The goal of the benefits program has always been to attract and retain employees, but today it's more personal. Employees want to feel heard; they want to feel appreciated almost to the point where they want their benefit program to feel personal. The question is how do employers create a program that solidifies their employees' sense of belonging, is still manageable and effective, and brings a return on investment for them?

For 2024 benefits programs, companies that make a clear connection to their culture and deliver benefits that matter to employees can achieve a higher return on investment. With such a large investment relative to employee pay, employers owe it to themselves to maximize this investment.

Here are three ways to get started:

1. Diversity of employees = diversity of benefits

Employees have distinct needs. That's why we see varying degrees of participation in different benefits. The key to increasing participation is offering enough options and the right options. How do we know which options? We must do the research and ask.