A new study of job hunters found that corporate culture, great benefits, and fulfilling work are valued over high pay.

Employee benefits leader Unum and Monster.com recently surveyed 468 job seekers to inquire about their ideal work environment. The majority of respondants (87 percent) said the No. 1 thing they look for in a future employer is a company "that truly cares about the well-being of its employees." The numbers remained roughly the same for both employed and unemployed respndants.

Other characteristics job hunters listed as "very important" include:

A challenging and fulfilling position (84 percent)
Job security (82 percent)
An attractive benefits package (74 percent)

High salary was rated as very important by just 66 percent of respondants, and bonuses were "very important" to just over half of respondants.

The survey, which also polled human resources leaders, showed a strong connection between caring for the well-being of employees and financial protection beyond the paycheck:

The majority of HR leaders (86 percent) indicated that making sure employees and their families are taken care of in the event something happens is an important reason for providing financial protection benefits.
Eighty-two percent of workers agreed that being offered financial protection benefits shows that a company cares about the well-being of its employees.

"Employees, job-seekers and human resources leaders understand the importance of a caring corporate culture in recruiting and keeping a talented workforce," said Mike Simonds, senior vice president for Unum in a statement. "Benefits play an important role in supporting that culture."

It's not just job seekers who value benefits and corporate culture. An attractive benefits package and an ethical, transparent culture were more likely to be viewed as very important in attracting and retaining staff than were a high starting salary and job security.

"An engaged workforce is crucial to any company's success, especially at a time when businesses are striving to recover from the economic crisis," Simonds said. "A supportive corporate culture and benefits that help protect the financial stability of employees help build that engagement."

Instant Insights /

Benefits, company culture outrank high pay, study shows

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