Press release 12 Aug 2025.
- 71% of employers expect to struggle with recruitment this year
- Employers should be proactive in using employee benefits as both a recruitment and retention tool
Two in five employers admit that the take-up of employee benefits is left for employees to initiate themselves, according to new research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector.1 This reveals a key gap between simply informing employees that benefits exist and actively encouraging them to engage.
In the same research, GRiD found that 71% of employers anticipate that they will struggle with recruitment this year, and 95% of those say that it will have an impact on their business such as reduced productivity (32%), disruption to business continuity (30%), negative impact on other staff, for example, from increased workload, (27%) and a lack of expertise in the business (26%).
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD said: “We would very much encourage employers not to leave it to staff to take up employee benefits themselves. Proactive communications on health and wellbeing support must be prioritised by employers to help retain their current employees and reduce the challenge of finding and hiring new staff.”
How are employers communicating employee benefits?
In terms of the ways employers currently communicate the employee benefits they offer to employees:
- 30% do so in a welcome pack
- 28% in a staff handbook
- 24% inform employees on day one of employment
- 22% via email campaigns
- 21% inform staff before day one of employment or in an offer letter
- 21% use staff noticeboards
- 20% share information via a company intranet
- 19% do so before recruitment, for example, in job adverts
- 19% make use of support from benefit advisors, providers and suppliers, such as running employee benefit days
- 18% have employee benefits or wellbeing champions (staff)
- 17% via benefits platforms and/or apps
Why repetition matters
Consistently and regularly reinforcing employee benefits messages across multiple channels increases visibility and retention of messages. This is especially important and considered best practice, as employees will interact with various communication platforms and formats, depending on their preferences or role. Yet only around a fifth of employers communicate benefits before the first day of employment – leaving many new hires unaware of the health and wellbeing support available to them.
The recruitment process is an opportunity
Promoting the benefits on offer at a company can be a real support to the recruitment process. It visibly demonstrates that a company values its staff, and can encourage applications.
However, after the job advert, it’s not enough to simply include details of any support within a staff handbook that’s given to employees on day one of joining. The first day, week, or even month in a new role is often intense, and information can be missed. The support on offer needs to be regularly promoted to encourage take-up.
Katharine Moxham concluded: “Proactive, clear, and early communication around employee benefits isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s essential for retention, recruitment, and workplace wellbeing. When staff feel genuinely supported, they are more likely to stay with their employer, so while offering a comprehensive employee benefits package is important, equally important is how those benefits are communicated.
“In today’s competitive recruitment market, employees increasingly recognise that it’s not just about the benefits on offer, but what they signal: an employer that genuinely values and prioritises the health and wellbeing of its people.”
- Ends –
- Employer research was undertaken by Opinium from 7-15 January 2025 among 500 HR decision makers from UK companies.
For further information please contact:
Ali Cort
SMUK Marketing and PR
Mob: 07887 484247
acort@smuk.org.uk
Katharine Moxham
Spokesperson for GRiD
Mob: 07887 512508
Katharine.moxham@grouprisk.org.uk
Notes for editors
About GRiD
Group Risk Development (GRiD) is the industry body for the group risk sector, promoting the value to UK businesses of providing financial protection for their staff, enhancing their well-being and improving employee engagement. Our membership includes insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries and those operating in (or with other interests in) the UK group risk market. Together this forms a collective wealth of experience built over many years. Under the chairmanship of Colin Fitzgerald (Distribution Director – Group Protection, L&G Retail) GRiD aims to promote group risk through a collective voice to Government, policymakers, stakeholders and employers.
GRiD works with government departments and regulators involved in legislation and regulation affecting group risk benefits, and with other organisations involved in the benefits and financial protection arenas. GRiD also seeks to enhance the industry’s standing by encouraging best practice and by participating in industry-wide initiatives such as the professional qualification in group risk managed jointly with the Chartered Insurance Institute.
GRiD’s media activity aims to generate a wider awareness and understanding of group risk products and their benefits for employers and employees.
GRiD’s dedicated spokesperson, Katharine Moxham, provides expert media comment on a full range of group risk issues.
Follow Katharine Moxham on Twitter @KMoxham