Is Your Benefits Package a “Red Flag” to Top Talent?

National averages don’t apply in the Mountain West. In 2026, the “Remote Migration” from the West Coast has changed the game. If you are hiring in the Intermountain West, you aren’t just competing with the shop down the street, you’re competing with Silicon Valley salaries and benefits.

See what SMBs in UT, AZ, ID, and WY are actually offering in 2026, so you can price benefits competitively, reduce turnover, and hire faster. Built for employers with real-world budgets.

Inside the report, you’ll benchmark:

• Employer contributions toward medical premiums (what “market standard” looks like in 2026)
• 401(k) match trends and participation (what changed in the last 18 months)
• PTO expectations as remote/hybrid work keeps evolving
• How SMBs are balancing cost control vs. retention in the Mountain West

National averages hide local reality. This report focuses on what employers are doing here.

The report highlights how remote migration and regional growth are changing employee expectations, meaning SMBs are competing with employers outside their zip code. Benefits are now a talent strategy, whether you want them to be or not.

If your benefits plan hasn’t been updated since 2022–2024, there’s a strong chance you’re either:

• Overpaying for value employees don’t notice, or
• Under-delivering vs. local competitors and losing great people

This report shows you where you stand—and where to adjust without blowing up your budget.

Who this is for

Built for SMBs with 10–200 employees that are:

• hiring or trying to reduce turnover
• renewing benefits soon
• competing for skilled workers in UT/AZ/ID/WY/

Decreased employee benefits costs and increased employee benefits options

Helpside offers six different health plans, four dental plans and three vision plans plus additional supplemental benefits at a cost that is typically 10-15% lower than other comparable options. This allows you to customize the perfect benefits package for your employees.

Increased compliance in payroll, benefits, HR, and employee safety

The regulations imposed on employers are ever increasing. Helpside employs experts in payroll, benefits, human resources, workers’ compensation, and employee safety to help you simplify the complicated world of employment and keep your company in compliance, avoiding costly fines and lawsuits.

Increased employee retention and decreased costly employee turnover

Employee turnover for PEO clients is 10-14% lower than comparable companies that do not use a PEO.* Offering a wide variety of benefits, giving employees access to their payroll information online, and creating increased efficiencies makes your company a more desirable place to work.

Decreased employee administration allows leaders to focus on growth

Removing the burden of payroll processing, unemployment claims processing, employee benefits administration, workers’ compensation administration, and much more from a small business leader allows you to focus on areas of the business that impact the bottom-line and overall business growth.