A well-thought-out benefits package understands an employee's needs and also keeps in mind the employer's objectives. In prevailing market conditions, a competitive benefits package can serve as a nice recruitment tool and also act as an effective tool for employee retention.

Basic benefit plans for employees include healthcare, retirement, holiday pay and paid vacation time. There are in-depth plans that cover things like flexible spending and day care.

Many employers are now offering cafeteria plans in which employees can choose from a menu and level of benefits. In most cases, these plans are funded by both the employees and the employers, and benefit both of them.

Healthcare insurance covers reimbursement for a number of things: medical fees, eye examinations, dental work, prescription drugs, hospital services, surgery, false teeth, x-rays, weight loss programs, and so on. Such a package follows either of these two plans, a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) or a Medical Reimbursement Plan (MRP). In HRAs, account balances can be rolled over from year to year if the employer agrees to do so, thus helping employees to better manage their own healthcare. Although equally flexible, MRPs are different from HRAs because they allow employers to reimburse cost from a specific time period, whereas HRAs roll over and provide benefits after an employee terminates employment.

Among retirement plans, a 401(k) plan allows employees to give a portion of their earnings to a retirement plan on a pre-tax basis. The employer can choose to match contributions to boost employee participation. Giving employees a sense of ownership, an Employee Stock Option Program is a retirement plan that invests primarily in employer stock.

A Defined Benefit Plan is the only qualified retirement plan that guarantees employees a retirement benefit. Under these plans, employees are allowed to cash out upon retirement or draw a monthly benefit based on compensation and years of service. Profit Sharing Plans allow employees to share in company profits. A 403(b) plan is similar to a 401(k) plan except for different rules on contribution limits and requirements.