Brown & Brown today announced the findings of its second annual Employer Health and Benefits Strategy Survey, 2026, capturing insights from 1,241 employers across the United States. The 2026 edition reveals a benefits landscape shaped by rising costs, evolving workforce needs and a growing emphasis on innovation and sustainability. 

With escalating medical and pharmacy costs, employers have moved cost-containment, for both their organizations and their employees, to the top of their strategic priorities list. In the inaugural 2025 edition of the survey, employers ranked “attracting and retaining a competitive workforce” as their top priority. Some of the popular strategic cost containment initiatives include evaluating stop-loss plan design, conducting audits, and partnering with digital health solutions to enhance plan transparency and effectiveness. 

Despite the focus on cost control, employers remain committed to supporting employee well-being. A majority (77%) say well-being programs are part of their healthcare strategies, and 78% of this cohort plan to increase related budgets. Parental leave enhancements are also on the rise, with 71% of employers offering paid leave beyond statutory requirements. 

“Employers are taking decisive action to manage rising health care costs, from rethinking plan design to adopting digital care solutions and more rigorous pharmacy management strategies,” says Chana Bieker, senior vice president, benefits, national account leader at Brown & Brown. “Amid inflation, economic volatility and shifting social expectations, our survey shows organizations are prioritizing cost control more than ever. At the same, they are utilizing available budget to reinvest in employee well-being in diverse ways, such as more inclusive benefits and expanded parental leave.” 

Amidst the ever-growing popularity of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, the survey also highlights the continued struggle for employers trying to balance access and cost. Nearly half of respondents cover GLP-1s for weight loss (48%), with most of this respondent group planning to continue coverage over the next one to two years (89%). However, for those that do cover GLP-1s for weight loss, more than six in ten have restrictions in place (63%). A significant percentage of these employers have restrictions beyond prior authorization, such as having to meet certain clinical criteria above and beyond FDA guidelines (49%).