When you think about your dream job, what comes to mind? For me, it is sitting in a nice, ergonomic desk chair, in a small but bright office of my own, working on a project I love for the best client in the world with help and collaboration from the best coworkers a girl could ask for.
You know what I don’t really take into account in my happy work daydream? The salary. I mean, obviously I expect there will be a salary, but it doesn’t rank very highly among my other wants and needs in a job.
And a new survey conducted by employee benefits leader Unum and Monster.com seems to support the idea that I am not alone in this. According to the survey, which polled 468 job seekers about their ideal work environment, 87% of respondents said the number one thing they look for in a future employer is a company that “truly cares about the well-being of its employees.”
Job seekers were asked to rank different characteristics of their ideal jobs, and high salary and bonuses were only listed as “very important” to just over half of the respondents. A challenging and fulfilling position (84%), job security (82%), and an attractive benefits package (74%) were all ranked higher by the majority of survey respondents.
The survey also showed a strong, positive correlation between employers who care for the well-being of employees and employees view of the company as having a strong corporate culture. A good benefits package plays an important role in supporting a strong corporate culture, according to Mike Simonds, the senior vice president for Unum.
What does this mean for you? It might be prudent to consider everything about a job before accepting, or sometimes even applying for, the position. What if it pays you the big bucks, but also requires 80 hours per week? Can you handle a job like that? Does it offer benefits? All of these are important things to consider beyond just salary, and it seems like today’s job seekers are acknowledging that. Are you?
What does your ideal job look like? Tell me about it; I’d to hear!
