Everyone dreams of landing a perfect job that comes with endless benefits. However, the reality is often disappointing. You are not only required to work for long hours, but your job may also dictate that you take your work home with you. This is why it has become harder for many employees to strike balance between their personal and professional lives. Let’s be real; we are partially to blame since we are the ones who have been settling for less and condoning this type of behavior. Yet, it is time to take a stand and protect your rights. If you are evaluating your current employee benefits and want to figure out whether your job is providing you with all the services you need, keep on reading to get a basic idea of the perks every employer should offer.
Health Insurance
It is an open secret that the current health insurance system in the United States leaves something to be desired. Even if you do not live in the U.S., the cost of medical care in your country might still be too high. For this reason, many businesses make health insurance one of their core benefits. It is mentioned in this blog post, Group Health Insurance Survival Guide, that most businesses opt for group health insurance plans since they are more affordable and inclusive. These plans usually cover general medical care, the expenses associated with long-term and short-term disability, and dependent life insurance. Furthermore, some companies choose more comprehensive plans that include dental and vision insurance. So, if you are looking for a job, make sure that the company provides its employees with general health insurance coverage, at the very least.
Paid Vacations and Time Off
No one likes working on Christmas, nor are they expected to. However, some companies have less than optimal rules about paid leave. Generally, all national holidays should be paid. Even if you work in a sector that requires you to work on national holidays, your employer should compensate you for this by offering you a bonus. Similarly, if you fall ill, you should not be expected to still come to work and your employer definitely should not deduct this day off from your salary. Luckily, most businesses now consider paid time off a staple. Thus, if you need parental or sick leave, you have nothing to worry about.
Retirement Programs
Because employers who offer traditional pensions are now few and far between, most employees look for jobs that offer retirement plans like 401(k). Such plans allow employees to build a retirement fund to make their lives post-retirement a lot easier. Through retirement programs, workers can contribute some of their salaries to their funds without having to pay any taxes on this contribution. Some employers can also match a percentage of their workers’ contributions. For instance, most employees contribute $0.50 for every dollar their workers add to their retirement funds. Since this can cost businesses a lot of money, not all employers offer to match their employees’ contributions, but you will probably find this perk in most big companies.
Bonuses
When we think of bonuses, we imagine getting a commission for increasing the company’s sales or working overtime. Yet, not all bonuses are monetary. Some businesses provide extra training programs as bonuses for their top-performing employees. Regardless of the nature of the bonus, businesses are expected to reward their employees for their effort in some way. If you are an employer, you should certainly consider giving your workers a bonus, as it can encourage them and improve their productivity even more.
An Encouraging Work Environment
Unfortunately, toxic work culture is still prevalent. You’d be surprised that discriminatory and other backward ideas are still around in 2020. However, most companies are becoming more vigilant to this and are trying to amend their policies to accommodate employees from different backgrounds. In addition to equal and fair treatment for all, many employers are trying to create a positive work environment for their workers, pushing them to make greater achievements and uplifting them when they need it. If you do not feel like your current job offers this, then it is certainly not worth it.
In 2020, businesses are competing with each other more than ever to attract as many employees as possible. In fact, perks like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off have become a necessity, not a luxury. So, if you run a business, make sure to provide these benefits. On the other hand, if you are looking for a job, choose one that offers most of these perks because life is too short to be stuck in a job that works you to the bone.