2026 Benefits Benchmarks Report

Benchmarking Benefits in 2026: What 3,700+ Employers Are Doing to Manage Costs, Improve Wellbeing, and Navigate Compliance

Rising healthcare costs, increasing pharmacy spend, evolving employee expectations, and growing leave management complexity are forcing HR leaders to rethink their benefits strategies. The 2026 Benefits Benchmarks Report, based on responses from 3,700+ organizations nationwide, provides the data and insights employers need to benchmark programs, evaluate priorities, and make more informed benefits decisions.

Part of Gallagher's 2026 Workforce Trends Series, the report examines trends across medical benefits, pharmacy benefit management, voluntary benefits, wellbeing initiatives, and absence management. HR leaders will gain practical benchmarks, emerging workforce insights, and access to detailed data tables that allow for deeper analysis by employer size, geography, and organizational characteristics.

Key findings include:

• 42% of employers reported health plan premium increases of 10% or more at their most recent renewal.
• Nearly half (49%) rank specialty drug costs among their top healthcare cost management challenges.
• 68% agree voluntary benefits play an important role in a comprehensive financial wellbeing strategy.
• More than 4 in 5 employers evaluate the effectiveness of their wellbeing initiatives.
• 57% cite compliance with federal, state, and local regulations as a leading absence management concern.

Download the report to benchmark your organization's benefits strategy and uncover the trends shaping workforce decisions in 2026.