Willis_Towers_Watson-2017全球福利现状调查报告（英文）-2018.03-30页-3mb

2017 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey Summary

Core Content

The 2017 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey (GBAS) by Willis Towers Watson highlights the evolving needs and expectations of employees regarding benefit programs. The survey, which analyzed responses from over 31,240 employees across 22 markets, underscores a significant shift in how employees value and interact with benefits, driven by economic changes, technological advancements, and shifting workforce demographics.

Main Points

Employee Priorities

• Benefits matter more than ever: Employees increasingly value benefits that provide security, flexibility, and choice.
• Health and financial well-being are now central to employee concerns, with many expressing dissatisfaction with their current financial situations.
• Retirement confidence is low, with over two-thirds of employees fearing they will be worse off financially in old age compared to their parents.
• Workplace health and well-being is a growing focus, especially with rising obesity and mental health issues.

Employer Response

• Employers are rethinking benefit strategies to better align with employee needs, particularly in the areas of financial well-being, health and well-being, and retirement planning.
• There is a shift from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) retirement plans, placing more financial responsibility on employees.
• Employers are introducing more flexible and diverse benefits, such as voluntary insurance and health and well-being programs, to meet these changing demands.

Key Trends

1. Shift to DC retirement plans: Employees are increasingly responsible for their retirement savings, with concerns about insufficient savings and low returns.
2. Rising healthcare costs: Employees are facing higher out-of-pocket expenses, leading to a greater emphasis on cost-sharing and alternative benefit models.
3. Financial insecurity: Employees are struggling with short-term financial issues, including low savings and high debt levels, which impact their overall well-being and work performance.
4. Technological innovation: Online tools and platforms are transforming how employees access and engage with benefits, enabling more personalized and flexible options.
5. Multi-generational workforce: Younger and older employees have diverging priorities, with millennials focused on student debt and housing costs, and older workers concerned about retirement savings.
6. Public policy changes: Many countries have introduced retirement reforms such as raising retirement ages and reducing public benefits, which are affecting employee expectations.
7. Emergence of financial well-being programs: Employers are now offering programs to help employees with budgeting, debt management, and emergency funds.

Key Findings

Financial Well-being

• Over 60% of employees rely on employer retirement plans as their primary means of saving for retirement.
• Financial satisfaction has declined in most countries, with the U.S. showing a 13-point drop from 2015 to 2017.
• 41% of employees are not worried about short or long-term financial issues, while 20% are struggling with both.
• Employees with financial worries are more likely to experience poor health, high stress, and lower work engagement.

Health and Well-being

• Mental health and stress are growing concerns, with 30% of employees reporting severe stress, anxiety, or depression in the last two years.
• Physical inactivity and obesity are major health challenges in developed countries.
• Employee engagement in well-being programs remains low, with only one-third of employees feeling these programs have helped them live healthier lives.
• Presenteeism and absenteeism are linked to poor health and stress, with those in poor health reporting higher levels of both.

Retirement Expectations

• Over one-third of employees in developed countries expect to work until age 70 or beyond.
• Retirement confidence is low, with 60% of employees in developed markets believing they will be worse off in retirement than their parents.
• DB to DC transition is influencing retirement planning, with DC-plan-only employees more likely to expect long working lives.

Business Case for Employee Well-being

• Poor health and financial stress are linked to lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and disengagement.
• Employees who are financially struggling are twice as likely to be in poor health and three times more likely to experience high stress.
• Employers who offer flexible and diverse benefits are more likely to see positive employee responses.
• Technology is playing a key role in enabling more personalized and efficient benefit delivery.

Employee Preferences

• Employees value core benefits such as health and retirement plans but want more choice and flexibility.
• Health and well-being programs are expected to be a major focus in the next three years.
• Non-traditional benefits like life insurance, financial protection, and paid leave are gaining interest.

Conclusion

The survey emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to employee benefits, recognizing that financial and health well-being are interlinked. Employers must balance providing choice with ensuring core benefits remain accessible and effective. The integration of technology and well-being programs is crucial to meeting these evolving needs and improving employee engagement, productivity, and satisfaction.