Naperville, Ill., November 24, 2008 — Today, the Cable Telecommunications Human Resources Association (CTHRA) released key findings from its 2008 Employee Benefits Survey which was conducted by Stanard & Associates to benchmark employee benefits provided by industry organizations.

"CTHRA's survey results indicate that employers have aligned their benefits package with employees' priorities and that recruits entering the cable industry can anticipate an attractive offering of benefits," shared Lynne Ramsey, CTHRA's president and senior vice president of human resources for Charter Communications.

Survey participants were Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable Communications, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, A&E Television Network, C-Span, Discovery Communications, Lifetime, Scripps Networks, Turner Broadcasting System Inc., and The Weather Channel. While CTHRA's survey respondents enjoy exclusive access to the comprehensive findings, CTHRA shared six trends identified by the survey.

What employees want
CTHRA's survey found that health care, 401(k), vacation and paid time off, pension plans, and alternative flex-work schedules are the benefits that are most important to employees, and the majority of industry employers are providing them.

The standard benefits package
CTHRA's survey identified 11 benefits offered by 100 percent of the survey respondents: medical/health care insurance, 401(k) plan with company match, paid holidays, paid time off, opportunity to fund flexible spending accounts, vision care, short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, tuition reimbursement program, and dental insurance.

Unconventional benefits have become mainstream
When CTHRA released highlights from its 2007 Employee Benefits Survey, we noted some employers differentiated their benefits packages with creative offerings such as concierge services and pet insurance. CTHRA's 2008 results indicate that those and other benefits have gained quite a following over the last year:

• 83 percent offer adoption expense assistance plans, up from 44 percent last year;
• 75 percent have separate elder-care benefit plans compared to zero last year;
• 75 percent offer concierge services;
• 83 percent offer flexible work schedules/arrangements;
• 33 percent offer pet insurance.

"The adoption of untraditional benefits reflects the fact that industry employers are engaged in an intense battle for talent. No one wants to lose a top candidate because their company lacks a benefit offered by competing employers. The situation bodes well for industry employees," said Julie Cookson, senior vice president of HR for Scripps Networks, who served as co-chair of CTHRA's Benefits Survey with Beth Pollard, vice president of HR, compensation, benefits and HR planning for Cisco Systems, Inc.

Green HR initiatives are in bloom
CTHRA expanded the scope of its survey in 2008 to examine the topic of green initiatives, and all but one respondent completed that section of the survey. Of the responding companies:

• 100 percent offer at least one type of in-office recycling (paper, cans and bottles, or computer/test equipment), 73 percent offer all three types;
• 73 percent offer mass transit incentives;
• 46 percent offer car pooling incentives;
• 45 percent offer an alternative work schedule to reduce commuting (either work from home one or more days, or a four-day work week), with an additional 36 percent considering it;
• 27 percent offer incentives for alternative fuel vehicles, with an additional 36 percent considering it.

Employees are leaving money on the table
It is interesting to note the while employees rank a 401(k) plan as one of the most wanted benefits, and all of the survey respondents provide a plan, only 66 percent of eligible employees participate in the plan available to them.

"CTHRA's survey results on 401(k) participation were an eye-opener, especially in light of the current global financial crisis. CTHRA urges industry employers to review their company's 401(k) participation rates and roll out programs to educate their employees of the value of their 401(k) program," stated Cookson.

Rising healthcare costs yield creative management strategies
While CTHRA's survey respondents cited managing healthcare costs as their number one benefits related concern, it is reassuring for employees to know that 100 percent of the surveyed employers plan to continue to offer medical coverage. To do so, employers are implementing a variety of strategies to address rising costs: 83 percent are using health data and data mining techniques to identify savings opportunities; 83 percent are increasing employees' share of medical insurance premiums; 75 percent offer disease management, with 42 percent aggressively practicing it; 67 percent, up from 63 percent last year, provide a wellness or preventive care plan; and 50 percent offer health and fitness reimbursements.  

While the next installment of CTHRA's Employee Benefits Survey is slated for 2010, CTHRA will conduct its Annual Compensation and Human Capital Metrics Surveys in 2009. For more information on CTHRA's research initiatives, please visit www.cthra.com.

Media Contact: Melissa A. Hicks, Mosaic Marketing, 484.888.6766

About CTHRA
The Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association (CTHRA) is the premier human capital resource for the industry and a growing nonprofit organization with 1,600 members spanning 100 companies. CTHRA provides industry-specific benchmarks, information and resources, as well as networking and educational opportunities. Its groundbreaking initiatives include employee benefits, compensation and human capital metrics surveys and its annual symposium. For more information, visit www.cthra.com.