Why benefits technology alone won’t future-proof your people strategy
A sleek, personalised experience delivered seamlessly via mobile sounds like the answer to every reward and benefit leader's dream. After all, we're all under pressure to boost engagement, manage rising costs, demonstrating the value of every pound spent on benefits.
But here's the reality: technology, on its own, isn't enough.
Recent insights from leading organisations such as E.ON and Colliers have made one thing clear - while platforms can streamline processes, they don't solve the deeper, more complex challenges facing HR and reward teams today.
From fragmented data to cultural blind spots, the issues we're grappling with require strategy, empathy, and partnership.
The challenge
During a recent Gallagher webinar, E.ON and Colliers shared their experiences of implementing new benefits platforms. Their verdict was that the technology itself wasn't the problem in isolation. It was one part of a much broader challenge, embedding it meaningfully into the organisation in a way that aligns with culture, strategy, and capacity.
Many UK employers have invested in benefits platforms, but our latest Benefits and Benchmarking Survey* reveals a clear gap. In fact, 56% of those surveyed report that their employees are "not engaged" with their existing benefits technology solutions - a shortfall that poses risks of reduced engagement, retention challenges and wasted resources.
Technology alone isn't enough. It takes smart systems and smart thinking to transform the employee experience. *Gallagher's 2024 Benefits and Benchmarking Survey
Reward leaders often turn to benefits platforms with good reason. When time is short, resources are stretched, and expectations are high; technology can feel like the most immediate and scalable solution.
In many ways, it is. But without the right support and strategic context, even the best tech can struggle to deliver its full potential.
Where a strategic partner makes the difference
Organisations need a partner that understands its people, culture and long-term strategic goals.
Benefits technology delivers the greatest impact when paired with expert consultancy. At Gallagher, we have a solution: Gallagher Guide's Benefits platform, our people-first platform that blends intelligent tech with human-centred consulting.
This combination transforms a platform from a transactional tool into a strategic driver – solving integration challenges, interpreting insights from data, and crafting communications that truly connect with employees.
Gallagher's 2024 Workforce Trend Report found that designing employee communications that engage the workforce was one of the top benefits-related challenges cited by employers.
Connecting with employees demands a listening strategy and a framework that prioritises relevance and utility.
As Vinny Foreman, Strategy Partner: Behaviour and Insights, notes, employees interpret everything through a personal lens: Is this for me? What value does it bring to my life right now? Being able to confidently answer these questions is key to meaningful engagement.
The value of any benefit or service is shaped by individual perception. Understanding your audience – how they think, what they need, and how they make decisions – enables you to position offerings in ways that resonate.
Yet, emerging data from the 2025 Employee Communications Report reveals that only half of comms and HR professionals are using audience personas and profiling to tailor their messaging, despite broad consensus that targeted communication is more effective.
To elevate their benefits strategy, companies must partner with a provider that offers both powerful technology and deep expertise.
Here’s a few ways organisations can approach it:
Solving the data puzzle
Hazel Mainwaring, E.ON’s rewards and performance consulting lead said most organisations are "drowning in data" but it's scattered across systems. The promise of hyper-personalisation often falls flat, not because the tech isn't capable, but because the data isn't connected.
Benefits technology platforms, such as Gallagher Guide, help clients establish a single source of truth, integrating benefits platforms with HR, payroll, and other systems to ensure data flows seamlessly across the organisation.
A specialist partner who can bring deep analytical expertise, supported by intuitive dashboards to make complex data easy to understand and act on makes all the difference in embedding the tool.
The goal is to move beyond page views and selection rates to uncover the stories behind the numbers, whether that's identifying under-served employee groups, spotting trends in engagement, or revealing cultural blind spots.
When data is interpreted with empathy and context, it becomes a catalyst for meaningful change.
Constant adaption to a diverse workforce
The most powerful interventions aren't just new benefits, they're cultural shifts.
By helping employees empathise with hidden disabilities, E.ON boosted engagement in their adaptability network by 20%.
Technology played a role, but the real impact came from the strategic partnership behind it. From pre-boarding modules to lifecycle campaigns, a sound strategic approach will ensure the tech supports the message, not just the mechanics.
Staying agile and building trust
Benefits strategies need to evolve constantly, validating their relevance and adjusting to new trends.
Colliers' approach of trialling new offerings before full rollout is a smart way to stay flexible. This allows organisations to test engagement, gather feedback, and iterate without committing to costly overhauls.
The fundamentals of benefits technology - ease of access, slick UX, transparency - are no longer differentiators. They're expected. What sets organisations apart is how they use that technology to drive strategic, human-centred change.
At Gallagher, we don't see platforms as replacements for your reward team. We see them as extensions — powered by consultancy, insight, and empathy. We help you turn every click, every choice, and every data point into something meaningful: a more engaged, productive, and trusting workforce.
So if you're looking to future-proof your people strategy, don't start only with software. Start with partnership.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Gallagher
Gallagher is a global, integrated HR consulting, benefits administration & technology services provider.
