GLP-1s, Fertility Benefits, and the “Netflix Effect”: Why Personalization Is the Future of Workplace Savings

What do GLP-1s, fertility benefits, and Netflix have to do with retirement plans?

At first glance, they may seem unrelated. However, they point to a broader shift taking place across workplace benefits: employees increasingly expect experiences that are personalized, relevant, and responsive to their individual needs.

I recently joined retirement plan specialists from Vestwell for a webinar focused on what advisors need to know to confidently lead in 2026. One theme consistently surfaced throughout the conversation: the expectations shaped by hyper-personalized consumer technology are now influencing how employees experience workplace savings. As benefits move beyond one-size-fits-all offerings toward more individualized, life-stage-relevant experiences, workplace savings are being pulled into that same evolution.

Hyper-Personalization and the Evolution of Workplace Benefits

The “Netflix Effect” is a helpful way to frame this shift. Companies like Netflix, Uber, and Amazon learn preferences, surface relevant options, and adapt over time. And because these platforms are so dominant in our everyday lives, personalization isn’t novel anymore. It’s expected.

Workplace benefits are following a similar trajectory. Over the last decade, benefits packages have expanded and become more tailored to individual needs. Employers now routinely offer dozens of benefits, understanding that not every employee will use every option, but expecting that each employee can engage with what’s relevant to them.

GLP-1 weight-loss medications and fertility benefits are clear examples. These offerings are designed for specific life stages and circumstances, not universal use. Their value comes from niche relevance and accessibility, not overall participation rates.

That same expectation for relevance and personalization is influencing how employees view their retirement savings benefit. Employees are beginning to ask whether their retirement plan adapts to them or remains static regardless of how their lives change.

These shifts present an opportunity for financial advisors to reframe how retirement plans are positioned, aligning them more closely with the personalized benefits experiences employees expect.

How Shifts in Workplace Benefits Are Impacting Retirement Plans

1. More Personalized Guidance

Employees are no longer satisfied with generic education alone. They’re expecting financial guidance that reflects their age, income, and savings behavior, and that evolves as their circumstances change.

According to Vestwell’s Saving Trends Report, 94% of employees say a tool that offers digital, personalized investment suggestions would be valuable. This underscores a broader shift: savers want guidance that feels relevant and timely, not one-size-fits-all.

To meet this expectation, platforms are beginning to prioritize personalization at scale, including leveraging AI and data-driven tools to deliver:

• Personalized guidance at scale
• Contextual nudges tied to real behaviors
• Education that surfaces during decision points

The goal here is relevance. And for employees to engage with their retirement plan more often, it’s critical. If Netflix weren’t consistently surfacing content that feels tailored and timely, most of us wouldn’t keep turning it on night after night.

2. Managed Accounts and Tools That Reflect Individual Circumstances

Personalization is also impacting traditional investment lineups.

According to the Q2 2024 Cerulli Edge - U.S. Managed Accounts Edition, the managed accounts industry has grown nearly 22% over the past year. This feature is becoming popular as a way to give participants more insight into and control over their retirement plan investments, particularly as employees approach retirement and financial decisions become more complex.

At the same time, employers are adding additional savings accounts beyond a retirement plan that reflect real-world priorities, including:

• Emergency Savings Accounts (ESA) – Designed to help employees cover short-term, unexpected expenses without tapping long-term retirement savings.
• ABLE accounts – Tax-advantaged savings vehicles for individuals with qualifying medical conditions.
• 529 education savings plans – Tools that support education and training goals for employees and their families.

This broader approach recognizes that retirement isn’t the only financial need employees are managing. Franklin Templeton research reveals that 26% of employees are focused on paying down unsecured debt, and 40% say having sufficient emergency savings to cover unexpected expenses is a top priority.

In this context, personalization means helping savers balance competing financial goals, rather than forcing all progress into a single bucket.

3. Digital Experiences That Feel Intuitive and Relevant

Personalization isn’t limited to just guidance and investment options. It also shows up in how employees interact with their plan.

Consumer experiences have become more seamless—whether it’s calling a ride in seconds, receiving personalized purchase suggestions, or reordering food with a single tap. Employees expect retirement platforms to meet a similar standard. That means prioritizing digital experiences for your clients that are:

• Mobile: Provide employees with the ability to check balances, make changes, and engage with their savings anytime, anywhere.
• Multilingual: Making plan information accessible to employees in the language they’re most comfortable using helps improve understanding, participation, and engagement.
• Designed for ease of use: Simple navigation, clear explanations, and intuitive interfaces reduce confusion and make saving feel approachable.

For advisors, these accessible and intuitive features make it easier to serve more clients at scale and boost plan engagement.

Designing Retirement Plans That Meet Modern Expectations

Advisors shouldn’t treat personalization as a “nice-to-have.” It’s quickly becoming a baseline expectation.

As employees grow accustomed to consumer experiences that adapt to them, and benefits such as GLP-1 coverage or fertility support that reflect individual needs, they bring those same expectations into the savings experience.

For advisors, this means designing and recommending retirement plans that evolve alongside employees. Plans that incorporate personalized guidance, flexible savings tools, and intuitive digital experiences are better positioned to drive engagement, build confidence, and support stronger long-term savings outcomes for clients and their employees.