05/25/11 Data gathering is underway for the annual Michiana Wage & Benefit Survey. Are you curious as to how your company’s wages and benefits compare with others in the Michiana region? Are you looking for a basis to plan adjustments in the coming year?
Companies, businesses and organizations in the seven-county Michiana region can find the answers to those questions by participating in the annual online survey. Participants receive a free copy of the printed report, which will be published in July. The report is made available to non-participants for $100.
“There was more participation from Marshall County in 2010 than ever, and it is important that trend continue for the report to accurately reflect our area,” said Jennifer Laurent, Executive Director of Marshall County Economic Development. “So far this year local participation is down, so we are asking companies of all sizes to log on and answer a few questions.” Participation is open to companies and organizations in four Indiana counties, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko and Marshall, and beginning this year three Michigan counties, Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph, are also included.
The survey gathers information on starting, maximum and actual annual salaries or hourly wages for more than 110 positions, from CEO to housekeeping, in administrative, technical, sales, production, legal, medical and other job categories.
A benefits section looks at the availability and costs of different types of health plans, time off policies, training, retirement and other incentives. Last year’s report, more than 100 pages long, included seven sections: an aggregate wage and benefit report of all participants, an aggregate of manufacturing, an aggregate of nonmanufacturing, and then large and small manufacturing and nonmanufacturing.
Supplemental reports focus on workforce and employment issues. They examine residence and commuting patterns, skills most in demand and most difficult to find, union penetration, education requirements and an assessment of what workers need to succeed.
“The information gathered is valuable to MCEDC and is the only up-to-date and in-depth wage and benefit data for our region,” says Laurent. “Existing and prospective businesses and organizations use the data to strategically assess the competitiveness of their wage and benefits packages.”
Participant information is confidential, and reports are aggregated so a specific wage or benefit isn’t traceable to a particular company.
The survey web site will remain open through Friday, May 27.
It can be found at https://www.wagesbenefitssurvey.com. Participants must enter the user code CJEMSxx9 (it is case sensitive) to be directed to complete secure log-in information. Contact Marshall County Economic Development with any questions about how to access the survey at (574) 935-8499.
