How to Attract Top Talent: Work Perks Employees Want Now

Most companies agree that their people are their most valuable asset. Although today employees are looking for more than just an attractive salary or an impressive job title when they’re taking a new job.

Instead, research shows that 48% of candidates report weighing upon employee perks before accepting a job offer.

Recent findings from Seek say that almost 70% of candidates believe they’d be happier in their job if their employer offered more work perks and an extra 62% said they’d be more loyal to their employer if they received extra benefits.

A further 63% of employees believed that more perks in the workplace would make them feel prouder of where they work.

So, what work perks are employees expecting in 2021? 

Money isn’t the motivator.

A survey from Glassdoor says that 80% of employees would rather receive additional benefits over a pay raise. Specifically, many people said they would value vacation or paid time off as an extra benefit over extra salary.

It’s therefore clear that people want a “work-life balance,” and would like perks that are going to help them further enjoy their time outside of work.

Some examples might be offering corporate outings, gym discounts, paid time off for birthdays or even holiday incentives. 

Flexibility is a priority.

Secondly, Seeks research says that flexibility around work hours (59%) and location (56%) are the top two perks that candidates are currently looking for in their job search.

It makes sense, people want to feel like they have a life outside of work and they want the time to be able to take care of other personal priorities. 

So, incorporating this perk into your workplace might involve offering flexible scheduling beyond the traditional 9-to-5 or allowing employees to work remotely. 

Continuous learning is highly valued. 

Research from SnackNation says that 80% of employees ranked some form of continuous learning or professional development as either “important” or “very important” to them when choosing what company they work for. 

Of course, people want to feel like they’re growing as a person. They want to level up and take their career to the next level. It’s never fun to feel like you’re stagnant. 

So, you can offer this to employees in the form of mentorships, online training, or in-person conferences.  

In Conclusion 

Employee perks are valuable tools for attraction and retention, so it’s wise to highlight them at every stage of the recruitment process.

Mention them in your job adverts and discuss them during the interview process, so that candidates are very clear about all the positive aspects of working at your business.