Employees are more informed, but less satisfied with benefits

NEW YORK, December 1, 2025 – WTW’s latest EX Intelligence report found there has been a rise in the number of employees that feel well informed about their company benefits, but satisfaction around benefits has declined.

The latest survey found 84% of employees feel well informed about company benefits, a rise from 77% in 2024. However, only 61% of employees feel satisfied with their benefit offerings, compared to 66% during the same period.

“Employees may better understand their benefits, but that doesn’t mean those benefits are truly serving them,” said Jill Havely, head of Global Community Excellence, Employee Experience, WTW. “Forward-thinking Total Rewards leaders aren’t just tracking usage, they’re listening.”

“They’re uncovering which benefits drive satisfaction and retention, often without increasing spend. Employers need to rethink their investments, by using the same budget with a smarter impact.”

Forward- thinking companies are already putting this into action by recalibrating their approach to rewards. While confidence in pay-for-performance alignment is low, as only 41% of employees feel that pay is aligned with rewards, two-thirds (66%) of employees are satisfied with the non-monetary benefits being offered. This has grown from 61% in 2024.

“Finding the balance between financial and non-financial rewards positions companies to outperform peers on engagement, retention and results,” said Havely.