MILL VALLEY, CA — (Marketwired) — 05/12/16 — A new study from , the research arm of the world–s most transparent jobs and recruiting marketplace, today revealed employees in the finance and technology industries are most satisfied with their benefits. Though official sources show how many U.S. employees have access to benefits in their workplaces, until now, there has been little information on the quality of those benefits. Through Glassdoor–s unique data set of more than 470,000 benefits reviews shared by U.S. employees, this study, titled , compares eight industries by employee satisfaction with overall benefits ratings and with popular benefits such as maternity/paternity leave, 401(k) retirement plans and free food and snacks.(1)

In terms of overall benefits, the highest-rated industries are finance (3.72 benefits rating)(2), technology (3.68) and manufacturing (3.64). Many high-demand, high-skilled jobs such as , and are found in these industries as well as high-skilled blue-collar jobs. Two industries had below-average overall benefits ratings: restaurant, bars & food services (2.73) and retail (3.11). Though retail and food services industries are less likely to offer benefits, this study shows that even among employees in the food services and retail industries that receive benefits, they are still rated lower than other industries.

The importance of benefits and perks to job seekers and employers is rising. According to a recent Glassdoor , three in five people consider benefits and perks among their top considerations before applying for a job. Benefits like health insurance, paid leave and retirement plans today make up about of the total compensation pie — a share that has been in recent decades.

“This study shines a light on the quality of benefits in the workplace, which traditionally we have known very little about, and offers a first look into how satisfied employees are with the benefits packages at their workplace. Job seekers and employers alike are paying more attention to benefits and perks as part of total compensation,” said Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist of Glassdoor, Inc. “At the end of the day, it–s not all about pay. Employers should invest in the quality of their benefits programs to attract and retain talent in this tough hiring landscape. Attractive benefits and perks are an important hiring tool, and we know they are one of the top factors job seekers consider before applying.”

Though the U.S. has no mandated paid maternity/paternity leave, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 87 percent of private sector employees have access to unpaid family leave while just 12 percent have access to paid family leave. This highlights the importance of the quality of maternity and paternity leave for employees, though the quality differs dramatically by industry. Similarly to overall benefits ratings, the finance industry (3.77) and the information technology industry (3.71) lead the pack with the highest-rated maternity/paternity leave benefits. Education, which includes many U.S. universities, follows with a 3.60 maternity/paternity leave benefits rating. The health care industry (3.36) and retail industry (3.41) have the lowest average maternity/paternity leave benefits ratings.

This study is unique in that it looks at not only the average benefits ratings by industry, but it also illustrates the full distribution of benefit ratings. To see a more well-rounded view of the quality of benefits by industry, the study shows how ratings on a 1- to 5-point scale are distributed. For example, a flatter distribution line indicates a more diverse distribution of ratings across the industry, signaling greater variances from company to company.

In terms of 401(k) retirement benefits plans, the study shows an even distribution in terms of employee satisfaction across industries. This suggests that employees generally have the same level of satisfaction with their 401(k) retirement plans than other benefits the study examined. This makes sense given many 401(k) plans are standardized across employers compared to maternity/paternity leave plans or free lunch and snack programs.

Free food and snacks have been made popular by the technology industry in recent years. In this study, the information technology industry (4.06) does, in fact, have the most satisfied employees when it comes to the free food perk. It is followed by business services (3.94) and manufacturing (3.90). Lowest-rated industries for this benefit are the education industry (3.22) and retail (3.34). Interestingly, free food has long been a perk in the restaurant, bars & food services industry, which falls in the middle of the pack but still above average at 3.80.

To learn more, read the full study and subscribe to the research site. Help job seekers and employers better understand the quality of benefits at your workplace by sharing a . Employers, to help shine a light on which benefits are offered, verify your benefits with a .

is the most transparent jobs and recruiting marketplace that is changing how people search for jobs and how companies recruit top talent. Glassdoor combines free and anonymous reviews, ratings and salary content with job listings to help job seekers find the best jobs and address critical questions that come up during the job search, application, interview and negotiation phases of employment. For employers, Glassdoor offers and employer branding solutions to help attract high-quality candidates at a fraction of the cost of other channels. In addition, Glassdoor operates one of the most popular job apps on and platforms. The company launched in 2008 and has raised approximately $160 million from Google Capital, Tiger Global, Benchmark, Battery Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, DAG Ventures, Dragoneer Investment Group, and others.

(c) 2016 Glassdoor, Inc. Glassdoor® is a registered trademark of Glassdoor, Inc.

(1) Study based on 470,000 benefits reviews shared by U.S. employees on Glassdoor between 6/18/14-9/20/15. Full methodology can be found here:

(2) Benefits ratings are based on a 5-point scale: 1.0=very dissatisfied, 3.0=OK, 5.0=very satisfied.

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