Next-generation benefits are moving from nice-to-have to necessary, and PTO Exchange CEO Rob Whalen lays out why in a piece looking ahead at what will define 2026 for HR teams. Between rising healthcare costs, slower job growth, and rapid AI adoption reshaping roles, HR leaders face a year that demands more creative thinking about how they support their people, not just more spending.

A central theme is employee ownership of benefits. Whalen points to flexible options like convertible PTO, which let employees repurpose the value of unused time off toward whatever matters most to them, retirement contributions, health savings accounts, and more,rather than treating PTO as a static, use-it-or-lose-it line item. He also highlights earned wage access as a tool that helps employees avoid costly, high-risk stopgaps like payday loans or early 401(k) withdrawals when unexpected expenses hit.

The throughline across all five trends is that HR teams that help employees get their financial house in order will see the payoff directly: stronger loyalty, higher engagement, and a more resilient workforce heading into a genuinely uncertain year.

Read the full piece here: How Next-Generation Benefits Will Help HR Teams