From Perks to Purpose: Using Benefits to Reinforce Company Values

When most business leaders think about benefits, their minds leap to recruitment, retention, and cost control. After all, an employee benefits package is both one of the largest non-salary expenses a company incurs and one of the most important elements of its benefits strategy to attract job candidates and build loyalty among current workers.

What’s less appreciated: an employee benefits package is also one of the most powerful tools an organization has for sharpening, communicating, and reinforcing its brand identity and company values.

Consider: a recent study found that growth- versus profit-oriented companies tend to handle benefits packages differently: “Our findings indicate that high-growth companies tend to provide a broad array of benefits to their employees. In contrast, highly profitable companies often concentrate on delivering a more limited and specialized set of benefits.”

In other words, one company offers a sprawling menu of perks from gym memberships to pet insurance, hoping the sheer volume will appeal to as many workers as possible. That fuels their ability to grow. Meanwhile, another firm takes a more deliberate path, choosing fewer but more strategically aligned benefits, in the hopes of guarding profitability. 

Neither approach is inherently wrong, but the outcomes diverge, and this divergence raises the question: how do you design a benefits strategy that attracts talent, controls costs, and stays true to who you are as a company?

How can businesses design an employee benefits strategy that not only attracts and retains talent, but also reflects and reinforces company values?

Businesses can achieve an effective, value-driven benefits strategy by aligning benefits directly with their mission and values, while also confirming those choices reflect the real needs of their workforce.  In practice, this means identifying the principles that define the business, listening to what employees truly value, prioritizing benefits that sit at the intersection of both, and communicating them consistently as part of the company's culture and identity. 

When benefits are designed with this approach, they do more than just compete on perks or costs, they become a tool for attracting like-minded talent, reinforcing culture, and building long-term engagement.

Benefits Strategy as a Mirror of Company Values

“It is getting difficult for employers to figure out what benefits to include,” says Sera-Leigh Ghouralal, a researcher at the Integrated Benefits Institute. “The decision-making process is complicated by the necessity to balance cost, relevance, and employee appeal.” 

That balancing act becomes easier when benefits are viewed not as a grab bag of perks, but as a reflection of company values. An employee benefits package sends a message, e.g., flexible work arrangements signal that leadership values work-life balance. When benefits align with core values, they will simultaneously satisfy employees and attract like-minded people who thrive in the culture your company is intentionally building.

Example: Education and Learning as a Value, Tuition Reimbursement as a Benefit

For example, let’s say you’re hiring Gen Zers or Millennials in a sector whose educational requirements are extensive. These workers are likely juggling student loan debt. An organization that values education and financial stability might make tuition reimbursement a pillar of their benefits program. 

Here, we might cite education technology company Chegg. As an organization that thrives on learning and needs an educated, skilled workforce itself, Chegg knows many employees wrestle with student loan debt. To match its values with its people’s needs, the company designed two student loan repayment programs: one offering $1,000 annually from day one, and another providing $3,000 to $5,000 per year after two years of service. For some employees, the benefit is “life-altering,” reports the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). 

Yet only 8% of employers offer such assistance. By aligning its employee benefits package with its identity and purpose, Chegg gains not only goodwill but also differentiates itself in a competitive talent market. 

Example: Belonging, Teamwork, and Collaboration as Values, Flexibility and Wellness Options as Benefits

Not every company faces the same workforce challenges or holds the same company values. So, let’s say you’re a company with a sizable population of remote workers, but your organization places a premium on teamwork and a sense of cohesion among workers. 

Here, benefits and perks that foster a sense of belonging can benefit employees and build that sense of camaraderie. Gartner research shows that benefits like flexible scheduling and wellness programs can increase feelings of inclusion by up to 38%. “Benefits applicable to all demographic groups, such as flexible work scheduling and emotional wellness programs, signal to employees that you care about their distinct needs and demands inside and outside of work,” writes Gartner. “Such signs of appreciation help drive a sense of belonging.”

Again, the key is aligning choices with company values. A culture that emphasizes community will gain little by offering flashy but misaligned perks. Conversely, benefits that reinforce belonging will deepen engagement and reduce turnover.

The Roadmap: From Perks to Purpose

So how can organizations move from offering a scattershot list of perks to creating an employee benefits package that truly reinforces company values? A practical roadmap might look like this:

1. Clarify your values. Before adjusting a single benefit, revisit your mission and values. Ask: what principles define us? Do we champion innovation, family support, sustainability, or professional growth? Benefits should then echo these priorities.

2. Understand your workforce. Values alignment only works if it also resonates with employee realities. Conduct surveys, focus groups, or exit interviews to uncover what employees value most. The intersection of company values and employee needs is where benefits will have the strongest impact.

3. Prioritize strategically. With hundreds of potential benefits available (over 216, according to SHRM), not everything can make the cut. Focus on offerings that directly connect to both values and workforce priorities. This selectivity helps control costs and increases impact.

4. Leverage partnerships. For small and midsize firms, a PEO or other third-party aggregator can unlock affordable access to benefits normally reserved for large employers. This can enable organizations to choose strategically from a full menu of benefits, some of which might otherwise be out of range pricewise.  

5. Communicate relentlessly. Even the most thoughtfully designed benefits strategy can fall flat if employees don’t know or understand it. Benefits are part of your Employee Value Proposition (EVP), and they must be marketed internally and externally. “A strong EVP provides a compelling but realistic view of the benefits of joining the organization while also leading to a connection that encourages employees to stay,” says Elysca Fernandes of McLean & Co. Employers should weave benefits communication into recruitment materials, onboarding, manager training, and internal storytelling. This will reinforce not just what you offer, but why you offer it.

Ensuring Employee Benefits Packages Pay Off

Designing an employee benefits package is never simple. The trade-offs between breadth and profitability are real. But companies that approach benefits as a way to reinforce company values discover an important truth: purpose pays dividends.

Employees feel seen, supported, and aligned with their workplace. Recruitment becomes easier, retention stronger, and engagement deeper. For leaders wrestling with benefits strategy in a competitive labor market, the path forward is clear: let your values lead.

FAQs on Benefits That Reflect Company Values

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