Are your benefits add-ons working as hard as they should?

Employee benefits have become a key part of the employee value proposition – but are you and your workforce using everything you’ve already got?

Employee benefits: Are your benefits working as hard as they should?.jpg

Many employers invest significant time and budget into their benefits offering, yet studies consistently show that large parts of those packages go underused or unnoticed.

Just 12% of employees are satisfied with their benefits, according to a recent Drewberry Insurance Employee Benefits Satisfaction Survey (2025), and only a third (36%) fully understand their current benefits.

In today’s climate of tighter budgets and increased pressure on employee wellbeing, there’s never been a better time to take stock and ensure you’re leveraging every ounce of value from your current benefits.

Why add-on services matter more than ever

Employee expectations have shifted dramatically in recent years. Support for mental health, financial wellbeing, and work-life balance is no longer seen as a nice-to-have. And yet, many of the tools that support these priorities are already bundled into benefits you’re paying for – often through insurance, pension or platform partners.

From employee assistance programmes to virtual GP services, these add-ons can offer high-impact support at no extra cost – if your workers know about them and how to use them.

Here are five common benefits extras that could be sitting unnoticed in your existing package, along with practical tips to boost engagement.

1. Employee assistance programmes (EAPs)

Often included with group life, critical illness or income protection schemes, EAPs provide:

24/7 mental health and counselling support
Legal and financial advice
Manager advice lines

How to maximise it:

Run regular awareness campaigns – especially during Mental Health Awareness Week or high-stress periods like year-end or Christmas.
Embed EAP access in your intranet, HR system and onboarding materials.
Train line managers to signpost EAP support during 1:1s.

2. Virtual GPs and health services

These are frequently bundled with private medical insurance (PMI) or health cash plans. Key features often include:

24/7 video or phone GP consultations
Prescription delivery
Services for employee family members

How to maximise it:

Promote during cold/flu season or back-to-school periods when demand is high.
Use case studies or testimonials to build trust and familiarity.
Reintroduce during annual benefits windows or health campaigns.

3. Financial wellbeing tools

Financial stress is a leading cause of distraction and absenteeism. Many pension or insurance providers offer built-in tools such as:

Budgeting and savings apps
Retirement calculators
Debt and credit advice services

How to maximise it:

Partner with payroll and finance teams to tie communications to pay reviews or pension milestones.
Highlight during cost-of-living campaigns or financial literacy month.
Ensure access links are mobile-friendly and easy to find.

4. Discounts and lifestyle perks

From retail discounts to gym memberships, many benefit platforms and insurance providers offer lifestyle perks that are often underused.

How to maximise it:

Collate seasonal offers (e.g., summer holidays, Black Friday, back-to-school).
Use internal channels (Teams, newsletters, payslips) to highlight new or time-sensitive perks.
Ask employees to share their favourite deals – peer recommendations boost trust.

5. Manager training and mental health support

Your EAP or wellbeing partner may offer manager-specific resources at no extra cost, such as:

Mental health awareness training
Toolkits for supporting distressed team members
Guidance on handling difficult conversations

How to maximise it:

Include these resources in new manager inductions or leadership development programmes.
Offer refresher sessions annually, especially in high-turnover teams.
Link to these tools whenever you promote the wider wellbeing strategy.

How to audit what you’ve got

The first step is a simple one: ask. Contact your brokers, platform providers and insurers to get a breakdown of all included services – you may be surprised at what’s already bundled in.

Then:

Review internal communications – how visible are these services to employees?
Conduct a pulse survey to understand usage and awareness gaps.
Request usage reports from your providers to identify areas for improvement.

You don’t need to start from scratch – often, it’s a matter of switching the lights on.

Don’t leave value on the table

You may be sitting on a goldmine of wellbeing and engagement tools that could boost retention, support mental health, and ease financial strain – all without spending another penny.

By uncovering, promoting and integrating these existing services into your employee wellbeing and benefits strategies, you can increase the return on your current investment and give your workforce more of the support they’re asking for.

Smart HR isn’t always about offering more – sometimes, it’s about making better use of what you’ve already got.