ADP TotalSource Employee Benefits Survey Reveals 5 Trends Reshaping Workplace Benefits in 2026

ROSELAND, N.J., Apr. 8, 2026 – New research today from ADP reveals more than 4 in 5 people feel valued because their employer provides access to benefits beyond medical.

Employees are navigating one of the most complex benefits landscapes in a generation. Healthcare costs are rising, out of pocket expenses are climbing, and the gap between what workers have saved and what they feel prepared to cover is widening.

In its 8^th year, the ADP TotalSource Benefits Survey is shedding insight on how people feel about benefits at work.

The survey revealed 5 trends impacting people across the U.S.

1. Employers have become the anchor of trust in a changing benefits environment.
2. Cost pressure is driving employees to make healthcare tradeoffs.
3. Employees have more money set aside yet feel less secure.
4. Employees are spending more time evaluating and choosing benefits.
5. Retirement anxiety is rising faster than healthcare anxiety.

Key insights from the report include:

• People feel value at work because of benefits offerings. 78% feel valued because of medical benefits and 83% because of non-medical.
• 74% of people remain confident they will have employer-sponsored medical benefits that fit their needs despite regulatory changes.
• 68% of people use the internet for medical advice, and 27% say they’ve used GenAI for advice.
• People have an average of $2,304 set aside for unexpected healthcare costs.
• People spend nearly 2 hours (119 minutes) on average reviewing options before changing their medical plan during benefits enrollment.

 

For the full survey, download the results below.

ADP TotalSource® Employee Benefits Survey

FAQ

What is the ADP TotalSource Benefits Survey?

The ADP TotalSource Employee Benefits Survey, one of the largest surveys of its kind gathered insights from thousands of U.S. workers on how they use benefits offered to them in the workplace and how they feel about the benefits available to them. It has been fielded every year since 2018.

What is the methodology behind the ADP TotalSource Benefits Survey?

The most recent survey was fielded from September 9 to October 29, 2025, and got responses from 12,429 ADP TotalSource employees in the United States. Two in five respondents work at companies with 50 or fewer employees.

What trends are impacting workplace benefits?

There are 5 trends that the results of the ADP TotalSource Benefits Survey highlight

1. People see their employers as an anchor of trust in a changing benefits environment.
2. Rising healthcare costs are driving more people to make tradeoffs.
3. While employees have more money saved, they feel less secure.
4. People are spending more time picking the right benefits package.
5. There is a greater weight this year on benefits that help people save money, such as retirement benefits.

How much do employees have saved for healthcare emergencies?

On average, employees have $2,304 set aside for unexpected healthcare costs. The number of employees who say they have less than $500 in savings for unexpected medical costs has risen by eight percentage points over the past five years. Additionally, more than one-quarter (26%) of employees say they feel less prepared than they did a year ago.

What is ADP TotalSource?

ADP TotalSource® is ADP’s PEO (Professional Employer Organization) solution for small and midsize businesses. It acts as your dedicated HR partner by streamlining payroll, benefits administration, and regulatory compliance, providing expert support and advanced technology, so you can focus on your business.

 

Download the ADP TotalSource® Employee Benefits Survey