According to MetLife's annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, feeling "cared for" at work is essential to employee wellness, but 42% of employees do not feel this way from their employer.
MetLife's study found that satisfaction with benefits fell to 61% in 2023, reaching its lowest point in the last decade, and holistic health among employees has severely declined in the past year.
Nearly half (48%) of workers mentioned financial concerns as a cause of lower mental health, up from 31% last year.
- More employees are listing the basic benefits they'd like to receive, including medical/health insurance (79%), paid leave (77%), 401(k) or another defined contribution retirement plan (75%), and dental insurance (73%).
- Employee interest in financial wellness resources has increased dramatically.
- Workers who view those offerings as "must-haves" increased from 18% in 2019 to 45% in 2023.
- The study revealed that the number of employers providing financial wellness resources has doubled from 25% to 54%.
MetLife says that employers have not yet fully grasped the seriousness of employees' financial anxiety.
