It's not all about the Benjamins and bennies

Think work is all about the pay and benefits? Then, you probably don't work at one of the top workplaces in the Philadelphia region.

Fewer than half of the 26,483 workers surveyed for the 2013 WorkplaceDynamics survey - 45 percent - cited the fairness of their pay as an important factor for working where they do.

The importance value shows how strongly each statement correlates with how employees in the Delaware Valley rate their workplaces. The closer importance was ranked to 100 percent, the more important the statement was to the respondent.

Only one third - 33 percent - said having a benefits package comparable to others in the same industry was important to them.

Instead, most top workplace workers said it was more important that they thought their company was heading in the right direction (68 percent), that they had confidence in their corporate leader (64 percent), and that senior management knows what it's doing (61 percent).

Pay and bennies also took a backseat to a feeling of being genuinely appreciated at the company (67 percent), confidence in their own future there (65 percent) and a belief that the work they were doing was meaningful (63 percent).

Stong corporate ethics and values (59 percent), a feeling that the job has met or exceeded their expectations (58 percent), efficiency and managers who care about employee concerns (56 percent each) also took precedence over paychecks and health insurance coverage.

Just don't tell your boss that if you're up for a raise.

Dave Ralis produces the Business and Politics channels on Philly.com.