Employee Engagement & Benefits Statistics You Need to Know in 2025: The Ultimate Collection

There's been increasing interest in the topic of employee engagement and employee loyalty, especially in regards to how employee benefits and perks impact them. In this article, we've compiled relevant statistics HR professionals should know in 2025.

You'll find no analysis here, just the raw data from relevant and recent sources. By that we mean: U.S.-based research and surveys released in the past few years.

For best results:

Use the find feature to search for keywords of interest. There's a lot of data here! Or, feel free to just browse.

Start at the top of each section. We put the most recent data at the top and go back in time from there.

Come to your own conclusions. Looking through these you'll see some trends emerge, or in some cases, conflicting data. We'll leave those for you to interpret which is most accurate.

Click through to learn more about the studies. For each statistic, we've provided a link back to the original source when possible, or a reputable media citation otherwise.

Feel free to use the links below to jump to the category you're most interested in:

Employee engagement and retention statistics
Workplace satisfaction statistics
Miscellaneous workplace statistics
Benefits and perks statistics

This data is compiled on behalf of Access Perks, provider of America's best employee discount programs and best employee perks. Visit our site to learn more!

BONUS: While this article skips the analysis to make room for hundreds of statistics, we have plenty of other articles on this blog where we put relevant statistics into context, analyze the challenges HR professionals face today and suggest solutions that engage and retain. Click here to browse.

Employee Retention & Engagement Statistics

These statistics show the state of engagement and retention in the nation and the efforts that businesses have implemented, or plan to implement, in order to improve engagement.

88% of employees are very or extremely engaged at work (DHR Global, 2025)
59% of in-office workers are extremely engaged, compared to 41% of hybrid workers and 33% of remote workers (DHR Global, 2025)
Global employee engagement declined to 21% in 2024, representing the second of only two declines in the past 12 years, with the other being the year of COVID-19 lockdowns (Gallup, 2025)
In 2024, employee engagement fell, costing the world economy $438 billion in lost productivity (Gallup, 2025)
Manager engagement levels fell from 30% to 27% in 2024 (Gallup, 2025)
50% of American employees are watching for or actively seeking a new job (Gallup, 2025)
31% of American employees are engaged, compared to 21% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
52% of American employees are not engaged, compared to 62% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
17% of American employees are actively engaged, compared to 17% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
27% of employees admit they are less loyal to their employer now than they were before the pandemic (Flex Jobs, 2025)
The leading causes of workers quitting or considering quitting include: (Flex Jobs, 2025)
- Toxic company culture (69%)
- Feeling disrespected or undervalued at work (60%)
- Poor work-life balance (57%)
- Low or unfair pay (56%)
Other top factors causing workers to quit or consider quitting their jobs include: (Flex Jobs, 2025)
- Bad boss (54%)
- Stressful job (48%)
- No advancement opportunities (42%)
- Misaligned company values and personal values (38%)
- Inflexible work hours (37%)
- Disagreeable coworkers (25%)
- Limited or unfair vacation time (21%)
Economic instability (e.g. job insecurity, financial stress) is the top threat to workforce wellbeing in 2025 (McLean, 2025)
Unengaged teams see turnover rates up to 43% higher than highly engaged teams (People Element, 2024)
Low engagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion and accounts for 8% of the global GDP (Gallup, 2024)
Employees who voluntarily left a job, could have been retained with: (Gallup, 2024)
- Positive interactions with manager (21%)
- Career advancement (13%)
- Improved workload/scheduling (9%)
31% of U.S. employees are engaged, compared to 21% of global employees (Gallup, 2024)
18% of U.S. employees are actively disengaged (Gallup, 2024)
42% of employees who voluntarily left their job in the past year say their organization could have done something to retain them (Gallup, 2024)
36% of employees who voluntarily left their jobs did not discuss their intent to leave with anyone before resigning (Gallup, 2024)
Replacing leaders costs 200% of their salaries, replacing employees in technical roles costs 80% of their salaries and replacing frontline employees costs 40% of their salaries (Gallup, 2024)
Employees age 45 and older are slightly more engaged than last year, employees age 44 and younger are slightly less engaged (Mclean, 2024)
Employees who feel they are part of a team working toward a shared goal are 6.3x as likely to be highly engaged as those who are not (Mclean, 2024)
Engagement among U.S. employees fell to a 10-year low in 2024 (Statista, 2024)

95% of employees are open to looking for a new job in the next year (Future Forum, 2023)
83% of businesses expect to invest more into retention in the next 12 months than they did in the last 12 months (Lattice, 2023)
61% of businesses are prioritizing retention, compared to 17% that are prioritizing talent acquisition in 2023 (Lattice, 2023)
86% of HR teams will put more effort into improving employee engagement than they have in the past, 41% are making it their top priority (Lattice, 2023)
55% of employers are prioritizing retention (Maven Clinic, 2023)
2023 saw a 69% overall job satisfaction, up from 66% in 2022, which was the lowest rating in 20 years (Metlife, 2023)
74% of employees intend to remain at their current job for the next 12 months, up from 70% in 2022, but still down from 80% in 2018 (Metlife, 2023)
Replacing workers costs about 2x their annual salary which equals about $25,000 to $100,000 (People Element, 2023)
Highly engaged employees see an 81% improvement in “absenteeism” and 66% improvement in well-being (People Element, 2023)
Highly engaged workforces see 43% lower turnover rates, 64% fewer accidents and 43% less absenteeism, 14% higher productivity, 18% higher sales and 68% higher well-being (People Element, 2023)
In order to close skills gaps in their organization, HR professionals are: (McLean, 2023)
- Recruiting new talent (78%)
- Providing internal training and development opportunities (78%)
- Creating learning paths (48%)
- Subsidizing external training and development (45%)
Employees with rigid schedules are 2.5x as likely to “definitely” look for another job within a year (Future Forum, 2023)
Employees who are burned out at work are 3.4x as likely to say they “definitely” plan to look for a new job within the year compared to those who are not burned out (Future Forum, 2023)
People who have experienced burnout in the last year are 36% more likely to have lower morale, 30% more likely to be less engaged, 27% more likely to make more mistakes and 25% more likely to leave the company (People Element, 2023)
Employees who are able to work the way they prefer are more than twice as likely to be highly engaged and are 22% more likely to say they will not job hunt in 2023 (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
61% of employees have one foot out the door (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
The top reasons employees are considering finding a new job in 2023 include: (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
- Work flexibility (28%)
- Career progression (28%)
- Compensation (13%)
- Recognition at work (9%)
- Better culture and values fit (8%)
- Corporate benefits (2%)
The top reasons employees plan to stay at their current jobs in 2023 include: (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
- Flexibility (28%)
- Strong sense of belonging (11%)
- Strong working relationship with manager (11%)
- Career progression (11%)
- Compensation (11%)
- Recognition at work (10%)
- Corporate benefits (4%)
In 2023, HR professionals are prioritizing the following to engage and retain: (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
- Employee wellbeing (59%)
- Flexibility in when and where employees work (52%)
- Growth and learning opportunities (44%)
- Recognition and rewards (39%)
- Better listening & acting on feedback (37%)
58% of U.S. HR professionals (66% globally) say labor shortages are getting worse (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
79% of employees report they would stay longer at a job where they feel supported, cared for and valued. Only 21% would stay longer at a job where they don’t feel valued, but are paid 30% more (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
39% of people who are definitely not job hunting in 2023 would consider a job offer from headhunters (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
81% of employees found their current position by job hunting, while 19% were headhunted (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
Employees who report that their employer takes meaningful action on their feedback are 37% less likely to job hunt in 2023 (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
Employees with a strong sense of belonging are 21% less likely to job hunt in 2023 (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
62% of employees feel highly engaged at work when recognized weekly. The number drops to 34% when recognized monthly, 25% when recognized quarterly and 13% when never recognized (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
Women are 23% less engaged and 28% less likely to feel a strong connection at work, compared to their male co-workers (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
36% of U.S. workers plan to job hunt in 2023, compared to 38% globally (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
45% of U.S. workers do not plan on job hunting in 2023, compared to 39% globally (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
North American employees’ top drivers affecting intent to stay are: (Qualtrics, 2023)
- Ability to meet career goals
- Alignment with values
- Pay fairness
- Benefits that meet needs
- Belief that company has outstanding future
Employees who feel cared for at work are: (Metlife, 2023)
- 92% more likely to feel engaged at work
- 65% more likely to be loyal
- 56% more likely to be productive at work
When HR professionals don’t go home on time, they are 70% more likely to be dissatisfied with their work and 99% less likely to look forward to coming to work (Access Perks, 2023)
30% of HR professionals are looking for a new job outside of HR (Access Perks, 2023)
19% of HR professionals are concerned about losing their jobs, a 12% increase over 2022 (Access Perks, 2023)

Workplace Satisfaction Statistics

Statistics explaining how employees feel about work: what helps them feel engaged, the consequences of being unengaged, reasons to stay with their current employer vs. seek new employment and more.

71% of employees feel their employer understands the importance of work/life balance (NRP, 2025)
68% of employees feel their employer cares about their personal development/wants them to grow into a new role (NRP, 2025)
90% of hybrid workers cite remote and hybrid and remote work options as a key driver of engagement (DHR Global, 2025)
67% of employees say the tighter job market makes them more engaged at work (DHR Global, 2025)
61% of employees say that job insecurity motivates them to engage more at work (DHR Global, 2025)
80% of employees say that personal development opportunities increase their engagement at work (DHR Global, 2025)
52% of American employees report they are thriving, compared to 33% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
44% of American employees report they are struggling, compared to 58% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
4% of American employees report they are suffering, compared to 9% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
50% of American employees experience a lot of daily stress on the job, compared to 40% of employees globally (Gallup, 2025)
39% of employees feel holistically healthy, down from 44% (Metlife, 2025)
82% of employers believe their employees trust leadership; 60% of employees agree (Metlife, 2025)
48% of employees believe personal alignment with organizational values demonstrates care (Metlife, 2025)
Employees are 2.5x as likely to feel holistically healthy if they trust their employer’s leadership (Metlife, 2025)
Employees who meet one-on-one with leaders at least weekly are 1.5x more likely to be highly engaged (Work Human, 2024)
Employees who are supported to learn new skills are 4.2x more likely to be engaged (Work Human, 2024)
In the first 6 months, employees have the lowest levels of engagement, wellbeing and intent to stay (Qualtrics, 2024)
Only 28% of associate workers are willing to take on additional work with no extra pay to demonstrate value, down 7 points (Edelman, 2024)
Employees who are optimistic about the economic future are more willing to go above and beyond at work compared to those who are not (82% vs 62%) and feel more motivated to perform their best at work (85% vs 70%) (Edelman, 2024)
Employees who are optimistic about the economic future are more likely than those who are not to recommend their employer to others (81% vs 60%) and to stay working with their organization for many years (80% vs. 64%) (Edelman, 2024)
Organizations with a positive employee experience are 1.6x more likely to have high organizational performance (Mclean, 2024)

Job satisfaction among Gen Z is only at 60% in 2023, 10 percentage points lower than every other age group (Metlife, 2023)
Employees who believe their company to be transparent have 8.8x greater job satisfaction than those who believe the opposite (Future Forum, 2023)
Employees who work at “technology innovators” are 1.6x more productive, have 2x the ability to focus, have 2.2x higher sense of belonging and a 2.8x higher overall satisfaction (Future Forum, 2023)
72% of HR leaders reported that employees may feel disconnected because of reduced facetime due to remote work (Lattice, 2023)
62% of HR leaders reported that its hard to track employee morale because of reduced facetime due to remote work (Lattice, 2023)
60% of HR professionals are more stressed today than they were 3 years ago (McLean, 2023)
39% of HR professionals are experiencing burnout (McLean, 2023)
35% of employees report feeling higher levels of stress, 38% report feeling burnout (McLean, 2023)
Employees with a high sense of purpose were 1.8x less likely to report burnout (McLean, 2023)
The top 3 reported factors that contribute to burnout are: workload, blurred work/life boundaries, toxic work environment (McLean, 2023)
75% of HR teams that report an excellent employee experience design also report they high DEI performance, compared to 31% of those with poor employee experience design (McLean, 2023)
89% of HR teams that report an excellent employee experience design also report they high workforce productivity, compared to 51% of those with poor employee experience design (McLean, 2023)
77% of leaders believe their essential business communications are helpful and relevant, while only 46% of employees agree (Axios, 2023)
78% of leaders believe their essential business communications are clear and engaging, while only 51% of employees agree (Axios, 2023)
78% of leaders believe their essential business communications have the context employees need to do their job well, while only 46% of employees agree (Axios, 2023)
For leaders the top 3 most critical updates that create team alignment are 1. Culture and values, 2. Personnel updates (like new hires and departures) and 3. People operations (like benefits and DEI initiatives) (Axios, 2023)
For leaders the top 3 most critical updates that create team alignment are 1. Culture and values, 2. Personnel updates (like new hires and departures) and 3. People operations (like benefits and DEI initiatives) (Axios, 2023)
For leaders the top 3 most critical updates that create team alignment are 1. Operational changes (like process and policy updates), 2. Organizational goals (like plans and new initiatives) and 3. People operations (like benefits and DEI initiatives) (Axios, 2023)
53% of organizations rely on unsolicited employee feedback to determine if communication is effective (Axios, 2023)
Ineffective communication costs businesses $15,000 per employee per year, which adds up to $2 trillion annually in the U.S. (Axios, 2023)
When it comes to keeping the organization aligned, 47% of leaders report that the hardest part is writing communications that are concise, engaging, actually read and not lost in the daily flood of information (Axios, 2023)
Leaders estimate they spend 3-10+ hours per week preparing essential communications for the organization (Axios, 2023)
40% of employees want more thoughtful and insightful details in essential company emails (Axios, 2023)
36% of employees want to hear from leaders more often (Axios, 2023)
52% of owners, presidents and C-suite executives send essential communications multiple times a weeks, 38% of VPs and directors, and 38% of managers do the same (Axios, 2023)
36% of employees want to share feedback on essential communications, but don’t have the opportunity (Axios, 2023)
55% of leaders believe their organization does an excellent or good job of keeping employees on the same page via essential communications (Axios, 2023)
40% of employees prefer to receive essential communication via email, 33% via formal meetings, and 27% via recurring newsletters (Axios, 2023)
Remote and hybrid workers were 57% more likely to say their company culture improved in the past two years. They cited flexible work policies as the #1 reason culture improved (Future Forum, 2023)
32% of hybrid workers feel very connected with company values, compared to 28% of fully in-person employees (Future Forum, 2023)
39% of hybrid employees feel very connected with their direct manager, compared to 34% of fully in-person employees (Future Forum, 2023)
53% of employees who are dissatisfied with their level of flexibility say they are burned out, compared to 37% of employees who are satisfied with their level of flexibility (Future Forum, 2023)
Employees are motivated to want to work in office mostly for the chance to collaborate (33%) and build camaraderie (23%) (Future Forum, 2023)
65% of employees say they feel valued at work (People Element, 2023)
61% of employees feel leadership values employees (People Element, 2023)
52% of employees say having a caring, empathetic leader is more important now than it was before the pandemic (People Element, 2023)
68% of workers feel encouraged to share opinions and feedback (People Element, 2023)
64% of workers feel their ideas and suggestions are considered at work (People Element, 2023)
69% of workers feel supported in maintaining a work-life balance (People Element, 2023)
When asked what would make them feel more connected with work and co-workers, the highest percentage (45%) said “feeling meaningfully recognized” (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
53% of employees felt a strong connection with co-workers when recognized weekly, the number drops to 30% when recognized monthly, 18% when recognized quarterly and 7% when never recognized (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
Employee satisfaction with work-life balance fell from 73% in 2022 to 71% in 2023 (Qualtrics, 2023)
Globally, 63% of employees with great work-life balance would go above and beyond for their organization, while only 29% of those with poor work-life balance would (Qualtrics, 2023)
In North America, 72% of employees with great work-life balance would go above and beyond for their organization, while only 37% of those with poor work-life balance would (Qualtrics, 2023)
84% of C-Suite and 77% of directors are satisfied with work-life balance, compared to 67% of individual contributors who are satisfied (Qualtrics, 2023)
38% of employees are at risk of burnout as a result of inefficient work processes (Qualtrics, 2023)
63% of employees who feel their current technology allows them to be as productive as possible in 2023, compared to 68% in 2022 (Qualtrics, 2023)
The risk for burnout is higher among employees identifying as having mental disabilities (50%), physical disabilities (50%) or both (52%) (Qualtrics, 2023)
64% of employees believe their career goals can be met at their current organization (Qualtrics, 2023)
On average, fewer females (60%), Gen Z (59%), fully on-site workers (60%) and lower income earners (59%) felt cared for at work than their counterparts (Metlife, 2023)
Employees say it is important for me to have control over: (Metlife, 2023)
- How I get my work done (83%)
- The type of work I do (79%)
- Where I work (77%)
- When I work (75%)
58% of workers consider purposeful work to be a must-have when deciding to stay at a current job or accept a new job (Metlife, 2023)
In 2023, 30% of employees without purposeful work intended to remain with a current employer for the next 12 months, down from 53% in 2021 (Metlife, 2023)
71% of employees report feeling a strong sense of purpose at work, and 72% are very satisfied with how purposeful or meaningful their work is (Metlife, 2023)
93% of HR professionals say they have a good relationship with the employees at their company, and 81% have a good relationship with senior executives (Access Perks, 2023)
66% of HR professionals report they have a seat at the strategic table at their company (Access Perks, 2023)
62% of employees say their company has created a positive work culture (Access Perks, 2023)
56% of HR professional say believe their company is truly committed to work/life balance, but 14% over 2022 (Access Perks, 2023)
16% of HR professionals report they work in a toxic environment (Access Perks, 2023)

Miscellaneous Workplace Statistics

These statistics cover topics ranging from DEI to burnout to technology like AI and beyond. Together they show an evolving workplace where it’s becoming harder to attract and keep top talent.

77% of employees say rising medical costs are their top concern (Metlife, 2025)
68% of employees say economic security is their top concern (Metlife, 2025)
Gen Z workers (the least holistically healthy generation at 31%) now surpass baby boomers (the most holistically healthy at 52%) in the workforce (Metlife, 2025)
35% of employees say they feel burned out (Metlife, 2025)
82% of employees feel burnt out to some degree (DHR Global, 2025)
The top drivers of employee burnout are: (DHR Global, 2025)
- Working too many hours (58%)
- Overwhelming workload (35%)
- Work-life balance difficulties (34%)
- Fear of layoffs (24%)
Top workplace stressors are: (NRP, 2025)
- Compensation (32%)
- Workload (25%)
- Co-workers (24%)
- Lack of recognition/reward (23%)
- Personal distractions (20%)
43% of North American employees fear that AI threatens their job security (DHR Global, 2025)
61% of employees report their employer is incorporating emerging technology like AI into the workplace (NRP, 2025)
20% of employees do not feel financially stable, with Gen Z feeling the most likely to feel not at all financial stable (Payroll, 2024)
36% of employees feel complete financial stability with Millennials being the most likely to feel this way (Payroll, 2024)
76% of employer believe their workers need to become comfortable working with AI to compete in today’s workplace, 68% of employees agree (Aflac, 2024)
38% of employees are concerned AI will replace their specific job functions (Aflac, 2024)
47% of employees believe their organization has done a better job supporting mental health over the past year (Aflac, 2024)
Employees are mostly likely to express job satisfaction when they believe their employer cares about their mental wellbeing (46%) (Aflac, 2024)
Millennials experienced the highest levels of burnout (66%) (Aflac, 2024)
40% of employees say their employer has a recognition program (Work Human, 2024)
55% of employees do not receive any or sufficient recognition at work (Work Human, 2024)
Employees who receive sufficient recognition at work are 12.2x as likely to be connected to their organization’s culture and 9x as likely to be engaged (Work Human, 2024)
Employees who get valuable feedback about their performance are 57% less likely to be burned out and 48% less likely to look for another job (Work Human, 2024)
26% of employees are encouraged to learn new skills at work (Work Human, 2024)
75% of senior leaders feel a sense of connection to their organization, compared to 53% of individual contributors (Work Human, 2024)
77% of senior leaders feel that recognition for good work is a part of company culture, compared to 51% of individual contributors (Work Human, 2024)
60% of employees who have learned a new skill in the last 6 months see a path to growth, compared to 21% who have never learned a new skill (Work Human, 2024)
74% of employees experience at least moderate levels of stress at work (Aflac, 2024)
83% of leaders believe they do a good job acting on employee feedback, only 43% of individual contractors agree (Qualtrics, 2024)
39% of associate workers believe they (and their families) will be better off in 5 years, a 10 percentage point decline since 2019 (Edelman, 2024)
78% of executives believe they will be better off in 5 years, compared to 39% of associate workers (Edelman, 2024)
61% of U.S. employees report that their mental health is very good or better (Edelman, 2024)
63% of U.S. employees who experienced workplace transformations report that the change was very positive, compared to 73% worldwide (Edelman, 2024)
DEI efforts have declined from HR’s #4 priority in 2021 to #7 priority in 2024 (Mclean, 2024)

By 2030, 30% of the global workforce will be composed of Gen-Z (People Element, 2023)
Only 38% of HR teams report they are high performing in the DEI space (McLean, 2023)
37% of organizations have a formal, documented DEI strategy (McLean, 2023)
Top barriers to DEI progress by HR teams include: (McLean, 2023)
- Dedicated time for DEI work (59%)
- Resources and funding (43%)
- Lack of data (34%)
- Lack of leadership support (29%)
42% of HR professionals report their team has converted their processes, documents, etc into digital format with the help of technology (McLean, 2023)
82% of HR teams who are using more digital technology say it increases their capacity to be more strategic, 79% that they can make more data-driven decisions and 93% that they can automate administrative tasks (McLean, 2023)
78% of highly effective HR teams are upskilling employees on digital and technology literacy (McLean, 2023)
Only 3% of organizations claim they have no skills gaps for any employee (McLean, 2023)
47% of HR professionals report that first-time leaders have the largest skill and competency gap in their organization, compared to 16% reporting individual contributors and 14% reporting experienced leaders (McLean, 2023)
46% of women and 37% of men are burned out (Future Forum, 2023)
48% of workers under age 30, and 40% of workers age 30 and up say they are burned out (Future Forum, 2023)
Among people who reported feeling burnout, 84% said at least one workplace factor negatively impacted their mental health (People Element, 2023)
84% of HR leaders report that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are a top priority for 2023 (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
38% of employees are experiencing symptoms of burnout (Qualtrics, 2023)
48% of employees report that financial concerns are hurting their mental health, compared to 31% in 2022 (Metlife, 2023)
83% of employers believe their employees are financially healthy, only 55% of employees agree (Metlife, 2023)
86% of employers believe their employees are socially healthy, only 67% of employees agree (Metlife, 2023)
More than 90% of employees are worried about inflationary pressures and rising costs (Metlife, 2023)
41% of workers want their employers to take action on environmental and sustainability issues, with Gen Z being the most likely to want this at 47% (Metlife, 2023)
36% of workers want their employers to take a stand on social and political issues, with Gen Z being the most likely to want this at 45% (Metlife, 2023)
Managers are 1.5x more likely to be caregivers for children under 18 than non-manager employees (Metlife, 2023)
The top stressor for HR professionals in 2023 is hiring/recruiting, with 76% saying it causes them significant or moderate stress, down 13% from last year (Access Perks, 2023)
66% of HR professionals report feeling significant or moderate stress from “dealing with executives’ demands”, down 11% from 2022 (Access Perks, 2023)
For 67% of HR professionals, employee discipline is the second most significant concern (Access Perks, 2023)
30% of HR professionals have witnessed one of their company’s executives do something deceiving or unethical (Access Perks, 2023)

Benefits and Employee Engagement/Retention/Recruitment Stats

These statistics demonstrate how employee compensation and benefits impact important metrics like engagement, retention, and recruitment. Scroll down to see a breakdown of each of the major types of benefits, how businesses are offering them and their impact on engagement.

In the U.S., benefits costs increased 3.8% year-over-year, compared to 3.7% increased last year (BLS, 2025)
88% of employees believe their organization could improve trust by improving their benefits packages (Metlife, 2025)
Employees who have a positive experience with their benefits are 1.9x more likely to trust their employer and 2.4x more likely to feel holistically healthy (Metlife, 2025)
38% of employees struggle to understand their employer’s communications around benefits and open enrollment (Metlife, 2025)
Top preferred benefits communication channels for vary by generation: (Metlife, 2025)
- Gen Z prefers videos and podcasts
- Millennial and Gen Z prefer websites and online portals
- Baby Boomers prefer in-person conversations
Spending on professional development benefits rose to 15%, compared to 13.3% last year (Compt, 2025)
Spending on remote work office equipment declined to 3%, from 4% last year (Compt, 2025)
Benefit costs have increased for 64% of employers (Aflac, 2024)
Benefit claims have increased for 49% of employers (Aflac, 2024)
Increased cost of benefits prevents employers’ ability to invest in: (Aflac, 2024)
- Bonuses (40%)
- Higher quality coverage (38%)
- Larger diversity of benefits (35%)
- Raises (32%)
- Greater employer contribution to benefits (27%)
The top strategy for dealing with higher benefit costs is increasing employee share of premium (40%), followed by increasing employee deductible (39%) or copay (31%), or reducing options (25%) (Aflac, 2024)
83% of employers believe their benefits are a major contributor to employee satisfaction (Aflac, 2024)
Employers believe their benefits help with employee retention (79%) and acquisition (77%) (Aflac, 2024)
74% of employers believe their employees are satisfied with their benefits, 67% of employees agree (Aflac, 2024)
62% of employees would consider accepting a position with lower pay but better benefits, compared to 53% last year (Aflac, 2024)
25% of employers plan to reduce benefits or make them more expensive for employees, compared to 38% last year (Aflac, 2024)
The impact of benefits on loyalty (63%) and engagement (60%) reached an all-time high in 2024 (Aflac, 2024)
84% of employees who understand their benefits well are very satisfied with their benefits, compared to 49% of employees who don’t understand their benefits well (Aflac, 2024)
57% of employees feel completely or very educated about their company’s benefits (Payroll, 2024)
Gen Z is most likely to report feeling a little or not at all educated about their company’s benefits (42%) (Payroll, 2024)
Employees who are educated about their benefits are more likely to participate: (Payroll, 2024)
- Health savings account participation is 15% uneducated to 44% educated
- Financial education and planning participation is 8% uneducated to 24% educated

40% of employers believe workers leave their job to find employment that offers better benefits (Forbes, 2023)
54% of American workers are content with the benefits their current employer offers (Forbes, 2023)
1 in 10 workers would take a pay cut to have access to better benefits (Forbes, 2023)
According to HR professionals, the primary goal of a benefits program is: (Care.com, 2023)
- Increasing productivity (53%)
- Attracting and retaining employees (49%)
Employees who are satisfied with their pay and benefits are 13% more likely to continue working for their current employer for 3+ years (Qualtrics, 2023)
77% of organizations that offer supplemental insurance report these benefits help with recruitment, 80% report they help with retention (Aflac, 2023)
47% of organizations report that keeping a competitive total compensation package is one of their biggest challenges (Aflac, 2023)
83% of organizations believe their benefits package has a positive impact on worker productivity, 84% that it enables them to recruit top talent, the highest percentages ever reported (Aflac, 2023)
80% of organizations believe their employees are highly satisfied with their benefits, however only 58% of employees report high satisfaction (Aflac, 2023)
Employee satisfaction with benefits is at a 10-year low, reaching 61% in 2023, down from 64% in 2022 (Metlife, 2023)
83% of employers believe their employees are satisfied with their employee benefits, but only 60% of employees report satisfaction (Metlife, 2023)
36% of employees have left or considered leaving a job because of inadequate family benefits (Maven Clinic, 2023)
Among employers planning to cut back on employee benefits in 2023: (Care.com, 2023)
- 35% will eliminate adoption & fertility assistance
- 33% will eliminate commuter benefits
- 32% will eliminate financial education
- 32% will eliminate health and fitness discounts
- 31% will eliminate 401K match
- 31% will eliminate mental health support
- 28% will eliminate paid maternity and paternity leave
Small business owners believe their employees are quitting mainly because of: (Forbes, 2023)
- Higher pay (32%)
- Better benefits (26%)
- Better advancement opportunities (22%)
- Flexible work-from-home options (20%)

Salary and Base Compensation Stats

The median weekly average earnings for U.S. workers in 2025 is $1,194 (BLS, 2025)
U.S. men earned a median weekly salary of $1,307 compared to women who earned $1,096 (BLS, 2025)
The average starting salary for 2025 graduates is $68,000 per year (Bankrate, 2025)
In the U.S., salaries and wages increased 3.5% year-over-year, compared to 4.4% increased last year (BLS, 2025)
30% of employees who voluntarily left a job could have been retained with additional compensation and benefits (the top answer) (Gallup, 2024)
Half of all employers find it a challenge to offer a competitive total compensation package, up from 45% in 2023 (Aflac, 2024)
67% of employers report they support employee financial wellness, compared to 61% of employees who say the same (Payroll, 2024)
86% of employees feel their employer is responsible for supporting their financial wellbeing, with Gen X & Y the most likely to feel this way (Payroll, 2024)
34% of employees believe financial education/planning to be the most important benefit for supporting financial wellbeing, while only 18% of employees agree (Payroll, 2024)
56% of employers plan to invest more in employee financial wellness (Payroll, 2024)
54% of employees say inflation negatively impacted their personal finances, compared to 67% last year (Aflac, 2024)
64% of employees can’t go more than one month without a paycheck (Aflac, 2024)
Frontline employees are 14 percentage points less likely to believe they are fairly paid, 10 percentage points less likely to trust leadership and 9 percentage points less likely to be satisfied with work processes (Qualtrics, 2024)
87% of employees would only consider a job if wages will keep up with cost of living (Edelman, 2024)
61% of employees believe they are paid fairly for what they do, down from 67% in 2022 (Qualtrics, 2023)
25% of employees know their own pay band (Lattice, 2023)
54% of companies only give HR and finance departments visibility into employee pay bands (Lattice, 2023)
67% of U.S. employees want more pay transparency (Lattice, 2023)
85% of companies acknowledge they need to improve pay equity, 39% that they need to improve a lot (Lattice, 2023)
59% of companies are investing in pay transparency (Lattice, 2023)
78% of companies are investing in pay equity (Lattice, 2023)
Globally, 57% of employees believe their pay is clearly linked to their performance (Qualtrics, 2023)
46% of employers are increasing wage adjustments (Maven Clinic, 2023)
46% of employees reported that pay/compensation to be the most important element demonstrating that their employer cares for them (Metlife, 2023)
When choosing the most important element that demonstrates their employer cares about them, Gen Z, Millennials, Black and Hispanic workers, workers with children and employees with disabilities were the most likely to choose something other than pay/compensation (Metlife, 2023)

Healthcare and Wellness Benefits Stats

70% of employers prioritize controlling prescription drug spend. (NRP, 2025)
To offset healthcare costs, employers are considering: (NRP, 2025)
- offer value-based benefits that incentivize better healthcare behaviors (35%)
- modifying benefits offered (28%)
- direct-to-provider agreements (27%)
- passing increased costs onto plan participants (24%)
Health benefit cost per employee is expected to rise 5%, higher than the 3% average of the last decade (Mercer, 2025)
Specialty drug cost (like GLP-1) per employee rose 10.2% in 2023 (Mercer, 2025)
45% of large companies are likely or very likely to raise employee’s share of healthcare costs in 2025 (Mercer, 2025)
In 2025, companies plan to offer more affordable healthcare options: (Mercer, 2025)
- Free employee-only coverage in at least on medical plan (13%)
- No/low deductible plans (40%)
- Telemedicine options for employees not eligible for medical plans (10%)
- Increased HSA contributions for low-earners (6%)
Despite their cost, more companies are likely to add coverage for expensive weight loss drugs than are likely to drop coverage. (Mercer, 2025)
62% of employers will offer at least one benefit to support women’s reproductive health in 2025 (Mercer, 2025)
Health insurance has the second highest take rate of all benefits at 82% (Payroll, 2024)
Employees consider retirement plans (73%) and health insurance (72%) to be the most important benefits to their financial wellbeing (Payroll, 2024)
Employees would not accept a new job offer if the following benefits weren’t included: health insurance (67%) and retirement plans (65%) (Payroll, 2024)
29% of all employees believe they overpaid for health care in the past year, with those who don’t understand their coverage being the most likely to say so (49%) (Aflac, 2024)
72% of private industry workers and 89% of government workers had access to medical care benefits (BLS, 2024)
43% of private industry workers and 60% of government workers had access to dental care benefits (BLS, 2024)
Private industry employees pay 20% of premiums for single coverage medical plan premiums, employers pay 80% (BLS, 2024)
Private industry employees pay 32% of premiums for family coverage medical plan premiums, employers pay 68% (BLS, 2024)
76% of employees say mental health coverage is just as important as physical health coverage (Aflac, 2024)
71% of employees have access to mental health coverage, up from 61% last year (Aflac, 2024)
Nearly half of all employees can’t afford an unexpected medical expense (Aflac, 2024)
57% of employees say supplemental insurance is a necessary part of a comprehensive benefits program (Aflac, 2024)

80% of employers shifted costs to employees instead of cutting benefits due to the rising cost of healthcare (Aflac, 2023)
57% of American workers have high anxiety about health care costs beyond what their insurance covers (Aflac, 2023)
76% of employers think their employees understand their health care costs well, compared to only 52% of employees who report they do (Aflac, 2023)
43% of employees are confident they understand everything about their health insurance policies (Aflac, 2023)
71% of companies added or are planning to add employee benefits for reproductive health needs (Maven Clinic, 2023)
63% of employers plan to increase family health benefits in the next 2-3 years (Maven Clinic, 2023)
87% of U.S. employers (91% of global employers) believe family benefits are extremely important to prospective and current employees (Maven Clinic, 2023)
64% of employees have missed work in the past year because of their family health needs (Maven Clinic, 2023)
41% of employees feel their employer could better support their family and reproductive health needs (Maven Clinic, 2023)
When considering family benefits, employees want: (Maven Clinic, 2023)
- Financial support for building families (30%)
- Support for raising young children (28%)
- Support for giving birth and returning to work (26%)
85% of employers believe their employees are mentally healthy, only 65% of employees agree (Metlife, 2023)
87% of employers believe their employees are physically healthy, only 67% of employees agree (Metlife, 2023)
43% of HR professionals have personally used or considered using their company’s EAP or mental health benefits (Access Perks, 2023)
80% of employees older than 42 want jobs that include employer-covered healthcare (Forbes, 2023)
67% of employees and 68% of employers believe employer-covered healthcare to be the most important benefit (Forbes, 2023)
33% of employees and 23% of employers believe mental health assistance to be the most important benefit (Forbes, 2023)

Retirement Benefits Stats

52% of employees expect their primary source of retirement will come from self-funded savings, yet only 28% feel they are building a large enough nest egg (Transamerica Center, 2025)
83% of employees are saving in an employer-sponsored retirement plan and/or outside the workplace (Transamerica Center, 2025)
37% of workers have tapped into their retirement accounts, including 31% who have taken a loan and 21% who have taken an early withdrawal (Transamerica Center, 2025)
The median household retirement savings is $82,000 (Transamerica Center, 2025)
39% of U.S. employees fear outliving their retirement savings (Transamerica Center, 2025)
The amount needed for a U.S. worker to retire comfortably in 2025 is $1.26 million (SHRM, 2025)
Retirement benefits have the highest take rate of all benefits at 90% (Payroll, 2024)
Employees consider retirement plans (73%) and health insurance (72%) to be the most important benefits to their financial wellbeing (Payroll, 2024)
Employees would not accept a new job offer if the following benefits weren’t included: health insurance (67%) and retirement plans (65%) (Payroll, 2024)

34% of employees and 34% of employers believe pension and retirement plans to be the most important benefit (Forbes, 2023)
In 10 years, Social Security will only be able to pay 77% of scheduled benefits, 52% chose to participate (CRR, 2023)
69% of private industry workers had access to employer-provided retirement plans, 52% chose to participate (BLS, 2023)
92% of state and local government workers had access to a retirement plan, 82% chose to participate (BLS, 2023)
The average retiree started 2023 with $21,000 less than they had at the start of 2022 (Clever, 2023)
Only 12% of American retirees have at least the recommended $550,000 in retirement savings (Clever, 2023)
37% of retirees say they have nothing saved for retirement (Clever, 2023)
60% of retirees say their former employers did not do enough to help them prepare for retirement (Clever, 2023)
67% of older Americans have not met with a retirement advisor to create a financial plan (Retireable, 2023)
52% of retirees are considering taking on part-time jobs or are uncertain if they will have to (Retireable, 2023)
41% of near retirees are confident in their month-to-month spending in their current state and moving into retirement (Retireable, 2023)

PTO, Vacation and Time Off Stats

Nearly half of employees expect to leave vacation time unused (SHRM, 2024)
Companies of 1-99 employees give an average of 10 paid vacation days after 1 year of employment and 14 days after 5 years. Companies of 500+ workers give an average of 14 paid vacation days after 1 year of employment and 18 days after 5 years. (BLS, 2024)
Private industry workers have access to: (BLS, 2024)
- paid sick leave (79%)
- paid holidays (81%)
- life insurance (53%)
Employees who have experienced burnout say that the ability to work from home (32%) would be the most effective in helping them cope, followed by more PTO (23%) and company-sponsored self-care programs (21%) (Aflac, 2024)
Among workers who planned blended (business and leisure) travel in the coming year, 24% did so for the cost savings because the employer would be covering some costs, 24% because they could travel to places that would be difficult to get to otherwise, 23% so they could bring loved ones along and 18% to preserve vacation time (Morning Consult, 2023)
29% of employees wish they could travel more for business with baby boomers (32%) and low income earners (34%) being the most likely to wish they could travel for business more (Morning Consult, 2023)
43% of employees plan to take a leisure-first blended (leisure and business) trip in the next year (Morning Consult, 2023)
35% of employees plan to take a business-first blended (leisure and business) trip in the next year (Morning Consult, 2023)
37% of employees expect to fully pay for transportation and accommodations when taking a blended (business and leisure) trip (Morning Consult, 2023)
Among businesses that made changes to business travel policies since the pandemic, 60% support fewer business trips overall and 56% send fewer employees on business trips (Morning Consult, 2023)
At businesses that have cut back on business travel, 40% of employees believe the reason is to save money and 20% believe it is because of the ability to meet virtually (Morning Consult, 2023)
46% of employees will travel less for company retreats than in pre-pandemic years (Morning Consult, 2023)
45% of employees will travel less for trade shows than in pre-pandemic years (Morning Consult, 2023)
41% of employees will travel less for client meetings than in pre-pandemic years (Morning Consult, 2023)
40% of 42-57 year-olds are most likely to want mandatory paid time off from their employer (Forbes, 2023)
31% of employees and a negligible percentage of employers believe mandatory paid time off to be the most important benefit (Forbes, 2023)

Flexible Working Stats

75% of workers with jobs that can be done from home, do work from home at least some of the time (Pew Research, 2025)
The top two factors employees looked for when searching for a new job were: (Flex Jobs, 2025)
- Remote work options (67%)
- Improved work-life balance (52%)
The top reasons that workers say would make them more loyalty to their employer include: remote work options (the top answer at 68%) and flexible schedules, such as 4-day work weeks (61%) (Flex Jobs, 2025)
75% of workers with jobs that can be done from home are required to be in the office at least part of the time (Pew Research, 2025)
46% of worker who currently work from home at least part of the time would likely resign if no longer allowed to do so (Pew Research, 2025)
76% of employees working 1-3 days from home felt highly engaged, versus 60% of employees who worked zero days from home (Qualtrics, 2024)
Employees who have experienced burnout say that the ability to work from home (32%) would be the most effective in helping them cope, followed by more PTO (23%) and company-sponsored self-care programs (21%) (Aflac, 2024)
81% of organizations do not plan on making significant changes to its flexibility or location in the next year (Mclean, 2024)
Offsite and hybrid employees reported better co-worker relationships and better recognition than their onsite counterparts (Mclean, 2024)

Over 50% of employees want flexible hours, but only 31% of employers believe it’s an important perk (Forbes, 2023)
50% of HR leaders expect to maintain a remote workforce of 50% or more in 2023 (Lattice, 2023)
23% of HR leaders expect to maintain a 90%-100% remote workforce in 2023 (Lattice, 2023)
42% of HR leaders reported that employees feel overlooked for promotions and raises because of reduced facetime due to remote work (Lattice, 2023)
45% of HR leaders reported that it’s hard to track productivity because of reduced facetime due to remote work (Lattice, 2023)
2 in 5 of employees with flexible scheduling arrangements plan to take advantage of this flexibility to travel mid-week during the coming year (Morning Consult, 2023)
44% of organizations want employees back in the office but are afraid to mandate because of the tight labor market (People Element, 2023)
67% of workers prefer a hybrid work arrangement with access to a physical work space (Future Forum, 2023)
Employees who have full schedule flexibility have 39% higher productivity and 64% greater ability to focus than employees with no ability to shift their schedules (Future Forum, 2023)
Employees with no ability to set their own hours report 4.6x worse work-related stress and anxiety (Future Forum, 2023)
Among desk workers globally, 49% have a hybrid arrangement, 35% work full-time in-office and 17% work fully remote (Future Forum, 2023)
81% of workers want flexibility in where they work (Future Forum, 2023)
93% of workers want flexibility in when they work (Future Forum, 2023)
42% of employers are considering a 4-day workweek for their employees (Achievers Workforce Institute, 2023)
If employees could gain extra free time from flexible arrangements, 70% of women and 53% of men would use that time to care for themselves and focus on their wellbeing. 61% of women and 53% of men would spend that time with family (Metlife, 2023)
64% of employees are interested in their employer offering four-day work weeks (Metlife, 2023)
10% of employees feel their employer offers no flexibility, 17% that they offer low levels of flexibility, 46% moderate levels of flexibility and 27% high levels of flexibility (Metlife, 2023)
26% of employees and 34% of employers believe work-provided equipment to be a top remote-work benefit (Forbes, 2023)
17% of employees and 20% of employers believe home office stipends to be a top remote-work benefit (Forbes, 2023)

Employee Perks / Lifestyle Benefits Stats

In 2025, companies offer or will offer: (Mercer, 2025)
- Child-care referrals/consultations (36%)
- On-site childcare (11%)
- Elder care referral/consultations (34%)
- Access to backup elder care services (20%)
In 2025, employers plan to offset rising healthcare costs with money-saving benefits for other lifestyle needs: (Mercer, 2025)
- Financial wellness program (68%)
- Subsidized phone/internet plans for remote workers (21%)
- Subsidized transportation/commuting (18%)
- Subsidized meals at work (17%)
LSAs (Lifestyle spending accounts or all-inclusive stipends) account for 71% of company budgets, combining categories of health & wellness, family care and personal essentials into one flexible benefit (Compt, 2025)
Top categories for employee lifestyle stipend spending includes: (Compt, 2025)
- Health and wellness (18%)
- Food (17%)
- Treat yourself (13%)
Lifestyle compensation benefits have a 56% take rate (Payroll, 2024)
82% of employees would only consider a job if offered training to keep skills up to date (Edelman, 2024)
52% of new hires and 48% of exiting employees cite opportunities for career advancement as a primary reason for changing jobs (Mclean, 2024)

35% of HR professionals report that their organization provides growth paths and employees understand them, 33% report that paths exist but employees don’t understand them and 32% have few defined growth paths (Lattice, 2023)
58% of employees are satisfied with the professional growth and training opportunities offered by their employers (Metlife, 2023)
In 2023, 46% of HR professionals are prioritizing childcare more and 43% are prioritizing senior care more (Care.com, 2023)
If HR professionals could only offer one family care benefit: (Care.com, 2023)
- 22% would choose senior care services
- 12% would choose on-site child care
- 9% would choose paid membership to online platforms to find care
- 5% would choose new parent support
32% of HR professionals report that their employees are requesting senior care services and 30% requesting childcare benefits (Care.com, 2023)
81% of HR professionals say they are more tolerant for employees caring for family members in 2023 (Care.com, 2023)
42% of HR professionals believe care-related employee benefits should be funded by the government (Care.com, 2023)
83% of employers would offer childcare benefits if they had more government support (Care.com, 2023)
47% of employees report that family benefits offered by employers make them feel appreciated (Maven Clinic, 2023)
30% of 18-41 year-olds are most concerned with having pet insurance available as a benefit (Forbes, 2023)
45% of employees and 43% of employers believe life insurance to be the most important benefit (Forbes, 2023)
51% of employees and 47% of employers value work-life balance as the most important element of company culture (Forbes, 2023)
11% of employees and 8% of employers named camaraderie an important cultural benefit (Forbes, 2023)
24% of employees named employee discounts as an important perk for in-office work (Forbes, 2023)
20% of workers want employers to support their professional development (Forbes, 2023)
31% of employers believe it’s important to offer free drinks and 28% that it’s important to offer free food as a fringe benefit, but few employees agree (Forbes, 2023)

Benefits Management Stats

71% of employers spend more than four hours per leave request on administration (NRP, 2025)
In 2025, recruiting fell to HR’s #5 priority, after being the #1 priority for each of the previous 5 years (McLean, 2025)
When used by HR professionals use AI, they are 1.3x as likely to be highly effective at recruiting top talent (McLean, 2025)
HR departments are using AI to aid in: (McLean, 2025)
- Talent acquisition (22%)
- HR operations (21%)
- Onboarding (9%)
- Total Rewards (6%)

Large companies of 1000+ full time employees average a ratio of 1 HR professional for every 145 full time employees (McLean, 2023)
54% of employees reported high levels of trust in their HR department (McLean, 2023)
90% of organizations are investing in linking compensation and performance (Lattice, 2023)
72% of organizations report they need to improve their approach to linking compensation and performance (Lattice, 2023)
High performing HR teams conduct reviews more frequently (33% review quarterly while 22% compare less frequently) and include more people in those reviews (4.5 participants vs. 2.9 participants) (Lattice, 2023)
27% of HR teams use software tools and platforms to identify bias in performance reviews (Lattice, 2023)
53% of companies have invested in manager training to reduce bias in performance reviews (Lattice, 2023)
The #1 reason that organizations invest in benefits is to show employees that they care (Metlife, 2023)
88% of companies and 82% of employees believe it’s important for employers to care for their workforce (Metlife, 2023)
87% of employers believe their organizations demonstrate care, while only 65% of employees agree (Metlife, 2023)
95% of HR professionals are recalibrating their company’s benefit strategies in 2023 (Care.com, 2023)
47% of HR professionals are trimming overall employee benefits in 2023 (Care.com, 2023)
9% of HR professionals plan to expand employee benefits in 2023 (Care.com, 2023)
94% of HR professionals pay attention to their competitors’ benefits packages (Care.com, 2023)
89% of employees choose the same benefits each year (Aflac, 2023)
65% of employees reported that working with a benefits advisor is important to them (Aflac, 2023)

Employee Engagement: How to Get More

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Specifically, Access Perks specializes in employee discount programs which are proving to be one of the most universally relevant employee perks out there and one of the best for keeping employees fully engaged.

Want to hear the Access Perks take on the statistics above and more? Here are some recent articles that discuss the complex task of engaging employees in 2025.