A lot is changing about how we live and work as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
The office as we once knew it is going through a seismic shift.
COVID-19 has shifted priorities for many workers who had to juggle priorities this last year, or who had a taste of a different lifestyle.
Burnout from remote working has increased — in the last couple months alone, burnout signals have spiked 9% and employee happiness fell by 3% according to LinkedIn.
What were once employee perks like rad offices and table tennis breaks aren’t accessible to workers anymore. And even if you’re going back to the office in some kind of capacity, those perks aren’t the top things that matter anymore.
What are candidates looking for when applying for jobs? They’re trying to find companies with the best benefits — meaningful benefits.
Top employee benefits for 2022
1. Work/life balance
According to LinkedIn, the number one thing that talent looks for when evaluating a new company is work/life balance. And it makes total sense.
At Purpose Jobs, we are firm believers in having a balanced wheel of life — your job can help you fulfil your purpose and pursue your passions, but you should also have time for the things outside of work that add meaning to your life. There are a million amazing things to do in the Midwest that makes work/life balance all the more important.
Companies like Airspace Link and Trustpage have great company cultures that emphasize and enable a healthy work/life balance.
2. Flexible work arrangements
Having flexible work arrangements is the fastest-growing demand from talent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies are still trying to figure out what the future of work looks like for them: totally in-office when safe, hybrid, totally remote… Each company has their own approach, but the majority of job seekers are looking for positions that have flexible work arrangements.
If you’re looking for a company that has flexible scheduling, remote-flexibility and encourages you to work when and wherever you feel most productive, check out these companies with flexible work arrangements: Qodex, Waymark, Beam Dental, Aware, DocNetwork and more.
3. Wellness packages
Good health insurance packages are very important to employees, but it’s great to have employee benefits that encompass wellness as a whole.
Happiness at work is decreasing, and a lot of that has to do with the turbulent circumstances of the last year and a half. Talent is prioritizing mental health benefits. In fact, over 85% of employees in America report that mental health benefits are important to them when evaluating new job opportunities.
Mental health days, access to coaching, mental health programs and resources . . . these are just some of the amazing mental wellness benefits that some employers offer.
If you’re looking for startups that prioritize mental wellness, Workit Health, Clearcover, ScriptDrop and PAXAFE are all companies with some of the best mental health benefits in the Midwest.
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4. Professional development opportunities
If a job isn’t supporting your career growth, that’s both bad for you and the company. But not all companies prioritize professional development — and not all put their money where their mouth is.
Mentorship programs, learning budgets, professional development resources are all great benefits offered by StockX, DocNetwork, Dynatrace, and Physna.
5. Generous PTO
Whether it’s generous or even unlimited, PTO is so important for employees. Taking a break helps your mind, spirit, creativity and productivity. While some studies show that people with unlimited PTO actually take less time off, what matters is that the company supports and encourages employees to step away from the office. If a company offers unlimited PTO and has a culture that encourages PTO, that’s a good sign.
PTO-positive companies include Root, Hive Networks, StockX, and more.
6. Family benefits
Taking care of your family while working full time is hard. Companies that offer paid family leave really stand out to talent. It’s nice to know that your company has your back while you take care of your family: newborns, newly adopted, sick family members, or whatever else life throws at you.
Some companies with extremely competitive family benefits, like Olive in Columbus, go as far to include programs that help cover the costs of IVF or egg harvesting. And there’s an increasing number of companies that extend parental leave to parents who have adopted children. Other family-friendly benefits include breastfeeding-friendly offices like Atomic Object.
If you’re looking for a company with great family benefits, check out Waymark, Sift, Autobooks, OneCause, Lessonly and more.
7. Financial benefits
There’s no denying it: money is important. Salary, equity, bonuses, 401k matching — that stuff matters to talent. It shows that you value the work they do and want to compensate them fairly for it. Equity can be a common startup perk. Atomic Object is 100% employee owned which gives everyone access to cash profit sharing. Here are some other great companies that offer nice financial benefits: Lessonly, Qodex, Root, Floyd and more.
BONUS: Colleagues and culture
While these aren’t necessarily a part of the employee benefits package, there’s no knocking the benefit of having great coworkers and a great company culture.
And let’s be real: Companies with great culture usually have nice benefits packages. It all goes back to that idea that employers want to support employees, compensate them for their hard work, and create environments where they can be the most productive.
And for many small companies that are just getting started, offering shiny employee benefits packages can be difficult. But the chance to work with good humans, grow your career, learn new skills, and have the opportunity to enjoy your life while doing it — well, that’s a pretty damn good benefit right there.
Companies with the best benefits
So what are the companies with the best benefits? Who actually has mental wellness packages, or parental leave, or flexible work schedules?
Check out our new guide to companies with the best benefits. From Detroit to Columbus, Indianapolis to Milwaukee, we’re bringing you the startups and tech companies from across the Midwest that have amazing employee benefits packages.
Just to name a few:
- StockX: mentorship program, tuition reimbursement
- Trustpage: mental health days, remote work, home office stipends
- Root: physical and mental wellness programs, equity, unlimited PTO
- Upstart: generous PTO, technology stipend, personal development budget
- Losant: wellness stipend, office ergonomics stipend, continuing education stipend
Discover all the companies with the best benefits across the Midwest.
Originally published on Purpose Jobs.
