Studies have shown that the number of benefits offered in job offers is growing rapidly.

Nearly 6 in 10 job ads advertised at least one benefit in May, up from less than 40% in January 2020. While this increase is widespread, sectors that typically pay the least have the largest share of ads that include at least one benefit, even if they offer fewer benefits overall. In May, 62% of job ads in low-wage sectors advertised at least one benefit, compared with 57% of ads in medium-wage sectors and 58% in high-wage sectors.

Medical and insurance benefits are the most commonly offered benefits of the four major categories examined in detail. The second most commonly offered type of benefits is retirement benefits, including 401(k), followed by vacation benefits (including paid time off) and family benefits.

“Not only are these four categories more common across sectors, but they are also the types of benefits that may be largely assumed or expected by job seekers in many careers, including education and technology,” the report says. “However, with the exception of family benefits, sectors that have traditionally been considered more generous with benefits — including many technology sectors — are generally not among the sectors with the highest share of job postings mentioning these benefits.”

“While most job postings advertise at least one benefit, professional and highly remote sectors are less likely to include benefits in their job postings, with the exception of unexpected benefits such as parental leave,” the report concluded. “The opposite is true for sectors with high employee counts, where benefits are less likely to be accepted by job seekers. Companies that do not include benefits in their postings in low-employee sectors may be missing an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and attract candidates, while professional sectors may attract more attention by offering more unexpected benefits.”