Money isn’t everything to your employees. They want a benefits package that proves you care about their well-being—their physical, financial and mental well-being. Research attests that employee engagement and satisfaction increase with better benefits, so if you want to retain and attract better people, make sure you’re giving them what they want.

So what do they want?

1) Good health insurance. This is the most valuable benefit you can offer your employees these days. Instead of offering the bare minimum necessary under the Affordable Care Act, make sure your coverage will protect your employees from financial distress if they suffer a major health problem. Even people with decent salaries have gone bankrupt trying to pay medical bills. And an insurance package that includes dental and vision coverage is highly attractive.

2) A retirement plan. Provide a way for your employees to save for and invest in their retirements. You can offer a defined benefits plan, more commonly known as a pension, or a defined contribution plan such as a 401(k). Offering a contribution percentage match makes defined contribution plans even more appealing.

3) Additional benefits. Perks like life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and childcare and eldercare assistance are especially important to employees that have families and other dependents. Younger employees will appreciate discounts to local merchants, a partially or full paid cell phone contract or educational assistance.

4) Wellness options. Show your employees that you care about their health by offering programs like exercise, cooking or smoking cessation classes, discounted gym memberships or even the opportunity for in-house massages. Be sure employees can customize these options to fit their needs in different stages of life.

5) Time off. In addition to vacation time, offer paternity leave as well as maternity leave. Flexible work options, like telecommuting or staggered hours are popular advantages as well. Let your employees know that, as long as they understand that deadlines and client needs must always be met, they have options for where and when they get their work done.

When your employees are spending 30 percent or more of their waking hours at work, their jobs need to offer them more than a paycheck. The best employers go the extra mile to provide good benefits.

How does your benefits package stack up? At Staffers, we know what the top employers in Mississippi are offering, so we can help you find out! Call us anytime you’d like to discuss your position in the marketplace and how attractive your company is to jobseekers.