A new survey by Conduent Incorporated points to the growing difficulty that organizations face in providing employees with quality health benefits as they struggle with increasing healthcare costs. Results from the 2026 Blueprint for Smarter Health Survey, conducted by Conduent Incorporated, indicate that organizations are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence technology to resolve the intricate relationship between healthcare costs and employee benefits.
The survey indicates that 68.9% of organizations predict that medical trend rates will increase above 7%, posing a major challenge to organizations already battling inflation in healthcare services. At the same time, employee benefits have become an important tool for organizations seeking to attract and retain talent. According to the survey, 65% of organizations view their benefits programs as successful based on their ability to attract and retain employees.
Technology is becoming an important tool for organizations seeking to resolve the intricate relationship between healthcare costs and employee benefits. The survey shows that 71% of organizations are using AI to help employees select the best benefits. Also, 64% plan to use virtual assistants to simplify benefits navigation and decision-making.
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HR leaders are increasingly recognizing benefits programs as a strategic asset tied to broader organizational goals. However, delivering personalized benefits while maintaining financial sustainability remains difficult. Mental health and wellness programs are top benefits today. In fact, 65% of employees value them highly. At the same time, healthcare costs continue to rise sharply. Industry data suggests cumulative medical cost increases could reach 62% in 2026 compared with 2017 levels—representing millions of dollars in additional annual expenses for large employers.
“Healthcare costs will continue to rise, and organizations must balance cost containment with the need to provide comprehensive health and wellness benefits,” said Kimberly Marshall, Chief Commercial Officer of Commercial Solutions at Conduent. “Clients are demanding advanced technology solutions that harness the power of AI to both empower employees to better utilize their benefits and help HR teams to manage benefit program operations more efficiently and cost-effectively. Our Life@Work Connect® Experience platform delivers richer employee understanding of complex benefit information, helping maximize benefits usage, and support cost savings.”
To address these challenges, Conduent’s Life@Work Connect Experience platform merges data from health, retirement, and wellness programs. It offers employees personalized benefits guidance. The platform includes an AI assistant named Conni. Conni helps employees understand their benefits, suggests plan options, and offers ongoing support. The system gives employers insights into employee engagement, enrollment trends, and benefit performance. This helps organizations optimize programs and manage costs more effectively.
