Looking for a new job means asking yourself a lot of questions:
Do your skills and experience match the job description? Do you believe in the company, its mission, and its values? Does the job pay what you need? Will their benefits actually benefit you?
Maybe you’re in the enviable position of deciding between jobs at two or more companies. How do you decide which company to go with?
We’re here to help. We’ll explain what to look for in employer benefits and what makes Fidelity’s employee benefits stand out. We won’t just tell you about our benefits; we’ll also share some real talk from Fidelity employees.
What should you look for in employee benefits?
“Table stakes” benefits are the ones you really can’t do without:
Retirement planning Health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) Paid time off
Consider these benefits the essentials.
What makes a company stand out are the benefits that go above and beyond for you. These benefits meet you where you are in your career and in your life. What you need when you’re fresh out of school isn’t what you need as a parent or when you are near retirement.
Ask these questions about a prospective employer:
Do they offer employer student-loan contributions? What insurance do they offer outside of medical, dental, and vision? What, if any, emotional well-being benefits do they offer? How do they support family planning and care needs? What financial benefits do they offer on top of your salary such as matching 401(k) contributions, profit sharing, bonuses or other incentives?
What benefits set Fidelity apart from other employers?
Fidelity knows that your job is just one part of your life. Of course, it’s a big part, but it’s not the whole enchilada.
That’s why our benefits support you in the office and at home. “It’s the comprehensive package of all the benefits together that makes my life a lot easier,” said Ryan, a central relationship manager.
No matter what phase of your career or life you’re in, Fidelity can offer something that other companies may not. Here are a few examples to consider:
Benefit type Typical offering Fidelity’s above-and-beyond offering Retirement Savings Plan/401(k) You can make contributions to a tax-advantaged retirement plan.
Your employer might offer a modest matching contribution.
Fidelity matches your contribution dollar for dollar up to 7% of eligible earnings.
You also get a broad range of investment options and no-cost portfolio management.
Paid Time Off (PTO) You start with a small amount of time and slowly get more the longer you’re there. On average, U.S. employees start with 14 days of PTO their first year. Fidelity gives you 23 days off per year to start. As you hit key milestones, that increases to up to 33 days per year. Health Coverage Basic medical coverage you pay for that may not cover all needed services with potentially high out-of-pocket costs like premiums and deductibles. Comprehensive medical coverage—paid mostly by Fidelity—that’s affordable for you and gives you a wide network of quality providers to choose from. Wellness Benefits Potential benefits such as: Employee Assistance Program for mental health support Fitness discounts Tobacco-cessation programs Benefits beyond the basic: Emotional Well-being Support Program and other virtual and onsite mental health support Tobacco-cessation programs Free onsite fitness facilities Free health and nutrition coaching Subsidized healthy dining Fitness reimbursement program And more Student-loan Assistance Only 10% of employers offered student-loan benefits in 2023. Fidelity offers student-loan assistance up to $15,000 for full-time employees (30+ hours/week) and $7,500 for part-time employees (20–29 hours a week). Fidelity makes payments even if you can’t.*
Why does Fidelity invest so much in our employees? So we can invest in our company. As Elara, principal architect of the Corporate Technology Group, said, “When Fidelity’s employees are happy, fulfilled and have their needs met, they have everything they need to be successful at work.”
What do employees have to say about Fidelity’s student loan assistance?
Let’s face it, dealing with student loans can be a huge burden. If thinking about your student loans makes you feel depressed, anxious, or a sense of looming dread, you’re not alone.
“It’s difficult to see real change in your debt because it feels as if it’s all going to interest,” said Jaclyn, a high-net-worth associate. You might feel as if you’re forking over all your money but never chipping away at the principal.
At Fidelity, we know that money and emotions are knotted together, especially regarding student loan debt. That’s why we offer student loan assistance programs to help alleviate stress and anxiety and set you up for financial stability in the short and long term. “Fidelity takes away the burden of cost and helps me afford my loans,” said Ana, a brokerage client experience operations representative.
Like many of his friends, Ryan has student-loan debt. Unlike them, he gets assistance from Fidelity to help repay his loan every month. “The fact that Fidelity adds a little extra on top of what I pay on my student loans makes more of an impact,” said Ryan. “It takes a little weight off my shoulders.” He can spend less time worrying about finances and more time focused on his mental well-being. Even when his student loan provider changed and his loans were deferred, Fidelity was there to help navigate and continue payments. “I give the folks working in the benefits office a round of applause,” Ryan added.
Student debt relief benefits don’t just reduce stress and anxiety. They have a positive effect on your bottom line.
What do Fidelity employees say about their mental-health-support benefits through the Emotional Well-Being Support Program?
It’s no secret that stress, anxiety, and depression are on the rise. When you’re feeling underwater in life, it’s hard not to bring those dark clouds with you to any situation, let alone work.
That’s why Fidelity offers free short-term, limited-duration mental-health benefits through the Emotional Well-Being Support Program. We also offer comprehensive mental health and substance-use-disorder benefits for those enrolled in a Fidelity group medical plan. We want our employees to be able to address short-term mental health care without worrying about the cost.
“In my area of California, a therapist can be extremely expensive,” said Joi, a Fidelity financial consultant. “That Fidelity provides us with a certain amount of free mental health services through the Emotional Well-Being Support Program is more than I could ever ask for. I know Fidelity cares about my well-being. I can keep pressing on.”
The Emotional Well-Being Support Program can be a game changer for employees at work and at home. These employee stories show you the difference it makes.
Elara’s story: Showing up as her best self
After graduating college, Elara experienced high anxiety. She didn’t have the tools she needed for the workplace. She turned to the Emotional Well-Being Support Program for help regulating her emotions and working through her anxiety rather than against her neurodiversity.
“The program gave me more space and creativity,” said Elara. “I could provide value to Fidelity because I wasn’t bogged down. The mental health benefit transformed how I show up at work. Leveraging the Emotional Well-Being Support Program helped me step into my power.”
Now Elara has the skills she needs at work and at home to bring her best self to the table, day in and day out.
Joi’s Story: Changing family and community dynamics
The pandemic was hard for Joi. As an extrovert, she felt isolated and alone while stuck at home. On top of that, she felt stigma from her community about seeking mental health care. But Joi knew she needed help, so she turned to the Emotional Well-Being Support Program.
This program helped her so much that she encouraged her husband and children to use the services too. “It’s been a wonderful addition to our family’s mental health,” Joi said.
Her teen and pre-teen kids have deepened their relationship with each other and better deal with the ups and downs of adolescence. “Whenever one of my kids is having a tough time, the other pulls out the workbook they got from the therapist, and they practice being bold and brave.”
As a family, they have the words, skills, and resources they need to help themselves and each other. And they’re positive role models for their community, with the opportunity to change the story regarding mental health.
How easy is it to use Fidelity’s employee benefits?
Maybe you’re thinking that this all sounds great, but are there hidden benefit hoops to jump through? No, absolutely not. That’s not how we do things.
Fidelity makes it simple to use your benefits with a four-pronged approach:
A helpful benefits website. Regular benefit-education webinars. Benefit events that are fun and informative. A team of supporters who can guide you through any hiccups.
“Fidelity puts a group of people behind each benefit to explain how to get enrolled and how to use it, and to answer questions should they come up,” said Ryan. “Regular communications explain benefits, fairs, and enrollment periods transparently.”
Fidelity makes it easy to put your employee benefits to work.
Why should you work at Fidelity?
The best benefit at Fidelity is working alongside amazing people, in an inclusive culture, and doing work that matters for a company that you can believe in and that believes in you too. Beyond our competitive benefits, Fidelity offers you a balanced and innovative work environment where you can develop your career while exploring new skills and opportunities.
When you work at Fidelity, “you’re a part of something bigger than yourself,” said Brianna who handles product delivery for Fidelity Digital AssetsSM said. That bigger something? Changing lives—whether customers or employee lives—for the better.
Our benefits can help you transform your life too. “Fidelity gives me opportunities to work on myself — opportunities that I never thought were possible,” said Elara. “I’m a person first and an employee second. Fidelity really invests in that.”
It’s time you had benefits that meet you where you are in your career and life. It’s time to “find your Fidelity.”
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