5 themes that will propel the conversation at the Benifex Forum 2025

On Thursday June 26th, we’re bringing together our community of trailblazers, change-makers, and People pioneers at the Benifex Forum 2025 – and we’re doing it in style at London’s iconic Institution of Engineering and Technology.

This is more than just a conference. It’s an opportunity to step out of the everyday and dive into bold ideas and network with the global community driving the future of reward and benefits. We really do have a stellar line-up this year, with speakers from Microsoft, Flutter, Centrica, Danone, Snowflake and Refresco.

From the newest AI innovations to fresh thinking on wellbeing, benefits, EVP, and global strategy – every session is designed to help you achieve higher, grow faster, and imagine more.

Here’s a preview of five big themes we’ll be diving into – and how they’ll help you propel your strategy, your thinking, and your impact.

1. Where AI is taking reward and benefits

AI isn’t a distant promise; it’s reshaping the world of work right now. And at the Forum, you’ll get a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the world’s most innovative companies on how to lead through change – not just react to it.

In our headline Microsoft session, Unlocking the Next Era of Work, Craig Foster, Microsoft’s Director of HR Digital Transformation, will unpack their latest New Future of Work research alongside Benifex’s Adam Mason. Discover how tools like Copilot are transforming the way HR teams work, decide, and connect. Craig has spent a decade leading Microsoft’s strategy for employee experience tech – and this is your chance to get the inside track on how to embed these technologies into your HR and benefits strategy for maximum impact.

You’ll also hear from Matt Macri-Waller, Benifex Founder & CEO, on the future of benefits technology as he shares our 2025 product vision – including how we’re using AI to drive innovation across our platform. It’s a powerful look at how AI will elevate, enhance, and propel the employee experience. And don’t forget to visit our Innovation Lab to see the AI features coming soon.

2. Strategies to close the value void in employee benefits

Our brand new research, Propel Reward & Benefits: How organizations are moving faster and imagining more to fill the value void in employee benefits, will launch at the Forum. It reveals what over 3,000 HR leaders and employees are saying about employee experience, AI, wellbeing, and the future of benefits. The research reveals a growing disconnect – a ‘value void’ – between employer intent and employee experience. While two-thirds of employees say their benefits positively impact their lives, many still don’t fully understand what’s available, how to access it, or whether they’re making the most of it. The report brings together fresh research, expert perspectives, and practical actions to help HR and Reward leaders close the value void in benefits.

Several of our sessions will explore how to align your benefit programs with employee expectations, uncover the gaps in perception and delivery, and share what the top-performing organizations are doing differently. For example:

• Hear how the Refresco team overhauled their EVP for a deskless workforce – and used a creative, PR-style campaign to engage every employee.
• Discover how Centrica’s “always-on” strategy helped them build one of the UK’s most recognized wellbeing programs.

Whether you’re building from the ground up or refining a mature program, these stories will offer a blueprint for bridging the gap between intention and impact.

3. Lessons in scaling reward with purpose

Scaling benefits and EVP across borders is complex – but essential for modern organizations. That’s why we’re bringing in global experts who are doing just that.

Get insights from Snowflake on how they’ve integrated benefits into their broader tech stack and digitally transformed processes to support global growth and employee engagement. And hear from Danone on how they’re using benefits to unify their company culture, empower all employees to make more informed wellbeing choices, and deliver real organizational impact.

4. How benefits are moving the needle on organizational success metrics

With employee expectations continuing to rise, benefits have moved from a nice-to-have to a non-negotiable business driver. But HR and Reward leaders are under increasing pressure to show impact.

Across the Benifex Forum agenda, you’ll hear how organizations are using benefits not just to support employees, but to propel real organizational outcomes — from improving productivity and retention to boosting wellbeing, resilience, and growth.

We’ll explore how employers like Flutter Entertainment are turning benefits into a competitive advantage. Hear from Elaine O’Donnell, Director of Benefits & Rewards Programs, and Benifex Chief Innovation Officer, Gethin Nadin, as they unpack how personalized, flexible benefits drive retention, engagement, and culture — and why they matter more than ever in a hybrid, high-pressure world.

5. Inspiration to keep you moving forward

No conference is complete without the energy, motivation, and human connection that spark ideas into action.

We’ll close the day with a keynote from Dame Kelly Holmes – a double Olympic gold medalist and national icon whose story of perseverance, performance, and purpose is nothing short of extraordinary. If you’re looking to recharge your thinking and return to work with renewed ambition, this is the session you won’t want to miss.

And to top it all off, join us on the IET’s stunning rooftop terrace for drinks and networking with the industry’s brightest minds, all against the backdrop of the River Thames.

We can’t wait!

If you’ve signed up for your place at this year’s Forum, please make sure you’ve picked both of your sessions – you can choose sessions from different streams. Spaces are filling up fast so don’t miss out.

We’re excited to see you on June 26th as we spark a new wave of momentum across the world of reward, benefits, and employee experience. Let’s go…