In October 2026, Lincoln Financial and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) highlighted research on how employees understand voluntary benefits. The surveys covered 408 employers, 170 brokers and 1,130 eligible workers. Eighty-six per cent of employees reported spending no more than four hours reviewing enrolment material. Brief explanations in everyday language increased expressed interest in several types of cover. These findings concern reported views and interest; they do not