Something to doCompensation
Use the benefits you already have
A one-page worksheet to find the part of your pay that's going unused, and decide what you'd actually value
Why it’s worth your time
Part of what you're paid never arrives in your paycheck, and it only counts if you use it. A retirement match you don't claim or a learning budget that quietly resets is pay you earned and didn't collect. Twenty minutes a year is usually enough to find it, and to notice what's missing that you'd genuinely value.
How to review your employee benefits
You’ll come away with a one-page view of your whole package and one benefit to start using this month.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Find the full list.
Look in the benefits portal, the employee handbook, your offer letter or last year's enrollment materials. If it's scattered, ask HR for a one-page summary of everything you're eligible for; they often have one.
Stays in this browser only. Nobody else sees it.
- Fill in what's offered and what you use.
Go category by category. Short answers are fine. You're looking for gaps, not writing a report.
- Pick the one you're leaving the most on.
Money first, then time, then everything else. An unclaimed match or an expiring budget usually beats a perk you'd use once. Decide what you'll do about it this month.
- Ask about anything you don't understand.
Bonus rules, equity, when the match vests. HR gets these questions all the time.
You“I'm trying to make sure I understand my full package. Could you help me understand how this one works, and whether there's anything I should do before the end of the year?” - Put next year's review on your calendar.
Around open enrollment or the start of your company's year works well, since that's when choices can usually change.
Good moments for this: once a year, at open enrollmentwhen you start a new jobafter a big change in your life
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensDo it now, and you’ve invested in your career today.
- You know what’s nextTruest suggests the next small thing to try, based on what you’re working on.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Budgets reset, days expire, enrollment windows close. Anything with a date on it goes to the top of your list.
What might make this harder
Ask HR for a summary of everything you're eligible for. It's a normal request, and it saves you an afternoon of portals.
Questions people ask
What employee benefits should I review every year?
Retirement or savings matching, learning budgets, wellbeing stipends, time off and anything that expires, plus how any bonus or equity works. Open enrollment is a natural moment to check.
Is a retirement match part of my pay?
In effect, yes. It's money your employer adds only when you contribute, so not taking it leaves part of your pay unclaimed. If it vests over time, check how long you need to stay before it's fully yours.
How should I use my learning and development budget?
Find out the amount, what it covers and when it resets, then pick something tied to your work or your growth. Managers are often glad to see it used, especially when it helps the team.
What if I don't understand my bonus or equity?
Ask HR or your manager how it's decided, when it pays out or vests, and roughly what it could be worth. It's a normal question and part of understanding your pay.
Why this works, and where it comes from
When people think about pay, they think about salary. The package usually holds more than that: money toward retirement, budgets for learning, time off, stipends, sometimes a bonus or equity, and some of it only turns into anything if you go and collect it. Nobody sends you a bill for the benefits you didn't use, so they can sit there for years without anyone noticing.
This starts from the job you already have. Before thinking about more, it's worth knowing what you've got: what you use and value, what you ignore, and what you wish were there. The first two are about getting the most out of today. The third is quieter and more useful than it looks, because when pay does come up, you'll know what would actually matter to you beyond a bigger number.
It isn't a substitute for fair pay. If your salary isn't covering your life, benefits won't fix that, and a gym stipend shouldn't talk you out of a real conversation. Look at what similar work pays and raise it with your manager directly. Benefits are still worth using; they just aren't the answer to that problem.
Other simple things to consider
More in Compensation
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.