Technology and trust are pillars of better global benefits – survey

Benefex research reveals that employees trust information given to them by their employers more than most other sources - but also expect better benefits technology too

Employees are turning to employers more for support in times of growing uncertainty, according to research by Benefex.

Benefex recently surveyed more than 2,000 employers and employees worldwide to uncover employees’ changing expectations – and how reward and benefits are responding.

The resulting Evolution research reveals that 85% of the employees surveyed said they trust the information and advice their employer gives them (much higher than they rate social media giants, the government and even independent advisors).

Employee expectations have risen in every work area – how employers protect and promote employee wellbeing, the benefits packages offered and the recognition and rewards.

But how these experiences are delivered matters – employees expect more from their workplace technology, with just 23% of global employees saying the technology used for employee benefits is excellent.

Workplace technology lags behind

Employees expect seamless and intuitive digital experiences at work. Some 50% of employees say workplace technology is an important factor for them when choosing a new employer.

However, 70% of employees claim that the technology they use at work lags behind the technology they use at home – compared with 60% in last year’s survey – highlighting that workplace technology isn’t keeping pace with their continually growing expectations.

For employees used to the hyper-personalised and seamless experiences that they get from the likes of Netflix, Spotify and Amazon, the friction they’re experiencing when accessing benefits, wellbeing and recognition from their employers can cause frustration, disengagement and damage their perception of what their employer can do for them.

People are no longer prepared to put up with slow, unresponsive platforms or outdated devices at work. Indeed, 83% of employees say they’re happy to use their own phone to access work-related apps if it means a better experience.

Technology and trust go hand in hand

Employees themselves point to technology as critical to improving all aspects of the employee experience. Technology has the potential to transform reward and benefits provision, making it easier for employers to show the value of benefits to employees, better understand employee needs (and deliver on evolving expectations) and continue to build trust with employees.

The need for personalisation was a clear theme that emerged from Benefex’s research, with 57% of employees globally saying benefits that are relevant and personalised would have the greatest effect on their employee experience. Of course, for organisations that don’t have the right systems and analytics in place, this can be difficult to deliver.

Reward and benefits leaders are responding

Employers know technology is the bedrock of exceptional employee experiences. And 80% of HR and Reward professionals admit their organisation could be using technology more effectively for employees to engage with benefits. Also, 85% recognise that their organisation could be using technology and data more effectively to better understand employees.

Greater investment in benefits and reward technology is clearly a strategic priority for HR and Reward professionals. While only 14% of organisations have a single, global platform for all employee benefits provision, another 72% are planning to implement one.

To find out more about what employees think about their technology experiences at work, what areas of reward and benefits they value most and what makes people want to join your organisation – or leave it – take a look at Benefex’s Evolution Report: The Employee Edit.