After salary, workers most likely to consider PTO, culture when weighing offers

Dive Brief:

More than one-quarter (26%) of workers say vacation time and paid time off are the most important non-salary factors when considering a job offer, according to a new Accountemps survey. Corporate culture (24%) and career advancement (21%) rounded out the top three most cited factors.
Breaking down the demographics in the survey, young workers ages 18 to 34 said career development matters most in accepting a job offer, while workers ages 55 and older cited paid time off as their top factor. Women prioritized vacation time in considering offers, while men favored corporate culture.
Workers in large midwestern cities, including Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland, said time off was the most important factor. Employees in New York, Houston and Dallas ranked career advancement potential as their top consideration. Accountemps polled 2,700 workers across 27 U.S. cities.

Dive Insight:

Paid time off, or vacation time, translates as work/life balance. And that's clearly what employees in the Accountemps survey said they want most.

The irony, however, is that many employees don't take the vacation time they're already allotted. Employers should continue offering generous or accrued paid time off, because it attracts talent. But they also must encourage employees to take time off without feeling guilty for staying away from work for short periods or feeling tied electronically to the office.

Employers should also expect company culture to be high on employees' list of key factors in accepting a job offer. Candidates want to know if they and the workplace they're interested in joining will be a good fit. Employers must consider how their organizations operate and solve problems, and whether they inspire or positively challenge employees.

Career development is high on every list of workers' biggest job concerns, especially among millennials and young employees in general. Employers who want to retain workers must examine ways to provide development opportunities, whether it's through mentoring, sponsoring, training, upskilling, tuition reimbursement or conferences.