Research Finds Employees Value Company Stock Plans

A 2014 report by Fidelity Investments finds that 40% of polled employees say that a company stock plan is a "must-have" when considering a new job. The vast majority (86%) of workers 40 years old or younger say that would want a prospective employer to offer company stock, and 10% of respondents rank company stock plans as more important than health care and 401(k) plans. A majority of respondents say that company stock increases their company loyalty and encourages them to work harder (54% and 57%, respectively). Kevin Barry, executive vice president of stock plan services at Fidelity Investments, says the study's results indicate that "today's workers increasingly understand that a company stock plan is a great savings option to complement their traditional workplace savings plan."