Highwise Business
U.S.

Small Business Health Benefit Offers Have Increased

New partnership data tracks how businesses are navigating hiring and benefits to remain competitive.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Employment

Isometric editorial illustration featuring tiered, matte-colored office trays arranged neatly on a desk, representing structured small business operations.
A new index partnership between Justworks and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reveals that 46% of small businesses now offer health insurance. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Justworks has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to produce the Small Business Index, which tracks operator sentiment on investment and hiring. The latest data shows that 46% of small businesses now offer health insurance, up from 41% a year ago.

Why it matters

The index offers operators a benchmark to compare their own hiring and benefits strategies against industry peers. By tracking these metrics, businesses can gauge how they compete for talent in a tightening labor market.

Currently, 46% of small businesses offer health insurance, an increase from 41% recorded in September 2025. Justworks, which serves more than 15,000 small business customers, will help provide the data for the index.

The players

Justworks

A payroll and HR software provider that serves more than 15,000 small business customers.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The largest business federation in the United States, representing interests of businesses of all sizes.

The details

The index provides insights into how businesses handle workforce challenges by aggregating perspectives from a broad customer base. These findings help operators understand whether their internal benefits packages align with wider market standards. The partnership will begin reporting with the third quarter of 2026.

Timeline

  1. • Publication of the Small Business Index began in 2017.

  2. • The health insurance offer rate was 41% in September 2025.

  3. • The third quarter 2026 report is the first under the new partnership.

  4. • The Q3 2026 report is scheduled for release on September 30, 2026.

Market Landscape

The Small Business Index has served as a primary tracking mechanism for owner sentiment since its inception in 2017. This partnership marks an evolution in the report's reach, standardizing how industry peers benchmark their operational decisions against national trends.

Operators should monitor the upcoming Q3 report to see how benefits trends shift in their specific industry. Use this data to audit your current compensation packages against the increasing national standard of 46% for health insurance coverage.

The takeaway

Understanding how your peers structure benefits is essential for retaining talent in a competitive market. Keep the release date of September 30, 2026, on your calendar to review the latest industry-specific benchmarks.

What happens next

The Q3 2026 Small Business Index report is scheduled for release on September 30, 2026.

Further reading

For more on how workforce trends are shifting across the country, see Employment.

Source note: This article includes information reported by ColoradoBiz.

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