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Perks Perking Up The American Workplace
While a paycheck is the ultimate benefit of being gainfully employed, it is not enough to retain the best and the brightest, even when the U.S. unemployment rate hovers just over six percent. Not surprisingly, health insurance and retirement plans are the most widely requested and supplied employee benefits. In fact, in 2013, employer-provided medical insurance was available to 86 percent of the full-time, privately employed workforce while retirement benefits were available to 74 percent of full-timers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Paid sick leave was also a popular offering for full-time employees, as it is available to 74 percent of them. It is offered to only 24 percent of part-timers.
In 2012, however, paid sick leave was the top benefit offered to full-time workers, according to data released by the National Compensation Survey (NCS), an entity that provides detailed information regarding compensation cost levels and trends. It was available to 84 percent of workers employed full-time. Paid sick leave includes paid vacation, holiday and personal time off.
While those employment perks are practical and make the lives of the American workforce more manageable, some companies offer benefits that are far sexier.
According to an article in Forbes magazine, game rooms are the most popular benefit of employment. At one graphics design firm, a climbing wall and two kegerators with locally brewed beer are available to employees any time.
Free food also proved popular with the staff. At shopkeep.com, Doughnut Day Thursdays are a favorite while pizza is on the Friday menu at overit.com. That day, the company feeds its staff a variety of pizzas. Not only does the pizza sate the hunger of firm’s staff, it encourages socializing among employees.
Gym memberships or membership subsidies are also popular, but some companies are taking the fitness crave one step further. Many have installed fitness centers near offices so employees can exercise, shower and relax without leaving the office.
Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and freelance writer. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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