A Pay Check is Not the Only Factor That Makes a Job Appealing

The average American spends at least 1,896 hours a year at work. Those hours translates into a paycheck. Making a living that supports daily expenses and ability to save for a happy retirement is an important part of career outcomes and goals. The type of work you do and location is factored by unique passions, talents, inspirations, accessibility, needs, and life-experiences. Thus, the appeal of a job is often measured by the amount of the pay check to ensure financial success.

But there are other factors (beyond the paycheck) that people choose one job over another. Some of the factors job seekers consider are flexible hours, opportunities for professional development and advancement, emotional fulfillment, and health benefits.

Job seekers also may prioritize their quality of life more than a big pay check. Ideally, with a high income comes extraordinary perks, right?

Realistically, in a world of versatile professional roles, varying experience and abilities, as well companies that uniquely differ from one to the next – each business offers it’s own levels of employee perks or benefits. For job seekers and employers, the company appeal doesn’t always have to be limited to it’s job title or paycheck size. Here are some factors that can add to the appeal of a job:

Time and Place

Flexible Hours

Travel Opportunities

On-Site Bonuses, Gym, Parking, Cafeteria, resources, technology, etc.

Vacation/ Paid Time Off/ Paid sick days/ Parental leave/ Personal Leave

Health Benefits

Health insurance

Vision Care

Dental Insurance

Child Care

Workers compensation

Retirement Offerings, 401(k), and Pension

Office Culture and Social Perks

Casual Dress Code

Diversity Programs

Positive Environment and reinforcement

Room for efficient and open communication

Co-worker Harmony

Collaborative Environment

Creative Freedom

Influential Mentors

Development Programs for Employees

Team Building Activities

Company Values

Work/Life balance

The Company’s public popularity and perception

Volunteer opportunity and initiative

Room for growth and evolving job roles

Financial Perks (that aren’t the paycheck)

Reimbursement for educational tuition

Performance bonuses

Overtime Pay

Pay raise opportunities

Equity and stock options

Employee discounts

This list isn’t the perfect answer for work-place bliss. Companies and employees are not “one size fits all”. A job’s appeal is a balance of offerings specific to that business – based on their needs and resources. These factors are for consideration in evaluating what best meets the needs of your own personal and professional situation.

Job Seekers and Candidates

The next time you embark on your job seeking journey – add this topic to your preparation tactics. Consider your needs and wants, do your research, place efforts towards preparing and asking the questions that will bring you closer to understanding a job’s non-cash related appeal.

Companies and Employers

The next time you are designing your future business or re-evaluating your current company’s appeal, consider these factors for your work-place satisfaction. Employees that enjoy the outcomes and rewards of their jobs tend to show their appreciation through positive responses and hard work – creating a healthy and harmonious impact between the company and the people that make it run.