What Would You Do to Get the Benefits You Crave

What Would You Do to Get the Benefits You Crave When I would complain about a tough day at the office, my father always used to say, “Well, that’s why they call it work” (yours did too?). As Americans we constantly humble brag about overwork while trying to impress our peers and fathers, but it’s a bad habit. And in general, there seems to be a tendency to prize the almighty dollar over silly comforts like health care, future financial stability, or time with those little kids who always seem to need attention. So, what if you could trade cash for sweet benefits like a better schedule? Would you go for it? A recent study by LendingTree took a look at over 1,500 Americans at the beginning of 2017 to see how they weigh what benefits they feel are important. Take This Job and Improve It. Ever turn down a job because the benefits package wasn’t up to snuff? Turns out over a third of people have done just that. While that may not be you â€" it does mean that you have more leverage with an employer when it comes to benefits than you might think. If benefits look thin, threatening to walk might not be that bad of a strategy. Employers are aware that talented people look for more than just cash up front. Your Money or Your Life According to this poll, where employees desired improvement most in their benefits packages was in health coverage and 401(k) matching. Interestingly there is a relatively significant gender divide on this point. More women are focused on health care concerns while more men tend to be thinking toward retirement. Stretch it out One current employment trend is to look toward flexible hours. Amazon is even piloting a 30 hour week that they believe will make employees work smarter. And this young idea is actually trending older. Millennials are more likely to look for perks like a gym membership than the ability to make their own schedule. Check out the LendingTree article for more statistics on which benefits people favored and some startling news on how paid time off in the U.S. stacks up against other countries (spoiler alert: we get hosed).