When people search for their dream jobs, they are looking at a lot more than the actual work. Glassdoor, an employee review platform, found that employees were also interested in career advancement opportunities, mission-driven cultures and a great package of benefits and perks. According to recent research from Glassdoor, 57% of people said benefits and perks are one of the top things they look for in a job. Four out of five would actually prefer new benefits over a pay raise.

The top five benefits, as ranked by employees, are:

  1. Health care insurance (40%)
  2. Vacation/paid time off (37%)
  3. Performance bonuses (35%)
  4. Paid sick days (32%)
  5. 401(k), retirement and/or pension plan (31%)

Glassdoor also conducted an analysis of hundreds of thousands of benefits reviews shared by employees on the Glassdoor platform since August 2014. They were able to identify unique benefits and rank them based on at least 20 benefits reviews.

  1. Netflix offers one paid year of maternity and paternity leave to new parents. They also allow parents to return part-time or full-time and take time off as needed throughout the year. (Overall Benefits Rating: 3.7)
  2. REI encourages its employees to get outside by offering two paid days off, called “Yay Days,” a year to enjoy their favorite outside activity. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0)
  3. Salesforce employees receive six days of paid volunteer time off a year, and if they use all six, they receive a $1,000 grant to donate to a charity of their choice. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.5)
  4. Spotify provides six months of paid parental leave, plus one month of flexible work options for parents returning to the office. The company also covers costs for egg freezing and fertility assistance. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.2*)
  5. World Wildlife Fund employees take Friday off every other week, also known as “Panda Fridays” at the nonprofit. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.5*)
  6. Airbnb, the Best Place to Work in 2016, gives its employees an annual stipend of $2,000 to travel and stay in an Airbnb listing anywhere in the world. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6)
  7. PwC offers its employees $1,200 per year for student loan debt reimbursement. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0)
  8. Pinterest provides a unique take on the parental leave policy by providing four paid months off, plus an additional month of part-time hours, as well as two counseling sessions to create a plan to re-enter the workplace. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.7*)
  9. Burton employees receive season ski passes and “snow days” to hit the slopes after a big snowfall. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0*)
  10. Twilio offers employees a Kindle plus $30 a month to purchase books. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0)
  11. Twitter is well-known for providing perks such as three catered meals a day, but some lesser-known benefits include on-site acupuncture and improv classes. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.3)
  12. Accenture covers gender reassignment for their employees as part of their commitment to LGBTQ rights and diversity. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0)
  13. Walt Disney Company wants its employees to enjoy the “Happiest Place on Earth” as much as their visitors by offering free admission to its parks for employees, plus their friends and family, as well as discounts on hotels and merchandise. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0)
  14. Facebook provides $4,000 in “Baby Cash” to employees with a newborn. (Overall Benefits Rating : 4.7)
  15. Evernote hosts classes through "Evernote Academy," which offers team-building courses like macaroon baking. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.3*)
  16. Epic Systems Corporation offers employees a paid four-week sabbatical to pursue their creative talents after 5 years at the company. (­Overall Benefits Rating: 4.3)
  17. Adobe shuts down the entire company for one week in December and one week over the summer. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6)
  18. Asana employees have access to executive and life coaching services outside of the company. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.9*)
  19. Zillow pays for employees who are traveling to ship their breast milk. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.5)
  20. Google provides the surviving spouse or partner of a deceased employee 50% of their salary for the next ten years. (Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6)

It’s great to see employers paying closer attention to employee needs -- from parental leave  to travel and the ability to fulfill humanitarian endeavours. A happy employee is, after all, a productive employee.

H/T: Fast Company

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