Over 80 percent of HR professionals worldwide agree that wellness programs improve employee health, retention, and absenteeism. And yet—51 percent say there’s a disconnect between their company’s wellness offerings and how executives actually support employee wellbeing day-to-day.
This surprising contrast is one of many findings from the newly released Global Employee Benefits and Multinational Pooling Market Report, from Insurope – The Premier Multinational Pooling Network.
The report explores the evolving realities faced by HR leaders navigating complex global challenges, including economic pressures, regulatory shifts, and the constantly changing expectations of employees.
With volatility all around us, HR professionals are feeling the pressure. Worldwide, high costs (45%) is the number one concern among decision-makers, followed by administrative complexity (38%), and limited options (35%).
Other Top Takeaways:
- Flexibility is Key: Adaptable, customizable benefits are essential as companies balance global consistency with local expectations. 62% of HR professionals cite the need for greater flexibility and customization.
- Employee Needs Drive Decisions: Meeting the needs of a diverse, multigenerational workforce is the top priority, outranking cost, customization, and available options. 48% of HR professionals say this is the top driver for their benefits decisions.
- Multinational Pooling is Important: One in three decision-makers consider multinational pooling central to their strategy, citing benefits like better cost control, stronger governance, and more efficient risk management. 35% of those surveyed consider Multinational Pooling as important to their decision.
Morten Unneberg, CEO at Insurope stated, “This report demonstrates Insurope’s commitment to supporting multinational companies not only in providing locally tailored employee benefits, but in making more informed decisions about the benefits they choose.”
At the heart of it all? A need for balance—between global strategy and local execution, between cost savings and employee value, and between saying wellbeing matters and showing it.
This report is based on a survey conducted by a third-party research firm, HawkPartners, in January 2025. The survey includes responses from over 1,000 HR decision-makers across the globe.
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