Asia-Pacific employers are putting employee health and productivity at the core of their benefits strategies, according to Aon plc’s 2025 Global Benefits Trends Study.
The survey covered 518 human resources leaders worldwide, including 103 based in the region.
Tim Dwyer, Aon’s head of human capital for Asia-Pacific, said the results show how the workforce is reshaping corporate priorities.
“As organisations navigate economic uncertainty and rising employee expectations, the ability to deliver personalised, equitable, and cost-effective benefits is a strategic differentiator,” he said. “Our survey signals APAC is leading the way in aligning benefits strategy with workforce needs. Through innovative, data-driven analytic programmes, businesses are building resilient, future-ready programs for their workforce.”
Unlike other regions, Asia-Pacific was the only one to list “employee health and productivity” among its top five strategic objectives.
Aon noted that the region’s reliance on service-based labour and its position in global supply chains make workforce well-being a critical factor for businesses.
Employers are increasingly experimenting with customised benefits. One-third of multinationals reported having global policies that require local markets to offer benefit choices.
Companies in Asia-Pacific were more likely to provide flexibility in areas such as leave and career progression.
The study also found 65% of employees would give up existing benefits in exchange for greater personalisation.
Digital tools are becoming essential to this shift. Sixty percent of leading multinationals rely on technology to administer benefits programmes, while 28% of Asia-Pacific companies are preparing to introduce artificial intelligence to support benefits selection and employee well-being.
Cost management continues to influence benefit decisions. Thirty-one percent of surveyed firms are considering changing or remarketing providers, although only 37% are putting money into well-being programmes, suggesting some disparity between goals and delivery.
The study also highlighted governance structures as a differentiator. Employers in Asia-Pacific were three times more likely to operate formal governance committees with senior management support for benefits strategy, compared to peers elsewhere.
Alan Oates, Aon’s head of global benefits for Asia-Pacific, said the focus reflects the region’s role in multinational supply chains.
“Prioritising health and productivity of employees reflects the critical importance of workforce in the region to the supply chain for many multinational organisations. Organisations across the region must continue to adapt their employee benefits strategies to meet evolving workforce expectations and economic challenges as they strive to remain competitive,” he said.
A separate Aon survey conducted earlier this year – the 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study – signalled high employee mobility, with 60% of workers globally considering leaving their current jobs within 12 months.
The study, which involved more than 9,000 employees across 23 countries, showed that well-being and work-life balance are increasing in importance.
Gen Z workers rated work-life balance as their second-most valued benefit, ranking it above career growth and retirement plans.
The report also found differences in how artificial intelligence is perceived. About 22% of executives expected AI to reduce jobs in their sectors, while only 11% of entry-level staff held the same view.
Younger employees were also less confident about identifying new opportunities created by AI.
Hybrid workers were most likely to feel valued by employers, while fully remote employees were 52% more likely to feel undervalued.
Pay and benefits remain key, with nearly half of respondents pointing to above-average compensation and meaningful benefits as decisive in job selection.
Despite rising demand for personalised benefits – 72% of employees value them – only 41% currently have access.
The survey also highlighted a lack of awareness, with just 38% of workers who prioritise life and disability insurance believing those benefits are available in their organisations.
