As the workforce continues to change at a rapid rate and theU.S. experiences historically low unemployment rates and acompetitive hiring market, employers must listen to the needs andexpectations of employees when it comes to their benefits programs.Providing a variety of benefits that are relevant for employees andhave an impact on their personal lives has a significant influenceon how an employee feels about their organization. Our recentThomsons Online Benefits Global Employee Benefits Watch report,which surveyed over 2,000 employees from global multinationalorganizations, found that 81 percent of employees surveyed who caneasily access their benefits said they feel loyal to their employer. Thisunderstanding and accessibility also makes employees prouder towork for an organization, and more likely to be workplace advocatesand see themselves working for their employer for the foreseeablefuture. While employee loyalty and engagement is a complex matter,engaged employees can increase productivity and, as a result,profit for a company.

Employee demand is not being met

Our recent research shows there is still a disparity betweenwhat support employees actually want from their benefits programsand what is available to them. For example, 57 percent of employeessurveyed would like support from their employer in improving mentalwell-being, while only 23 percent of employers offer this kind ofbenefit. Additionally, 45 percent of employees surveyed wantbenefits to help them with their personal finances, and only 20percent of employers offer this. On the other hand, areas whereemployers are meeting employee needs the most are those that areless important to employees, including getting married andsocializing. Data collection and the right technology to process itmakes it easier for HR teams to gain a personalized view of eachemployee and understand what they want the most, even at a verylarge organization. It is crucial to know the differences between each individual, since ourresearch shows that what might be important for one person withinthe 26-35 age group, such as buying a house, might not be apriority for another person in the same age demographic. Ifemployers are able to personalize benefits needs, they can betterprovide the support their employees want.

The importance of seamless communication

In order to offer a personalized experience, employers need tolisten to their employees, especially when it comes to how theywant to interact with their benefits programs. In a world wheretechnology has transformed the way we receive information andmanage our day-to-day lives, it is important to consider theexperience employees are having when interacting with theirbenefits programs. The research shows the employees who are mostsatisfied with how they access and manage their benefits are thosewho do so face-to-face with their employer (46 percent) and thosewho have options for online access through email (44 percent).

Related: 10 tips for better benefitscommunication

Employee preferences for managing benefits can reflect how theyaccess information in their personal lives, which often includeshaving a variety of communication options. However, this need forvariety is currently not being met, as over 50 percent of employeessaid they were unsatisfied with the current access optionsavailable to them. This is very detrimental, as the research foundthat 79 percent of employees who can easily access their benefitssaid they were proud to work for their organization, as opposed to37 percent who find it hard to access their benefits.  Ifemployers are looking to replicate a consumer grade experience whenit comes to their benefits program, they must first listen to howemployees prefer to access information and manage activitiesoutside of work.

Loyalty solutions  

Giving employees easy access to their benefits, while providingsupport so they truly understand and know how to utilize what isavailable to them, does have a significant impact on employees'engagement with their organization. The research found that 80percent of employees who said they had a good variety of benefitsto choose from also said they identified strongly with theirorganization's vision and values. And lastly, 77 percent ofemployees who understood the benefits on offer said they sawthemselves at their organization for the foreseeable future. Sincebenefits impact employees' personal lives, there is no doubt thatthere is an emotive element in the benefits that an employerdecides to give their employees.

There is clearly still some work to be done by employers toensure their benefits programs support employees in the areas theyindividually want and need. This is essential as workforces are nowexpecting this kind of benefits support, as opposed to thesebenefits being seen as just a “nice to have”. Providing a varietyof easily accessible benefits that are relevant for employees andthat can impact their personal lives has a significant impact howan employee feels about their organization. Employees who receivebenefits that are personal to them, and help them achieve theirlife goals, are likely to be loyal to their employer, identify withtheir organization's vision and values, and be an advocate fortheir organization.

Chris Bruce is co-Founder and managing director of ThomsonsOnline Benefits.