25 companies with the best benefits in the world

The top 14 company benefits employees want in 2022

Employee benefits matter. According to a 2018 Glassdoor survey, when reading job ads, benefits are the top factor jobseekers consider (second only to salary). Here are the top 14 company benefits employees want in 2022.

Health insurance

Healthcare coverage is expensive. According to an eHealth study, the average health insurance premium for an individual in 2020 was $448 a month. While federal law requires employers to pay half of employees’ insurance premiums, today’s workers want more than the bare minimum.

Health, dental, and vision insurance is the most heavily considered factor when comparing a job with high pay to one with better benefits: https://www.frac.tl/employee-benefits-study/

Paid parental leave

Paid time off to welcome a child to the family is a huge bonus, in particular for employees in the U.S., where paid parental leave is not mandated by law. A 2021 YouGov poll found that 68% of Americans believe companies should offer paid parental leave to mothers and fathers.

Whether you’ve given birth or adopted, parenthood is a gift. Employees want to know that their employers will let them treasure it.

Support for new parents

Raising children while pursuing a career can be challenging for anyone, and parents with professional ambitions want to know that they won’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

Beyond paid parental leave, many companies offer additional support to new moms and dads, such as breast milk delivery for mothers away on work trips, backup childcare when regular care falls through and onsite daycare for parents who want to be near their kids while at the office.

Generous paid time off

Paid time off was named as the most desired employee benefit, according to a 2020 Unum survey.

Whether it's sick leave or vacation, employees want to know that they can take time off for their well-being without being penalized.

Unlimited vacation

Let’s face it, being able to take as many days off as you want-and still get paid!-is a dream. One-third of Americans would take a pay cut if they could gain unlimited vacation, according to the Allianz 2019 Vacation Confidence Index, which surveyed 1,005 people.

But not all that glitters is gold. A 2019 INSIDER poll found that 29% of Americans who have unlimited PTO report that they "always" work while on vacation.

Tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance

As a professional, you rely on up-to-date skills to do your job well. That’s why it’s so useful to work for a company that offers tuition reimbursement or assistance. Some companies will pay you back for taking classes related to your field of work, while others will reimburse you for classes you take to learn about a new field.

Student loan reimbursement or refinancing

For many, graduating from college and entering the workforce means dragging the weight of the price tag attached to that shiny new degree. But what if you worked for a company that would pay your student loans for you? Some of the companies in the list below do just that!

Help with paying off student loans is a highly desirable benefit. According to a 2016 Student Loan Hero survey, 52.69% of respondents prefer student loan repayment assistance over additional paid time off.

Retirement plan

Employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as the 401(k) and pension plans, are a highly desirable benefit for any employee who wants the comfort of knowing they’ll be financially secure in retirement. These days, a 401(k) with company match is an expected benefit, and though it’s tough to find, a few companies do still offer the highly coveted pension plan.

Gym membership

As society becomes more aware of the physical and mental health benefits of exercise, gym memberships are becoming a more sought-after employee benefit. Some employers also offer wellness stipends for wellness-related expenses (like gym memberships), while others will reimburse you for those expenses.

Disability insurance

Disability insurance, though certainly not shiny or exciting like some of the other benefits on this list, may be more important than you realize. According to the Social Security Administration, for people born in 2000, one in four will become disabled before reaching retirement age. But in 2020, only 40% of civilian workers had access to short-term disability insurance and 35% had access to long-term disability insurance, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Disability insurance provides you with a portion of your income should you become unable to work due to a disability. According to insurance company Guardian, short-term disability insurance covers you typically from 3-6 months after you become seriously injured or ill, while long-term disability insurance covers you anywhere from 5 years until retirement age.

Wellness program

Today’s employees and employers are starting to realize the value of overall well-being-and work has a lot to do with it. Some companies offer access to mental health apps, free counseling, life coaching and even nutritionist consultations.

Company match

A company match means your employer will contribute to your 401(k) plan by matching what you contribute, up to a certain percentage. So, for example, Target offers its employees a 401(k) plan that the company matches dollar-per-dollar up to 5% of eligible pay.

Why is this so valuable? Well, because it’s essentially free money toward your retirement. Imagine a different scenario: If you’re self-employed (like I am), you can contribute your own money to a Solo 401(k), but you don’t have an employer matching those contributions-so you miss out on extra cash to go toward retirement. That’s why a company match is such a sweet employee benefit.

Remote work

Long before the pandemic necessitated the switch, remote work was a highly coveted employee benefit.  And now, as many companies return to the office, their employees still want to be able to work from home, or anywhere they want. Some are even choosing to quit rather than have to go back to the office.

Flexible schedules

In a Workplace Well-Being report that surveyed almost 2,000 people, flexible hours was voted as the most desired work-life balance benefit. While 74% of employees want flexible hours, less than half of employers provide it.

For companies trying to navigate the “new normal,” they’ll need to understand that remote work combined with flexible schedules are the new expectation of today’s jobseekers.

25 companies with the best benefits in the world

Now that you know what the most sought-after employee benefits are, who are the companies that are actually offering them? Below is a list of 25 companies with the best benefits that will make you feel taken care of now and in retirement.

Please note that all of the benefits were found on the company websites and were accurate at the time of writing. Companies can change their employee benefits, so if you snag an interview with one of these companies, be sure to check!

1. Google

No surprise here, right? With its sprawling Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif., and its quirky, over-the-top perks-like napping pods, Japanese space toilets and even a team “fun budget”-this tech giant’s extravagance is tough to beat.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Mental health resources, such as employee assistance programs, workplace accommodations, and access to mental health apps
• Onsite wellness centers
• 401(k) and regional retirement plans
• Student loan reimbursement
• Paid time off for vacation, bereavement, well-being and more
• Options for remote work plus four "work from anywhere" weeks per year
• Hybrid work where you can work from home two days a week for most roles
• Parental leave
• Backup childcare
• On-site meals and snacks

2. Samsung

Founded in 1938, this South Korean electronics company has offices in Berlin, Paris, Tel Aviv and more. With its impressive list of financial and health benefits, it’s no wonder Samsung was named “World’s Best Employer” by Forbes in 2021.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Telehealth medical services
• Paid time off: 20 days per year, increasing with tenure, plus company holidays
• FlexTime: Flex or change when you start and end work
• FlexPlace: Certain employees can work from home or another location up to four times a month
• 401(k) plan
• Student loan support
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Tuition assistance
• Paid child caregiver leave of up to 12 weeks
• Milk Stork partnership helps breastfeeding moms away on business ship their breast milk to their children

3. GoDaddy

Headquartered in sunny Arizona, GoDaddy made a name for itself selling domain names. In the past, it made Fortune's list of “100 Best Workplaces for Millennials.”

• 401k matching
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Paid time off: GoDaddy’s site says it gives “Liberal time away to rest & recharge,” but it doesn’t specify how many vacation days are offered
• Disability insurance
• Employee stock purchase program
• Tuition support
• Subsidized meals
• Paid parental leave
• Daycare subsidy
• Adoption assistance
• Empower by GoDaddy: Volunteer opportunities and charitable grant matching

4. Netflix

To consumers, Netflix is known as the on-demand video streaming platform where you can binge-watch your fave series, but to employees, it's known for leading the way in paid parental leave. At one point, in 2015, the company announced it would offer up to 52 weeks of paid leave to new parents, but it has since taken that blog post down.

Now, Netflix’s website says that most new parents who work for the company take 4-8 months of leave-still a huge benefit, especially for Americans who don’t get paid parental leave mandated by the government like in other countries.

• Health insurance: $16,000 health benefit allowance to cover insurance premiums for medical, dental and vision plans
• Mental health support: 25 free sessions of coaching and/or therapy
• 401(k) plan: Dollar-for-dollar match up to 4% of eligible pay
• Parental leave
• Flexible time off: Salaried employees have unlimited time off
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Take a vacation when you want
• Stock options
• Matches charitable donations up to $20,000
• Relocation benefits
• Rideshare service partnership

5. HubSpot

Named the #1 Best Place to Work in 2020 by Glassdoor, HubSpot boasts impressive employee benefits, including unlimited vacation and flexible work. The marketing software company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with global offices in Dublin, Singapore, Tokyo and more.

• Unlimited vacation
• Flexible work: Employees can choose to work from home, the office or a combination of both
• Sabbatical: After five years, HubSpot employees earn a four-week paid sabbatical plus a bonus
• HubCare: Employees receive mental health resources from clinicians
• Paid parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement: HubSpot grants employees $5,000 a year for education expenses
• Global Week of Rest: The week of July 4 every year, HubSpot employees all partake in a Global Week of Rest to unplug at the same time.

6. NVIDIA

For five years in a row, technology company NVIDIA has graced Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. With extensive health and well-being benefits, it’s no wonder 97% of its employees say they're "proud to tell others I work here," according to data from Great Place to Work.

• 401(k) with company match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Commuter expense reimbursement
• Daycare Flexible Spending Account
• Identity theft protection
• Student loan repayment program
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Flexible time off benefits: NVIDIA's site says, "Employees decide when they want time off and work it out with their manager."
• Paid parental leave

7. Microsoft

Founded in 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Microsoft is now a global technology giant employing more than 150,000 people with offices in the U.S., Ecuador, Kenya, Serbia and Australia-just to name a few. It was also named one of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in 2021.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Up to $1,200 reimbursement per year for wellness-related expenses
• Coaching-based program to support mental and emotional well-being
• 401(k) plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Student loan refinancing program
• Legal services for things like real estate transactions and even resolving a traffic ticket
• PTO: 15 vacation, 10 sick, 10 U.S. holidays, and two personal days a year
• Flexible work schedules
• Paid parental leave: 20 weeks for birth mothers and 12 weeks for all other new parents

8. Cisco

Claiming the top spot in Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For 2021, Cisco boasts a generous PTO policy, job swapping program and on-site health and fitness centers to make sure its employees are happy and healthy.

• Employee stock purchase program allows employees to buy Cisco stock at a discount
• Annual performance bonuses, tuition reimbursement (as long as it's from an accredited institution)
• Paid time off for your birthday
• "Fun fund" to bond with your team
• Job swap where you can switch jobs with someone temporarily or permanently
• On-campus health and fitness centers
• Healthcare coverage
• Five days per year of paid time off to volunteer

9. Intuit

During the pandemic, Intuit created resources to ensure their employees felt supported, dedicating a large portion of its benefits site to COVID-19 support, including offering discounted center-based childcare and tutoring services. They also allowed employees to use their usual family support time for child care for dependents younger than 18.  

• 401(k) plan where Intuit matches $1.25 for every $1 the employee contributes, up to 6% of eligible pay
• Adoption assistance
• Backup care for children and adults
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Legal insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Leaves of absence
• Onsite fitness centers
• Pet insurance
• Paid time off for sick time, vacations, bereavement, your birthday, family support time and more

10. Publix

This Southern grocery chain’s slogan is “Where Shopping Is a Pleasure”-and it seems working there is too. Full-time employees enjoy benefits like tuition reimbursement for any class that helps them do their job better, mentoring programs for new retail managers and support staff associates and an Employee Assistance Program to help Publix employees who are experiencing crises.

• Employee stock ownership plan
• Holiday cash bonus, 401(k) plan with company match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Tuition reimbursement: Up to $12,800 for college and university enrollment and $3,400 for all other courses of study
• Vacation pay and six paid holidays

11. Amazon

Founded in 1994 as an online bookseller, Amazon is now an online shopping behemoth, with more than 1.3 million employees, according to its earnings report from Q2 2021. In 2020, Amazon created more than 400,000 jobs, and based on the list below, its employees can receive some pretty stellar benefits.

• Stock options
• 401(k) plans with 50% company match
• Financial counseling and estate planning services
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Amazon Care: 24/7 virtual clinic where nurses can visit employees in their home (if the employee is based in Washington state, where Amazon is headquartered)
• Free access to a network of child and eldercare providers, discounts on daycare centers
• Adoption assistance
• Parental leave: up to 20 weeks for birth mothers and six weeks for parents who adopt

12. DocuSign

DocuSign is an American company that makes signing documents electronically easy. The company offers an impressive array of employee benefits, including paying 100% of medical, dental and vision insurance premiums, offering free therapy and coaching and creating designated nursing rooms for moms.

• Health, dental, and vision plans: DocuSign pays 100% of premiums for employees and 50% for their dependents
• 401(k) plans
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Paid time off: 10 annual holidays, 20 days of PTO a year
• Paid parental leave: Up to 6 months of paid leave for new parents who are the primary caregiver or up to 2 months for non-primary caregivers
• Backup childcare and adult care
• Wellness Reimbursement Program: $50 a month toward wellness activities
• Emotional and Mental Wellness Program: free therapy, coaching, wellness exercises and more
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Employees get 24 hours of paid time off to volunteer for a nonprofit they choose.

13. EY

Headquartered in London, this Big Four accounting firm has landed a spot on FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 23 years in a row. With an unlimited vacation policy, generous paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements, it’s no wonder Ernst & Young’s employees enjoy working there.

• Unlimited vacation
• Paid parental leave: 16 weeks
• Up to 80 hours of PTO each calendar year for U.S. salaried employees who need to care for family members
• Health care coverage
• Gympass: access to gyms, bootcamps, studios and on-demand streaming workouts
• EY Assist: Free counseling and support for employees and family members in their household for mental health
• Flexible work
• 401(k) plans

14. Target

With more than 350,000 employees and 1,915 stores in the U.S., Target is a highly recognizable brand with a strong reputation. While Target does offer a pension plan, only employees hired before 2009 are eligible (so, sadly, it's not available to new team members).

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance
• Team Member Life Resources (TMLR): Free counseling and support 24/7, including five free counseling sessions per issue per year
• Free use of Daylight mobile app to reduce worry and anxiety
• 401(k) plan with dollar-for-dollar employer match up to 5% of eligible pay
• Legal services
• Paid time off for vacation, personal holidays, national holidays, well-being and bereavement

15. DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo, a search engine that protects user privacy, has averaged a 90%+ team retention rate since 2012-so it must be doing something right! It has a lot of employee benefits that indicate it’s focused on the well-being of its team members.

• Flexible work: DuckDuckGo employees do not have "core hours," so they work when they feel energized and take time off when they need a break.
• Open vacation policy
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan: No company match
• Coworking space reimbursement of up to $500 per month
• Wellness stipend of up to $1,000 per year to use on things like gym memberships, mental health counseling and sports activities
• Learning stipend of up to $1,250 a year for expenses such as books, in-person or online courses and conferences

16. Zapier

As a technology company that exists to help people become more productive, Zapier does a lot to ensure its own team is productive too. With flexible hours, asynchronous work and unlimited vacation, Zapier employees enjoy some of the best benefits around.

• Work from anywhere
• Unlimited vacation
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Retirement plan with 4% employer match
• Paid parental leave: 14 weeks for new parents
• Two annual company retreats

17. GitHub

For jobseekers craving freedom to work how they want, tech company GitHub just might be the perfect fit. It boasts a remote-first culture where remote employees receive a home office stipend.

• Flexible work schedule
• Work from anywhere
• Monthly wellness stipend that covers things like gym memberships and massages
• 401(k) plan with a 50% company match
• 100% coverage of insurance premiums for medical, dental and vision plans
• Paid parental leave: 5 months to all new parents
• Flexible paid time off
• Charitable donation match of up to $15,000 per calendar year

18. Duolingo

Everyone’s favorite language-learning app, Duolingo doesn’t just make learning a new language fun, it tries to make working for the company fun too. With in-house chefs cooking up lunch daily for employees, an on-site gym and annual company retreat, Duolingo has enviable employee benefits.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Therapy sessions and coaching
• Paid parental leave
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Paid time off: 20 days plus two weeks off for winter break
• First-time home buyer bonus in Pittsburgh
• Annual professional development stipend
• In-house chefs who prepare lunch daily for team members
• Annual company retreat
• On-site gym and massages

19. IKEA

From the company known for its cheap yet stylish home decor and equally affordable but tasty in-store meals, IKEA highlights its Swedish heritage by encouraging work-life balance for its employees. Its benefits package is available to employees who work at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis and includes generous paid parental leave and even pet insurance.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid parental leave for up to 16 weeks
• Pet insurance
• 401(k) with 100% company match on the first 4% that employees contribute
• Income protection

20. Amgen

Founded in California in 1980, Amgen is a biotech company that employs about 24,000 people worldwide. Its impressive benefits package focuses on the care of employees’ health, finances and career.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• On-site fitness centers at some locations or fitness reimbursement
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Short- and long-term disability benefits
• Paid time off and bi-annual company shutdowns
• Paid parental leave
• Company matching for donations
• On-site childcare at some locations or discount for other locations
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible work

21. Accenture

With more than 642,000 employees worldwide and locations in 200 cities across 50 countries, Accenture is a force to be reckoned with. The professional services company frequently tops the lists of best places to work, including snagging the #12 spot in Fortune's 2021 Best Big Companies to Work For.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Wellness program with an app to track fitness and nutrition and pays out cash rewards quarterly
• Paid parental leave: 16 weeks maternity leave, 8 weeks for primary caregivers and 2 weeks for secondary caregivers
• Subsidized backup care for children and adults
• Flexible work
• Paid time off plus 9 paid holidays
• 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to 6% of contributions
• Disability insurance for short-term and long term

22. LinkedIn

Social media network LinkedIn helps professionals further their careers, so it makes sense that it takes such good care of its own employees. With education reimbursement, counseling sessions and wellness events, LinkedIn employees are truly set up for success.

• Health insurance
• Employee Assistance Program counseling sessions
• Onsite gyms, fitness classes and wellness events
• Charitable donation matching
• Education reimbursement
• Paid parental leave
• Allowance to help pay for childcare, eldercare or petcare
• Paid time off
• End-of-year week-long paid shutdown

23. Merck

This New Jersey-based American pharmaceutical company is one of the few on this list that offers a pension plan, in addition to a 401(k) with company match and flexible work schedules.

• Paid time off, including 10 fixed holidays, 4 year-end shutdown days and vacation days
• Paid parental leave: Up to 12 weeks for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child
• Pension plan and 401(k) plan with company match
• Health insurance
• Disability insurance
• Flexible work, including flextime, remote work and part-time work
• On-site gyms, nutritional programs, coaching and mental health therapy sessions

24. Coca-Cola

Founded in Atlanta in 1886, Coca-Cola and its partners employ more than 700,000 people across the globe. It is another one of the few companies still offering pension plans to new team members. For jobseekers looking for a well-established company with strong employee benefits, Coca-Cola might be the right fit.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• 401(k) plan
• Pension plan
• Paid parental leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Adoption assistance
• Tuition aid
• Paid time off: Vacation, holidays and leaves of absence

25. Buffer

The small team is making big waves in the SaaS industry, especially with its notoriously healthy work culture. Buffer is a social media marketing software company with a fully distributed remote team that spans 15 countries and 11 time zones. Its CEO, Joel Gascoigne, is known for his radical transparency, going so far as to share profit updates on his Twitter account and creating a webpage that makes Buffer employees’ salaries available to the public.

• Remote work
• 4-day workweeks
• Health insurance
• Home office stipend
• Growth mindset fund
• Vacation: minimum 3 weeks a year
• 401(k) with 3% company match
• Paid parental leave of 3 months (more is possible)
• Coworking space stipend
• Paid sabbaticals: up to 6 weeks after every 5 years with Buffer

Which of these companies with the best benefits will you apply to?

When searching for the best job for you, it’s important to take into account salary, work culture and employee benefits before making a decision. These companies with the best benefits offer perks that ensure employees are happy and healthy-things like generous PTO, family assistance and retirement plans all give workers peace of mind that they will be well taken care of, even long after they stop working.

Need support as you apply for jobs at these companies with the best benefits? Sign up for our free Goal Catcher coaching program that’ll help you stay motivated and nail your targets.