Alphabet Inc. (Google)

Noting the importance of behavior for achieving retirement readiness, Google treated its 401(k) “less like a traditional benefit and more like a product we’d design for our users: intuitive, timely and genuinely helpful,” its application says. It problem solves to eliminate “friction points” where Googlers slow down in their saving. One such point was when their pre-tax and any Roth deferrals hit the IRS limit; now the plan automatically converts 6% of compensation beyond that into after-tax deferrals. Further, education delivers personalized guidance based on life “triggers” and presents the single “next best action” for saving success. Financial wellness coaching and wealth-planning consults are accessible at work.

Kyle Cotrufello, financial benefits program manager, Alphabet Inc. (Google)

To get to know them better, PLANSPONSOR sent the 2026 Plan Sponsor of the Year winners a list of questions from which to choose four to answer. Below are responses from Kyle Cutrofello on behalf of Alphabet Inc. (Google).

PLANSPONSOR: How does your organization’s leadership approach its commitment to employee retirement readiness and financial well-being?

Google: Our approach starts with a simple question: Are we helping Googlers build financial well-being today and retirement readiness for tomorrow?

Our benefits programs are designed to support Googlers’ health, wealth and productivity. We recognize financial health is connected to mental health and sustainable high performance, and we don’t view retirement in a vacuum. It’s one piece of a person’s broader financial picture, including bills, savings, compensation (including equity), housing, and family expenses.

By offering high-quality financial benefits, such as the Google 401(k), we help Googlers make informed decisions and build habits that support long-term financial security. When Googlers feel more confident and supported in their financial lives, they have more space to focus on what they do best, building products and experiences that help billions of people.

As part of this, we treat the Google 401(k) like any of our products—focusing on the user, removing friction and making improvements based on Googler feedback and plan engagement.

PLANSPONSOR: What aspect of your retirement plan offering are you most proud of?

Google: We’re focused on helping Googlers make the most of the financial benefits available to them, especially the 401(k). We use data and feedback to understand where they take action and where they get stuck. Those insights shape our plan design, our hyperpersonalized engagement approach and our tools, which help Googlers see if they’re on track. It’s all in support of ensuring Googlers get the full company match, maximize tax-advantaged savings opportunities and use after-tax savings to reach their financial goals. By building guided experiences, we take the guesswork out of planning, so Googlers never have to figure it out alone.

Our focus on simplifying the experience has helped drive strong outcomes, including nearly universal participation, more than three-quarters of Googlers contributing enough to receive the full company match, and more than half using after-tax savings.

At the heart of it, we’re proud of helping Googlers connect the dots across their benefits to take clear steps toward greater financial confidence, flexibility and retirement readiness.

PLANSPONSOR: What is one piece of advice you would offer to other plan sponsors aiming to improve employee financial well-being or retirement readiness?

Google: Design your plan for your people—which means you have to know them. Instead of relying on industry assumptions, use data and direct feedback to uncover the specific financial barriers your employees face. Once you understand those friction points, you can design targeted features and guidance that meet people exactly where they are.

PLANSPONSOR: What priorities or areas of focus will guide your retirement program over the next few years?

Google: Nothing is more personal than planning for retirement, and every Googler’s journey looks different. Over the next few years, our focus will be using technology responsibly to make retirement and financial guidance more intuitive, personalized and actionable.

That means helping Googlers understand where they stand, what options are available and what next step may matter most—whether that’s saving to the full match, optimizing after-tax or health savings account savings, accessing personalized investment guidance or planning for long-term goals.

We’re especially excited about how artificial intelligence can simplify complex benefits decisions while keeping Googlers firmly in control. Ultimately, our goal is to make navigating financial benefits as seamless and helpful as the products Googlers build every day.