Employee benefits can influence workers' decisions when choosinga new job or staying with a current employer. In fact, 4 in 5employees would prefer new or additional benefits to a pay raise.And some benefits matter more to employees than others. Here's alist of five preferred benefits and perks:

1. Health insurance – Employees highly valuetheir health care benefits. As costs for health care servicescontinue to increase, employees appreciate medical coverage forunexpected health problems. Since many employers now offerhigh-deductible medical benefits, employees are requestingvoluntary options, such as dental and vision plans, to assist withpreventive care. These are plans employees tend to use most often.(Learn more about voluntary insurance by downloading this whitepaper.)

2. Paid leave – The Society for Human ResourceManagement reports that 97 percent of employers offer some type ofpaid vacation leave to full-time employees. Other findings are:

• 86 percent provide 6-20 vacation days, and 40 percent offer11-15 days of paid time off to full-time employees

• 98 percent offer paid holidays to full-time workers

• 95 percent include some form of paid sick leave to allemployees

3. Recognition – Employees recognize thatcompleting projects and meeting deadlines on time are part of theirwork responsibilities. However, they appreciate a word of thanksfor hard work. And when consistently working above and beyondexpectations, bonus pay, paid time off or gift cards are valuedrewards.

4. Retirement plan – As employees look ahead tothe future, they appreciate the security that retirement insurancebenefits offer. Some employers assist employees in setting up a401(k) or other pension plan, sometimes offering a matchingcontribution, to assist employees with retirement savings.Financial and retirement planning also is greatly appreciated byemployees as they look forward to retiring.

5. Flexible schedule – As employees jugglefamily and work responsibilities, flexible work schedules helplower stress and provide more balance in their lives to manage timeand expectations. Some companies also offer additional time forchild and elder care responsibilities.

Finding and keeping the right employees is a challengebusinesses face every day. Offering the right benefits andcommunicating choices to employees help keep employees engaged.Learn the best tactics for communicating benefits by watching thisvideo.