The employee wellbeing trends you didn’t see coming – 2026 edition
Every year, employee wellbeing predictions fall into two camps:
“Free yoga and fruit bowls”
“AI will fix everything”
2026 is shaping up to be… neither.
What’s coming next is more human, more practical and frankly more surprising. Yes, there will still be mental health support, meditation apps and discount vouchers. Yes, flexibility remains king. But alongside that, employers are quietly rolling out benefits that would’ve sounded unhinged five years ago – and employees are loving them.
Here are the employee wellbeing trends you didn’t see coming for 2026 👀
💰 1. Financial wellbeing becomes infrastructure (not education)
Financial wellbeing is finally shedding its “nice-to-have webinar” reputation.
In 2026, we’ll see:
Payroll-linked savings and sidecar emergency savings accounts becoming standard
Automated savings goal orientated savings embedded directly into payroll and benefits platforms, making the perfect Christmas, the dream holiday, wedding or simply rainy day fund more obtainable and easier to manage
A clear shift away from borrowing-first solutions towards saving-first, inclusion-led tools
Employers are recognising financial stress as both a health risk and a business risk; with measurable impacts on absenteeism, productivity and retention.
This isn’t about teaching people to budget better.
It’s about designing systems that make resilience the default.
📊 2. Financial wellbeing gets measured – and taken seriously
By 2026, the smartest organisations won’t just offer financial wellbeing – they’ll measure it.
Expect more focus on:
salary transparency and better quality benchmarking
pay on demand linked with high interest savings accounts
focus on products that deliver reductions in financial stress, fewer emergency absences
reporting that utilises the empirical data linking savings buffers and lower risk of problem debt → read all about it here
improved retention in financially supported teams
In short: financial wellbeing moves from soft promise to hard outcome; earning its place alongside mental and physical health in corporate wellbeing strategies.
🩺 3. Fertility & family support (for men and women)
Fertility benefits are no longer niche; they’re becoming a marker of genuinely progressive employers.
Some companies have already paved the way. Apple and Facebook famously offered egg-freezing benefits, covering significant costs so employees could preserve fertility options while progressing their careers.
In 2026, fertility support is broader and more inclusive:
IVF, fertility testing, fertility insurance and hormone health for both men and women
support for partners, same-sex couples and solo parents
adoption and surrogacy assistance
fertility coaching for men and women
These benefits are all about giving employees choice, agency and security.
🌸 4. Menopause support moves from policy to practice
Menopause has finally started to cross from “taboo” into mainstream benefits and in 2026, support gets more practical.
Leading employers are offering:
medical guidance and coaching
flexible working during symptom flare-ups
workplace adjustments that actually help
education that supports partners and managers too
Menopause support isn’t just about one demographic; it affects families, teams and retention across the organisation. Employers that get this right keep experienced talent longer. Those that don’t… simply don’t.
🐾 5. Pets are officially a workplace concern
Yes. Really.
As pets increasingly replace children in many households, benefits are following suit:
Pawternity leave for employees welcoming a new pet
on-call vets and pet behavioural helplines
pet bereavement leave (still rare, but growing)
When your dog is sick or your new puppy hasn’t slept in days, “bringing your whole self to work” gets complicated. Employers acknowledging this are quietly winning loyalty.
🐑 6. The rise of the joyful (and slightly wild) perk
Some benefits exist purely to spark joy – and in 2026, that’s not seen as frivolous.
Examples already doing the rounds:
🐏 Adopted sheep – employees receive updates about “their” sheep, tapping into sustainability, humour and shareability
💘 Paid time off to go on dates – because a decent personal life makes for happier humans
✂️ On-site haircuts – wildly practical, deeply appreciated
❄️ Cryogenic freezing – yes, some companies have flirted with covering post-mortem cryopreservation (file under: conversation starter)
These perks won’t replace core benefits – but they do signal culture, creativity and care.
🎯 The real lesson for 2026: balance wins
Eye-catching perks grab headlines.
Practical support changes lives.
The employers getting wellbeing right in 2026 will:
pair financial resilience with financial joy
balance serious health support with playful humanity
invest in benefits that work quietly and benefits that make people smile
Because the future of wellbeing isn’t about being flashy – it’s about being useful, inclusive and a little bit fun.
For inclusive financial resilience, let’s talk Payroll Savings.
