The recruitment industry is now back in full swing and many companies are hiring for multiple positions. The pandemic has changed the working lives of everyone and now that we are no longer glued to our desks from 9am-5pm, many candidates are looking for jobs that can also give them some flexibility. As expected, the topic of company benefits is one that nearly all of our candidates are asking about.

Last week we did a poll on Linkedin asking our community which benefits they would like to have in their office that they don’t already have. We gave the options of hybrid working, a long weekend every 6 months, flexible working hours or health and well being benefits. Interestingly flexible working hours came out on top with 33% of people voting for that option.

This could mean that employees are happy to be back in the office but they want to be able to come in and go home at times that suit them. For instance, leaving at 4.30pm to collect their kids from school or arriving at 10am so they can go to a gym class before coming into the office.

As well as flexible working, many companies are going out of their way to provide a range of exciting perks and benefits to attract new employees. From pet insurance to debt support, below are the top 5 perks that some companies are offering.

1. Flexible working hours and longer paternity leave

As mentioned above, flexible working hours is the number one benefit that employees are looking for at the moment. Research by HR News shows that 60% of employees would not consider a job that offers them less flexibility than they already have. So if you haven’t thought about any flexible working options, it’s time to start thinking about it if you want to attract the top talent.

2. Cycle to work program

Bike2Work is a Government cycle to work scheme that many companies are now offering to their employees. Cycling to work encourages employees to keep fit, which increases productivity and reduces time off work. Also as a business you will be gaining valuable green credentials. If you sign up to the Bike2Work scheme, you and your employees will have access to over 2,200 partner stores across the UK offering bikes and equipment.

3. Thanks Ben

If you are looking for a benefits scheme that caters to all employees, Thanks Ben is one that many companies are now using to give their employees a range of choice when it comes to their benefits. Your company sets a budget and lets the employee spend what they want; this scheme replaces manual benefit allowances and offers maximum choice.

4. Company-sponsored grocery delivery

Another perk that companies are offering is fruit and snack deliveries. Businesses like Office Pantry provide a range of snacks, drinks and fruit that can be delivered straight to the office and enjoyed by all employees. Boxes range from just £20 per delivery. They even have a home delivery service for employees who work remotely, for just £20 per person a monthly treat box can be delivered straight to their house.

5. With Juno

“With Juno” is a very popular health and well-being perk that has hundreds of services to choose from. Employees are given Juno points (costing companies roughly £45 per month per employee) which employees can put towards a range of well-being services from yoga classes to deep tissue massages.

It’s clear that the current trend with employee benefits is choice and flexibility. Modern day perks are catering to everyone and putting the control in the hands of the employees. Instead of companies offering a one size fits all benefits programme, now they can put aside a budget per person and leave it up to each individual employee to decide what they want to spend their money on.

If you’d like any advice on benefit programmes or the best perks to attract the top talent, feel free to get in touch with us!