Employers looking to retain their younger employees, listen up: Offer voluntary benefits.

A MetLife survey finds younger employees appreciate robust benefit offerings more than their boomer counterparts, even if it means paying all the cost for those voluntary benefits themselves.

The Gen X and Y generations, who comprised 56 percent of the small business work force in the survey, say they recognize their goal of more financial security can entail a cost, and as a group they're willing to do their part, despite the financial strains some of them are feeling. Two-thirds of those younger workers say they'd be willing to pay more of the cost of benefits rather than lose them.

Additionally, 74 percent of Gen X and Gen Y workers say they want more benefits to choose from, and 71 percent say they want more personalized benefits geared toward different age groups. Those younger workers who are satisfied with their benefits were much more likely to feel a very strong sense of loyalty to their employers 72 percent compared with 46 percent of younger workers overall.

Of the voluntary benefits that younger workers want most, they cite: life, disability, critical illness, dental and vision.