The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recentlypublished their 2017 employee benefit report, including a list ofwhich benefits are trending. Here are some observations aboutwhat's hot in the benefits world.

Employee “lifestyle” options are hot. One example is thestanding desk, a hot-button item for active workers of all ages.Other benefits on the rise include support of lactation for workingmothers, telecommuting, shift flexibility, flexible mealtimes andfree coffee.

Coverage for same-sex spouses and domestic partners has leveledoff as a trend, but only because 85 percent of surveyed employersoffer coverage for same-sex spouses and more than half providecoverage to domestic partners, regardless of gender. As employeesbecome increasingly diverse, work/life benefits have become veryimportant.

Employees' lifestyle interests go beyond work/life balance. It'sno accident voluntary nontraditional or lifestyle benefits such asID theft protection, pet insurance, college loan repayment plans,and employee purchase plans have been growing faster thantraditional insured plans.

Another area on the rise is employee financial advice andfinancial wellness. In a sense, this is also related to lifestylepreservation. Instead of the traditional benefit emphasis onprotection, financial advice emphasizes employee education andself-improvement.

SHRM reports in 2017, 49 percent of employers offer financialadvice benefits, up from 28 percent in 2014. Employers areincreasingly aware employees' medical and health-related needsshould be balanced by support of financial well-being. Theseconcepts are complemented by an increasing emphasis on providingand funding health savings accounts and offering Roth 401(k)options. Appropriate financial planning can help employees preparefor emergency expenses through savings or the purchase ofappropriate voluntary protection products.

The financial wellness trend does not mean there will be lessemphasis on physical wellness. A significant percentage of SHRMmembers plan to introduce general wellness programs, rewardprograms, annual health risk assessment programs and expandedopportunities for wellness education.

Formal mentoring programs for employee development are on therise, as is executive and leadership coaching. Cross training ofskills not directly related to people's jobs has become popular,supporting an employee's lifestyle and career potential, not justhelping insure risks.

Let's summarize the opportunities in these findings. First,don't ignore lifestyle protection, which represents an area ofinterest for a significant subset of employees. Most employers wantto offer a broad range of benefits to attract and retain diversetalent.

Financial wellness programs also make people aware of the risksthey may not be able to fully budget for. Products like criticalillness, accident and hospital indemnity protection can answer thisneed for pennies on the dollar. And paycheck protection in the formof disability income protection insurance is one of the most basicfinancial wellness needs, as is the provision of life insurance forthe benefit of an employee's dependents.