Employers offer training, flexible schedules, mentoring to attract, retain staff

Posted by AccountingWEB on Feb 1 2011 8344 printer friendly

Companies concerned about keeping their top performers and attracting new ones this year might be sweetening the pot with non-monetary benefits, according to a recent survey by Menlo Park, CA-based Accountemps.

When chief financial officers (CFOs) were asked about the perks they plan to offer or are already offering, subsidized training and education topped the list (29 percent), followed by flexible schedules or telecommuting (24 percent) and mentoring programs (24 percent).

"On the heels of the recession, perks are a cost-effective way employers can reward and retain staff and attract new employees," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Human Resources Kit for Dummies. "The most popular incentives are those that aid in career development and give employees some control over their work schedules."

CFOs were asked, "What perks, if any, is your company offering or planning to offer in 2011 in an effort to attract and retain employees?" (Multiple responses were allowed.)

Subsidized training/education – 29%
Flexible work hours or telecommuting – 24%
Mentoring programs – 24%
Matching gift programs – 13%
Free or subsidized lunch or snacks – 11%
On-site perks such as childcare, dry cleaning, fitness center, cafeteria – 11%
Subsidized transportation – 10%
Subsidized gym membership – 9%
Sabbaticals – 8%
Housing or relocation assistance – 7%

"Offering training and mentoring opportunities also helps businesses develop a more skilled workforce. Flexible work arrangements cost little to implement but show that a company values its staff and their work-life balance needs," Messmer said.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.

Accountemps' parent company, Robert Half International, also interviewed chief information officers, senior human resources managers, attorneys, and advertising and marketing executives about the perks their organizations are offering. View the comprehensive results in the first-quarter 2011 Professional Employment Report.

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