Companies concerned about keeping their top performers and attracting new ones this year may be sweetening the pot with non-monetary benefits, according to a new survey.
Staffing company Accountemps surveyed a group of CFOs about the perks they plan to offer or are already offering. Subsidized training and education topped the list at 29 percent, followed by flexible schedules or telecommuting (24 percent) and mentoring programs (24 percent).
Accountemps, a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals, polled more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.
Rarer perks cited by CFOs included matching gift programs (13 percent); free or subsidized lunch or snacks (11 percent); onsite perks such as child care, dry cleaning, fitness center or cafeteria (11 percent); subsidized transportation (10 percent); subsidized gym memberships (9 percent); sabbaticals (8 percent); and housing or relocation assistance (7 percent).
“On the heels of the recession, perks are a cost-effective way employers can reward and retain staff and attract new employees,” said Accountemps chairman Max Messmer, author of Human Resources Kit for Dummies, 2nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). “The most popular incentives are those that aid in career development and give employees some control over their work schedules.”
