Don’t confuse choice with personalization

We talk a lot about “choice” in employee benefits. More options. More flexibility. More ways to support people through different life stages. But we need to be clear that choice and personalization are not the same thing. And treating them as if they are is causing confusion and missed opportunity.

Offering a broad range of benefits is important. It ensures coverage across a diverse, multigenerational workforce; there’s something for everyone. But more options alone don’t translate into more value. In fact, it can sometimes even have the opposite effect. When employees are presented with a long list of unfamiliar, complex benefits — without guidance –— many freeze. They don’t know what’s relevant, they stick with the status quo, they disengage.

Personalization is the antidote to that paralysis. It’s about surfacing the right benefits for the right person at the right time based on their needs, behaviors, and life context. It’s the bridge between what’s available and what’s genuinely useful in that moment.

However, the problem is deeper than language. It’s strategic. Too many organizations are still approaching benefits and wellbeing as two separate efforts — siloed teams, disconnected systems, and fragmented messaging. But to the employee, it’s all part of the same thing: support for their wellbeing. Whether they’re dealing with a mental health issue, caring for an aging parent, or preparing for a big financial decision, they’re asking a simple question –— “how is my employer helping me through this?”

This is where personalization becomes critical too. When people can’t see how a benefit applies to their life, they won’t use it. But when we simplify the experience and guide them to what’s relevant, we empower better decisions. Progressive companies are offering a wide range of benefits, but they are also helping employees to navigate these choices through personalized education and communications.

We’ve seen the consequences of complexity. Our research revealed a troubling number of employees who aren’t using their benefits simply because they don’t understand them. Jargon-heavy policy docs, inconsistent terminology, and scattered systems create barriers. It’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed.

The solution isn’t to reduce the benefits offering — it’s to reimagine the experience around value. Personalization removes the burden from the individual and says, “We understand you.” That’s powerful. It means instead of sorting through 30 options, a parent sees parental leave resources, family health coverage, and childcare support. Someone facing debt sees financial tools, savings plans, and coaching. The right support, right when they need it.

Technology makes this possible. With AI, behavioral triggers, and smart nudging, we can deliver relevance in real time. And by embedding those touchpoints across the platform, personalization becomes invisible. It just works.

But it’s not just about benefits delivery. It’s also about how we define value. Employers have traditionally set the benchmarks and metrics — but value isn’t just what we say it is. It’s also what employees feel. If they can’t see how a benefit impacts their life, it doesn’t matter how generous it looks on paper.

So let’s ask them. Let’s include their voices and build strategies around real, lived experiences. By designing with empathy and delivering with intelligence, we stop just offering access. We help people act — and feel good about it.

Read all expert takeaways from the Benifex Forum here.