From Gen Z to the Silent Generation: What each generation values in a group benefits package

There are now five generations of employees in the workplace and they range from under 20-years-old to more than 71-years-old¹. Traditional group benefits don't come with enough flexibility to satisfy² such a broad range of employees. Today we'll look at each of these generations and how they might use their group benefits.The five generations of employees in the workplace:

1. Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) – These are the group of digital natives who don’t know life without smartphones and may have a need for constant stimulation.
2. Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) – Nearly all millennials use the internet and 19% of them use the internet solely on their smartphones. They’re more likely to give to charity than any other generation and they’re also known as Generation Y.
3. Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) – This generation values independence and work-life balance. They’re the first generation exposed to mass corporate layoffs.
4. Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) – The Boomers are now retiring—10,000 per day in the United States—but participating in part-time work to keep active and fund retirement.
5. The Silent Generation (born between 1928 and 1945) – This generation is the healthiest and wealthiest generation to date. Many reports don’t include this generation in the Canadian workforce, but they make up less than 1% of the American workforce.

Valuable benefits across generationsAccording to The Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey 2019, only 60% of employees believe their health benefit plan meets their needs very well or extremely well. That’s not surprising with so many ages in the workforce. At BeniPlus, we believe that employee benefits should be simple, flexible and affordable so they can support employees of all ages and in all stages of their lives.Simple, flexible and affordable group benefits forGeneration ZThese youngsters are still in their prime years for bone density and muscle mass. They believe they’re invincible, so they generally don’t think about things like life insurance, long-term disability or critical illness. Gen Z might allocate most of their Benefit Wallet to a wellness spending account and charitable giving. We hope Gen Z also knows about the wonders of compound interest and allocates some of their Benefit Wallet to RRSP savings too.

Did you know that you can use your wellness spending account on personal trainers, athletic footwear and cell phones?

Simple, flexible and affordable group benefits forMillennialsMillennials are in their early twenties to early thirties and what they value in benefits depends on their family status. Young, single Millennials may want to use their Benefit Wallet to focus on RRSP savings and get cool glasses and regular massage therapy. New parents can allocate benefits to their wellness savings account to cover family supplies, childcare and virtual doctors for those 2:00 am medical situations.And since most Millennials give to charity, they’ll enjoy using the charitable giving program to allocate some of their benefit dollars to their favorite causes.

Did you know that you can use your healthcare spending account on prescription birth control pills, psychotherapy and laser eye surgery?

Simple, flexible and affordable group benefits forGen XGeneration X are mid-thirties to mid-fifties and more likely to have families, aches and pains and aging parents to look after. With years (or decades) in their current career, they may want to branch into a different area or learn new skills to keep up with evolving technology. And, with middle age staring them down, Gen X'ers take insurance, long-term disability and critical illness coverage more seriously than they used to.The flexibility of the Benefit Wallet means Generation X can allocate benefits to support family, health and career needs.

Did you know that you can use your wellness spending account on career development courses, professional membership fees and even the travel costs associated with career development events?

Simple, flexible and affordable group benefits forBaby BoomersWith Baby Boomers approaching or surpassing retirement age, they may have higher prescription drug and dental care costs. And even if they’re empty nesters, they may still have elderly parents who need support.With the Benefit Wallet, Baby Boomers can allocate their benefit dollars to their most pressing needs, whether that’s health, family or insurance coverage.

Did you know that you can use your healthcare spending account on products, procedures and services you receive from a medical professional, prescription drugs (including Viagra) and lab tests including cardiographs and x-rays?

Simple, flexible and affordable group benefits forthe Silent GenerationThough you probably won’t have too many employees from the Silent Generation working for you, the Benefit Wallet has them covered too! In their twilight years, the Silent Generation appreciates the flexibility that comes with the wellness spending account.

Did you know that you can use your wellness spending account on natural health products, fitness club memberships, home-care, insurance and personal interest courses such as photography and art classes?

Everyone in your workforce—no matter their generation—should be able to customize their employee benefits program to fit their needs and lifestyles. To learn more about what employees can use the Benefit Wallet for, click here.If you’re ready to introduce a simple, flexible and affordable benefits program to your total rewards package, take 10 minutes today to get a quote.