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More than half of employees are staying in their jobs for the retirement benefits

Seventy-six percent of employers now offer retirement savings assistance

Updated:

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By:
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Mark Huffman
Reporter

Mark Huffman has covered consumer issues since 2004, with a special focus on protecting and empowering older adults. A former news correspondent for the Associated Press Radio Network, Westwood One, and ConsumerAffairs, Mark brings decades of journalistic experience to RetirementLiving.com. He is passionate about giving consumers a voice and helping them make informed decisions. Mark has also created educational content, including Senior Scam Alert, a video resource designed to help seniors recognize and avoid fraud. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and lives with his family in Richmond, Virginia.
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Photo by Galen Crout on Unsplash

Key Insights

  • 58% of workers are staying in their jobs because of their benefits
  • Employees say health insurance, retirement plans, and family perks are top reasons to stay
  • HR leaders see room to improve financial wellness support while cutting back on admin work

As the job market cools and economic uncertainty lingers, employees are clinging to what matters most: their benefits. Especially, retirement benefits.

According to Payroll Integrations’ 2025 Employee Financial Wellness Report, 58% of U.S. workers say their benefits are a key reason they’re staying in their current jobs. Among them, 67% point to solid health insurance, 53% to competitive retirement plans, and another 53% to family-related benefits. The findings highlight how vital financial and health security have become to job satisfaction and retention.

“Employees have growing confidence in their financial wellness and their benefits, which is a strong sign that companies are headed in the right direction,” said Doug Sabella, CEO of Payroll Integrations. “But there’s still work to be done for employers to fully align with employees’ needs.”

More confident in their employers

The report, based on a survey of 250 full-time employees and HR leaders across all 50 states, found that 44% of employees now feel completely supported in their financial wellness, up sharply from 28% last year.

Employers are helping by offering retirement savings assistance (76%), healthcare premium coverage (52%), and HSA or FSA options (51%). Still, 64% of HR leaders admit they could do more. Employees said they’d like to see higher cost-of-living adjustments, access to budgeting tools, and personalized benefit options.

When it comes to what benefits matter most, employees and employers don’t always see eye-to-eye. 

Workers prioritize core benefits like healthcare (36%), retirement savings (33%), and mental health support (31%), followed by direct financial compensation. Employers, however, tend to emphasize childcare assistance, emergency savings programs, and health savings accounts, valuable perks, but not necessarily the ones employees rank highest.

Younger workers want more support

Generational differences are shaping expectations, too. Nearly all Millennials (93%) and Gen Z (85%) believe employers should help fill financial gaps that government programs don’t cover.

For Gen Z workers, affordable health insurance tops the list. Millennials place a higher value on fitness and wellness perks, Gen Xers seek better pay, and Boomers look for stronger retirement options and even pet insurance.