Organisations in the US are shifting beyond simply offering benefits toward helping employees make better financial decisions throughout their careers.

Broker Gallagher said as retirement readiness, financial stress and healthcare affordability continue to challenge employees, employers are increasingly focused on a new question: Are their financial benefits actually improving outcomes?

Gallagher has published its 2026 US Financial Benchmarks Report  based on responses from 3,717 US organisations that participated in Gallagher’s Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey from January through March 2026. It also incorporates employee findings from its 2026 Financial Health Assessment.

“Financial wellbeing is no longer viewed as a stand-alone benefit. Employers increasingly recognise the connection between financial health, workforce engagement and business performance,” said John Tournet, US CEO of Gallagher’s Benefits & HR Consulting Division. “As a result, they’re looking more closely at how benefits, guidance and support programs work together to meet employees’ financial needs.”

While 85% of employers continue to offer retirement benefits, the report finds organisations are increasingly focused on improving retirement outcomes rather than simply providing access to plans. The shift comes as retirement confidence remains low: only 28% of employees believe their current retirement savings strategy will enable them to achieve their goals, while 30% of employees age 55 and older identify retirement planning as their biggest financial stressor.

To help address those challenges, employers are putting greater emphasis on plan design. With SECURE 2.0 making auto-enrolment and auto-escalation mandatory for most new retirement plans, these features are playing a larger role in improving participant outcomes. Already, 57% of employers use auto-enrolment and 33% use auto-escalation to help employees save consistently and increase contributions over time.

“As employees seek more individualised support, employers are broadening the ways financial guidance is delivered,” the report added. “More than four in five employers (81%) offer self-service financial planning tools, while 68% provide access to one-on-one financial planning appointments and 64% offer retirement plan enrolment and investment selection advice. Nearly half (48%) offer managed accounts advice.

“Delivering individualised guidance across large and diverse workforces remains a challenge. Digital platforms, analytics and AI-enabled solutions are creating new opportunities to extend support while helping employees navigate increasingly complex financial decisions.”

About half of employers (45%) report financial wellbeing has increased in importance within their organisations. This finding reflects growing recognition that financial stress influences employee wellbeing, engagement and retention, making it an important workforce consideration.

The broker added employee responses reinforced that connection. Ninety-one percent (91%) recognise a link between financial stress and mental health, and 74% say they make healthcare decisions with finances in mind, underscoring the impact financial pressures have on employees’ lives.

“Employers are extending financial support beyond retirement plans through a range of programs that address broader financial needs. Nearly two-thirds (64%) contribute to health savings accounts (HSAs), helping employees manage healthcare-related expenses,” the report explained. “Tuition assistance is also widely available (68%), while 14% provide student loan repayment contributions and another 14% offer student loan forgiveness benefits.

“Emergency savings represent another area of financial need, yet formal support remains relatively uncommon. More than half of employees (51%) report having either no emergency savings or less than three months of expenses set aside, while only 5% of employers currently offer formal emergency savings programs.”

“Employers are entering a new phase of financial benefits strategy, one that emphasizes thoughtful plan design, stronger governance and more personalized support,” added Tournet. “From retirement readiness to financial wellbeing, helping employees make informed financial decisions has become central to how leading organizations support better employee outcomes.”