When a loved one passes away, a pregnancy ends, or a serious medical diagnosis arrives, most employees discover the real worth of their workplace benefits—not from the enrollment brochure, but in the midst of the hardest week of their lives.
More and more, they’re realizing those benefits fall short.
Research from Empathy’s 2026 Workplace Benefits Report—shared exclusively with —highlights a “clear gap” between what workers require during significant life disruptions and what employers actually offer. The study reveals that 95% of employees consider bereavement-related benefits important, yet fewer employers intend to expand that support this year.
“Our new research indicates workplace benefits are inadequate during life’s most disruptive times,” Ron Gura, cofounder and CEO of Empathy, told . “It highlights a crucial shift: Success in benefits is now measured by support during major life events, with bereavement support being the most obvious and pressing opportunity.”
Empathy—a workplace benefits technology firm—surveyed over 5,500 employees and benefits decision-makers across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
The overwhelming majority of employees now state they expect their companies to support them when life unravels—not just through routine perks like gym memberships or standard health insurance. However, the study finds many benefits packages are still designed for what companies view as a “standard” lifestyle.
“For decades, benefits have been crafted with the assumption that work and life are separate,” Gura said. “Employers provided health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness benefits—tools intended to meet predictable needs.”
But today, employees want to focus on the essentials: They want benefits that address family support, financial security, and emotional well-being, the study notes. This trend is illustrated by a recent example where an employee advocated for a workplace benefit they could actually use in daily life—one that would have a meaningful impact on their mental health and family dynamics.
Christina Le, head of marketing at a social media content creation platform, had posted broadly on about mental health, burnout, and work-life balance—and proposed a workplace benefit employees could actually utilize: .
“If companies are updating their benefits this year, here’s a free suggestion: Add a stipend for cleaning services,” she wrote.
The following day, her company’s HR department acted on her suggestion. The company now provides employees with a $200 monthly home cleaning benefit—funds are added to a card for use, or employees can seek reimbursement for the cost.
“Many wellness benefits are presented as adding more to your to-do list—hit the gym, book a class, carve out time for therapy,” Le told . “Those are important, but they don’t alleviate the daily mental burden people bear. Your house is still cluttered. You still have to make dinner. Childcare arrangements don’t go away.”
“When you remove a task from someone’s plate, you give them genuine space to breathe,” Le added.
A new employee-employer compact on benefits
Expectations for support during life events are growing, with nearly half of employees anticipating formal employer assistance during major disruptions. Yet, even though almost all employees say they value bereavement-related benefits, the study finds far too few employers plan to expand that support in the next year.
And the need is increasing: Empathy reports a 50% rise in global employees who’ve faced a major life disruption over the past two years, while data shows one in four employees annually cope with an immediate loss.
Gura notes that satisfying employees with bereavement benefits requires more than just a few days off. Instead, it should include sufficient time off, access to emotional and logistical support, supportive managers, and policies that acknowledge diverse family structures.
And although roughly 80% of employers expect benefits budgets to grow this year, incremental investments won’t fix the core issue: employees’ dissatisfaction with their workplace benefits.
Employees are also pushing for more inclusive bereavement policies—ones that recognize chosen families, nontraditional relationships, and diverse cultural mourning practices. This inclusivity mirrors a larger shift in how companies view benefits: less as a fixed list of perks, and more as a dynamic way to show care that adapts to employees’ lives.
“Bereavement care shouldn’t be seen as a luxury or an extra,” Gura said. “It’s a key tool for enhancing employee well-being and supporting them in their jobs.”
By enhancing benefits in the areas where employees need them most, employers can boost engagement, retention, and overall performance, Gura added.
But achieving this also requires clearer, more accessible policies and processes. The Empathy study finds that benefit utilization and understanding remain challenging—around a quarter of employees report difficulties understanding benefits, accessing information, and navigating their complexity. This reveals “where benefits often fall short when they’re most needed,” the study states.