In search of better perks? Never hurts to ask
Companies look to stand out in competitive market
Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest HR professional society. (Questions submitted by readers and Taylor’s answers have been edited for length and clarity.)
Question: I see companies in the news offering cool new benefits like help with student loans, unlimited vacation or even allowing pets in the workplace. My company doesn’t offer anything like these. How can I get my company to start offering more interesting perks? – Anonymous
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.: As the saying goes, “There’s no harm in asking.” If you want your company to offer more or different benefits, your best bet is to request them.
Health care coverage, retirement savings plans and paid vacation are, by far, the most common benefits offered by employers.
A small number of companies are beginning to offer student loan repayment assistance. Other benefits that are gaining traction include paid time off for volunteering, standing desks, acupuncture medical coverage, massage therapy, onsite fitness centers, individual retirement investment advice, casual dress, “Summer Fridays” with reduced hours, free snacks, community volunteer programs and pet-friendly offices.
Although that’s a long list, I’m seeing even more additions to the menu every year. Over the last five years, a bounty of new perks has emerged as companies work to stand out in this competitive job market. Many of them aid in attracting and keeping talented employees, and some can be offered at low or no cost to the employer.
Benefits are part of an overall com- pensation package, yet I’m always surprised when I hear workers aren’t aware of all that is available to them. So first, make sure you know exactly what your employer is offering.
This is the time of the year that a company will determine its benefits and allocate resources for next year, so if you have a suggestion for an additional one, now is the perfect time to ask. Keep in mind, though, that not all organizations can increase their benefits budget. Adding a new benefit might involve making a trade-off with an existing one.
Along with your ideas, include a justification for how the benefit would be valuable to you, your co-workers and potential employees. If your organization tends to offer only standard or limited benefits, consider suggesting just one meaningful idea rather than a full wish list.
What your employer provides is determined by its business needs, including the interests of its workforce. Employers typically pay attention to which benefits are used by their workers and adjust accordingly. So, HR values feedback from employees such as you.
Q: I’m salaried. Each week, I am required by my company to fill out a timecard. No matter how many extra hours I work, I am supposed to put down only eight hours. I am then required to sign off that the timecard is accurate. Because I often work more than eight hours a day, I’m basically lying every time I fill out my timecard. If our time cards were ever audited, who would be responsible? — Anonymous
Taylor: Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), an employer is not required to track the hours worked by salaried, exempt employees. Although some employers have their salaried, exempt employees complete time cards for the company’s records, those records are not subject to audits under federal labor regulations.
An exempt employee might be asked to record eight hours on a timecard for any day in which work is performed, as this is usually considered a standard workday. Your signature might simply mean that you’ve worked a full week or pay period, not necessarily that you have worked the exact hours listed.
Your answer depends on what you are being asked to sign. If you sign a timecard that includes language that you are acknowledging the accuracy of the times recorded, you should not sign it. If, on the other hand, you are simply acknowledging that, as a salaried employee, you have worked a full day, your signature is not likely a problem.
You didn’t say whether you also are required to record any sick, personal or vacation days on your timecard. Some companies require exempt employees to record time that they take off.
Timecards are often used to help a payroll department ensure that exempt employees’ paid leave is docked accordingly and that exempt employees are paid appropriately.
As always, if you want to better understand your company’s requirements, ask HR for more information.