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With global multigenerational workforces, diverse local regulations, and rising expectations for personalisation, employers are under pressure to deliver benefits that are as flexible as the modern workplace.
For HR and Reward leaders navigating this complexity, flexible spending allowances (FSAs) are emerging as a strategic lever. At Ben, we’ve seen enterprise organisations use FSAs to reduce costs, drive DEI outcomes, boost retention, and simplify operations. But what are they, really? And how do they deliver measurable ROI?
Let’s break it down.
What Is a Flexible Spending Allowance?
At its core, a flexible spending allowance is a digital budget you allocate to employees — monthly, quarterly, or annually — which they can use to spend on eligible benefits, services, or work-related expenses. It’s managed through a digital wallet, which can be accessed via an app, card, or reimbursement model.
Unlike traditional benefits catalogues, FSAs empower employees to choose what works for their lifestyle, location, and stage of life — whether that’s increasing pension contributions, funding mental health therapy, or buying home office equipment.
Why Flexible Allowances Now?
In 2025, three macro trends are converging:
- Personalisation is the new standard: 78% of employees say they want benefits tailored to their individual needs, not one-size-fits-all offerings (Mercer Global Talent Trends, 2024).
- Global complexity is rising: Enterprises now manage teams across 5–15 countries on average, each with different compliance, tax, and cultural expectations (Deloitte Human Capital Trends, 2024).
- Budgets are tight: 52% of HR leaders say they are expected to improve the employee experience while simultaneously cutting costs (Gartner, 2024).
Flexible allowances solve for all three — allowing global organisations to provide a consistent yet customisable experience, all while tracking usage and spend in one place.
3 Models for Enterprise-Grade Flexibility
There’s no single way to implement flexible spending allowances. The right approach depends on your organisation’s risk profile, geographic footprint, and workforce needs. Here are three common models used by leading global employers:
- Curated Marketplace
- Best for: Organisations operating in compliance-heavy regions or those needing tight cost control.
- How it works: Employees choose benefits from a pre-approved list of vendors aligned with your company’s wellbeing and compliance policies.
- Real-world example: A German automotive company offers employees access to vetted providers for fertility treatment, mental health, and childcare — ensuring local regulatory alignment.
- Open Card with Spend Controls
- Best for: High-trust, decentralised teams that value choice and speed.
- How it works: Employees receive a digital card that can be used anywhere cards are accepted, with optional restrictions on certain spending categories (e.g. alcohol, gambling).
- Real-world example: A UK media group empowers employees to spend their wellbeing allowance freely while maintaining safeguards against non-compliant purchases.
- Reimbursements with Policy Rules
- Best for: Teams in regions with legacy systems, frontline workers, or remote-first environments.
- How it works: Employees make purchases upfront and submit receipts for quick reimbursement, guided by clear policy frameworks.
- Real-world example: A US retail brand supports its dispersed workforce with allowances for fuel, food, and professional development — all tracked via Ben’s mobile app.
All three models can be managed through Ben’s platform, so you can tailor your approach by region, department, or role — without increasing admin.
What Can Employees Spend It On?
The answer: almost anything - if it aligns with your benefits strategy and the guardrails you set.
Here are just a few examples of categories leading HR teams are unlocking with flexible allowances:
- Wellbeing: Gym memberships, mental health apps, fertility care, menopause support
- Work enablement: Home office setup, co-working spaces, digital tools
- Learning & development: Courses, coaching, language classes
- Lunch & commuting: Public transport top-ups, food delivery, fuel reimbursements
- DEI-led support: Neurodiversity services, gender-affirming care, family-forming resources
Real-Time Insights & ROI Tracking
One of the biggest wins for HR teams? Visibility.
Ben’s platform consolidates all wallet activity — from card spend to reimbursements — across currencies and countries, enabling:
- Usage dashboards to see what employees value most
- Spending patterns by region, department, or demographic
- Integrations with engagement scores (e.g. eNPS, retention, DEI reporting)
This gives People teams the data they need to iterate their strategy and prove the value of FSAs to finance and leadership.
One of our customers, a global chemical manufacturer, is currently using flexible benefits across 6 different regions to boost engagement and retention.
Having all your flexible spending allowances hosted in one platform really comes into it’s own when you need to report on budget usage and employee engagement with their allowances.
Ben’s intelligent platform provides all the data you need to track wallet balances and movement of funds, as well as real time analytics on wallet usage across different locations and currencies. Cross referencing this data with employee engagement metrics like eNPS scores and retention rates can help you demonstrate the clear ROI of providing flexible allowances for employees.
Flexible Allowances: A Strategic, Not Just Tactical, Win
Too often, benefits are treated as an admin burden. But with the right tech, FSAs become a strategic asset — improving equity, satisfaction, and talent retention at scale.
As personalisation becomes a business imperative, the most forward-thinking organisations will use flexible allowances to meet employees where they are, wherever they are.
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