As the job market grows more competitive, benefit packages matter more than ever to entice new hires and retain existing employees. Recent data shows that 78% of workers say they are more likely to stay with employers based on the best and worst employee benefits. From menopause leave to grand parental leave and disaster relief funds, employers are increasingly leveraging new types of incentives as a benefit to retain top talent and foster engagement, retention and trust between employees and employers.
To discover which industries offer the best benefits, TollFreeForwarding.com used the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to research and rank the top major industries on their employee benefit offerings. The researchers focused on 20 different benefits across 16 industries. Based on the percentage of companies within an industry that offer an individual benefit, they assigned the industry a score between one and five.
Industries With The Best Benefits
Key findings offer compelling insights for organizations striving to attract and retain top talent. Based on a score out of 100 (up to five points per benefit), here’s how the different industries fared based on TollFreeForwarding’s calculations.
The study found that Finance & Insurance tops the list, with a score of 92.33 out of 100 for its comprehensive benefit offerings, including standout scores in wellness programs (79%) and employee assistance programs (84%).
The utilities industry also scored well overall, earning 85.87 points out of 100. This industry, which includes providers of water, power and gas services, scored highly for a number of benefits, coming in first for paid vacation (100%), paid sick leave (100%), and retirement benefits (99%).
The information industry, which includes publishing, broadcasting, motion pictures and telecommunications, came in third, with a total of 79.98 points out of 100. The information industry came in first for access to childcare (32%), while also scoring highly for subsidized commuting (25%) and paid personal leave (76%).
Here are the other top ten industries with the best benefits:
- Finance & Insurance (92.33)
- Utilities (85.87)
- Information (79.98)
- Professional, Scientific, and Technology (74.68)
- Manufacturing (67.92)
- Public Elementary and Secondary School (62.33)
- Wholesale Trade (56.73)
- Private Elementary and Secondary School (54.98)
- Healthcare (54.09)
- Professional and Business Services (51.16)
Paid sick leave (82.1%), healthcare benefits (78.5%), and paid holidays (78.1%) were among the most commonly provided perks. New preferences emerging: Flexibility and wellness are gaining traction among younger employees, marking a shift in benefit priorities.
Top Five Workplace Benefits
- Paid sick leave (82.1%)
- Health Care Benefits (78.5%)
- Paid holidays (78.1%)
- Retirement benefits (76%)
- Paid vacation (71.4%)
Bottom Five Workplace Benefits
- Flexible work schedule (15.6%)
- Access to child care (11.6%)
- Flexible workplace ((10%)
- Subsidized commutes (9.7%)
- Student loan repayment (5.1%)
Most Popular Benefits Across All Industries
While some industries fared better than others, the overall popularity of benefits across all industries helps shed light on the current state of benefits packages. Benefits like paid sick leave (82.1%), healthcare benefits (78.5%) and paid holidays (78.1) lead the way, while niche benefits like access to childcare (11.6%), flexible workplace (10%) and student loan repayment (5.1%) remain low.
- Paid sick leave (82.1%)
- Healthcare Benefits (78.5%)
- Paid Holidays (78.1%)
- Retirement Benefits (76%)
- Paid Vacation (71.4%)
- Life Insurance Plans (65.4%)
- Employee Assistance Programs (58.6%)
- Paid Personal Leave (53.2%)
- Non-production Bonuses (47.6%)
- Wellness Programs (46.4%)
Jason O’Brien, COO of TollFreeForwarding.com, says it can’t be overstated how important it is for employers and employees that businesses offer competitive benefit packages. “Studies show how significant employee benefits are to attracting and retaining workers, but even businesses with comprehensive offerings can’t be static,” he declares. “We’ve found that younger employees don’t necessarily want the same benefits that were appealing to their parents’ generations. Therefore, business leaders need to continuously be learning what their employees want, as well as what else is being offered by others.”
Aligning Benefit Offerings With Employee Needs
New data from NFP’s 2025 U.S. Leave Management and HR Trends Report explores both the progress and challenges in leave management employers face in addressing the needs of their workforce. Maria Trapenasso, NFP’s head of human capital solutions, offers the actionable steps employers can take to improve their benefits offerings and align them with employee needs:
- Remaining gaps in addressing employee-need. “Nearly six in ten employers view leave policies as key in retaining talent, recognizing the importance of leave management as part of a broader shift to prioritize employee engagement and well-being.”
- Demand for menopause-specific benefits remains strong. “Only five percent of employers offer menopause-specific benefits, barely increasing from four percent last year, despite rising awareness and demand.”
- Employers expand parental leave offerings. “Employers are increasing and expanding their parental offerings, with 35% of employers now offering six to eight weeks of full pay, up from 30% in 2024. Notably the number of employers offering less than three weeks of paid leave has also decreased from 37% in 2024 to 28% in 2025.”
- Expanding bereavement leave to fit a broad definition of family. “While most (90%) of employers offer leave to grieve a loved one, other leave types are increasingly common. Three-in-ten (31%) offer bereavement leave for a close relationship outside immediate family, and a small number of employers offer leave for the loss of a pet (seven percent) and nearly three-in-ten (29%) for a miscarriage or unsuccessful IVF.”
No matter what industry you may be in or whether it offers the best and worst employee benefits, comprehensive benefits packages are beneficial to employers and employees alike. Not only do benefits enable employees to have more balance in their lives, but it also ensures businesses can retain their workers, preventing unneeded costs.