Survey: Employers Recognizing Value Of Non-Monetary Rewards

A survey conducted by the American Compensation Assn. (ACA) reveals that employers are beginning to view work/life programs -- such a family care, flexible work arrangements, and career counseling -- as an effective way to attract and retain talented employees for a relatively low cost. Of the 1,256 employers that responded to the e-mail survey, 18% said that they already use some work/life programs to reward employee performance. Forty-three percent said that they do not currently offer work/life programs as rewards but believe that some programs should be used as rewards in the future. Twenty-four percent of respondents link work/life programs to increased employee satisfaction, but less than 5% have attempted to link these programs to increased employee productivity, company profitability, or satisfaction. Of those organizations linking work/life programs to productivity, manufacturers lead the pack, followed by financial services. The two most common work/life programs are particularly flexible work schedules and paid time-off programs. The ACA is a not-for-profit organization of more than 25,000 members who are engaged in design, implementation, and management of employee compensation and benefits programs.