5 Benefits to Watch in 2025, According to Experts

Benefits are consistently a big part of employers’ arsenal for helping employees, not to mention attracting and retaining them. But while there are a plethora of benefits on the marketplace—the SHRM Employee Benefits Survey, which offers a comprehensive view of the support employers offer employees, listed 216 available benefits in 2024—benefit trends are always evolving.

That’s no different in 2025, which will see a variety of benefits in the spotlight.

While tried-and-true benefits will surely be a vital part of the mix, there are a variety of benefits trending this year, according to industry experts. Here are some benefits to watch in 2025.

Menopause support. Menopause support is a growing benefit trend, with SHRM in 2024 including menopause-specific support in its annual benefits survey for the first time since the survey was started in 1996. The SHRM data found that 17% of employers provide related menopause support, such as counseling and education, and 2% offer menopause or menstrual leave above what is already covered by regular sick time.

Those figures may rise in the coming year as more employers become aware of the benefit and realize the positive implications it can have on the workforce, said Maria Trapenasso, SHRM-SCP, senior vice president and head of human capital solutions at NFP, a global benefits consulting firm and property and casualty insurance broker. Meanwhile, employee enthusiasm for the benefit is high as well: Sixty-four percent of working women within menopause age ask for support and accommodations at work, according to a 2023 Bank of America report.

“In 2025, many employers are re-examining their leave policies to better support employee needs, particularly for women and caregivers in the workforce,” Trapenasso said.

Verlinda DiMarino, head of benefits at Liberty Mutual Insurance, said it’s important that HR and benefits leaders address topics that were once considered taboo in the workplace—including menopause. “As we continue to evaluate the ways we can support employees holistically, it’s important that we provide the tools, resources, and community they need to succeed and bring their full selves to work,” she said.

Paid leave programs. A number of employers—including Starbucks, Citi, and insurance company QBE North America—added or enhanced paid leave benefits over the past year, ramping up parental leave, caregiving leave, bereavement leave, and more. Expect that trend to continue in 2025, experts say.

“Employers are recognizing the importance of robust family leave policies with family caregiver leave, and expanded parental leave also increased in popularity in the past year,” Trapenasso said. “Across the board, forward-thinking organizations are increasingly recognizing the potential return on investment that offering personalized leave policies can have on employee productivity and, ultimately, retention.”

Student loan benefits. Student loan benefits, along with general financial well-being benefits, are another growing focus for employers and employees. Recent data from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) found that the percentage of employers offering student loan repayment assistance programs more than tripled from 2019 to 2024, from 4% to 14%. That’s largely a result of employee desire for the benefit, as well as employers trying to woo and retain talent, said Julie Stich, vice president of content at IFEBP.

Plus, the 401(k) match on student loans—introduced by SECURE 2.0 last year—is poised to gain increasing momentum in 2025, “as employers recognize its importance in providing both immediate financial relief and supporting long-term stability,” explained Edward Gottfried, senior director of product management at New York City-based financial firm Betterment at Work.

“We anticipate that student loan support will continue to become something that many employers integrate into their benefits packages in some way, whether it’s through a matching program or providing access to financial advisor counseling, repayment tools, and more,” he said.

In general, DiMarino said, financial well-being will continue to be a top priority for employees. “We know that financial health is a key contributor to employees’ overall well-being and can impact the way they show up both personally and professionally,” she said. “Financial wellness benefits are not a one-size-fits-all approach, as each employee is at a different stage in their financial journey. While some employees are saving for major life events like retirement, others are managing everyday expenses.”

Lifestyle and wellness spending accounts. Lifestyle spending accounts and wellness spending accounts, which have been trending for several years, “will continue to be a sought-after benefit by both employees and employers” this year, said Cynthia Ryan, head of human resources at MassMutual. These employer-sponsored accounts enable employers to offer reimbursements to employees for merchandise and activities that promote physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

“These accounts, including the one we offer to our employees at MassMutual, are not prescriptive, which allows employees freedom to support their holistic well-being in a manner that best suits them,” she said.

They are also an attractive offering for employers, Ryan said, as they provide flexibility in designing a program customized for specific workforce needs and are generally easy to administer.

“Our offering has been positively received and heavily used, with more than $5 million in claims paid out to employees since its introduction two years ago,” Ryan said. “We have found that they can also increase employee engagement, morale, and appreciation of benefit offerings overall. I believe the mutually beneficial nature of these versatile, wide-ranging spending accounts will continue to drive their growth in the new year.”

Mental health benefits. High rates of employee stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions continue to put pressure on organizations to make sure benefits are keeping pace.

Brian Parker, vice president, national HR consulting and workforce solutions leader, at Deerfield, Ill.-based insurance firm Alera Group, said that mental health and well-being benefits are “emerging as key drivers of engagement and productivity. Expanded access to teletherapy, mental health apps, and dedicated mental health days can address burnout and improve overall satisfaction.”

Still, Parker said, benefits should not be universal; organizations should first evaluate what employees want and assess how existing offerings are being utilized.

“The goal should be on better engaging employees so that you retain and gain talent,” he said. “Taking the time to assess current levels of engagement and then listening to what employees need will allow you to better meet their needs and lead to a happier and more productive workforce.”