Employee Health and Wellness
Many companies have taken to offering employees laundry pickup, free breakfast, and in-office massages and other similar conveniences. KPMG has a concierge service that allows employees to make arrangements for the time consuming chores that, though simple, can cause stress. For example, a KPMG employee in Orlando wanted a special and unexpected birthday present for his pregnant wife. He called KPMG's national concierge service, Les Concierges, who arranged for a balloon-filled limousine that brought her to a prestigious spa for a massage, and then back home for a romantic candlelight dinner.

We at KPMG are also able to take advantage of special seminars on work/life issues, as well as affiliations with local fitness centers.

Dependent Care
Most of you are probably too young to worry about dependent and/or elder care, but it's nice to know what your company offers, as you may take advantage of these options later in your career. Most companies now offer affiliations with local child care centers that provide discounted child care and emergency child care. Because tax season is such a busy time at all accounting firms, they may offer employees special "Busy Season" care, in case they must come in late in the evening or on weekends.

Employers support elder care by offering referral to a range of assisted living options for elders, from minimally assisted to full nursing care. KPMG, for instance, contracts with an eldercare referral service that works with employees to find the right fit for their parents. This decision is based on a number of factors: proximity, care option, cost, activities and level of service provided.

Financial Assistance
The 401k or pension plan falls under this category, but so do a host of other offerings. Many companies offer financial help for employees undertaking the extremely costly process of adopting a child. There are also programs to assist with paying a mortgage, insuring home and auto, vision care, and even loans for education.

Community Service
Many companies now sponsor community service programs for employees. These can take the shape of a firm-wide community service day, a special partnership with a specific organization, or simply time off to volunteer. You never know what will come up in the course of your life, but chances are that your employers' human resources department has a program to deal with it. Keep aware of the various benefits and services offered to you, so that you will know to take advantage of them when the time comes.