Organizations are investing heavily in benefits, wellbeing programs, total rewards and HR technology in an effort to attract, retain and support talent. Yet despite these investments, many employees still struggle to understand, access or fully appreciate the value being offered to them.

Benefits and total rewards often represent one of the largest people investments organizations make outside of payroll. Yet many organizations struggle to realize the full value of those investments because employees never fully engage with, understand or use what is available to them.

This is increasingly a value realization challenge, not an investment challenge.

Too often, organizations focus on what they offer rather than the employee experience. Programs are launched, platforms are deployed and communications are sent. Leadership assumes value has been delivered because access has been provided.

But employees do not experience strategy. They experience moments.

Whether that's enrolling in benefits, navigating a healthcare decision, planning for retirement or trying to understand the full value of their rewards package, those moments determine whether employees perceive value. If the experience is confusing, fragmented or difficult to navigate, even the most generous benefits package can feel underwhelming.

This disconnect is becoming increasingly visible.

Survey shows many companies are undervaluing benefits' role in EX

According to Aon's 2025 Employee Sentiment Study, 56% of employees rank compensation and benefits among the top drivers of employer perception, while its 2026 Human Capital Trends Study found that only 43% of employers prioritize them at the same level in their EVP, attraction and retention strategies. That gap suggests many organizations may be underestimating the role benefits play in shaping the employee experience and strengthening the employer brand.

If organizations want to understand why benefits investments aren't always delivering impact, they should start by looking at how those benefits are experienced.

In our work with employers, we see that many organizations still rely heavily on benefits portals as their primary communication channel. Yet Aon's research found that only 19% identify portals as their preferred communication choice.

The challenge is bigger than any single channel.

Traditional benefits platforms were built around a simple assumption: Employees would do the work. They would log in, navigate multiple systems, search for information, interpret complex choices and determine what actions to take.

Increasingly, that model is breaking down.

Employees expect workplace experiences that mirror the consumer experiences they encounter every day. They want relevant guidance, personalized recommendations and support available when they need it, not when the organization decides to communicate with them.

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