TriNet Unveils 2025 State of the Workplace Report

Rhea-AI Summary

TriNet (NYSE: TNET) released its 2025 State of the Workplace report on Nov 10, 2025, based on a survey of >1,000 U.S. SMB respondents (540 employees, 500 employers) across multiple industries.

Key takeaways: employee engagement rose but employers overestimate intensity; employers favor three in-office days while only 14% of employees agree; a widening skills/readiness gap appears; AI adoption is mainstream (94% employers, 84% employees); mental health, fertility, childcare assistance, and employee discounts show increased employer and employee importance.

Positive

• Survey sample: >1,000 SMB respondents (540 employees, 500 employers)
• AI adoption: 94% of employers used AI on the job
• AI adoption: 84% of employees used AI on the job
• Mental health importance rose to 37% ("extremely important")
• Employee discounts "extremely important" climbed to 32% from 27%

Negative

• Employer-employee engagement gap: employers 47% vs Gen Z employees ~33%
• Workplace flexibility gap: 26% employers favor 3 days vs 14% employees
• Talent readiness decline: employee agreement fell to 49% from 59%

Survey of over 1,000 SMB respondents highlights employee engagement, AI adoption, workplace flexibility, the most valued benefits—and more.

DUBLIN, Calif., Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TriNet (NYSE: TNET), a leading provider of comprehensive human resources solutions for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs), today announced the release of its 2025 State of the Workplace, an annual industry-wide pulse survey offering a dual-perspective of employer and employee sentiment across the SMB landscape in the U.S.

The report draws on survey data from more than 1,000 SMB respondents that includes 540 full-time employees and 500 employers across industries such as financial services, life sciences, nonprofit, professional services, and technology. Conducted by TriNet and administered by Qualtrics, the research explores critical workplace themes including employee engagement, AI adoption, work/life satisfaction, and benefits understanding.

"The TriNet 2025 State of the Workplace report reveals a workplace undergoing rapid transformation, from the mainstreaming of AI to shifting expectations around workplace flexibility, engagement, and benefits," said Catherine Wragg, Chief People Officer at TriNet. "By comparing employer assumptions with employee realities, we uncover blind spots and insights that SMBs must address to stay competitive."

Key findings from the report include:

• Employee engagement is up, but not as much as employers think: 47% of employers believe employees are "extremely engaged," rising 10 points from 37%in 2024. Employers, especially Baby Boomers, tend to overestimate intensity, with 46% describing their teams as "extremely engaged," while only a third of Gen Z employees say the same.
  
  
• Workplace flexibility becomes the new normal: Three days in the office is employers' new sweet spot (26%, up from 21%), but just 14% of employees agree— suggesting flexible work arrangements as a recalibration of when, where and how employees contribute.
  
  
• Readiness gap - the workforce notices a skills gap: 46% of employers say workers have the skills to succeed, while a decreasing number of employees agree, (49% in 2025 vs 59% in 2024). Organizations now face a widening talent readiness gap.
  
  
• AI use in HR is rising, except in two key areas: AI is now mainstream in small business—94%of employers and 84% of employees have used AI on the job, with two-thirds of employees tapping it regularly for HR tasks. Employees and employers alike are pulling back slightly in sensitive areas such as offboarding and training—places where human context and empathy still matter most.

Key findings from the report related to benefits:

• Mental health support is more broadly recognized. Employers show increasing priority for mental health covered under insurance plan; "extremely important" responses grew to 37% from 28%.
  
  
• Fertility coverage is gaining traction on both sides of the workplace, with employer ratings for "extremely" and "moderately important" climbing to 29% and 31%, and employee indifference dropping from 31% to 19%.
  
  
• Childcare assistance emerges as a rare point of employer-employee alignment, as both sides show rising support—employers boosting "extremely important" and "somewhat important" ratings while employees cut "not at all important" responses nearly in half.
  
  
• Employee discounts see a shared boost in importance, as employers' "extremely important" ratings climb to 32% from 27% and employees' "moderately important" responses rise to 36% from 29%.

The full 2025 State of the Workplace Report is available now and includes year-over-year comparisons, generational and industry breakdowns, and actionable insights for HR leaders and business executives.

About TriNet
TriNet is a leading provider of Human Resources solutions for small and medium-size businesses, offering advanced technology-enabled services that include human capital expertise, employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, payroll and payroll tax administration, risk mitigation, and compliance consulting. Our long-term objective is to be the premier provider of HR services for a broad range of SMBs through industry leading benefits, sales distribution excellence, and a world class services delivery model. For more information, visit TriNet.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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TriNet	TriNet
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TriNet and the TriNet logo are registered trademarks of TriNet. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE TriNet

FAQ

What sample did TriNet use for the 2025 State of the Workplace report (TNET)?

TriNet surveyed more than 1,000 SMB respondents: 540 full-time employees and 500 employers across industries.

How prevalent is AI use at work according to TriNet's 2025 report (TNET)?

The report finds 94% of employers and 84% of employees have used AI on the job.

What does the 2025 TriNet report say about workplace flexibility and TNET employers?

Employers' preferred model is three days in the office (26%), but only 14% of employees agree.

Did TriNet's 2025 report identify a skills readiness issue (TNET)?

Yes—employer confidence is 46% that workers have needed skills while employee agreement fell to 49% from 59% in 2024.

Which benefits increased in importance in TriNet's 2025 report (TNET)?

Mental health (extremely important rose to 37%), fertility coverage, childcare assistance, and employee discounts all gained importance.