Employee benefits play a crucial role in attracting, engaging and retaining top talent, while also supporting staff wellbeing and organisational culture. However, without thoughtful planning and oversight, managing benefits can become more complex than expected, potentially limiting their overall value to the business.
Declining employee engagement, excessive admin and difficulties in proving return on investment( ROI) are among the common concerns that can keep HR professionals and business leaders awake at night.
Here, we explore five of the most common employee benefits headaches – and practical solutions to help banish them.
1. Low employee engagement with benefits
The challenge: You’ ve carefully curated a benefits package, but employees aren’ t engaging with it. Take-up is low, and many employees don’ t seem to be aware of what’ s available to them.
The solution: Communication is at the heart of engagement and a one-off mention in an onboarding pack simply won’ t cut it. Employers need to create a continuous dialogue around benefits, using multiple touchpoints to keep employees informed and engaged.
Regular emails, updates on workplace platforms and mentions in team meetings can all help reinforce awareness. Tailoring messages to different employee demographics is also essential – what appeals to a younger workforce may differ significantly from what more experienced employees value. Interactive elements such as webinars, Q & A sessions, and team benefits champions can help make benefits more accessible and engaging.
When supported by the right technology, benefit communications become even more powerful. Digital benefits platforms ensure that information is always close to hand.
2. Benefits administration is taking too much time
The challenge: Managing benefits schemes can be time-consuming, pulling HR teams away from strategic priorities. Juggling multiple providers, renewal dates and compliance obligations is a significant undertaking.
The solution: Many businesses find that automating and streamlining their benefits administration makes a considerable difference. Centralised benefits platforms can allow employees to self-serve, reducing the number of routine HR queries. Integrating benefits with payroll and HR systems, meanwhile, can eliminate manual data entry errors, saving both time and effort.
For those grappling with the complexity of benefits administration, outsourcing to a specialist provider can ease the pressure. By handing over tasks such as renewals, compliance and provider liaison, HR teams can focus on the bigger picture- improving engagement and refining their overall benefits strategy.
August 2025 | 19