Talking about my generation? Time to change the tune 

For more than a decade, generational thinking has played a visible role in benefits strategy — and Nordic organizations are no exception. Gen Z prioritizes wellbeing, Millennials want purpose over pay, and Boomers value pensions and security. These narratives have been grounded in observable workforce trends and have often provided a helpful starting point for segmentation, planning, and communication.  

But over the past five years, something has shifted. This is also supported by our latest research, which shows how benefits strategies are evolving beyond age groups toward individual needs.  

Generational categories haven’t disappeared, and they’re not irrelevant. Yet they’ve become less definitive, less predictive, and less useful as the primary lens for designing benefits. The workforce has become more complex, more fluid, and more shaped by context than by cohort.  

The question for HR leaders isn’t whether generational insight still has value. It does. The question is whether it should continue to lead the strategy or simply inform it. To explore this further, we turned to two Benifex experts to share their perspectives on what organizations should keep, rethink, and prioritize. 

Generational thinking still has a place – but it’s no longer the whole story 

“Flexible benefits are often framed through a generational lens, but this can oversimplify what employees actually value. In reality, life stage, personal context, and individual priorities play a far greater role in shaping benefit needs,” says Lyndsey Shaw, VP of partnerships at Benifex.  

“As people experience different phases of life – from early career exploration to home ownership, parenting, caring responsibilities, and health concerns – their priorities naturally evolve,” she says. “Because these life events occur at different times for different people, benefits strategies that assume a linear, age-based progression risk missing these nuances entirely.  
 
“For many younger employees, flexibility is closely associated with autonomy. Digital convenience, speed, and choice matter, and models such as flexible allowances can feel appealing because they allow individuals to personalize their experience and make decisions on their own terms,” explains Lyndsey.   
 
“In our latest research, we can see that Gen Z’s expectations of their employer – and their benefits – have increased more than any other age group in the last 12 months: 

“Later in life, however, flexibility can take on a different meaning,” says Lyndsey. “As stability, health and financial security become more central, benefits that deliver certainty and long-term value – such as private medical insurance, income protection and life assurance – often carry greater weight. In these contexts, overly open-ended models may feel misaligned with what employees need.”  
 
“For every assumed norm, there are individuals who defy it: for example, younger employees actively assess pension contributions and long-term value. Effective benefits strategies must be designed to accommodate this reality. Flexibility only delivers value when employees understand it. Many people struggle with benefit terminology or fail to grasp the real-world relevance of products such as critical illness cover or car salary sacrifice,” says Lyndsey.  
 
“Clear, human storytelling – focused on why a benefit matters and how it could support someone at their current stage of life – is essential to removing barriers and broadening engagement. The future of benefits design lies in personalization, guided choice, real-time insight, and AI-enabled discovery tools that help employees make confident decisions, while giving employers clearer signals about where unmet demand is emerging,” concludes Lyndsey. 

Technology can help employers move beyond generational assumptions 

“Technology has a critical role to play in helping employers move beyond age-based thinking and deliver more relevant, personalized benefits experiences,” says Ross Spearman, chief experience officer at Benifex.  
 
“Historically, benefits platforms functioned as places to host information, manage enrolment, and support transactions. While these foundations still matter, expectations have moved on. Employees now expect benefits experiences to mirror the digital services they use every day – intuitive, responsive, and relevant to their personal circumstances,” says Ross. “For employers, the focus is no longer on what is offered, but on the impact those offerings deliver.  
 
“Modern benefits technology allows organizations to design experiences around these needs and desired outcomes. Instead of asking employees to self-identify through generational labels, platforms can respond to behavior, context, and expressed intent. Ultimately, what matters is timely support for real-life challenges, whether that’s managing healthcare costs, improving financial resilience, or maintaining wellbeing during a demanding period,” explains Ross.  
 
“Data enables this approach. Digital platforms provide real-time insight into how employees interact with benefits, where engagement drops off, and which needs are emerging across the workforce. Now employers can move from static, retrospective reporting to proactive intervention – adjusting communication, surfacing relevant support, or redesigning experiences based on what employees actually do, rather than who they’re assumed to be,” he says.  
 
“AI will further accelerate this evolution. Intelligent discovery and recommendation tools can help employees navigate complexity, reduce decision fatigue, and receive personalized guidance linked to life events, behaviors, or stated goals. For HR and reward teams, this creates a continuous feedback loop, revealing unmet demand and helping to prioritize investment where it will have the greatest impact,” Ross states.   

Our research shows that Gen Z and Boomer generations agree that AI should assist, not act.   

“Ultimately, technology becomes the enabler of a more human benefits strategy. By supporting personalization at scale and focusing on outcomes over demographics, it allows employers to move beyond generational tropes and design benefits that genuinely reflect the realities of modern working lives,” explains Ross. “The goal is experiences that deliver real value – for employees and for the organization.” 

Rethinking the role of generations in benefits strategy 

When benefits strategies move beyond generational assumptions and start focusing on individual needs, everyone wins. Employees feel seen, supported, and in control; HR and reward teams gain the insight to make data-driven decisions and deliver personalization at scale; and employers build healthier, more engaged, and more productive workforces. 

Want to explore this further? Download the full report: Is it time to quit the generation game in employee benefits?