It’s a candidate driven market
It’s been pretty obvious for a while now that we are in a candidate driven job market. Gone are the days when it was the salary that retained staff and attracted new talent, and with more than 1.25 million job vacancies in the UK – a ratio of 4 jobs to 1 person, workers can quite rightly afford to be choosy.
So, what does this mean? Well put simply, employers who don’t prioritise employee benefits / perks risk seeing top talent walk out the door and straight across the road to the competition. And as for recruiting new hires, you might as well wave to them across the road at the same time.
Delivering a benefits package can be a key factor on a candidate’s choice of job. Whilst career progression is a key concern, the role of the benefits package is undergoing radical changes. What employers offer beyond salary will go a long way in positively influencing employee retention and recruitment. It’s increasingly not about the money, discounts or a free lunch. There’s a trend towards additional benefits in a form of non-cash that covers people’s other needs, wants and desires. Benefits are about boosting company culture, increasing efficiency and productivity and creating better company outcomes for both employer and employee.
Our top most desirable benefits for employees
1. Flexible Hybrid Working
Flexible hybrid working isn’t a new thing but it used to be frowned upon by many employers and considered a bit of a ‘skive’ – if the employee wasn’t visible at work, how could they possibly be working? But, nowadays it’s increasingly more common, even more so following the pandemic, it has become in many instances the ‘new norm’ and is now in fact one of the most sought-after employee perks.
For many employees, working in the office provides them with a sense of normality whilst others really don’t like the idea of totally giving up working in their PJ bottoms or the ability to balance family needs or other obligations, not to mention the time and money saved on the busy work commute. It’s not for everyone though, for many working from home is like living at work but trends show that this is rapidly changing as people adapt and embrace the freedom and personal benefits that a hybrid pattern of working offers.
Our candidates tell us that hybrid working provides the best of both worlds – one that allows them to spend part of their working week remotely and part in the workplace. And in this digital age with accessible IT, it’s never been never been easier to stay remotely connected, with the front room becoming the meeting room and Microsoft Teams the new host.
2. Private Healthcare
Given the recent pandemic, medical assessment and treatment waiting times it’ was of no surprise when our candidates told us that private healthcare is a highly sought-after employee perk. Having a healthy workforce goes beyond reducing absence and given the recent pandemic, it’s more important than ever to ensure the health and wellbeing of your workforce both mentally and physically.
Health insurance is typically seen as being out of the reach for most people, with perceptions of it being too expensive, a cost many cannot afford especially in today’s climate of spiralling energy costs and inflation. Offering this as a perk to staff brings benefits for both the employee and employer. Access to high standards of healthcare for the employees, along with shorter waiting times and often policies will cover family members too. Not being subject to NHS waiting lists benefits like this are a win, win on both sides – helping employees return to work quicker following an illness, improving wellbeing amongst teams – therefore boosting productivity.
Our candidates told us that a perk such as this shows them that you care about them and their families health and wellbeing – it goes a long way to encouraging them to stay or move to a new job when this is part of an overall remuneration package.
3. Birthday and or extra holiday
Want to reward your staff? Give them an extra day off, allow them to take extra holiday. There are plenty of ways to manage this with paid, unpaid, buying additional leave. Time is precious, and our candidates were quick to point out that we’re all living busier lives than ever before. For some, they are working long hours, looking after families and taking part in more hobbies and interests than they’ve ever done.
4. Car Parking
There’s nothing more infuriating than getting to work in plenty of time for the day ahead only to find that there’s nowhere close by to park! Often overlooked, candidates told us that it can be a major cause of stress and anxiety for them and causes them to start their day in a bad mood before even entering the building. With so many people working flexibly – starting early, finishing late, the last thing anyone wants or needs is a long, lonely walk into the office – especially in dark or bad weather.
By providing free, safe and accessible parking, businesses eliminate this stress. Staff aren’t driving around in circles looking for a safe place to leave their cars, they don’t need to nip out half way during the day to top up the meter or feel unsafe walking alone in the dark at the end of a late shift. When employees know that they can come in to the workplace on time, park their cars close by they will naturally start the day off the right way resulting in better performance.
Rest assured if you choose Brampton Recruitment as your recruitment partner we will confidently relay your companies perks, benefits and company culture – ensuring that we place the right candidate in the right business. Get in touch today to discuss your recruitment needs on 01782 976976.
