With the increasingly hectic and fast-paced lifestyles that the average person leads, the amount of time and effort that most jobs require can leave little energy left to take care of duties at home. As time has gone on, employers and workers alike have come to realize how much of a necessity that offering employee benefits has become.
Even with an increasingly competitive job market where available options have been dwindling in recent years, many workers still hold benefits high on a list of requirements when searching for new positions. Around 50% of employed workers cite benefits as an important reason that they remain with their current employer. Some benefits may be more important than others to certain individuals, but many are interested in a package that offers a number of perks.
Paid leave for instance, has become the most widely available benefit provided to employees. This encompasses paid holidays which are accessible to approximately 77% of workers. Similarly, vacation time is also a benefit that is frequently offered to around 77% of employees. Offering individual and group health plans have also essentially become a necessity for many workers.
Many of these employee benefits are meant to cover unforeseen circumstances or situations where working full-time hours would be dangerous to the worker or their loved ones. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) works to offer aid to employees by entitling them to have at least 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave during any 12 month period for any cases where working wouldn’t be an option.
The birth of a child is a very standard reason for unpaid leave for obvious reasons. Not only does the baby need to be cared for, but giving birth takes an enormous toll on the mother. Taking time off to care for an immediate family member or spouse is also an important reason for unpaid leave, as well as caring for oneself for a serious medical condition.
Whether it be for unpaid leave, individual and group health insurance plans, or paid time off, managing employee benefits has become an important factor in the business world to ensure that workers are able to care for themselves and their loved ones, be it financially or to ensure good health. See more.
