Smarter systems: How benefits tech is powering better employee experiences
23.09.25
A new global study from Benifex shows that smarter benefits systems don’t just offer an upgraded experience – they produce real wins in employee engagement, retention and wellbeing.
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 organizations 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?
One of the key findings was the massive jump in the number of organizations rolling out benefits platforms…
Organizations are digitally transforming benefits
Over the past year, there’s been a big jump in the number of organizations rolling out benefits platforms. Nearly a third (32%) of employers are now using a single, unified platform to manage their benefits, and another 14% are juggling multiple platforms across different regions. That’s a huge leap from last year.
Many of the 78% of organizations that were thinking about investing in a platform last year have gone ahead and made it happen. And with over half (51%) of employers still considering making the move, it looks like this trend is only going to pick up speed through the rest of 2025 and into 2026.
So, what’s behind the big shift towards benefits platforms? The research points to a mix of reasons, but a few stand out. For starters, companies want to make it easier for employees to actually use and understand their benefits – no more digging through confusing documents or clunky systems.
There’s also a big push to boost engagement across the board, making sure everyone’s getting the most out of what’s on offer. On top of that, HR teams are loving the time savings from smoother processes and less admin. And let’s not forget the power of data – platforms are giving employers much better visibility into how benefits are being used, what they’re costing, and where there’s room to improve.
A graph showing the most compelling advantages of an employee benefits platform
Managing complexity in global companies
As you would expect, use of benefits platforms is higher among employers with an international workforce (50% of organizations), as opposed to those with a workforce solely in the UK (33%).
Global employers point to the deployment of a single platform to manage the entire employee experience as the most effective way to tackle the challenges of managing and engaging an international workforce.
Over half (59%) of HR and reward professionals in global companies believe that implementing a single, scalable platform for rewards, benefits, recognition and wellbeing is key to overcoming complexity. Linked to this, 51% emphasise the importance of integrating HR systems with an employee benefits platform.
As Samantha Sergent, Director of International Benefits at Microsoft, highlights, “Using technology is certainly helping us deliver on those ‘moments that matter’. We were really thinking about levelling up the employee experience and helping our employees understand what their benefit programmes are, why we’re offering them, and how those benefits fit within the whole deal we’re offering employees.
“We’re able to showcase benefits in a way that we’ve never done before. ‘Just go to the platform to learn about your benefits. You can click out to other areas and we have all the apps in one spot. We also have links to other areas. You need to enrol or change? Cool, go there quickly.’ It’s all in that one view,” Sergent explains. “And then we’re using the articles and the home feed to create some excitement. Employees can see everything that they might not have known they had, as well as their benefit statement.”
Technology is driving strategic outcomes
The research makes one thing pretty clear: organizations that have already rolled out a benefits platform are seeing some real wins. They’re much better at keeping track of what they’re spending on benefits – and, more importantly, they’re seeing the payoff. Think happier, healthier employees, stronger engagement, and a noticeable boost when it comes to attracting and keeping great talent.
HR and reward professionals using a platform also say they’re not as bogged down by the usual headaches – like not having enough data, struggling to tailor benefits to individual needs, or feeling like their benefits don’t quite match up with company values. They’re also more upbeat about using AI in HR and feel more confident that their benefits strategy can keep up with rising expectations around employee experience.
Ross Spearman, Chief Experience Officer at Benifex says: “Benefits platforms used to be about bringing a limited set of benefits into one place, essentially helping employees take action, but only if they already knew what to do. That’s why, for over a decade, so much energy went into education and engagement. In many cases, these platforms simply existed to streamline administration.”
“But with native AI, platforms are evolving to be outcome-driven, for both employees and employers,” Spearman adds. “Take an employee with a toothache. Previously, they’d need to know they would have to claim on dental insurance or use a cash allowance in their private medical plan. The platform’s role was to facilitate a decision already made. Now, that same employee can simply state the outcome they want, to fix their toothache, and the platform will analyse the policies, surface relevant options, and offer a personalised recommendation with clear rationale. It shifts the focus from action facilitation to outcome optimization.”
From administration to impact: The next era of benefits technology
The shift towards platform-driven benefits isn’t just a digital upgrade – it’s a strategic evolution. As this research shows, organizations investing in smarter systems are already seeing tangible returns, from improved employee engagement to sharper decision-making and stronger alignment with business goals.
With platforms becoming more intelligent and outcome-focused, the opportunity is clear: to move beyond administration and deliver benefits that genuinely matter. Whether you’re rethinking your current approach or just starting out, Propel Reward and Benefits offers practical guidance and bold thinking to help HR and reward leaders stay ahead of the curve – and design experiences that truly resonate.
