One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Why Personalised Benefits Really Matter

Insights From Laurie Eggleston, Head of Business Development; Employee Benefits Consultancy at Grant Thornton UK LLP, Mona Parikh, Associate Director - Reward (Leading the Global Reward & Benefits Team) at Coventry University and Polly Banwell, Client Relationship Manager at AAG Financial Education

There’s a persistent myth in reward and benefits that if you build a strong offering, employees will naturally engage with it. But as this session on the Reward, Recognition & Benefits stage made clear, the reality is far more nuanced. In today’s complex, diverse workplaces, a “one size fits all” approach simply doesn’t cut it, and more importantly, even the best designed benefits can fall flat if employees don’t understand or connect with them.

Mona Parikh, Associate Director - Reward (Leading the Global Reward & Benefits Team) at Coventry University opened the discussion by grounding the conversation in the realities of a large, diverse workforce. At Coventry University, where she oversees reward for around 4,000 employees, the challenge isn’t just about attracting talent, it’s about helping people truly understand the value of what’s already available. She highlighted a common pitfall: organisations often focus on expanding benefit offerings, assuming more choice equals more engagement. In practice, however, complexity without clarity can lead to confusion and low uptake.

A standout example was the perception of salary sacrifice schemes. Despite their clear financial advantages, the word “sacrifice” itself creates hesitation. Reframing these schemes as “salary exchange” or positioning them as “more money in your pocket” can dramatically shift perception and participation. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that language matters just as much as the benefit itself.

Mona also shone a light on an often overlooked issue: discoverability. Many benefits sit buried within internal systems, poorly signposted and difficult to navigate. As reward teams evolve, there’s a growing expectation for them to step beyond analysis and administration into communication and engagement. Crucially, she emphasised the role of leadership; when senior leaders actively promote benefits, employees are far more likely to pay attention and take action.

Laurie Eggleston, Head of Business Development; Employee Benefits Consultancy at Grant Thornton UK LLP, built on this by challenging the assumption that equal access leads to equal experience. Two employees may receive identical benefits packages, but their perception, and ultimately their engagement, can differ wildly depending on personal circumstances and understanding. In many organisations, benefits remain what he described as “best kept secrets”: available, but not actively understood or utilised.

He pointed out that most employees only engage with benefits reactively, when a specific need arises, rather than exploring them proactively. This makes on demand, easy to navigate information essential. If employees can’t quickly find what they need, when they need it, the value of the benefit is effectively lost.

Laurie also introduced the concept of “stickiness”, benefits that actively support retention by making it harder or less attractive for employees to leave. Offerings like electric vehicle schemes or family dental cover don’t just add value, they embed themselves into employees’ lives. When viewed through the lens of retention and the high cost of turnover, benefits shift from a cost centre to a strategic investment.

He also touched on the evolving role of technology, particularly AI, in making benefits more accessible. Translating complex policies into plain, natural language could remove significant barriers, but he was clear that human interaction remains critical, especially for more sensitive or complex conversations.

Polly Banwell, Client Relationship Manager at AAG Financial Education, brought the conversation back to one of the most powerful, and often underused, tools in engagement: feedback. Through her work in financial education, she demonstrated how continuous listening and iteration can transform how employees interact with benefits. By tailoring content to real employee needs, whether that’s understanding payslips or navigating pensions, engagement becomes far more meaningful.

Her insights reinforced a key theme across the session: misunderstanding is one of the biggest blockers to engagement. When employees don’t fully grasp deductions or benefit structures, it can erode trust. Clear, consistent communication doesn’t just inform, it builds confidence and credibility.

Polly also advocated for a blended approach to delivery. Self service platforms have their place, but they shouldn’t stand alone. Combining digital tools with group learning and one to one support creates a more inclusive and effective experience, meeting employees wherever they are in their journey.

What emerged from this session is a clear shift in mindset. Personalisation isn’t just about offering more choice, it’s about making benefits understandable, accessible, and relevant to individual needs. That requires more than good design; it demands clear communication, ongoing feedback, and a thoughtful balance between technology and human connection.

For employee engagement leaders, the message is simple but significant: if your people don’t understand their benefits, they won’t value them, and if they don’t value them, they won’t use them.

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