Finding ways to provide an attractive benefits package at an affordable cost is nothing new for employers. This year, however, they also must factor in the growing popularity of costly GLP-1 treatments and rapid advances in artificial intelligence.
"Across industries, leaders are shifting from a transactional view of employee benefits to a more purposeful approach that balances financial stewardship with the responsibility to support a workforce under growing strain," said Doug Hammond, CEO of NFP. "Employers that interpret this complexity and intently align their benefits offerings to organizational resilience and the employee experience will position themselves for success."
The 2026 NFP U.S. Benefits Trend Report identified several developments that are expected to affect decision-making in the coming year.
GLP-1 medications are reshaping pharmacy strategy. Pharmacy benefits may be the most complex and fastest-changing components of employer-sponsored health care. As pressure builds around coverage design and long-term affordability, pharmacy strategy has become a critical test of employer decision-making.
GLP-1 medications increasingly are cited as a major concern for employers, alongside oncology and autoimmune categories. With nearly one-third of employees saying they would consider switching jobs to access coverage, today’s pharmacy design is a talent issue as much as a clinical one.
Rising costs require precise strategies. Nearly half of employers expect medical benefit budgets to increase this year. As utilization and medical insurance plan design grow more complex, cost containment has become a central focus of benefits strategy. Employers report reexamining how medical benefit plan structures and cost controls support sustainable coverage over time.
Supplemental benefits are powerful but underused and misunderstood. Less than one-third of employees fully use their supplemental benefits, and 13% forget they have them at all. Supplemental benefits help employers provide flexibility and targeted support beyond core medical coverage, so updating the strategic playbook is a must.
Wellbeing is now organizational infrastructure. Despite offering more programs, fewer than half of employers have a policy to address burnout. Financial stress remains the biggest gap, with 2 in 5 employees holding less than $500 in savings. Building sustainable wellbeing strategies now requires clearer alignment between day-to-day support and long-term workforce resilience.
HR is shifting from administration to anticipation. Fewer than 3 in 10 employers have an AI governance policy, even as AI becomes embedded in hiring, development and performance analytics. HR is evolving into the connective tissue linking people, data and purpose, redefining how organizations prepare for the future of work.
The report points to a common thread that rising pharmacy costs, wellbeing gaps and AI readiness are interconnected pressures that demand coordinated responses.
"Success won't come from reacting to each pressure in isolation," said Beth Robertson, co-leader, health and benefits, for NFP. "It comes from connecting the dots of costs, wellbeing and technology to empower employees and businesses to thrive."
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