If you thought that employers were responding to the tight labor market by increasing the number of benefits they offer, think again. In fact, they're cutting back, according
to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). If you're job-hunting, expect a more conservative attitude toward relocation assistance, health wellness programs
and certain types of leave. Some employers are finding that these perks are not worth the investment, according to the survey.
For instance, 60% of employers offered relocation benefits this year, compared with 68% last year. Other areas where benefits have decreased:
- 87% of HR professionals say their organizations offer paid vacations and 41% offer paid personal days, down from 94% and 55%, respectively;
- wellness benefits dropped to 49% from 56% last year; and
- the number of employers offering a defined benefit retirement plan fell to 47% from 52%.
Employee perks that are popular with employers include compressed work weeks (27%), telecommuting (26%) and job-sharing (22%).
And employers are providing more entertainment opportunities, such as paid
attendance to sporting/cultural events (41%) and sponsoring theme days and events
(34%). (SHRM, 800/444-5006, http://www.shrm.org/surveys)