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The 2026 Employer Benefits Landscape: Trends, Gaps, and New Directions

Yuliya Esipov 7/16/2026

The 2026 LIMRA Landscape Report reveals how employers are reshaping benefits to deliver more flexible, targeted support — while a growing divide by company size is changing who has access to core coverage.

Summary

The 2026 LIMRA Landscape Report reveals a benefits market in transition. While employers remain committed to investing in total compensation, rising costs and evolving workforce needs are reshaping how those dollars are spent. Traditional core benefits are declining — especially among smaller employers — while supplemental protections and holistic supports like mental health and financial wellness are gaining momentum. Based on a nationally representative survey of over 1,000 U.S. employers, this study uncovers widening gaps in access, shifting priorities, and the strategies organizations are using to balance affordability with meaningful employee support. 

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Meet the Project Director

Yuliya Esipov

Yuliya Esipov joined LIMRA and LOMA in 2004. As Associate Research Director, her responsibilities include managing the U.S. workplace benefits dental and vision studies as well as employer and employee-focused benchmarking studies.

Esipov received her diploma in history from Moscow State University (Lomonosov’s) in Russia. She has a master’s degree in history from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in survey research from the University of Connecticut.

Associate Research Director, Workplace Benefits Research
LIMRA and LOMA
yesipov@limra.com


For more information, please contact yesipov@limra.com.

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