Millennial Money: It’s time for better employee benefits

Any offerings also need to be viewed through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, Illiano says.

“Millennials more than any other generation in the workforce, they expect it,” she says. “If you’re designing a medical/leave program that’s inclusive, ask yourself: Is your paternity leave as long as your maternity leave? If not, why? Are you offering leave to just birth parents? What about domestic partners? Adoptive parents?”

If you need more from your employer’s benefits, you can and should ask for it. Just be strategic in how you make the case.

— GO IN WITH DATA. Asking for a new perk? Bring numbers to back up your request.

If you’re advocating for paid time off to volunteer, for example, build the case by noting that 26% of companies offer this benefit, according to a 2019 report by the Society for Human Resource Management. (Even better, find out if any competitors offer the benefit you’re seeking.)

Want your company to consider student loan repayment stipends? Point out that 34% of employees said they would be more likely to stay at their job if their employer offered student loan assistance, according to a May 2020 survey by Gift of College, a crowdfunding platform .

If you don’t have compelling data to back you up, bring it back to your company’s mission and values statements.