Top Job Thursday

The employee benefits of working retail

If you believe Clerks, working in retail's a dead end, a job you'd use to pay the bills while focusing on more pressing priorities. (In Dante and Randall's case, those priorities likely meant being charming layabouts.) But in the years since Kevin Smith made his signature film—and stopped working at a convenience store—something in the retail industry changed. Namely, it became a massive force.
Now, retail's one of Canada's growth industries—between 2001 and 2011, it grew 31.2 per cent, and last year, it was a $76.8 billion industry. It is, like oil and gas, one of Canada's most profitable sectors. Dead-end? Hardly.

Accordingly, working in retail has become a long-term career option—and, unlike other industries, which have slashed employee benefits, pension and job security, some of Canada's best retailers are actually adding benefits. Which means that if you want eye- and dental-care, you might be better served working for Apple than working a rando admin job on Bay Street. Things done changed, right?

So, if it's benefits ye seek, we've done the research for you. Here are some of the benefits some of Canada's top retailers offer:


APPLE CANADA
Yeah, their employees are known for being cultish. Sure, working here might completely iEquip your iLifestyle with iEverything. (A good thing, depending on who you are.) But the love Apple employees give their employer is well-earned—and their benefits package is excellent.
It begins with health and life insurance. Then, there's long-term disability coverage, vision care, tuition assistance, financial education seminars, a 401k plan, stock options and… yes, even a bad-ass employee discount—which currently, gets workers 25 per cent off all products. If you've recently begun working for Apple, that probationary period can't end soon enough.


STARBUCKS CANADA
The Seattle-based coffee giant has, in many ways, been a trailblazer in the benefits game—and it's not surprising that its employees elect to stay with the company. First, they've developed the Total Pay package, which pays you at market value according to your skills, ensuring you get paid your worth.
But then, the benefits kick in. There's bonuses, which reward certain business goals, health coverage, income protection, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance, adoption assistance, stock options and access to Starbucks freaking 401k savings plan. That, and you get a pound of coffee a week, just in case you weren't already addicted to the stuff. Read more about their bennies package here.


THE HOME DEPOT CANADA
Unleash the inner Mike Holmes. If you're handy, or have a passion about home improvement, there's few better places to work than Home Depot. Because, along with working an excellent retail position, their benefits could compete with an office job's any day.
Like what? Well, even their part-time employees receive dental, vision and life insurance. But full-timers get medical benefits, disability and life insurance, a 401k, stock options and group benefits, such as legal services, auto insurance and even vet insurance. Your cat will thank you later.


CHAPTERS-INDIGO
As one employee writes on theglassdoor.com, working here is "one of the best low-stress retail jobs out there." Sounds like our bag. But the perks don't stop there.
First, dental and health benefits are provided to all employees, whether full- or part-time. Then, the company will match RRSP/RDSP contributions, which'll simultaneously give you a tax break and help you save for the future. And then, there's the discounts: There's tuition reimbursement, employee referral benefits, and book borrowing. That way, you won't have to purchase 50 Shades of Grey proper.


THE SOURCE
Benefits? The Source has 'em. Along with excellent earning potential, they also provide tuition reimbursement for to-be students, company-matched RSPs, and employee assistance programs. Good stuff.


BEST BUY-FUTURE SHOP
Fun fact: Best Buy employee in Alberta and B.C. qualify for laser eye surgery discounts. But beyond that, the mega electronics retailer offers much more, including extended health and dental coverage, long-term disability insurance, a health spending account, stock plans and RRSP contributions. Add on access to all the gadgets you'd ever need, and there's really no reason to not continue a career with Best Buy.

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