1. SHRM Survey Findings: State of Employee Benefits in
the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit
Employees
December 18, 2013

2. Introduction
• This is part five of a series of SHRM survey findings examining employee benefits in the workplace.
• The following topics are included in the six-part series titled State of Employee Benefits in the
Workplace:
»
»
»
»
»
»
Part 1: Wellness initiatives
Part 2: Flexible work arrangements
Part 3: Health care
Part 4: Leveraging benefits to retain employees
Part 5: Leveraging benefits to recruit employees
Part 6: Communicating benefits
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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3. Definition
• For the purpose of this survey, highly skilled employees are defined as employees with skills that
are critical to the short- and long-term success of their operating unit or the organization.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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4. Key Findings for Recruiting Employees at All Levels
Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees at All Levels of the Organization
• Do organizations leverage their benefits program to recruit employees? Approximately onefourth (26%) of organizations reported leveraging their benefits program to recruit employees.
• What benefits offerings have been leveraged to recruit employees? Health care (81%) and
retirement savings and planning (70%) still remain the top two benefits that organizations most
frequently leverage to recruit employees. Compared to 2012, however, all benefits were leveraged
more often in 2013, with the largest difference of 14 percentage points for leave benefits and
professional and career development benefits.
• What benefits offerings will increase in importance to help recruit employees in the next
three to five years? Organizations indicated that retirement savings and planning benefits (64%)
and health care benefits (63%) were the benefits that would increase in importance the most with
respect to recruiting employees.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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5. Key Findings for Recruiting Highly Skilled Employees
Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Highly Skilled Employees
• Are organizations leveraging their benefits program to recruit highly skilled employees?
Although one-half (50%) of organizations indicated having difficulty in recruiting highly skilled
employees, only 30% of organizations reported leveraging their benefits program to recruit these
applicants.
• What benefits offerings have been leveraged to recruit highly skilled employees? Health care
(70%) and retirement savings and planning (61%) were the benefits most frequently leveraged to
recruit these employees. Compared to 2012, the largest increases in frequency were flexible
working benefits (33% to 55%) and leave benefits (34% to 46%).
• In the next three to five years, what benefits offerings will increase in importance to help
organizations recruit highly skilled employees? In 2013, HR professionals indicated that
retirement savings and planning benefits (70%) would be the most important benefit to leverage
during recruit. Health care dropped to the No. 2 position, falling from 75% to 66%.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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6. What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
• About one in four (26%) HR professionals use benefits as a recruitment tool. Though not a
significant number, many recruiters now advocate using a “total rewards” approach to attracting
new employees, and they encourage leveraging an employer’s benefits package as part of that
strategy. HR professionals cannot always use higher salaries as a draw for new talent because
wage growth has been very weak in the post-recession economy.
• With medical costs on the rise and many workers unprepared financially for retirement, HR
professionals should consider leveraging health care benefits and retirement savings and planning
benefits as part of their recruitment strategy. Even with some uncertainty surrounding health care
plans in connection with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HR professionals should
view this benefit, if offered at their employer, as a valuable tool for attracting workers.
• Several studies have shown that members of the Millennial generation, or those born between 1982
and 2002, place high value on flexible work schedules and managing their own time. Many HR
professionals have recognized this trend: More than half of respondents (55%) leveraged flexible
working benefits to highly skilled employees in 2013, compared with 33% a year ago. If this benefit
is offered at their employer, HR professionals should highlight this aspect of their overall benefit
plans as a tool to attract younger, talented workers to their organizations.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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7. Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees at
All Levels of the Organization
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8. Over the past 12 months, has your organization had difficulty recruiting
employees at all levels of the organization?
26%
Yes
2013 (n = 351)
23%
2012 (n = 394)
74%
No
77%
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded for this analysis.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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9. Over the past 12 months, has your organization leveraged your benefits
program to recruit employees at all levels of the organization?
26%
Yes
2013 (n = 341)
29%
2012 (n = 377)
74%
No
71%
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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10. Which of the following benefits has your organization leveraged to
recruit employees at all levels within your organization?
81%
80%
Health care
70%
Retirement savings and
planning
63%
50%
Leave benefits
36%
45%
Professional and career
development benefits
31%
43%
Flexible working benefits
Housing and relocation
benefits
2012 (n = 108)
30%
33%
Preventive health and
wellness
Family-friendly benefits
2013 (n = 88)
29%
33%
27%
24%
19%
Note: Only respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits program to recruit employees at all levels within the organization were asked this
question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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11. Within the next three to five years, what benefits offerings will
increase, remain the same or decrease in importance in your
organization’s efforts to recruit all levels of employees?
Retirement savings and
planning
35%
Health care
63%
Preventive health and
wellness
52%
Family-friendly benefits
50%
Housing and relocation
benefits
11%
1%
49%
1%
67%
71%
Increase in importance
4%
47%
30%
Leave benefits
2%
40%
56%
Professional and career
development benefits
0%
39%
59%
Flexible working benefits
1%
37%
64%
Remain the same
4%
18%
Decrease in importance
Note: n = 65-88. Only respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits program to recruit employees at all levels within the organization were
asked this question. Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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12. Leveraging Benefits to Recruit
Highly Skilled Employees
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13. Over the past 12 months, has your organization had difficulty recruiting
highly skilled employees?
50%
Yes
49%
2013 (n = 353)
2012 (n = 400)
50%
No
52%
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded for this analysis. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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14. Over the past 12 months, has your organization leveraged your benefits
program to recruit highly skilled employees?
30%
Yes
2013 (n = 343)
31%
2012 (n = 379)
70%
No
69%
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded for this analysis.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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15. Which of the following benefits has your organization leveraged to
recruit highly skilled employees?
70%
Health care
75%
61%
58%
Retirement savings and
planning
55%
Flexible working benefits
33%
46%
Leave benefits
34%
41%
41%
Professional and career
development benefits
Preventive health and
wellness
2012 (n = 116)
35%
Family-friendly benefits
Housing and relocation
benefits
2013 (n = 104)
28%
33%
23%
25%
24%
Note: Only respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits program to recruit highly skilled employees were asked this question.
Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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16. Within the next three to five years, what benefits offerings will
increase, remain the same or decrease in importance in your
organization’s efforts to recruit highly skilled employees?
Retirement savings and
planning
30%
70%
Health care
66%
Flexible working benefits
65%
Professional and career
development benefits
Increase in importance
1%
45%
0%
51%
38%
12%
2%
43%
47%
Leave benefits
1%
33%
55%
Preventive health and
wellness
Housing and relocation
benefits
33%
56%
Family-friendly benefits
0%
2%
1%
61%
13%
75%
Remain the same
Decrease in importance
Note: n = 77-100. Only respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits program to recruit highly skilled employees were asked this question.
Respondents who answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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17. Organization Demographics
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18. Demographics: Organization Staff Size
1 to 99
employees
33%
100 to 499
employees
32%
500 to 2,499
employees
17%
2,500 to 24,999
employees
25,000 or more
employees
12%
6%
n = 363
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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19. Demographics: Organization Sector
Privately owned
for-profit
51%
Nonprofit
organization
24%
Publicly owned
for-profit
12%
Government
sector
11%
Other
2%
n = 377
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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20. Demographics: Organization Industry
Professional, scientific and technical services
Health care and social assistance
Manufacturing
Government agencies
Finance and insurance
Educational services
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional and similar organizations
Accommodation and food services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Construction
Mining
Transportation and warehousing
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Information
Retail trade
Real estate and rental and leasing
Repair and maintenance
Utilities
Whole trade
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Personal and laundry services
Other
Percentage
21%
17%
15%
12%
10%
9%
5%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
7%
Note: n = 375. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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21. Demographics: Other
Is your organization a single-unit organization or a multiunit organization?
Does your organization have U.S.based operations (business units) only,
or does it operate multinationally?
U.S.-based operations only
80%
Multinational operations
20%
n = 381
Single-unit organization: An organization in which
the location and the organization are one and the
same.
39%
Multi-unit organization: An organization that has
more than one location.
61%
n = 381
What is the HR department/function for
which you responded throughout this
survey?
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and practices
determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by each work
location or by both?
Corporate (company-wide)
73%
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies
and practices.
59%
Business unit/division
16%
Each work location determines HR policies and
practices.
4%
Facility/location
11%
A combination of both the work location and the
multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies
and practices.
37%
n = 244
n = 244
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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22. SHRM Survey Findings: State of Employee Benefits in the
Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees
Survey Methodology
• Response rate = 11%
• 441 HR professional respondents from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership
participated in this survey
• Margin of error +/- 5%
• Survey fielded May 3-22, 2013
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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23. Additional SHRM Resources
• SHRM Survey Findings: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Global Competition and Hiring
Strategies
• SHRM Survey Findings: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Recruiting and Skill Gaps
• SHRM Labor Market & Economic Data: SHRM Economic and Employment Reports
• Staffing Management Resource Page
• Recruiting Internally and Externally Toolkit
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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24. About SHRM Research
For more survey/poll findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys.
For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit
www.shrm.org/customizedresearch.
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research.
Project leaders:
Christina Lee, researcher, SHRM Research
Project contributors:
Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SPHR, vice president, SHRM Research
Evren Esen, manager, Survey Research Center, SHRM Research
Copy editor:
Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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25. About SHRM
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to
human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries,
the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession.
Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary
offices in China, India and United Arab Emirates.
State of Employee Benefits in the Workplace—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2013
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