Top tips for introducing equity across your benefits offering

How can HR and reward leaders ensure fairness across their benefits offering?

With pay transparency regulations looming and workplace expectations shifting, benefits equity is under the spotlight like never before.

Employees are increasingly alert to whether what’s on offer feels fair and accessible - and when it doesn’t, confidence in the organisation can quickly erode.

Getting benefits right isn’t just a matter of compliance. An equitable benefits strategy directly impacts how satisfied employees feel, how engaged they are, and whether they choose to stay.

Conversely, a poorly balanced or inaccessible package risks reinforcing inequalities and undermining the progress organisations are striving to achieve.

So, what practical steps can HR and reward leaders take to ensure fairness across their benefits offering? Here are five key areas to focus on.

1. Start with data and employee insight

Equity starts with understanding your workforce. Without insight, organisations risk designing benefits that work for some but leave others behind.

Analyse demographic and usage data to uncover gaps in benefit take-up.
Run surveys, focus groups or listening sessions to gather direct feedback.
Benchmark against peers to spot blind spots in your provision.

By making data the foundation of your strategy, you can create benefits that genuinely reflect the needs of your people - and demonstrate that decisions are evidence-based rather than assumption-driven.

2. Balance consistency with flexibility

Equity doesn’t mean uniformity. Employees’ needs vary depending on their stage of life, financial situation or personal circumstances. The challenge for HR leaders is to create an offering that feels fair, but also adaptable.

Provide a core package of essentials (such as pension, health cover and wellbeing support).
Use a flexible benefits platform to give employees autonomy to choose what matters most to them.
Add optional extras that enhance choice without inflating overall costs.

This approach ensures fairness is balanced with personalisation, helping employees feel supported as individuals while maintaining organisational consistency.

3. Review language and accessibility

Even the best-designed benefits can fall flat if employees don’t know about them, don’t understand them, or don’t feel they apply to “people like me.”

Audit your benefits communications for jargon, clarity and inclusive language.
Deliver information in different formats - from digital portals to printed guides - to meet diverse needs.
Offer guidance, webinars or one-to-one sessions to help employees navigate their choices.

Accessibility and communication are often the hidden barriers to equity. Removing them can significantly boost both awareness and take-up.

4. Don’t let perks undermine pay equity

Benefits are part of the total reward package — which means they must complement, not complicate, pay equity.

The forthcoming EU Pay Transparency Directive, designed to address Europe’s 13% gender pay gap, is likely to influence UK employers despite Brexit. Crucially, it doesn’t just cover pay: it extends to perks and benefits too.

That means organisations will need to produce clear total reward statements that quantify both cash and non-cash benefits, from pensions and private healthcare to childcare and travel allowances.

Review whether benefits disproportionately favour certain groups, risking hidden inequities.
Ensure all employees can access the same quality of support.
Provide transparency by showing the combined value of pay and benefits in pounds and pence.

By aligning benefits equity with pay equity, organisations can not only avoid compliance risks but also build trust and demonstrate genuine fairness.

5. Build in review and accountability

Equity in benefits isn’t a one-off project - it’s an ongoing commitment. Without regular monitoring, even the most inclusive strategy can quickly become outdated.

Set measurable goals and KPIs around benefits equity.
Gather regular employee feedback to track impact and evolving needs.
Ensure senior leaders are accountable for maintaining fairness and inclusivity.

Embedding review and accountability helps equity stay at the heart of your benefits strategy, rather than being seen as a tick-box exercise.

Conclusion

As organisations look to strengthen their diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, employee benefits provide a powerful lever.

Equity in benefits is not about identical provision, but about fair access, transparency and choice. When done well, it leads to higher employee satisfaction, stronger retention and a more inclusive workplace culture.

By grounding decisions in data, balancing flexibility with consistency, improving accessibility, aligning with pay equity, and building in accountability, HR leaders can create benefit strategies that are fair, sustainable and future-proof - and that demonstrate a genuine commitment to putting people at the heart of reward.