Why employee benefits need to catch up with how we actually work
The way we work has changed.
We dial into meetings from kitchens, strategise in co-working spaces, and “catch up” whilst on the road.
Work is fluid, dynamic, and borderless - so why does accessing employee benefits feel rigid and outdated?
The reality is this: if your benefits package only works for people in HQ, then it’s not actually working.
When employees have to navigate a labyrinth of PDFs, clunky portals, and ‘call this number during office hours’ instructions, they won’t engage.
The big disconnect: benefits built for a bygone era
HR teams curate suites of excellent benefits that should, in theory, support their employees.
But they communicate them with tech designed for an office-based world (circa. 2015).
What does that mean in practice?
- Your hybrid and remote teams feel like second-class citizens. They don't see the posters in the loos, they don't have time to search your intranet between meetings. Half the time they don't even know what benefits they have.
- Global teams get inconsistent experiences. A UK employee gets cutting-edge health support, while their colleague in another country gets … nothing. No clarity - no parity.
- Employees don’t engage because benefits feel generic. A twenty-something guy thinking about buying his first house has different needs from a fifty-something woman navigating peri-menopause. Yet, most platforms treat them as the same person.
The fix: benefits that feel personal, instant, and borderless
Thankfully, technology has already solved similar problems in other parts of life.
Netflix recommends movies based on your mood. Spotify creates playlists based on your current vibe.
Benefits should work the same way - anticipating needs, guiding employees to the right support, and making it effortless to engage.
1. Benefits that find you (not the other way around)
We live in an era where apps nudge us to move more, drink water, and monitor our sleep quality.
So why are employee benefits still passive?
The next generation of benefits tech won’t wait for employees to search - it will proactively surface relevant support when it matters.
AI-driven insights, push notifications, and timely check-ins will educate employees and encourage them to use their benefits before a crisis hits.
2. Global, but personal
Benefits should feel local but actually operate on a global scale.
Employees should be able to access high-quality support, in their chosen language, in a way that feels relevant to them whether in the world they are.
Whether it’s a mental health check-in or fertility support, the experience should be seamless, culturally adapted, and easily accessible - everywhere.
3. Data without borders, insights without limits
Right now, most benefits data is scattered across multiple suppliers, in multiple countries, in multiple formats - making it impossible to get a clear view of what’s working and what’s not.
AI-powered benefits platforms bring everything under one roof meaning HR teams can get real-time insights into engagement trends, gaps in support, and opportunities to improve.
No more guesswork, no more spreadsheets full of questionable data - just smart, actionable intelligence that helps companies build benefits strategies that actually deliver for their people and the bottom line.
The future: benefits that work the way people do
Work has evolved, and employee benefits need to evolve with it.
The companies getting this right are those upgrading their benefits technology now.
They’re creating benefits experiences that genuinely support their people- wherever they are, whatever they need, sometimes even before they realise they need it.
These businesses aren’t just improving employee wellbeing; they’re seeing higher usage, better retention, and greater ROI.
In the future of work, those who invest in smarter benefits today will be the ones who win tomorrow.
Book a Peppy demo today and see what the future holds.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Peppy
'The home of benefits. Expert, clinically-led health services in-app, plus an AI-powered employee benefits platform.
