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After decades of research and practical experience, Human Resources specialists have moved away from traditional notions of employee benefits to a more holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously attracts talent, enhances employee growth, and motivates meaningful employee contributions to the company's goals. Competitive local and global forces have made measures once deemed extraordinary now highly strategic (Chen & Hsieh, 2006). While the modern approach to employee benefits ideally encompasses multiple options far beyond the parameters of this report, two intelligent employee benefits in the "war for talent" are: training and educational opportunities; and wellness programs.
Training and educational opportunities for employees both reward employees for their contributions and trains employees to expand their skill sets, ultimately contributing even more to the company's goals (Chen & Hsieh, 2006). Starbucks Corporation, for example, offers a college achievement plan to its employees/partners (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). According to this plan, eligible Starbucks employees receive partial or total tuition reimbursement and individually tailored support including an enrollment coach, financial aid counselor and academic advisor (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). In this way, Starbucks not only rewards willing and capable employees but also increases the skills and motivation and loyalty of its workforce (Chen & Hsieh, 2006), all to Starbucks' advantage. The more knowledgeable and skilled the employee, the more productive he/she can be for Starbucks. As with any widespread program, Starbucks faces special challenges of nondiscriminatory application of the plan, along with the time, expense and legal requirements of record-keeping, evaluation and reimbursement. Despite the outlay of resources for the college achievement plan, Starbucks is wise to invest in higher education of its human assets, as this will attract talented employees, enhance their loyalty to Starbucks and motivate them to develop skills that will ultimately serve Starbucks' own corporate goals.
Wellness programs increase employees' control over and responsibility for their own physical and mental well-being while reducing health care expenses and losses to employers through employee illness (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The offer of low-cost, attractive wellness programs helps a company attract talent, increase employee loyalty to the company and motivate employees to higher productivity (Chen & Hsieh, 2006); furthermore, the healthier an employee is, the more capable he/she is of being productive for the company (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). Consequently, the Affordable Care Act offers new incentives for wellness programs and increases employers' flexibility in offering those programs (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The Verizon Corporation, for example, offers a "Health and Wellness" program for its employees (Quick, 2013). Offering fitness centers at 44 Verizon office buildings across the nation, Verizon charges merely $15/month in membership fees for: use of the fitness facilities; the services of personal trainers; fitness assessments; and annual medical checkups (Quick, 2013). The provision of all those wellness-related benefits for a mere $15/month shows Verizon's understanding of the program's benefit to the company as well as the employees. Challenges to such a program are
