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Survey says

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published August 13, 2006

SURVEY SAYS

A LOOK AT BIZ TOPICS ON AMERICANS' MINDS

Benefit gains match work/life priorities

While glamorous work perks like game rooms and chef-prepared lunches dominated the dot-com boom, employers are now offering more traditional benefits to improve their employees' lives overall, says a JobKite.com survey of 263 private and public companies:

- 56 percent have enhanced their employee benefits for recruiting and retention purposes.

- Almost nine of 10 of those enhancing their benefits are adding life, vision or increased health insurance.

- 69 percent of those are offering more money through stock programs, bonus plans or more money to 401(k) plans.

- Four of 10 of those are giving more vacation time, whereas 36 percent are offering telecommuting options.

"Employees' priorities have changed. They're more focused on longevity and a work/life balance," said Heather Galler, JobKite's CEO. "And employers are picking up on that."

We want to work at ethical companies

Unethical corporate managers contribute to lower worker productivity, drive away recruits and make some employees leave, says a survey of 834 full-time employees by LRN Corp., a Los Angeles company that works with corporations on ethics issues:

- 82 percent said they would work for less to be at a company that had ethical business practices.

- More than a third said they have left a job because they disagreed with the actions of fellow employees or managers.

- 94 percent said it was critical or important that the company they work for is ethical.

Our debt weighs heavily on minds

The economy is growing, but Americans are deeply worried about their day-to-day finances, especially their debt, says a survey of 1,000 people by the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank:

- More than 80 percent describe household debt as very serious or somewhat serious for the country - and most say it has gotten worse in the past five years.

- About half say they're not able to pay off their credit card bills every month.

- A third say they carry more than $10,000 in debt, not including mortgages, and 20 percent have more than $20,000 in debt.

- Almost a quarter of those polled say their finances are so pinched they can't pay all their bills every month.

- About 62 percent said they were worried about debt. That number rises above 70 percent for young people, nonwhites and single women.

"Household debt is now clearly seen as a middle-class issue and a real threat to middle-class aspirations," said John Halpin of the Center for American Progress.

[Last modified August 13, 2006, 01:22:29]