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Survey: Professionals Want Better Health-Care Benefits – Not Perks

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The data from a new study indicates that health benefits can make a significant difference in people’s job satisfaction and may even impact their choice of jobs. The study also suggests that despite offering health insurance options, many companies still have some work to do when it comes to keeping their employees healthy and happy.

One Medical Group, a primary care system, has shared the results from its survey of more than 1,000 professionals regarding their opinions, desires, and perceptions about their companies’ employee benefits program. Key survey findings include:

1. Benefits can make a big difference in people’s job satisfaction. Almost universally, working professionals say that employee benefits have a big impact on their workplace satisfaction. Sixty-four percent say that employee benefits are “very important” to how they feel about their job and their employer, and 31 percent say benefits are “somewhat important” to how they feel.

Employee benefits also can make a big difference for people when they’re deciding between competing job offers, with 72 percent saying they might choose one job over another if it offered better employee benefits.

2. People want their employers to focus on their health. When it comes to which types of benefits would be most valued, respondents voiced a strong preference for health benefits. In fact, two out of three professionals would rather have better health and wellness benefits than more perks. This preference is more pronounced for professionals over the age of 45, three out of four would choose better health benefits over more perks.

The study also indicates that professionals want their employers to play a bigger role in their health and wellness. A majority of respondents (67 percent) believe that keeping them healthy should be one of the top goals of their company’s benefits program.

3. Companies aren’t doing enough to keep their employees healthy. According to the survey, many employers offer a range of different health and wellness benefits. Most companies are providing medical insurance (88 percent), and more than half are investing in health and wellness programs. The most common programs offered include employee assistance programs (45 percent), onsite vaccinations (45 percent), fitness benefits (31 percent), workshops (31 percent) and onsite health screening (25 percent).