As an employer, it can be challenging to find talented employees to fill openings. With low unemployment levels, the ability to attract qualified workers is essential for finding employees that provide the skills and experience your company needs to succeed. While money and the nature of the work will always be top considerations, the benefits your company offers can be the difference between someone applying and simply passing over your job opening. Part of finding top-level employees is offering important benefits for job seekers. Most job seekers give benefits top consideration before accepting a job offer. A competitive benefit package not only attracts employees but can also help you keep your most talented workers. Here are six of the top benefits that attract workers to job openings.

Six Benefits Job Seekers Value

  1. Flexible Hours: having a degree of flexibility with work hours is a benefit employees greatly value. It's rated as one of the top benefits many prospective employees want. Work-life balance is very important and if a job seeker has children or other responsibilities, offering work hours that can be adjusted based on their needs can attract potential hires.
  2. Work From Home: in recent years work from home has become more commonplace. Even with people returning to the office more often, the chance to work from home a few days a week or full-time can be very effective when hiring. While not every industry can be fully remote, even one day a week as a WFH day can be attractive.
  3. Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance: health insurance is an expensive benefit but is one that most professionals expect. Offering good insurance benefits can put you ahead of your competitors and allow you to attract more desirable hires. Also, smaller companies can offer to cover part of the insurance costs, which is still desirable in certain industries.
  4. Retirement Plans: retirement can be expensive and having retirement plans and benefits can help your employees save for their retirement so they don't have to keep working in their golden years. A majority of companies offer 401(k)s or similar types of retirement plans. Companies can offer various match formulas to further increase the benefits of the retirement plans they offer. There are also tax benefits for certain types of retirement plans that benefit employers and employees as well.
  5. Wellness Programs: these days people are more attentive to their health and wellbeing. This greater focus on health is why many companies now offer wellness programs. Some wellness benefits include discounted gym memberships, yoga classes, healthy snacks, athletic gear, and workout equipment reimbursement. A focus on health can be key in attracting top-of-the-line talent.
  6. Life Insurance: everyone worries about their family and how they will be taken care of in case of a sudden passing. Life insurance offers peace of mind that those you care about will be provided for. This is why life insurance is a highly valued and essential employment benefit. Group life insurance policies allow smaller and mid-sized companies the opportunity to provide effective life insurance policies. The peace of mind life insurance offers can be the thing that causes a job seeker to pick your company over your competitors.

Final Thoughts

When hiring for a job opening, you want to hire the best person for the job. You want an employee you can really on to do the job effectively and hopefully stay with your company for many years to come. However, it is a competitive job market for employers and you have to make a good offer to attract the top workers in your industry. Good pay combined with a diverse and effective benefits package can be the key to hiring success.