The most prevalent minimum employee benefits that are offered by multinational companies are employee assistance programs and life insurance (73 per cent), maternity leave (70 per cent) and paternity leave (69 per cent), according to a new survey by Aon.
The survey, which polled nearly 300 employers from across 31 countries, found these standard offerings support strategic priorities such as diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, employee well-being, environmental, social and governance, holistic well-being and the future of work.
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One in three employers said they’re currently drafting and articulating their global benefits strategy and review it annually. Notably, while nearly all (96 per cent) said they consider risk and health in their review, only 74 per cent said they include pensions as a consideration. These strategies are also becoming more detailed, the report said, noting two-thirds (64 per cent) of employers have implemented detailed design principles in their strategy.
While more than half (59 per cent) said they’re capturing the employee voice to guide strategic priorities, just 33 per cent said they include guidelines on benefits communication in their global framework. However, nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) said they’re leaving communications to local benefits teams, leading to an inconsistent experience around the world.
“Organizations are implementing a suite of minimum benefit standards to provide coverage for key areas of need for employees,” said Celine Ng Tong, global benefits consultant at Aon, in a press release. “We expect the prevalence of global minimum benefits standards to double over the next couple of years and that future areas of focus will be on programs supporting well-being, preventive health and mental health, along with sick leave.”
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