The survey found that more organizations are struggling to retain employees at all levels and are increasingly leveraging benefits programs to do so. Specifically: - Over 1/3 of organizations reported difficulty retaining employees at all levels in 2015, up from 25% in 2012. - 1/3 of organizations said they used benefits to retain employees at all levels in 2015, up from 20% in 2012. - Health care and retirement benefits were most often leveraged to retain employees. The findings suggest HR professionals should focus on health care and retirement benefits when designing retention strategies using benefits programs.

1. October 15, 2015
SHRM Survey Findings: 2015 Strategic Benefits—
Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees

2. 2
Introduction
The 2015 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 six-part series features
the following topics:
 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: Assessment and Communication of Benefits
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.
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Introduction and Definitions

3. Employees at All Levels of the Organization
• Difficulty retaining employees at all levels: More than one-third (36%) of HR professionals indicated their
organizations had difficulty retaining employees at all levels of the organization in the past 12
months, a statistically significant increase from 2013 (26%) and 2012 (25%).
• Leveraging benefits to retain employees at all levels of the organization: One-third (33%) of HR professionals
indicated their organizations leveraged their benefits program to retain employees at all levels of
the organization in the past 12 months, a statistically significant increase from 2013 (18%) and
2012 (20%).
• Benefits leveraged to retain employees at all levels of the organization: Four-fifths of respondents reported
their organizations leveraged health care benefits to retain employees at all levels of the
organization; more than one-half reported the same for retirement savings and planning benefits
(57%), and slightly fewer for leave (47%) and financial and compensation (46%) benefits.
3
Key Findings
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

4. High-Performing Employees
• Difficulty retaining high-performing employees: Thirty percent of respondents indicated their
organizations had difficulty retaining high-performing employees in the past 12 months.
• Leveraging benefits to retain high-performing employees: One-third (33%) of respondents indicated their
organizations leveraged their benefits program to retain high-performing employees in the past
12 months, a statistically significant increase from 2013 (19%) and 2012 (20%).
• Benefits leveraged to retain high-performing employees: More than two-thirds (71%) of respondents
indicated their organizations leveraged health care benefits to retain high-performing employees
in the past 12 months; about one-half indicated their organizations leveraged retirement savings
and planning (51%) and financial and compensation (49%) benefits. Fewer respondents
indicated their organizations positively leveraged flexible working benefits in the past 12 months
(29%) compared with 2013 (57%) and 2012 (48%).
4
Key Findings (continued)
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

5. Highly Skilled Employees
• Difficulty retaining highly skilled employees: About one-third (35%) of respondents indicated their
organizations had difficulty retaining highly skilled employees in the past 12 months.
• Leveraging benefits to retain highly skilled employees: One-third (33%) of respondents indicated their
organizations leveraged their benefits program to retain highly skilled employees in the past 12
months, a statistically significant increase from 2013 (20%) and 2012 (19%).
• Benefits leveraged to retain highly skilled employees: About three-quarters (73%) of respondents reported
their organizations leveraged health care benefits to retain highly skilled employees. About one-
half indicated their organizations leveraged financial and compensation (52%) and retirement
savings and planning (51%) benefits. About one-third (34%) of respondents indicated their
organizations leveraged flexible working benefits, a statistically significant decrease from 2013
(55%).
5
Key Findings (continued)
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

6. 6
What Do These Findings Mean for the HR Profession?
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Recruit Employees ©SHRM 2015
• More than one-third of HR professionals reported having difficulty retaining employees at all levels
of their organizations. In this period of limited wage growth, it is frequently not an option to offer
higher salaries as a means of retaining top talent. Knowing this, the use of benefits as a retention
strategy should be considered by HR professionals who are struggling to retain employees.
• Fewer HR professionals said their organizations leveraged flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in
2015 as a retention strategy for high-performing employees, compared with previous years.
However, FWAs should not be dismissed as a means of retaining workers. These benefits have
proven to be highly valued among two sizable demographic groups—Millennials and workers age
55 and older. Millennials have shown an increased preference for having greater control over their
own schedules, and many place greater emphasis on organizational culture, rather than on
compensation-related aspects of a job. The 55-and-older segment is frequently relied on for filling
highly skilled positions, and these employees often need flexibility in scheduling, whether to care for
family members or to conduct a phased retirement from the workplace, among other reasons.
• When choosing which benefits to leverage for retention, HR professionals should first point to
health care, and retirement savings and planning benefits. These offerings are cited most often by
HR professionals in retentions strategies, undoubtedly due to the increasing cost of health care and
the fact that extensive research has shown that many workers are not confident that they will have
adequate financial resources when they reach retirement age.

7. 2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015 7
Key Findings
Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees

8. 36%
32%
26%
25%
2015 (n = 343, 313)
2014 (n = 302, 295)
2013 (n = 349, 335)
2012 (n = 389, 379)
8
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Comparison of Difficulty Retaining and Leveraging of Benefits to Retain
Employees at All Levels of the Organization in the Past 12 Months
33%
25%
18%
20%
1, 2 1, 2
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.” Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Only “yes”
responses are shown.
1Statistically significant difference from 2013. 2Statistically significant difference from 2012.
Organizations That Leveraged Their
Benefits Program to Retain Employees at
All Levels of the Organization in the Past 12
Months
Organizations That Reported Difficulty
Retaining Employees at All Levels of the
Organization in the Past 12 Months

9. 9
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?
Benefits Positively Leveraged to Retain Employees at All Levels of the
Organization
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
80%
57%
47%
41%
74%
62%
51%
46%
45%
68%
57%
37%
40%
72%
58%
37%
39%
Health care benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Leave benefits
Financial and
compensation benefits*
Professional and career
development benefits
2015 (n = 103)
2014 (n = 73)
2013 (n = 60)
2012 (n = 74)
38%
31%
24%
9%
42%
42%
25%
14%
27%
43%
38%
15%
30%
35%
27%
20%
Preventive health and
wellness benefits
Flexible working benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Housing and relocation
benefits
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.
*New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.

10. Preventive health
and wellness
benefits
53%
61%
57%
53%
57%
51%
55%
67%
67%
59%
67%
58%
65%
46%
37%
41%
45%
43%
49%
44%
33%
33%
40%
33%
40%
35%
1%
2%
1%
2%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
1%
0%
1%
0%
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
10
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
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Housing and
relocation
benefits
Leave benefits
Family-friendly
benefits
Professional and
career development
benefits
Flexible working
benefits
Health care benefits
Retirement savings
and planning
benefits
9%
7%
13%
55%
41%
20%
33%
35%
35%
57%
54%
48%
64%
70%
74%
45%
59%
75%
67%
65%
64%
39%
46%
49%
27%
24%
13%
0%
0%
5%
0%
0%
1%
4%
0%
2%
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
Increase in importance
Remain the same
Decrease in importance
Financial and
compensation
benefits*
Note: 2015 n = 77-98; 2014 n = 46-72; 2013 n = 44-58. 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 may not total 100%
due to rounding. 1Statistically significant difference from 2014. 2Statistically significant difference from 2013. *New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
1,2 1,2

11. 30%
28%
26%
23%
2015 (n = 343, 314)
2014 (n = 299, 293)
2013 (n = 350, 336)
2012 (n = 386, 370)
112015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
33%
24%
19%
20%
Comparison of Difficulty Retaining and Leveraging of Benefits to Retain High-
Performing Employees in the Past 12 Months
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.” Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Only “yes”
responses are shown.
1Statistically significant difference from 2013. 2Statistically significant difference from 2012.
1, 2
Organizations That Leveraged Their
Benefits Program to Retain High-Performing
Employees in the Past 12 Months
Organizations That Reported Difficulty
Retaining High-Performing Employees in the
Past 12 Months

12. 12
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Benefits Positively Leveraged to Retain High-Performing Employees
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
71%
51%
40%
35%
60%
54%
49%
49%
52%
63%
63%
38%
49%
58%
47%
29%
55%
Health care benefits
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Financial and
compensation benefits*
Leave benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
2015 (n = 105)
2014 (n = 67)
2013 (n = 63)
2012 (n = 73)
31%
29%
20%
13%
31%
40%
22%
13%
27%
57%
37%
22%
26%
48%
27%
21%
Preventive health and
wellness benefits
Flexible working benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Housing and relocation
benefits
1, 2
Note: Respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits to retain high-performing employees were asked this question. Respondents who
answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.
*New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey. 1Statistically significant difference from 2013. 2Statistically significant difference from 2012.

13. Preventive health
and wellness
benefits
64%
59%
56%
61%
62%
59%
61%
72%
62%
66%
61%
51%
68%
32%
41%
42%
38%
38%
39%
36%
28%
37%
33%
38%
48%
32%
3%
0%
2%
2%
0%
2%
3%
0%
2%
1%
2%
1%
0%
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
13
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
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Housing and
relocation
benefits
Leave benefits
Family-friendly
benefits
Professional and
career development
benefits
Flexible working
benefits
Health care benefits
Retirement savings
and planning
benefits
58%
47%
22%
13%
19%
26%
42%
42%
36%
52%
48%
51%
40%
53%
68%
67%
60%
57%
56%
57%
63%
45%
52%
48%
2%
0%
10%
20%
21%
18%
2%
2%
1%
3%
0%
1%
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
Increase in importance
Remain the same
Decrease in importance
Financial and
compensation
benefits*
Note: 2015 n = 74-95; 2014 n = 47-67; 2013 n = 45-61. Respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits to retain 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.
1Statistically significant difference from 2014. 2Statistically significant difference from 2013. *New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
1,2 2

14. 35%
35%
28%
27%
2015 (n = 339, 313)
2014 (n = 296, 294)
2013 (n = 348, 335)
2012 (n = 389, 371)
142015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
33%
26%
20%
19%
Comparison of Difficulty Retaining and Leveraging of Benefits to Retain
Highly Skilled Employees in the Past 12 Months
1, 2
Note: Response options provided were “yes/no/not sure.” Respondents who indicated they were “not sure” were excluded from this analysis. Only “yes”
responses are shown.
1Statistically significant difference from 2013. 2Statistically significant difference from 2012.
Organizations That Leveraged Their
Benefits Program to Retain Highly Skilled
Employees in the Past 12 Months
Organizations That Reported Difficulty
Retaining Highly Skilled Employees in the
Past 12 Months

15. 15
What do these findings mean for the HR profession?Benefits Positively Leveraged to Retain Highly Skilled Employees
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
73%
51%
38%
35%
70%
52%
46%
53%
41%
63%
59%
38%
55%
69%
46%
31%
54%
Health care benefits
Financial and
compensation benefits*
Retirement savings and
planning benefits
Leave benefits
Professional and career
development benefits
2015 (n = 104)
2014 (n = 70)
2013 (n = 64)
2012 (n = 71)
34%
32%
22%
13%
53%
37%
27%
13%
55%
28%
41%
19%
44%
27%
35%
11%
Flexible working benefits
Preventive health and
wellness benefits
Family-friendly benefits
Housing and relocation
benefits
1
Note: Respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits to retain highly skilled employees were asked this question. Respondents who
answered “not sure” were excluded from this analysis.
*New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey. 1Statistically significant difference from 2013.

16. Preventive health
and wellness
benefits
64%
62%
51%
55%
58%
57%
64%
59%
59%
63%
60%
59%
69%
31%
35%
49%
40%
41%
42%
36%
40%
41%
36%
38%
41%
31%
5%
3%
0%
5%
2%
1%
0%
1%
0%
1%
2%
0%
0%
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2015
2013
2014
2015
16
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
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Housing and
relocation
benefits
Leave benefits
Family-friendly
benefits
Professional and
career development
benefits
Flexible working
benefits
Health care benefits
Retirement savings
and planning
benefits
11%
16%
29%
42%
35%
43%
66%
44%
26%
53%
50%
50%
71%
57%
61%
58%
63%
56%
34%
53%
70%
45%
50%
50%
18%
27%
10%
0%
1%
1%
0%
3%
5%
2%
0%
0%
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
2013
2014
2015
Increase in importance
Remain the same
Decrease in importance
Financial and
compensation
benefits*
Note: 2015 n = 77-96; 2014 n = 49-70; 2013 n = 45-61. Respondents whose organizations leveraged their benefits to retain 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.
1Statistically significant difference from 2013. *New item on the Strategic Benefits Survey.
1 1

17. 2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015 17
Key Findings
Demographics

18. 18
Note: n = 361. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
Percentage
Manufacturing 23%
Health care and social assistance 16%
Professional, scientific and technical services 12%
Finance and insurance 10%
Government agencies 8%
Educational services 7%
Transportation and warehousing 6%
Retail trade 6%
Construction 5%
Utilities 4%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 4%
Demographics: Organization Industry
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

19. 19
Key FinDemographics: Organization Industry (continued)
Note: n = 361. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
Percentage
Wholesale trade 4%
Administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services 4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3%
Accommodation and food services 3%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 3%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 2%
Repair and maintenance 2%
Information 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1%
Personal and laundry services 0%
Other industry 11%
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

20. 20
Key FinDemographics: Organization Sector
57%
18%
13%
9%
3%
Privately owned for-profit
Nonprofit
Publicly owned for-profit
Government
Other
n = 355
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015

21. 21
Key FinDemographics: Organization Staff Size
n = 343
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
30%
35%
21%
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

22. 22
Key FinDemographics: Other
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
n = 359
U.S.-based operations only 77%
Multinational operations 23%
Does your organization have U.S.-based
operations (business units) only, or does it operate
multinationally?
n = 360
n = 226
n = 226
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?
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.
56%
Each work location determines HR policies
and practices.
3%
A combination of both the work location and
the multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices.
41%
Corporate (companywide) 75%
Business unit/division 11%
Facility/location 14%
What is the HR department/function for which you
responded throughout this survey?

23. 23
SHRM Survey Findings:
Survey Methodology
SHRM Survey Findings: Strategic Benefits—Leveraging Benefits to
Retain Employees
2015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Survey Methodology:
• Response rate = 12%
• 461 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership participated in
this survey
• Margin of error +/- 5%
• Survey fielded May-June 2015
Project Lead:
Karen Wessels, researcher, workforce planning, SHRM Research
Project Contributors:
Evren Esen, director, SHRM-SCP, Survey Programs, SHRM Research
Bruce Elliott, manager, SHRM-SCP, Compensation and Benefits
Joseph Coombs, senior analyst, workforce trends, SHRM Research

24. 242015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
Additional SHRM Resources
Health Care Reform Resource Page: shrm.org/healthcare
For more survey/poll findings, visit shrm.org/surveys
For more information about SHRM’s Research Services:
» Customized Research Service, visit shrm.org/customizedresearch
» Engagement Survey Service, visit shrm.org/peopleinsight
» Customized Benchmarking Service, visit shrm.org/benchmarks
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research

25. 252015 Strategic Benefits Survey—Leveraging Benefits to Retain Employees ©SHRM 2015
About SHRM
Founded in 1948, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the
world’s largest HR membership organization devoted to human resource management.
Representing more than 275,000 members in over 160 countries, the Society is the
leading provider of resources to serve the needs of HR professionals and advance the
professional 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.