Most companies flag rising health care costs as a challenge

The percentage of companies likely to increase the number of voluntary benefits offered in the next two years has declined to 35 percent from 47 percent, according to MetLife's "12^th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study."

Sixty percent of the companies surveyed identify increased health care costs as a "very challenging issue." Other issues cited as a major challenge in the next two years include:

• Understanding the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - 49 percent;
• Hiring the skills and talents needed – 44 percent;
• Keeping competitive – 44 percent;
• Retaining the skills and talents needed – 42 percent; 
• Educating employees about the impact of health care reform – 40 percent; and
• Managing benefits with the current level of HR resources – 37 percent.

More than half of the employees surveyed in 2013 (54 percent) said they feel very loyal to the employer. This is up from 47 percent in 2012.

Though employee loyalty has increased, fewer employers recognize the shift: 51 percent of employers surveyed in 2013 said they believed their employees were loyal to the company. This is down from 54 percent in 2012.