We hear it so much, maybe sometimes we take it for granted, but it's worth repeating and maybe even re-examining completely. Benefits remain one of the most important tools an employer has when it comes to attracting and retaining quality talent (second only to compensation itself).

A new study from Guardian backs that up with some real numbers – which maybe your department can use to fine tune your benefit offerings.

Guardian's just-released Workplace Benefits Study actually attempts to quantify employees' perceived value of the benefits they receive at work. According to Guardian, this year's "Benefits Value Index … reveals American workers, on average, have a score of 6.8 (based on a scale of 1 to 10), suggesting that while today's American workers do value their benefits, there is significant room for improvement."