organizations are closely managing costs, the findings suggest employers are becoming more selective rather than pulling back entirely. Benefits that support retention, engagement, and everyday employee needs are increasingly viewed as strategic investments rather than discretionary spend. In fact, survey participants ranked employee retention, engagement, and satisfaction as top priorities over the coming year.

Rather than adding new or novelty perks, employers are prioritizing benefits that employees consistently use and value, particularly those that help stretch paychecks and support life outside of work. In many cases, those perks have the benefit of being seen as high-value by employees but don’t require a huge financial lift to implement.

Employee discount programs illustrate this shift. These benefits allow employees to choose how and when they save on everyday expenses, travel, and experiences, without increasing fixed costs for employers. As budgets remain stable, flexibility and employee choice are becoming central to benefits effectiveness. These programs give employees the opportunity to save money on entertainment, travel, and even some everyday purchases. However, the discounts aren’t driven by the actions of the employer; instead, they’re driven by the actions of the employee. This allows employees to personalize the way they use their discounts, ultimately getting the biggest dollar value possible from employer-exclusive rewards and incentives.

At a time when 82% of employers say their employees show stable or increased interest in work-life benefits, according to the Working Advantage data, employee discount programs make sense. After all, employees can prioritize their wellness, and employers can support them without increasing fixed costs. Plus, since both employers and employees may be budget-conscious, accessible and easily administered discounts act as critical levers to satisfy the needs of all parties.

“Today’s workforce expects more than traditional benefits alone,” said Tom Murphy, General Manager at Working Advantage. “Our survey data shows that scalable, financially focused perks now play a decisive role in retention, reinforcing a shift employers can no longer afford to ignore.”

Funneling High-Potential Candidates Into the Talent Pipeline

Having a robust menu of benefits isn’t just about keeping talent in-house throughout 2026, though. Certainly, benefits help retain people so knowledge and skill doesn’t walk out the door. However, benefits can also make an employer more attractive to winning applicants.

Remember: Today’s labor market constantly shifts as individuals move from one company to another in search of better remuneration, support, and culture. In this type of demanding and dynamic hiring ecosystem, a company’s benefits package can serve as a competitive differentiator. In fact, an impressive benefits lineup can immediately help human resources teams and hiring managers source and attract exceptional candidates from diverse backgrounds, making it less expensive and time-consuming to fill open positions and construct an inclusive working environment.

Employers by and large understand that they may have to pull back on funding in some areas of their businesses. Nevertheless, the Working Advantage survey provides anecdotal evidence that benefits aren’t on the chopping block. Rather, they’re playing a front-and-center part when it comes to keeping employees engaged and buoyed despite a whirlwind of uncertainty.

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