Читать книгу Employee Management for Small Business - Lin Grensing-Pophal - Страница 31

While salary is still a top priority for job seekers, medical and other benefits are becoming increasingly important. Company benefits can attract good candidates.

According to a 2007 report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in the United States (www.ebri.org), employers spent nearly $8 trillion USD on total compensation for workers in 2007 in the United States. Wages and salaries accounted for the largest share at $6.4 trillion USD (about 81 percent) — and benefits made up the remainder at $1.5 trillion USD of about 19 percent). EBRI also notes that total employer spending on health benefits is beginning to approach the amount spent on retirement benefits.

Employee benefits represent a key advantage for those companies that are able to provide competitive and valued benefits to employees. In fact, benefits may represent a higher value than pay in some cases. Most notably, health care coverage has become a much sought-after benefit and can play a major role in a prospective employee’s decision to choose one job over another. The value of benefits will vary based on each company’s specific employee demographics, but it is important to note that it is the total compensation package that is most relevant, not simply pay rate or salary. This can be an important factor, particularly for small employers, who sometimes struggle to compete with larger organizations for staff.