81 Percent of Private-Sector Workers Have No Retirement Plan Amid Cost Pressure, MetLife Survey Finds

Around 81 percent of private-sector employees in the country have no specific retirement financial plan. The finding comes from the latest 'Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) 2026' research report by multinational insurer MetLife Bangladesh.

Last year the rate was 53 percent. In other words, the share of employees without a retirement plan has risen sharply within a year, indicating that private-sector workers are under greater financial pressure than before.

The survey findings were released on Sunday at an event at MetLife Bangladesh's office in Motijheel in the capital. Naufel Anwar, Head of Marketing and Product at MetLife Bangladesh, and Saifur Rahman, Head of Communications, were present at the event.

Conducted in August this year, the survey collected information from 709 people across different sectors of the country. Of them, 583 were full-time employees and 126 were employers or key decision-makers on employee benefits at their institutions. Workers from the readymade garments, NGO, banking, FMCG, telecom and retail sectors, among others, provided information.

Around 72 percent of employees in the survey said unexpected financial pressure is negatively affecting their work. As they struggle to meet immediate financial needs, workers are moving away from thinking about the future and long-term financial security, and their tendency to save for the future is declining, the report said.

MetLife Bangladesh's Head of Marketing and Product Naufel Anwar said the survey shows a significant number of private-sector employees are under major expense pressure. It could be that their income is lower than their expenses, or that their spending needs and categories have grown. That is why employees' retirement planning has fallen, he said.

Employees believe ensuring their financial protection is the employer's responsibility. Around 81 percent of employees expressed that view in the survey. At the same time, 86 percent of employees want institutions to directly assist them with retirement savings.

The survey also captured the picture of artificial intelligence or AI use. Around 55 percent of private-sector employees in the country currently use AI. Around 91 percent of AI users said it is having a positive impact on their lives, and that using AI in daily work is bringing notable changes in their mental health and efficiency.

The role of an empathetic workplace culture, or 'care culture', also featured prominently in the survey. In institutions where employees feel their employer or senior management shows empathy and care, job satisfaction rates were found to be as high as 92 percent. Overall, employee job satisfaction in 2026 stood at 83 percent, up from 78 percent in 2025.

However, the survey noted a large gap between the protection employees expect in certain areas and what employers actually provide. For example, although around 73 percent of employees consider life insurance extremely essential, only 38 percent of institutions have it in practice.