As the cost of benefits continue to rise, employers need to find ways to be competitive by providing as many benefits as they can, while still controlling the costs of those benefits. Most companies try to keep their benefits offerings at about 35 percent of a workers' salary. This means that when benefits are added at a higher cost, others have to be reduced or eliminated to keep costs in line.

A survey of 459 companies by the Society for Human Resources Management tracked a total of 217 benefits offered, or 21 more than it had the year before. Companies are looking to add benefits that resonate with employees without adding a lot of cost. Gen-Probe, a biotechnology firm in San Diego, has implemented a 9/80 workweek program, which gives workers a day off every other Friday. They have instituted a rule that no meetings are held on Fridays. This gives employees a productive and uninterrupted day to look forward to. This work schedule is regularly identified as one of the company's most valuable employee benefits in their surveys and costs the company nothing to implement.

Other companies are offering benefits like pet health insurance, telecommuting opportunities, discounted health club memberships, and elder care planning assistance. Mortgage assistance and wellness programs are other popular benefits that are being added.

With health-insurance rates showing double-digit increases for the last three years, and another double-digit increase expected this year, some employers are forced to choose between eliminating benefits, shifting costs to employees, or finding another provider. All of these options can have negative effects on employee morale.

Gen-Probe proudly says that their employees don't contribute anything toward their health-care premiums. Their cost increase has been lower than other companies because employees seem to value the benefit and take action to help keep their own costs low.