Employment is a two-way street. If people feel appreciated, they’re more likely to contribute meaningfully at work. And providing a well-rounded range of benefits that employees value and use is a great way for businesses to show they care. Now more than ever, workers are expecting employers to take an active role in looking after their wellbeing – with 93% saying that it’s their obligation to do so. Based on the trends we’re seeing today, companies that are adopting a more modern mindset geared towards employee wellbeing, values and purpose are more likely to be favoured by new talent than those lagging behind. Additionally, 87% of people would be more likely to stay with an employer who takes responsibility in this area.Not only do benefits aid in the attraction and retention of employees as well as improve the health and wellbeing of the individual – but they also help to improve the health of the business at large. A Forrester report studied multiple businesses that were using YuLife’s all-in-one employee wellbeing app and found that after three years, the additional benefits and wellness resources helped increase the value of the companies by more than £766,000. It seems that a high focus on wellbeing efforts is going to become a base expectation for employees going forward, and getting the offering right will be essential to business success.So what kind of wellbeing trends are employees looking at specifically? What is the future of employee benefits packages? Since wellbeing in the workplace can come in many different forms, we’ve laid out 7 top trends that are on the rise: The future of employee benefitsTrend 1: Flexible workweeks With the average work week being 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (plus overtime and commuting), individuals are finding it harder to make time for their health, family and personal lives. Because of this, the request for shorter Fridays, and permanent 3-day weekends are on the rise.Not only does this trend aid productivity in the workplace, but it’s an attractive perk that can help retain and attract top talent. In fact, a 2022 survey by Remote showed that 74.2% of employees value flexible work hours, while 63.9% value a 4-day workweek structure when considering a job move.Trend 2: Hybrid work opportunitiesThe in-office 9-5 life is becoming a thing of the past since the COVID-19 pandemic, and we can expect the future of employee benefits to include hybrid work opportunities. After all, having a hybrid work environment where employees are only expected to show up a couple of times a week helps individuals feel more trusted, and less micromanaged, and it gives employees back a lot of time in their day that would otherwise be spent commuting. Trend 3: Better insurance coverAnother benefit that employees are looking out for is insurance cover. With rising inflation and the post-pandemic economic crises erupting around the globe, it’s becoming more and more difficult for people to mitigate the costs of financial hardship and navigate financial emergencies. That’s why having financial protection in the form of life, income and critical illness insurance is becoming a must for many employees.It’s expected that the desire for more insurance coverage will continue to grow, and be associated as an integral part of wellbeing benefits in the workplace. Especially as technology evolves and insurers begin to use their products as a vehicle to support health and wellbeing. That’s why YuLife has come up with a way to put the ‘life’ back into life insurance, by focusing on what can be done to motivate people to lead better lives right now. In addition to providing businesses with group life insurance for their employees, they get access to a whole bunch of wellbeing benefits that they can use in their everyday lives.Trend 4: Mental health support Mental health has proven to be the #1 wellbeing focus for employers these days. And in the UK and US, mental health support, in the form of Employee Assitance Programmes (EAPs) for example, is the most important employee wellness benefit you could offer. The quicker the rising mental health crisis plagues the western world – the more important mental health support is going to be at work. 94% of employers who have already implemented a strategy to mitigate the mental health crisis say their company culture is improving. Moreover, in 2019-2020, the mental health support employers offer increased from 48% to 61%.But there’s still a long way to go before adequate mental health support is the norm at the office. As of today, 13% of managers still report there being hesitancy around talking about mental health for fear of being stigmatised – but we’re expecting to see this change.Trend 5: Health support for menstruation and menopause While certain invisible setbacks like mental health are becoming more common subjects of discussion around the office, menstruation and menopause tend to be topics that aren’t as commonly addressed – yet affect many employees on a daily basis. Many employees who experience pain and symptoms from menstruation at work cost companies 9 days of productive work due to absenteeism as highlighted by the BBC. And it was found that 70% of employees surveyed weren’t comfortable disclosing the fact that they need accommodations due to menopausal symptoms – and 83% say that it has negatively affected their output at work.However, employees shouldn’t have to feel “weak” by asking for accommodations for menstrual or menopause symptoms – and the dialogue surrounding this is finally beginning.That’s why many employers are adding in extra support in the form of “menstrual leave” – and even adding in just 10 days a year of this has helped many organisations build a stronger culture, and builds a sense of trust and loyalty. It also helps retain loyal employees as they navigate menopause, and will aid in attracting younger female talent as well.Trend 6: Gamification in the workplaceYou might dismiss 'gamification' as a buzzword. But actually, the idea of making software as easy and enjoyable to use as a video game has a lot of merit. Today, game mechanics are being used everywhere, from money management to education, to boost engagement with both consumers and employees – and it's something that's becoming increasingly relevant in the employee benefits space.For instance, studies have shown that 72% of individuals feel gamification motivates them to work and perform at higher levels. Meanwhile, 90% of individuals claim gamification in the workplace increases productivity, and increases their engagement by an average of 60%.At YuLife, we've built game elements into the heart of our employee benefits app to encourage employees to use their benefits more often, and participate in wellness activities that will overall build a healthier workforce. On average, only 20% of employees engage with health and wellbeing benefits. But 72% of employees download the YuLife app, 43% have used it at least once in the last month, and 17.4% log on up to five times a day.Trend 7: Sustainability and social responsibility Many millennial and Gen Z employees have expressed the importance of social responsibility and sustainability practices within the workplace. It seems to be more important amongst young people as nearly one in five (19%) people do not believe their employer is making a positive social and environmental impact – while that number amongst 18-24 year olds jumps to 75%. What’s more, 42% of employees are more likely to work with a company that has more environmental initiatives such as recycling programmes, sustainable products and “walk to work” over one without. It was discovered that 37% of employees actually avoid companies that have poor green credentials.This is likely to have a significant impact on hiring, retention and employee satisfaction in the near future as companies gear up for building a more sustainable future. As of now, 90% of employees think it’s important for their employer to invest in charities, and are holding their employers more responsible for taking the lead in social initiatives – and it doesn’t look like it’ll be changing anytime soon.How we’re helping build the future of employee benefits While the wellbeing, health and personal lives of employees have historically been put on the business backburner – future trends are leaning towards solving this issue once and for all. According to recent research and studies, there’s good evidence that the future of employee benefits is going to be focused on sustainability and wellness, varying depending on industry and country. YuLife always pays close attention to market trends and is always adapting its offerings to better suit the needs of businesses and their employees. Using this research, YuLife has built an innovative solution to your company's insurance and benefits needs – while helping you implement wellness initiatives into the workplace, and make it a normal part of your team’s daily life. We do this by offering a gamified experience for employees to access top-notch insurance, benefits, and wellness support. Not only does it build a healthier team and support sustainable practices and community efforts – but it also builds a positive, more connected workplace.