As with cash compensation, an important element of benefits management if knowing what the competition is doing. Survey information on benefits packages is available from private consultants, the U’S’ Chamber of Commerce, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). To compete effectively in the product market, cost information on benefits costs for specific categories as well as breakdowns by industry, occupation, union status, and organization size. Figure 13.4 shows some of these data for 2006.