Benefits Mentions in Job Postings Jump More Than 50%

Want to stand out among candidates in your job listings? Make sure to advertise your employee benefits offerings.

Not only is that the big takeaway from new research from jobs site Indeed—but more employers are heeding that advice.

More than half (59%) of job postings on Indeed now advertise at least one benefit, up from less than 40% in early 2020—a more than 50% increase, according to new data.

The spike is likely due to post-pandemic labor market tightness, said Allison Shrivastava, associate economist at Indeed.

“This increase in benefits [that are] advertised came at a time when we were experiencing a really tight labor market,” she said. “It’s likely that competition for hires made employers want to do all they could to stand out from the crowd and make their compensation packages as attractive as possible to would-be applicants.”

While job postings advertising company benefits have increased across the board, it’s most prevalent among sectors that don’t traditionally offer benefits, the Indeed analysis found. Low-wage sectors (62%) and those with a low rate of remote jobs (64%) are the most likely to tout a benefit, although they offer fewer benefits overall.

Professional sectors, particularly those with high remote-work availability, show the lowest share, likely due to implied benefits. Veterinary (80%), dental (78%), beauty and wellness (75%), child care (75%), and personal care and home health (73%) sectors lead the pack in benefit advertising, “emphasizing the importance of explicit benefit listings in these fields,” the analysis found.

“This could point to a difference in importance, where nonprofessional sectors have more to gain in advertising benefits so the shares of postings in those sectors have grown faster than professional sectors,” Shrivastava explained. “It’s likely all sectors have something to gain by advertising benefits, which is why we’ve seen such a large increase overall,” although some sectors may reap more rewards in promoting benefits than others.

But advertising benefits in job postings is a worthwhile practice writ large, as benefits experts have reiterated the importance of benefits to attract and retain employees. Although the strategy is important for all kinds of benefits, touting those that go beyond table-stakes benefits such as health care coverage, retirement, and paid time off can be a significant boon for businesses. Various surveys have found that employees are increasingly looking for more varied employee benefits. A survey by family health care provider Ovia Health earlier this year, for instance, found nearly three-quarters of employees (73%) said they would leave their current job for better family benefits.

Such benefits are included in just 7% of job postings, according to Indeed, “so any sector could benefit from advertising things like parental leave,” Shrivastava said.

Progyny, a New York City-based health care and benefit firm with roughly 620 employees, is one such company that includes its offerings in job postings. Those include basics such as retirement plans, paid time off, and health, dental, vision, and life insurance options for employees and their families—but also family-friendly perks including paid family and parental leave; fertility and family-building benefits (including egg freezing, in vitro fertilization, and adoption support); company equity; a bonus program; and flexible work options.

Annie Panatier, director of talent acquisition at Progyny, said advertising those offerings is an obvious choice, as competitive and comprehensive benefits are a big part of the company’s overall strategy.

“Candidates consider the benefits package as a crucial component of an offer’s total compensation,” Panatier said. “A company’s benefits package also reflects the company’s values, and by including these details in job postings, the company can attract talent who not only apply but also align with the organization’s values.”

Shrivastava said more employers might want to follow suit.

“It’s clear that employers believe that benefits are more important than ever in job postings, particularly for traditional benefits in sectors where benefits aren’t always a given,” she said. “But if an employer really wanted to stand out, then advertising a benefit outside of health, retirement, and leave would set them further apart.”