In May, nearly 60% of job postings on Indeed included at least one employer-provided benefit, marking a more than 50% increase since January 2020, according to Indeed’s Hiring Lab. This rise is attributed to post-pandemic labor market tightness. Job postings in low-wage sectors and those offering limited remote work opportunities are the most likely to advertise benefits. However, these sectors generally offer fewer benefits compared to higher-wage professions.
Professional sectors, in contrast, often have a lower share of postings advertising benefits. This may be due to job seekers’ assumptions that such benefits are standard and can be negotiated later. For HR professionals, strategically advertising benefits in job postings can enhance recruitment efforts, especially in sectors where benefits are less common. For example, in tight labor markets and low-wage sectors, highlighting benefits can attract more applicants.
In tech and professional industries, where remote work is prevalent and benefits are often expected, explicitly listing benefits might be less crucial. Nonetheless, in May, software development jobs stood out with 12% of postings advertising family benefits, the highest among analyzed sectors.
Looking ahead, employers are increasingly addressing social determinants of health—conditions impacting personal well-being—with more than half of surveyed employers planning to focus on these factors in the coming years. Additionally, pay transparency is gaining importance; over 40% of U.S. workers would lose interest in a job posting without a salary range.
HR professionals are advised to leverage their expertise in shaping employer branding and use recruitment as an opportunity to communicate the organization’s values and benefits effectively, as highlighted by Orlando Ashford, chief people officer at Fanatics.
