2016 strategic benefits: leveraging benefits to … survey findings: 2016 strategic benefits—...
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November November November November 30, 30, 30, 30, 2016201620162016
SHRM Survey Findings: 2016 Strategic Benefits—
Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees
2
Introduction
The 2016 Strategic Benefits Survey is part of a survey series administered annually since 2012 by the
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). This research is used to determine whether various
employee benefits are leveraged to recruit and retain top talent. The five-part series features the
following topics, which are published as separate survey findings:
� Part 1: Wellness Initiatives
� Part 2: Flexible Work Arrangements
� Part 3: Health Care
� Part 4: Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees
� Part 5: Assessment and Communication of Benefits
In addition to overall results and results over time (where applicable), findings include comparisons of
organizations in the high-tech industry and all other industries.
Definitions
For the purpose of this survey, a high-performing employee was defined as any employee ranked
among the top 10% in an organization’s last performance review; a highly skilled employee was defined
as any employee with skills that are critical to the short- and long-term success of his or her operating
unit or organization.
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Introduction and Definitions
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016 3
Key Findings
Retaining EmployeesRetaining EmployeesRetaining EmployeesRetaining Employees
4
Key Findings
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Key findings include benefits strategies to retain employees at all levels of the organization, high-performing employees, highly skilled employees and Millennial employees.
Employees at All Levels of the Organization
• Altering benefits to retain employees at all levels of the organization: Nineteen percent of HR professionals indicated their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of employees at all levels of the organization over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, about three-fifths (61%) of HR professionals indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12 months to aid in the retention of employees at all levels of the organization. More than one-third altered their flexible working (37%), retirement savings and planning (35%), leave (34%), and professional and career development (34%) benefits as well.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in retention of employees at all levels of the organization (25% vs. 17%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to retain employees at all levels of the organization: About three-fifths of HR professionals indicated professional and career development (64%), flexible working (61%), health care (57%) and retirement savings and planning (57%) benefits will increase in importance to retain employees at all levels of the organization in the next three to five years. More than one-half (53%) of HR professionals anticipated wellness and preventive health benefits will increase in importance to retain employees at all levels of the organization in the next three to five years.
5
Key Findings (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
High-Performing Employees
• Altering benefits to retain high-performing employees: Fifteen percent of HR professionals
indicated their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of high-
performing employees over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, over two-fifths (44%) of HR
professionals indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12
months to aid in the retention of high-performing employees. About one-third altered their
professional and career development (36%) and flexible working (31%) benefits as well; about
one-quarter altered their leave (27%) and retirement savings and planning (25%) benefits.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their
organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in
retention of high-performing employees (20% vs. 13%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to retain high-performing
employees: About two-thirds of HR professionals indicated professional and career development
(70%) and health care (68%) benefits will increase in importance to retain high-performing
employees in the next three to five years. More than three-fifths of HR professionals anticipated
that retirement savings and planning (65%) and flexible working (64%) benefits will increase in
importance to retain high-performing employees in the next three to five years; more than one-
half indicated the same about leave (51%) and wellness and preventive health (51%) benefits.
6
Key Findings (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Highly Skilled Employees
• Altering benefits to retain highly skilled employees: Sixteen percent of HR professionals
indicated their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of highly skilled
employees over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, about two-fifths (44%) of HR
professionals indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12
months to aid in the retention of highly skilled employees. About one-third altered their flexible
working (35%) and professional and career development (34%) benefits as well; about one-quarter
altered their leave (28%) and retirement savings and planning (27%) benefits.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their
organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in
retention of highly skilled employees (22% vs. 14%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to retain highly skilled
employees: Seventy-one percent of HR professionals indicated professional and career
development benefits will increase in importance to retain highly skilled employees in the next
three to five years. About two-thirds of HR professionals anticipated that health care (66%),
flexible working (66%) and retirement savings and planning (64%) benefits will increase in
importance to retain highly skilled employees in the next three to five years; more than one-half
indicated the same about leave (51%) benefits.
7
Key Findings (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Millennial Employees
• Altering benefits to retain Millennial employees: Sixteen percent of HR professionals indicated
their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of Millennial employees
over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, over two-fifths (46%) of HR professionals
indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12 months to aid in
the retention of Millennial employees. About one-third altered their professional and career
development (36%), flexible working (33%) and leave (30%) benefits as well; one-quarter (25%)
altered their wellness and preventive health benefits.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their
organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in
retention of Millennial employees (22% vs. 14%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to retain Millennial
employees: About four-fifths of HR professionals indicated professional and career development
(83%) and flexible working (80%) benefits will increase in importance to retain Millennial
employees in the next three to five years. Over one-half of HR professionals anticipated that
financial (57%), retirement savings and planning (56%), leave (54%), and wellness and preventive
health (54%) benefits will increase in importance to retain Millennial employees in the next three
to five years.
8
What Do These Findings Mean for the HR Profession?
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
• With retention difficulty rising in a number of areas, organizations may become increasingly
focused on ways to leverage benefits to remain competitive as employers. Since 2012 it has
become more difficult to retain both highly skilled employees and employees at all levels of the
organization. The cost of replacing highly skilled employees especially could be seen as severe
enough to prompt more employers to look for new ways to boost retention. In this scenario,
improving benefits offerings is likely to be a key way organizations build their case as employers of
choice. This will put pressure on HR to improve benefits offerings, offer new options designed to
appeal to a wide range of employee demographics and leverage existing benefits for better
retention rates.
• Organizations that have already started to alter their benefits to aid in retention may have a
strategic advantage. As early adopters of new benefits or by finding innovative ways to leverage
their existing benefits, organizations that are acting now may be able to reaffirm a positive employer
brand before competition for talent grows even more intense. Changes made now to prepare for
demographic changes expected in the near to medium term—such as an aging workforce and higher
educational rates for women—could help organizations be more prepared for talent shortages in the
years ahead.
• The types of benefits that are most likely to be altered to meet the needs of a changing
workforce are those that employees value most highly. Health care benefits, retirement and leave
benefits are all highly valued by employees, so enhancements to them could go a long way in
helping improve an employer’s value proposition. Employers can often leverage flexible work
practices with little to no additional costs and are therefore also a good option for HR to look to
boost talent retention. This may be especially true in relation to high-skilled workers or workers in
industries with access to information and communications technologies that enable flexible work
practices such as telecommuting, remote working and flexible hours.
• Millennial and even Centennial workers will have an increasingly large influence on the types
of benefits organizations offer. Millennials and their younger Centennial counterparts face unique
generational challenges such as high levels of student debt and more difficult financial
circumstances. These and other factors are likely to influence the importance they place on various
benefits. Their comfort with technology may also mean that they will fully expect more flexible
working options from their employers. As these generations come to dominate the workforce, and as
Baby Boomers retire, their preferences will shape the types of benefits organizations offer. Benefits
such as student debt repayment assistance or educational assistance may grow more popular. Yet
HR will need to continue to balance these offerings with the mandate from their leadership to control
the costs of benefits.
9
What Do These Findings Mean for the HR Profession? (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
34%
36%
32%
26%
25%
2016 (n = 542)
2015 (n = 343)
2014 (n = 302)
2013 (n = 349)
2012 (n = 389)
10
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Difficulty Retaining Employees in the Past 12 Months
31%
30%
28%
26%
23%
2016 (n = 529)
2015 (n = 343)
2014 (n = 299)
2013 (n = 350)
2012 (n = 386)
2012
Note: Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Only “yes” responses are shown. †Millennials were added to the sample in 2016. Thus, trend data are not available. 2012Statistically significant difference from 2012.
High-performing employeesEmployees at all levels of the organization
37%
35%
35%
28%
27%
2016 (n = 536)
2015 (n = 339)
2014 (n = 296)
2013 (n = 348)
2012 (n = 389)
2012
39% 2016 (n = 494)
Millennials†
Highly skilled employees
2016High-Tech
Companies
All Other
Organizations
Highly skilled employees 43%* 34%
Note: High-tech companies n = 168; all other organizations = 368.*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Differences between high-tech companies and
all other organizations
11
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Benefits Program Strategically Altered to Aid in Retention Over the Past 12
Months†
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.†New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
19%
15%
16%
16%
Employees at all levels of the
organization
High-performing employees
Millennials
Highly skilled employees
n = 529-547
2016High-Tech
Companies
All Other
Organizations
Employees at all levels 25%* 17%
High-performing
employees20%* 13%
Highly skilled employees 22%* 14%
Millennials 22%* 14%
Note: High-tech companies n = 170-175; all other organizations = 359-372.*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Differences between high-tech companies and
all other organizations
12
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Organizations That Have Altered Their Benefits to Aid in Retention Over the
Past 12 Months†
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: Respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits to retain employees at all levels of the organization were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.†New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
Employees at
All Levels
(n = 106)
High-Performing
Employees
(n = 81)
Highly Skilled
Employees
(n = 88)
Millennial
Employees
(n = 87)
Health care benefits 61% 44% 44% 46%
Flexible working benefits (e.g.,
telecommuting, compressed workweek)37% 31% 35% 33%
Retirement savings and planning benefits 35% 25% 27% 21%
Leave benefits 34% 27% 28% 30%
Professional and career development
benefits (e.g., professional training)34% 36% 34% 36%
Wellness and preventive health benefits (e.g.,
flu vaccinations, smoking cessation program)26% 23% 23% 25%
Financial benefits 15% 21% 23% 14%
Family-friendly benefits (e.g., adoption
assistance, elder care referral service) 14% 10% 10% 14%
Housing and relocation benefits 4% 2% 7% 1%
13
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Retain
Employees at All Levels of the Organization
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: n = 71-97. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of employees at all levels of the organization were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. 2013Statistically significant difference from 2013.
17%
28%
43%
43%
53%
57%
57%
61%
64%
69%
66%
53%
56%
44%
42%
43%
38%
35%
14%
6%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Financial benefits
Leave benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Health care benefits
Flexible working benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
2013: 55%
*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
1%
1%
0%
1%
3%
1%
3%
Differences between high-tech
companies and all other
organizations
Retirement savings and planning
benefits: increase in importance
High-Tech
Companies
(n = 40)
All Other
Organizations
(n = 57)
70%* 47%
16%
34%
46%
51%
51%
64%
65%
68%
70%
71%
61%
51%
44%
46%
36%
33%
32%
29%
13%
5%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Financial benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Leave benefits
Flexible working benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Health care benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
14
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Retain
High-Performing Employees
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: n = 55-69; Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of high-performing employees were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Leave benefits:
increase in importance
High-Tech
Companies
(n = 30)
All Other
Organizations
(n = 39)
70%* 36%
Family-friendly benefits:
increase in importance
High-Tech
Companies
(n = 27)
All Other
Organizations
(n = 34)
48%* 24%
1%
0%
1%
0%
3%
4%
3%
Differences between high-tech
companies and all other
organizations
27%
35%
44%
47%
51%
64%
66%
66%
71%
66%
62%
53%
51%
47%
35%
32%
34%
27%
6%Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Financial benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Leave benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Flexible working benefits
Health care benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
2014: 27%
2013: 66%
15
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Retain
Highly Skilled Employees
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: n = 62-77. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of highly skilled employees were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. 2014Statistically significant difference from 2014. 2013Statistically significant difference from 2013.
1%
0%
1%
1%
1%
1%
3%
3%
*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Leave benefits:
increase in importance
High-Tech
Companies
(n = 34)
All Other
Organizations
(n = 42)
65%* 40%
Differences between high-tech
companies and all other
organizations
25%
41%
46%
54%
54%
56%
57%
80%
83%
73%
50%
52%
45%
46%
41%
40%
20%
17%
9%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Health care benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Leave benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Financial benefits
Flexible working benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
16
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Retain
Millennial Employees†
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
0%
0%
3%
3%
0%
1%
1%
2%
Note: 2016 n = 59-72. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the retention of Millennials were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. †Millennials were added to the sample in 2016. Thus, trend data are not available.
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016 17
Key Findings
Recruiting EmployeesRecruiting EmployeesRecruiting EmployeesRecruiting Employees
Key findings include benefits strategies to recruit employees at all levels of the organization, highly skilled employees and Millennial employees.
Employees at All Levels of the Organization
• Altering benefits to recruit employees at all levels of the organization: Twelve percent of HR
professionals indicated their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the recruitment
of employees at all levels of the organization over the past 12 months. Of these organizations,
about two-thirds (65%) of HR professionals indicated their organizations altered their health care
benefits over the past 12 months to aid in the recruitment of employees at all levels of the
organization. About two-fifths altered their leave (44%), retirement savings and planning (41%), and
flexible working (37%) benefits as well; about one-third (32%) altered their professional and career
development benefits.
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to recruit employees at all
levels of the organization: More than two-thirds of HR professionals indicated health care (73%),
retirement savings and planning (70%) and flexible working (70%) benefits will increase in
importance to recruit employees at all levels of the organization in the next three to five years.
More than three-fifths (64%) of HR professionals anticipated that professional and career
development benefits will increase in importance to recruit employees at all levels of the
organization in the next three to five years; more than one-half indicated the same about leave
(58%), financial (55%) and wellness and preventive health (53%) benefits.
18
Key Findings
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Highly Skilled Employees
• Altering benefits to recruit highly skilled employees: Thirteen percent of HR professionals
indicated their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the recruitment of highly
skilled employees over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, over one-half (53%) of HR
professionals indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12
months to aid in the recruitment of highly skilled employees. About two-fifths altered their flexible
working (39%) and retirement savings and planning (39%) benefits as well; one-third (33%) altered
their leave benefits.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their
organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in
recruitment of highly skilled employees (18% vs. 11%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to recruit highly skilled
employees: More than two-thirds of HR professionals indicated professional and career
development and flexible working benefits (both 68%) will increase in importance to recruit highly
skilled employees in the next three to five years. Three-fifths or more of HR professionals
anticipated that retirement savings and planning (63%), financial (62%), and health care (60%)
benefits will increase in importance to recruit highly skilled employees in the next three to five
years; more than one-half indicated the same about leave (58%), an increase of 28 percentage
points since 2015.
19
Key Findings (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Millennial Employees
• Altering benefits to recruit Millennial employees: Ten percent of HR professionals indicated
their organizations altered their benefits program to aid in the recruitment of Millennial employees
over the past 12 months. Of these organizations, about three-fifths (58%) of HR professionals
indicated their organizations altered their health care benefits over the past 12 months to aid in
the recruitment of Millennial employees. About two-fifths altered their flexible working (38%)
benefits as well; about one-third altered their leave (36%), professional and career development
(34%), and retirement savings and planning (32%) benefits.
» High-tech companies were more likely than all other organizations to indicate their
organizations strategically altered their benefits program over the past 12 months to aid in
recruitment of Millennial employees (15% vs. 8%).
• Change in importance of benefits in the next three to five years to recruit Millennial
employees: Almost four-fifths of HR professionals indicated professional and career development
and flexible working benefits (both 79%) will increase in importance to recruit Millennial
employees in the next three to five years. About two-thirds (66%) of HR professionals anticipated
that financial benefits will increase in importance to recruit Millennial employees in the next three
to five years; about three-fifths indicated the same about health care (61%), wellness and
preventive health (60%), leave (58%), and retirement savings and planning (58%) benefits.
20
Key Findings (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
21
What Do These Findings Mean for the HR Profession?
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
• Recruiting difficulty has returned to pre-recession levels and is likely to continue to be a
problem for the foreseeable future. HR professionals across a range of SHRM surveys report
recruiting difficulty for both their overall employee population and for their positions of most strategic
importance. Employers, HR and staffing professionals also express concerns about skills shortages
in the labor market. As these challenges continue, more organizations are likely to view their
benefits packages through the lens of how they can be leveraged to both attract and retain
employees, paying special attention to those that attract the talent considered most critical to the
success of their business.
• Because recruiting difficulty varies by industry, differences are emerging in the way benefits are
leveraged to attract talent. Some of the newest and most innovative benefits strategies being
highlighted in the HR, business and mainstream media are coming out of Silicon Valley. This trend
should not come as a surprise because the high-tech industry reports higher-than-average levels of
difficulty in finding and securing needed talent; testing out new benefits approaches is likely to be
more common in this type of atmosphere. These industries may therefore act as bellwethers for new
kinds of benefits that could eventually be adopted more broadly.
• As Millennials become the dominant working age generation in the U.S. economy, they will
increasingly influence the types of benefits employers offer—especially in industries in which
key talent is hard to find. For example, benefits that involve student loan repayment could become
more popular. However, HR will still be under pressure to balance employee demand and the need
to leverage benefits to attract and retain talent with the imperative to manage costs.
34%
38%
33%
26%
23%
2016 (n = 525)
2015 (n = 343)
2014 (n = 306)
2013 (n = 351)
2012 (n = 394)
22
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Difficulty Recruiting Employees in the Past 12 Months
61%
55%
56%
50%
49%
2016 (n = 541)
2015 (n = 343)
2014 (n = 305)
2013 (n = 353)
2012 (n = 400)
2012
Note: Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Only “yes” responses are shown. †Millennials were added to the sample in 2016. Thus, trend data are not available. 2013Statistically significant difference from 2013. 2012Statistically significant difference from 2012.
Highly skilled employeesEmployees at all levels of the organization
26% 2016 (n = 493)
Millennials†
2013, 2012
2016High-Tech
Companies
All Other
Organizations
Employees at all levels 25%* 38%
Highly skilled employees 68%* 58%
Millennials 20%* 30%
Note: High-tech companies n = 163-172; all other companies = 330-369.*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Differences between high-tech companies and
all other organizations
23
Organizations That Have Altered Their Benefits Strategy for Recruitment†
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.†New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
12%
13%
10%
Employees at all levels of the
organization
Millennials
Highly skilled employees
n = 522-537
2016High-Tech
Companies
All Other
Organizations
Highly skilled employees 18%* 11%
Millennials 15%* 8%
Note: High-tech companies n = 167; all other organizations = 355-363. *Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Differences between high-tech companies and
all other organizations
24
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Organizations That Have Altered Their Benefits To Aid in Recruitment Over the
Past 12 Months†
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Employees at All Levels
(n = 63)
Highly Skilled
Employees (n = 70)
Millennials
(n = 53)
Health care benefits 65% 53% 58%
Leave benefits 44% 33% 36%
Retirement savings and planning
benefits41% 39% 32%
Flexible working benefits (e.g.,
telecommuting, compressed workweek)37% 39% 38%
Professional and career development
benefits (e.g., professional training)32% 27% 34%
Wellness and preventive health
benefits (e.g., flu vaccinations, smoking
cessation program)
17% 14% 21%
Financial benefits 16% 20% 19%
Family-friendly benefits (e.g., adoption
assistance, elder care referral service) 13% 11% 17%
Housing and relocation benefits 5% 16% 2%
High-tech orgs: 27%
All other orgs: 8%
Note: Respondents whose organizations altered their benefits to recruit employees were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options. *Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies. †New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
High-tech orgs: 50%
All other orgs: 19%
25
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Recruit
Employees at All Levels of the Organization
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: 2016 n = 46-56; 2015 n = 86-106; 2014 n = 58-79; 2013 n = 65-88. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in recruitment of employees at all levels of the organization were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. 2015Statistically significant difference from 2015. 2014Statistically significant difference from 2014. 2013Statistically significant difference from 2013.
15%
39%
53%
55%
58%
64%
70%
70%
73%
74%
59%
40%
43%
42%
35%
30%
30%
25%
11%
2%
7%
2%
2%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Financial benefits
Leave benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Flexible working
benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Health care benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
2015: 31%
2014: 30%
2013: 30%
2%
0%
0%
0%
Professional and career
development benefits
High-Tech
Companies
(n = 22)
All Other
Organizations
(n = 33)
82%* 52%
*Only statistically significant differences are shown. “All other organizations” does not include high-tech companies.
Differences between high-tech
companies and all other
organizations
26
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Recruit
Highly Skilled Employees
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: 2016 n = 50-63; 2015 n = 66-116; 2014 n = 65-88; 2013 n = 77-100. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the recruitment of highly skilled employees were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. 2015Statistically significant difference from 2015. 2013Statistically significant difference from 2013.
32%
41%
48%
58%
60%
62%
63%
68%
68%
64%
55%
48%
40%
40%
38%
37%
32%
32%
4%
4%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Leave benefits
Health care benefits
Financial benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Flexible working benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
0%
2%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2015: 30%
2013: 12%
27
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Change in Importance of Benefits in the Next Three to Five Years to Recruit
Millennial Employees*
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Note: n = 35-45. Respondents whose organizations strategically altered their benefits program to aid in the recruitment of Millennials were asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. *Millennials were added to the sample in 2016. Thus, trend data are not available.
20%
43%
58%
58%
60%
61%
66%
79%
79%
74%
52%
38%
42%
33%
39%
34%
21%
21%
6%
5%
4%
7%
Housing and relocation
benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Leave benefits
Wellness and preventive
health benefits
Health care benefits
Financial benefits
Flexible working benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance Remain the same Decrease in importance
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016 28
Key Findings
DemographicsDemographicsDemographicsDemographics
29
Demographics: Organization Industry
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
PercentagePercentagePercentagePercentage
Professional, scientific and technical services 32%
Manufacturing 17%
Health care and social assistance 11%
Finance and insurance 8%
Educational services 7%
Information 6%
Government agencies 5%
Transportation and warehousing 4%
Wholesale trade 4%
Administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services 4%
Retail trade 4%
Note: n = 570. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
30
Key FinDemographics: Organization Industry (continued)
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
PercentagePercentagePercentagePercentage
Accommodation and food services 4%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 4%
Construction 3%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 2%
Utilities 2%
Repair and maintenance 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 1%
Personal and laundry services 1%
Other industry 12%
Note: n = 570. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
31
Key FinDemographics: Organization Sector
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
58%
19%
15%
5%
2%
Privately owned for-profit
Nonprofit
Publicly owned for-profit
Government
Other
Note: n = 565. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
32
Key FinDemographics: Organization Staff Size
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
n = 550
33%
34%
19%
10%
4%
1 to 99 employees
100 to 499 employees
500 to 2,499 employees
2,500 to 24,999 employees
25,000 or more employees
33
Key FinDemographics: Other
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
n = 567
U.S.-based operations only 71%
Multinational operations 29%
Does your organization have U.S.-based
operations (business units) only, or does
it operate multinationally?
n = 378
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and
practices determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by
each work location or by both?
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices.55%
Each work location determines HR policies
and practices.4%
A combination of both the work location and
the multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices.
40%
Corporate (companywide) 79%
Business unit/division 14%
Facility/location 7%
What is the HR department/function for
which you responded throughout this
survey?
Note: n = 376. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Single-unit organization: An organization in
which the location and the organization are
one and the same.
38%
Multi-unit organization: An organization that
has more than one location.62%
Is your organization a single-unit organization or a
multi-unit organization?
n = 571
34
SHRM Survey Findings:
Survey MethodologySurvey MethodologySurvey MethodologySurvey Methodology
SHRM Survey Findings: Strategic Benefits—Leveraging Benefits to Retain
and Recruit Employees
2016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Survey Methodology:
• Response rate = 10%
• 738 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership participated in this
survey
» 243 of the 738 HR professionals were from organizations in the high-tech industry
• Margin of error +/- 4%
• Survey fielded April-May 2016
Project Lead:
Karen Wessels, researcher, workforce planning, SHRM Research
Project Contributors:
Evren Esen, director, SHRM-SCP, workforce analytics, SHRM Research
Jennifer Schramm, manager, SHRM-SCP, workforce trends and forecasting, SHRM Research
Samantha DiNicola, SHRM Research
352016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
Additional SHRM Resources
For more survey/poll findings, visit shrm.org/surveys
For more information about SHRM’s Research Services:
» Customized Research Service, visit shrm.org/customizedresearch
» Employee Engagement Survey Service, visit shrm.org/peopleinsight
» Customized Benchmarking Service, visit shrm.org/benchmarks
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research
362016 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain and Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2016
About SHRM
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest HR
professional society, representing 285,000 members in more than 165 countries. For
nearly seven decades, the Society has been the leading provider of resources serving
the needs of HR professionals and advancing the practice of human resource
management. SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and
subsidiary offices in China, India and United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org.