Aon finds only 14% of multinationals have frameworks to scale benefits employees actually want
Only 14 percent of multinational companies have global guidelines to support benefit personalisation, despite rising demand from employees for more flexible and inclusive options, Aon’s 2025 Global Benefits Trends Study has found.
The survey, which included more than 500 global benefits professionals across 45 countries and 16 industries, revealed that 65 percent of employees at multinationals would trade their current benefits for more choice.
However, most organisations lack the governance, tools or frameworks needed to deliver these offerings at scale.
The study found that nearly half of companies already have a global benefits strategy in place, but only 25 percent of global benefits leaders said their governance structures enable them to meet their objectives.
Leading companies—those with mature governance, centralised data strategies, and executive-level alignment—are three times more likely to have formal governance committees and twice as likely to centralise decision-making.
These companies are also 67 percent more likely to have Global Benefits Centres of Excellence and three times more likely to have had their strategy reviewed and endorsed by senior leadership.
Cost control remains a dominant concern, with 70 percent of multinationals identifying it as a top priority. Medical inflation is cited as the key cost driver.
At the same time, delivering employee value has emerged as one of the top three strategic objectives for benefits leaders, underscoring a disconnect between cost pressures and employee expectations.
To manage this tension, 77 percent of respondents plan to renegotiate with existing vendors, and 67 percent plan to issue requests for proposals.
Michael Pedel, head of global benefits at Aon, said employees increasingly expect a consumer-grade experience when it comes to their benefits – one that offers meaningful choice, creates innovative solutions and aligns with their individual needs.
He noted that while companies are moving in that direction and communicating their progress, they must also manage the realities of cost and complexity.
The opportunity, he added, lies in designing programs that balance value and efficiency at scale.
Personalisation is also evolving to encompass inclusive benefits aimed at diverse workforce needs.
Among leading companies, 54 percent plan to expand offerings for families, and 39 percent plan to enhance support for aging employees, gender-specific needs, and lower income workers.
A quarter of respondents said they would reduce benefits that are less valued by employees to fund these changes.
Wellbeing initiatives are increasingly tied to personalised benefits, with 37 percent of companies actively exploring programs that integrate health with work-life balance.
Technology, including artificial intelligence, is seen as a key tool for enabling customised benefits while improving cost efficiency. Leading companies are more than twice as likely to use technology for personalisation.
Yet, only one in six benefits teams currently use AI to support benefits design or delivery.
While adoption is expected to nearly triple by 2027, barriers such as legacy systems, limited governance and organisational readiness remain.
Pedel said this year’s study confirms what many global benefits leaders already sense — expectations are rising, but the tools and governance structures to meet them haven't kept pace.
“To deliver real value, organizations must think beyond cost containment. That means embracing personalization, investing in inclusive benefits, leveraging data and analytics, and using technology and governance as strategic enablers,” he said.
He added that companies doing this effectively are not just managing benefits but shaping the future of work.
