Once upon a time, job seekers were looking for a stable company, and a good salary. But times are changing, and 36% of employees would take a cut in salary if it meant greater happiness at work.
So if you want to be happier at work, consider this: high salaries alone don’t determine your work happiness. In fact, and 96% of employees who are happy with their benefits report greater happiness on the job, and 60% of employees surveyed say they would take lower pay in lieu of better benefits.
So as you go from interview to interview, here are some non-wage compensations you should consider.
Flex Time
70% of Millennials in the job market are looking for flexible schedules. We all have different work styles, and fitting into the 9-5 is just not as glamorous as it used to be. If you’d like to have greater control over your time and schedule, consider the flex time your potential employer offers.
Perks
- Focus on wellness: Let’s face it. Eight hours or more of sitting on the job isn’t healthy for anyone. All that sitting can contribute to poor health and even poorer happiness. Working at a company that cares about your health and provides perks like gym memberships and mental health allowances will keep you more motivated to reach your personal and work goals.
- Free food: It might seem like a small offering, but 67% of employees at companies that provide free food cite being extremely or very happy. We all need to eat, and saving money while choosing (hopefully) healthy food options just makes us feel good.
- Remote work options: Employees who work remotely rate their happiness 8.10, compared to all other scores of 7.42. Ninety-one percent say they feel more productive, which is a major happiness booster too! There’s just something about freedom and flexibility… Where are you working from today?
Benefits
- Vacation/PTO: Swedish law demands their workers take 5 weeks of paid vacation, every year. Why? Because work and life can be stressful, and vacations are the best anti-depressants, and ensure the happiest, most productive employees. While American employers typically offer less vacation days, on average 10-14 each year, finding one that fits your need for adventure will make you happier in the long run.
- Paid sick days: If like most of us, you feel under the weather on occasion, we hope you have paid sick day options to ensure you don’t have to dig into your vacation days. Vacation is about rest and relaxation and enjoying life—not about nursing yourself back to health.
- 401(k), retirement, pension plans: The word is that social security won’t last forever. By starting a high-yield 401(k) or other retirement plan early, you can prepare for a secure future.
- Paid maternity leave/Parental leave: Life doesn’t pause when you have a job. When your bundles of joy come along, having a company behind you that supports this major life event with paid leave is crucial to ensuring a more motivated workforce.
Just for fun—here are some fun perks from thriving companies.
- Airbnb sends their employees packing with an annual stipend of $2,000 toward global travel and Airbnb’ing.
- Kids are expensive. Facebook celebrates newborns with $4,000 baby cash to employees upon giving birth.
- Google supports the spouse of a deceased employee with 50% of their spouses salary—for ten years!
- Spotify not only offers generous parental leave packages (6 months of PTO!), but they’ll pay to freeze your eggs if you prefer to focus on your career now, and family later.
- REI’s YAY days are a hit among employees, allowing them to take 2 paid days a year to explore the outdoors.
So as you set out to find your dream job, remember: salary isn’t everything. Consider the benefits that will boost your work happiness—because 30% of your day is just too much time to spend on unhappiness and stress.
