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Common Employee Benefits

    Here is a list of popular employee benefits in the U.S.: 

    • Paid time off such as PTO, sick days, and vacation days 
    • Health insurance 
    • Life insurance 
    • Dental insurance 
    • Vision insurance 
    • Retirement benefits or accounts 
    • Healthcare spending or reimbursement accounts, such as HSAs, FSAs, HRPs, and HRAs 
    • Long term disability insurance 
    • Short term disability insurance 
    • Tuition reimbursement 
    • Childcare benefits 
    • Gym memberships or discounts 
    • Wellness programs 
    • Relocation assistance 
    • Commuting/travel assistance 
    • Telecommuting options 
    • Workplace perks such as recreation activities, food and coffee, and flexible work schedules

     

    Benefits: What's Hot and What's Not 

    From 2013 through 2017, SHRM members offered several new benefits to their employees—and they took some away, as well. Here are the benefits that were the most changed over this period. 

    Benefits 
    on the Rise ↑ 
     

    Benefits 
    on the Decline ↓ 
     

    Free coffee 
     

    Medical flexible spending accounts (FSAs) 

    Meal reimbursement for business travel 
     

    Defined contribution plan hardship withdrawals 

    Health savings accounts (HSAs) 
     

    Service anniversary awards 

    Financial advice 
     

    Undergraduate educational assistance 
     

    Meal flex* 

    Graduate educational assistance 
     

    Standing desks 
     

    Defined contribution plan loans 

    Onsite lactation/mother's room 
     

    Reimbursement for personal calls on business travel 

    Telecommuting on an ad hoc basis 
     

    Shift premiums 
     

    Employer contributions to HSAs 
     

    Compressed workweek*** 
     

    Sign-on bonus (executive positions) 
     

    Automobile subsidy for business use of personal vehicle 

    401(k) fund conversion into Roth 401(k) 
     

    Long-term care insurance 

    Accelerated death benefits for terminal illnesses 
     

    Credit union membership 

    Wholesale generic drug program for injectable drugs 
     

    Onsite cafeteria subsidized by employer 

    Sign-on bonus (nonexecutive positions) 
     

    Educational scholarship for members of employees' families 

    Shift flexibility** 
     

    Paid travel expenses for spouse 

    *Allowing employees to make up time during the day due to a longer meal break or leave early due to a shorter meal break. 
    **Allowing employees to coordinate with co-workers to adjust their schedules. 

    ***Allowing employees to work longer days in exchange for subsequent shorter days or a day off within a pay period. 
     
     

     

    Benefits that at least 5% of SHRM members plan to introduce in 2017: 

    Wellness programs, general 

    Health fairs 

    Wellness tips/information provided at least quarterly (newsletter, column, e-mail, tweets, etc.) 

    Rewards for completing health/wellness programs 

    Annual health risk assessment 

    Mentoring program 

    Executive or leadership coaching 

    Cross-training to develop skills not directly related to the job 

    Source: Society for Human Resource Management, 2017 Employee Benefits survey report.