Eighty-Two Percent of Workers in India are Considering Changing Employers in 2025, Aon Study Reveals

The top five valued benefits for the Indian workforce are:

• Work-life balance programs
• Medical coverage
• Career development
• Paid time off
• Retirement savings

Top five most influential characteristics to attract employees in India:

Nitin Sethi, head of Talent Solutions for India, at Aon, said, “Until recently, very few companies considered how benefits, wellness and healthcare programs could shape their employer brand and employee value proposition. Post-Covid, we are seeing changes as employees increasingly value these programs, and companies are more actively branding and communicating their availability to current and future employees. A multigenerational workforce is accelerating this change, while advanced technology is making it easier to implement these programs. In the next decade, companies that excel in benefits, health and wellness will have a significant opportunity to position themselves as best-in-class employers.”

Growing demand for medical coverage

Medical coverage was one of the highest valued benefits across all generations among those surveyed in India, with Gen X and Gen Y rating it higher than Gen Z. Gen Z rated work-life balance as the top-valued benefit. Additionally, 76 percent of those surveyed said they would be willing to sacrifice existing benefits for a better choice of benefits. This highlights the necessity for businesses in India to align their total rewards and benefits strategies with the changing expectations of their workforce.

“Employees are increasingly aware of the advantages of medical and life benefits,” said Ashley Dsilva, head of Health and Wealth Solutions and director and principal officer for India at Aon. “The importance of retirement and financial planning among the young workforce is surprising. This shift may be due to a better understanding of the impact of inflation on daily living, especially since entry-level wages have stagnated in many sectors. At the same time, younger employees have increased debts with a substantial portion taking on personal loans before age 30. Employers have a clear opportunity to highlight the value of their benefits and emphasise financial wellbeing in their offerings and enhance employee engagement through innovative communication methods."

The study also found that 10 percent of surveyed employees in the country had no confidence that their employer is investing in their skills development and training to prepare them for the future of work. At the same time, employees surveyed showed a higher commitment to improving their AI skill set, with 43 percent feeling motivated to develop new skills to stay relevant when asked about AI compared to 35 percent globally.

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