When you attend an interview with a company that is offering you a great position and the salary is good, it is vital to ask about the benefits package before you accept the job offer. Employment benefits may comprise forty percent or more of your entire compensation package. It is therefore essential that you know the kind of benefits you will get. Benefits are a great predictor of whether you will enjoy your job or not.
The importance of employee benefits
A good employee benefits package is a sign that a company cares about the employees. Benefits are costly for any firm. The companies that offer great benefits ensure that their employees have a good experience at work. In order to be happy in your job, benefits will matter just like your salary does. The benefits you can inquire about during your interview include:
- Defined contribution plans or health insurance
One of the aspects of a good benefits package is health insurance. It is one of the most valuable benefits because a catastrophic health issue can cause you to get bankrupt even if you may be earning a six figure income. Unpaid medical expenses are a leading cause of bankruptcy filings in the U.S.A. It is therefore important to prepare yourself well for medical emergencies.
Due to the rise of insurance plans, some employers do not offer their own health insurance plans. Instead, they may provide defined contribution plans. This means they offer their employees a fixed amount of money, which enables them to select their own health coverage. They allow their employees to make the choice on the insurance plan to apply for. However, such plans can be expensive if an employee ends up paying a hundred percent on the deductible with his or her own money.
- Vision and dental insurance
Visiting an optometrist and dentist every year or every two years can be expensive for you and your family, particularly if dental work or eyewear is required.
- Ancillary and voluntary benefits
When choosing a company to work for, it is important to ask if it offers life insurance, long term and short term disability insurance, eldercare, childcare and a 401 K. If you are young, you may not consider these benefits to be that important. However, they become vital as you age and have loved ones who depend on your earnings.
- Wellness programs
Good employers provide their employees with perks that will enable them to stay healthy. Examples of wellness programs include classes meant to assist people to stop smoking and gym memberships.
Asking many questions up front is important because it will help you avoid getting surprised once the time comes for you to sign up for or utilize your benefits. When you have benefits, you can perform better at your job because you will feel that your employer appreciates and respects you.
At times, a good salary that comes with excellent benefits will be enough to motivate you to do your job well. You will also be healthier if you have health insurance because you can get regular medical checkups. When you are healthy, you can perform your job at the best of your ability. When you feel that your employer appreciates you, you are also likely to be more loyal to the company. You can comfortably build your career with the same company.
If you are looking for a job in a reputable company that offers great employee benefits, ideally you seek the advice of a professional recruitment agency, that can be of great assistance. This allows the prospective candidate/employee to find the company that offers appealing salary package with great benefits.
