The Double-Edged Sword of Employee Benefits
In Europe, it is common for workers to receive benefits when they work for a company, and today I will explain why this can be both good and bad.
Chapter 1: What are these benefits?
These benefits are always different and vary depending on the company and the job sector. For example, workers in sales have different benefits than cleaning staff. These “employee benefits,” as I will call them, exist to keep employees happy and loyal. The employer takes on these costs to retain and keep their valuable employees satisfied. These benefits can come in various forms and appearances. I’ll name a few examples: showers at work, discounted cafeteria meals, more vacation days, etc.
Chapter 2: Why benefits are good
Benefits make work easier. It’s simply pleasant when you can start your workday by taking a shower after arriving in the morning. You can also think of benefits as a form of additional payment. For example, a free cafeteria saves you 8 euros a day, which amounts to 240 euros a month. Employers also find it easier to implement stricter rules or changes without much resistance because the employees are happy. But what are the downsides of benefits?
Chapter 3: Why benefits are bad
I don’t think we need to talk about this for long: benefits can be seen as a form of window dressing. The employer dazzles the employees with all the nice things they receive, just to hide issues like low pay or unfair rules.
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Of course, everything in life has pros and cons. These benefits are good, but they also have their downsides. One should never forget to weigh whether the benefits are worth accepting lower pay.
