One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure?

Okay, so that is a really stupid blog title.  Forgive me, but it’s the second week of the New Year and I’m still trying to get back into the full swing of things!  I thought I’d get the year started off right with a thought/idea provoking blog post and I’m hoping you will give me your two cents on the subject. A recent article prompted a few questions for me, and I thought I’d see what your take is on this subject.

A tech company recently pulsed students on what their latest and greatest compensation/benefits expectations are.  It was a small sampling if you consider it went to a global audience, but needless to say, it sounded like most students were in agreement.  A few of the key takeaways I had were that these few things were a top priority to today’s New Grads as they enter the workforce (besides a competitive salary of course):

1.  They don’t want to work for a company that bans social media.


2.  They want flexibility in selecting devices that they use for work.


3.  They think flexibility in working remotely is critical.

Well, hallelujah because Intel offers some flavor of each of these… so I don’t suspect I’ll be seeing offers declined for lack of these perks.

When you think about those items though, how do you prioritize them?  Do you care? Are these ‘trash’ or ‘treasure’ to you?

I personally am thrilled that Intel has embraced this age of transparency and allows ME to be ME out in social channels.  I tweet, Facebook, connect on LinkedIn and even +1 pretty regularly and know that the company is all for it. (We have our own corporate recruiting profiles on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn   and Google+!) I have a few friends that have told me that their employer blocks sites like Facebook though.  I think that would be an annoyance for me, but I’m not sure I’d decline an attractive job offer because of it. (let’s face it, my smart phone can help me connect whether they like it or not)

Working from home as needed was definitely something I discussed at the time I was contemplating job offers.  Knowing that the work I do can be done from anywhere around the globe, it would seem silly if my employer told me that the only way they would trust me to get the job done is to be in the office 5 days a week… (My fellow bloggers Keith and Sejal also love this benefit!)

What other kinds of perks do you look for/expect from employers these days?  For me personally, I really love that we have an onsite physician that I pay next to nothing to see as needed.  I like that I get free fruit and drinks every day.  Our newly remodeled onsite gym is fabulous (although I admit I don’t get there NEARLY as much as I should).  I swear this year is my year though!    I really could go on and on about the small benefits I take advantage of every week.  Free tickets to shows and sporting events, discounts on electronics/vacation packages/restaurants, Health and Wellness programs, access to numerous classes/development opportunities, etc.  It really would take me several hours to write it all down.  Some of these lesser known benefits can definitely add up.  What kinds of perks have you enjoyed from your employer?  What are the deal breakers when you start to negotiate a job offer?  I want to know if you think the ban of social media would really force you to re-evaluate a company or if you think that is a silly request in the first place.

 

Happy New Year to you all and looking forward to hearing your comments!