Should we be excited or terrified by AI in reward and benefits?

Drawing on findings from its global research report, Benifex explores how leading organisations are moving faster and imagining more to drive measurable value and impact in reward and benefits.

Drawing on 3,000+ interviews with employers and employees around the world, Benifex’s new global research report, Propel Reward and Benefits, explores how leading organisations are moving faster and imagining more to drive measurable value and impact in reward and benefits.

It asks the big questions – is increased investment in benefits paying off? What do employees really want from their benefits? Should we be excited or terrified by AI in HR?

What really stood out: Employees say benefits matter, but many still aren’t seeing the full picture. 69% of global employees say that benefits are having a positive impact on their life, yet 62% still say it’s hard to see the full value.
By embracing AI, both employers and their people can better realise the full potential of benefits…

AI is quickly becoming a game changer in the world of employee experience

Over the past year, sentiment towards AI has become far more positive. In fact, 96% of HR and reward professionals now believe AI can play a major role in helping organisations meet the growing expectations around employee experience.

And it’s not just theory — there are loads of practical ways AI is already making a difference. Think AI-powered financial planning tools, personalised benefit recommendations, and smart search features that help employees find the benefits and content that matter most to them.

For people leaders, the excitement is just as strong. AI is being used to analyse and improve benefits take-up, automate the boring admin stuff, and even act as a digital advisor for HR teams. In case you were still wondering, AI isn’t a fad.

HR’s growing appetite for intelligent solutions

HR and reward professionals are feeling a lot more upbeat about AI than they were this time last year. Nearly two-thirds now say AI is helping them save time and giving them better insights to do their jobs more effectively. Even better — more than half say it’s opening up new opportunities for them at work. That’s a big shift in mindset.

57% of HR and reward professionals state that AI is revolutionising how they work.

It seems there’s a growing appreciation for just how transformative AI can be when it’s used strategically in HR. Compared to 12 months ago, there’s a much clearer understanding of the real value it can bring.

That said, awareness of AI’s potential is also sparking deeper reflection about its implications. 18% of HR professionals worry that AI could make their roles less secure, and nearly half (48%) believe it may replace most HR jobs within the next five years. But rather than signalling resistance, this view recognises both the opportunity and disruption AI will bring — and its capacity to transform how HR operates.

Sentiment towards AI is also becoming more favorable across the wider workforce. After a year in which many people have adopted generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and CoPilot for the first time, there’s a much greater understanding of the benefits that AI can bring.

Almost half (47%) of employees feel more positive about the use of AI in the workplace than they did a year ago. Only 15% feel more negative. Many believe it’ll help them save time on everyday tasks, give them smarter insights to do their jobs better, and even open up new opportunities in their careers.

AI can close the expectation gap

Benifex founder and CEO, Matt Macri-Waller highlights: “AI is the critical tool in closing the expectation gap and helping employees to understand the value of their benefits. It will provide employees with the essential information they need, cutting through complexity and assisting them to make informed decisions and take action.

And for HR and reward teams, AI-powered tools will enable them to effectively scale benefits provision on a global scale, to meet compliance requirements, and respond to evolving employee needs. AI will enable HR leaders to spend less time on the mundane and more time on the meaningful.

My message to HR and reward professionals would be to embrace AI – use it as much as you can, test out new tools, see how other business units are deploying it across your organization, and learn as much as you can. Put yourself in the best position to succeed as the HR function transforms over the coming years.”

Read the full report

Propel Reward and Benefits brings together fresh research, expert perspectives, and practical actions to help HR and reward leaders close the value void in benefits. It’s a guide to building benefits strategies that not only meet rising expectations but deliver real-world impact — for employees, for organisations, and for the future of work. Get your copy here.