The Importance of Benefits At Work

When you are considering an employment opportunity be sure to take into consideration the benefits that are offered. Company benefits are sometimes too easily overlooked and yet they can be as valuable as your actual wages. Benefits offered at work are very important to your overall employment picture.

Different companies offer different benefit packages. Smaller companies may offer basic medical benefits where as larger companies may offer a large variety of benefits that may include profit sharing, the ability to purchase shares, or even daycare. If you have good benefits sometimes the value can actually match or exceed your salary.

Statistics have shown that benefits increase staff moral and decrease staff turn over. Those companies that recognize the overall value of good employee benefits are quick to offer good packages and just as quick to change them in according with the needs of our fast paces modern world.

Education benefit offer assistance to those employees who wish to further there education. Courses that directly reflect the employee’s current position or chances for advancement are often covered 100% by the employer. Courses that are not directly relevant but still important to the overall betterment of the employee are often reimbursed as a percentage. Employers may also offer courses, seminars, or even graduate courses at their expense which the employee has the option to register and participate in. There’s great value for improving oneself through education benefits.

Pension Plans are important to everyone as they look out for our retirement years. There are a variety of pension plans offered depending on where you work. The good plans will have the employee contribute a portion and the employer matching or exceeding the employee’s contributions. Generally you must have 10 years or service and or have reached age 55.

The ability to purchase company stocks through a stock purchase plan has become very popular in the past decade. This benefit allows the employee to reap a portion of the benefits and profits when a company does well. Employers have found it’s a great moral booster too.

Income Security or Disability Insurance is a very good benefit. It may cover short term or long term depending on the plan. Some companies have overlapping plans so that you are covered for both. This means if you become sick or injured you are paid your regular salary. The disability checks may be tax free or taxable depending on the plan you have. This is one of the best benefits offered. Of course we all hope to never need it but if you do become sick or injured it eliminates the worry of lost wages.

Term life insurance is offered as an optional benefit quite regularly and most times you can choose the amount of insurance you want. Because it is term life realize that when you no longer work there you no longer have coverage.

Some companies have recognized the importance of health and fitness so they are offering gym fee reimbursements, private gyms for staff, or free use at a specified gym within the community. It’s a real advantage to be able to get involved in fitness with no additional cost to yourself.

Flexible work schedules is also considered a benefit and that it is especially for those with young children that would like the ability to juggle their work times or participate in a work share program.

Health benefits are the benefit we pay the most attention to. Medical covers usually either 100% or 80% depending on the plan and it also covers spouses and dependents. You should also have coverage for prescription drugs, vision care, hearing care, emergency care, preventative services, hospital stays, dental care, and alternative medical treatments. The type of coverage really does depend on the plan.

Vacations are also considered a benefit unless it is the basic vacation required by law. Many pig companies offer much better vacation plans than are required and they also offer the ability to earn and build a sick bank. So besides stats and days required by law you may be entitled to additional paid weeks off. Generally those weeks grow the more years of service you have with the company. This can add up to a substantial benefit value!

Benefits should be considered as a part of the entire wage package. Benefits at work are very important so be sure to recognize their value when considering an employment opportunity.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.