Cost-related concerns continue to hamper the decision to offer retirement plans, especially among small businesses. According to a new Transamerica study, of the companies that currently don't offer a retirement plan 74 percent indicate they're "not at all likely" to offer a plan in the near future – a dramatic jump from 43 percent the prior year.

A positive, however, is that nearly half of employers (49 percent) that responded to the 11th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey expect their company's financial situation to improve over the next 12 months, compared to only 29 percent in the year prior. More than 80 percent of companies reported they now offer a 401(k) or similar employee funded plan, up from 78 percent the previous year.

"Increasing access to a 401(k) or similar plan for workers, including small business and part-time workers, continues to be an area of major opportunity," says Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. "Our corresponding study of workers clarifies the broader influence workplace retirement plans have on an employee's overall retirement preparedness. Even just the presence of a basic plan can significantly impact savings. With the many cost effective options available to employers, it is imperative that all companies examine how they can offer these benefits to their employees."