Employee benefits are now a central part of the overall employee value proposition — but are you and your workers really making the most of what’s already available?
Many organisations dedicate significant time and budget to building attractive benefits packages, yet research consistently shows that much of what’s offered goes underused or unnoticed. The Drewberry Insurance Employee Benefits Satisfaction Survey (2025) found that only 12% of employees are satisfied with their benefits, and just 36% say they fully understand what’s available to them.
With budgets under pressure and employee wellbeing high on the agenda, there’s never been a better moment to pause, review, and unlock the full potential of your existing benefits offering.
Why add-on services matter more than ever
Employee expectations around benefits have shifted significantly in recent years. Support for mental health, financial wellbeing, and work-life balance is no longer seen as optional. The good news? Many of the tools that help in these areas are already included in the benefits you’re paying for, often bundled through insurance, pension, or platform providers.
From employee assistance programmes to virtual GP services, these add-ons can deliver real value at no additional cost — provided your people know about them and understand how to access them.
Here are five common “hidden extras” that might already be part of your package, along with tips to help boost awareness and engagement.
1. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
EAPs are often bundled with group life, critical illness, or income protection schemes. They can provide employees with confidential counselling and mental health support around the clock, as well as access to legal and financial guidance. Some also offer advice lines specifically for managers, helping them support their teams more effectively.
Why add-on services matter more than ever
How to maximise it:
• Run regular awareness campaigns — for example, during Mental Health Awareness Week or at stressful times like year-end.
• Make EAP access easy to find via your intranet, HR system, and onboarding materials.
• Equip line managers to signpost EAP resources during one-to-one conversations.
2. Virtual GPs and digital health services
Virtual GP services are increasingly common as part of private medical insurance (PMI) or health cash plans. They give employees fast, convenient access to medical advice through video or phone consultations, often 24/7. Many schemes also include prescription delivery and extend cover to employees’ family members, making them a valuable support for busy households.
How to maximise it:
• Highlight availability during peak demand periods such as flu season or the back-to-school rush.
• Share employee stories or testimonials to build confidence and familiarity.
• Re-promote the service during annual benefits enrolment windows or health awareness campaigns.
3. Financial wellbeing tools
Financial stress is one of the leading causes of distraction and absenteeism. Many pension or insurance providers include built-in tools to support employees’ financial health, such as budgeting and savings apps, retirement calculators, and debt or credit advice services. These resources can help staff feel more confident and secure about their finances if they know where to find them.
How to maximise it:
• Work with payroll and finance teams to tie communications to pay reviews or pension milestones.
• Highlight tools during cost-of-living campaigns or financial literacy month.
• Ensure links and platforms are mobile-friendly and easy to access.
4. Discounts and lifestyle perks
From retail discounts to gym memberships, many benefit platforms and insurance providers offer lifestyle perks that often go unnoticed. When promoted effectively, these extras can make a meaningful difference to employee satisfaction and engagement.
How to maximise it:
• Collate seasonal offers (e.g., summer holidays, Black Friday, back-to-school) and communicate them clearly.
• Use internal channels such as Teams, newsletters, or payslips to highlight new or time-sensitive perks.
• Encourage employees to share their favourite deals — peer recommendations help build trust and engagement.
5. Manager training and mental health support
EAPs or wellbeing partners often provide manager-specific resources at no extra cost, including mental health awareness training, toolkits for supporting distressed team members, and guidance on handling difficult conversations. Leveraging these resources can help managers support their teams more effectively and create a psychologically safe workplace.
How to maximise it:
• Include these resources in new manager inductions or leadership development programmes.
• Offer refresher sessions annually, especially for high-turnover teams.
• Link to these tools whenever you promote your wider wellbeing strategy.
How to audit what you’ve got
The first step is simple: ask. Reach out to your brokers, platform providers, and insurers for a detailed breakdown of all included services. You might be surprised by what’s already bundled in.
Then:
• Review internal communications to assess how visible these services are to employees.
• Run a quick pulse survey to gauge awareness and usage gaps.
• Request usage reports from providers to identify areas for improvement.
You don’t need to start from scratch — often, it’s just a matter of switching the lights on.
Don’t leave value on the table
Smart HR isn’t always about offering more — sometimes, it’s about making better use of what you already have. Your organisation may be sitting on a wealth of wellbeing and engagement tools. Resources that can enhance retention, support mental health, and ease financial stress, often without any extra spend.
By uncovering, promoting, and embedding these existing services into your employee wellbeing and benefits strategies, you can increase the return on your current investment and give your workforce more of the support they’re seeking.
At Avantus, our FlexGenius employee benefits platform can help you identify, promote, and optimise the add-on services already included in your benefits package. If you’d like to explore how FlexGenius could help your
organisation get more value from your existing benefits, our team would be happy to guide you. Contact us today.
