Employer-Provided “Quality-of-Life” Benefits for Workers in Private Industry, 2007
The Bureau of Labor Statistics National Compensation Survey (NCS) provides data on “quality-of-life” benefits in its annual benefits summary publications. Some types of employer-provided benefits are more commonly available than others. As shown in the most recent NCS publication of benefits data, 61% of workers in private industry have access to retirement benefits, 71% have access to medical plans, and 77% have access to paid holidays and paid vacation time. By comparison, employee access to various quality-of-life benefits is relatively uncommon (see Figure).
Nevertheless, the NCS quality-of-life benefits data give insight into the type of work arrangements that workers value and some employers promote. These benefits have a potential for influencing how people get to work, how they conduct their work, and the extent to which they are connected with their families and fellow workers.
The Figure shows the percentage of workers with access to a variety of quality-of-life benefits for all workers in private industry. Long-term care insurance, childcare assistance, and adoption assistance are more than twice as likely to be available than are subsidized commuting, flexible workplace, and employer-provided home personal computer benefits. Flexible workplace is a formal program that allows employees who would otherwise work on-site at the establishment to work part or all of their work schedule at home.
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by April Szuch.
