posted on: February 20, 2009
On PerkSpot.com, you’ll see that we offer an array of “perks” as employee discount programs. Discounted gym memberships, savings on consumer goods, apparel, tickets…all things employees have come to associate with the typical perk.
So what is the real difference between a corporate perk and a corporate benefit? Do perks come in packages like benefits have traditionally done for so long? As Shakespeare once said, “A perk by any other name…”
You see where we’re going. It’s a grey area when it comes to offering perks and benefits. It’s complicated, and it’s a headache.
Traditionally, many employees offer corporate benefits packages that include insurance. They can be extensive and comprehensive, but come with high premiums that are a premium cost to the employer. Sure it helps a great deal with talent retention, offering your employees the best rewards and recognition that money can buy, but the fact of the matter is, employer money and business cashflow are buying those things, and if we’re to believe the pundits – money is tight these days.
So employers are cutting back.
Over 14,000 people are losing health benefits altogether – EACH DAY – as corporate benefits become a, if not THE deciding factor when searching for the right job. Ultimately, cutting back on corporate benefits means cutting back on talent. Saying goodbye to offering uncomplicated employee access to a wide array of health and other insurance benefits is tantamount to saying goodbye to easy access to top talent.
It seems that if you look between a rock and a hard place – that’s where you’ll find those employers who are feeling the cinching of the economy and the need to do right by their employees (to say nothing of their employees families, who may depend on the benefits packages that are getting cut).
This is where PerkSpot.com comes in. Soon we’ll be adding access to voluntary benefits offers and opportunities on our site. What once was a tedious, complicated process – almost as fun as a trip to the DMV, minus the lines – will be simplified, easy and frankly – beneficial to employees.
So maybe perks and benefits are the same thing.
At PerkSpot.com, they definitely are.