What makes a great benefits experience?

Over 90% of employers agree that employee experience is an important ingredient in organizational success. Just as customers stay with a brand because they're satisfied with their experience, employees stay at their jobs based on the experience their employer provides to them.

The employers surveyed believe they provide good experiences but plan to continue to invest in the coming year. In fact, half or more are planning 2025 investments in key aspects of employee experience, including talent attraction, training and career development, employee engagement, and employee benefits and support services. I believe this high level of planned investment shows that employers understand this deep truth: when employees feel supported, and their experience is trending positively, the organization is better positioned to reach strategic and operational goals.

Benefits are an important backbone to an employee’s financial stability and often come into play at critical life moments, which is why it’s not surprising to see benefits ranking high when it comes to factors influencing employee experience.

But employers also cited benefits as a high-ranking challenge. These days, it’s not enough just to provide medical benefits. With five generations in the workplace, benefits need to address employees’ differing needs and experience requirements — a tall order for employers to fulfill on their own.

For this reason, employers are looking to partner with providers who can help improve the employee benefits experience.

As a benefits provider, our mission is simple but powerful: to help the working world thrive throughout life’s moments. And to do that, we are focused on the end-to-end customer experience: from when employers first hear our name to when they make the decision to renew their coverage. From when employees are first offered our benefits to when they file their first claim. And all of the touch points in between.

When it comes to the employee experience, this begins with the basics. How do employees learn about their benefits? What help do they get in decision making during enrollment?

Nearly half (42%) of employers ranked benefits education materials among their top two most important factors in the enrollment experience. No other factor ranked higher. But about one-third of them also failed to rate their own benefits education performance as excellent or very good.

While all touchpoints contribute to a positive employee experience, employers are most likely to make their carrier decision based on claim-processing capabilities.

This makes perfect sense when we think holistically about the critical impacts a claim experience can have on an employee. Because a claim is so much more than a simple transaction — it’s an employee’s wellbeing.

Take disability claims, for example. Every one of them represents time away from work. Which means that every employee filing a disability claim is going through something that affects their life and their family. And they’re wondering, how do I make a request for leave? How do I get paid while I’m out? Do I have other benefits that apply to my situation? What happens when I return to work?

Benefit claims also frequently arise from caregiving needs and mental health issues (which are often closely intertwined). According to H3 HR Advisors, “In 2025, mental health will continue to be a critical component of workplace well-being and productivity, with organizations recognizing it as both an ethical responsibility and a strategic advantage.”¹ The strategic advantage comes from being a company that provides critical help when employees are struggling. When a company makes sure the process for filing a claim is easy, fast and empathetic, the employer reaps the benefit of an employee who feels really cared for and positive about their experience.

Creating a positive employee experience is crucial for benefit carriers in contributing to the success of both employers and employees. However, this is just the beginning. To maximize value for all parties involved, it’s vital to consider the entire benefits journey, from carrier selection to claims management and everything in between.

Unum recognizes the need for a comprehensive benefits experience that helps employers attract talent, support their employees and enhance satisfaction and engagement. Our customers' feedback shapes our current priorities and future direction. As the first Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Unum, I am committed to the continued support of HR and the marketplace and our core value of unwavering customer focus.