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Flexible working hours, more pension contributions – and extra holiday for long service are among the top work perks British employees want, according to a survey.
A study of 2,000 workers found more than half want their staff benefits to help improve their work/life balance and 49 per cent want added extras which will save them money.
And while younger adults highlight the need for help with housing, older generations are more concerned with private healthcare.
Access to mental health care is also more important to those who started working this decade than to those who began their careers in any decade before.
It also emerged fewer than one in five are currently totally satisfied with the benefits package provided by their employer.
And half of employees would leave their current employment if they thought they could get a position elsewhere with more perks, with just 22 per cent preferring extra pay over comprehensive benefits.
Steven Osei, spokesman for the Preferential Partnerships programme at Get Living, said: "It’s no surprise that employees’ attitudes to workplace benefits have changed over the last five decades since the world we live in is almost unrecognisable now.
“Employees are moving jobs more often, increasingly working from home and expecting to be compensated for their dedication.
“To keep up with the competition, employers need to reflect workers more flexible lifestyles.”
The study also revealed employees who started their working life in 2010 or later are most likely to want pets in the office, and free breakfast supplies.
And the demand for company-expensed dental care has decreased over the decades, with nearly a quarter of older workers feeling it should be offered as standard by employers.
This compares to just nine per cent of people who started their careers during this decade.
Free tea and coffee is most valued by workers aged between 45-54, with over-55's the most likely to seek out an enhanced pension contribution.
People aged between 18-24 cite unlimited holiday days as the most attractive perk they think a company could offer.
It also emerged employees who have been working the longest are most satisfied with their current benefits package, with those starting work in the 1990's the least happy.
Although more people who started work during this decade are currently looking for a job with better benefits than any other workers.
But unusually, younger workers are also most likely to stay in their jobs because the benefits are too good to pass up.
More than six in 10 workers who took part in the survey, conducted through OnePoll.com, believe their employer has a responsibility to look after their personal well-being.
And workers agree they have become more demanding of their employers due to the hours spent at work, increased retirement age and the always-on nature of work making them feel their companies should offer more for their service.
Get Living works with employers through its Preferential Partnerships programme to learn the challenges their people face living and commuting in the city where they work and offer a better way of renting.
Steven Osei added: “If a company wants to attract the top talent then they need to offer the best benefits, especially in London where the cost of living is leading to a brain drain.
"Since beginning the Preferential Partnerships programme, we’ve been working with top employers to create solutions for the challenges that their employees face when it comes to finding a place to live.
“In this hyper-connected world an employer’s duty of care no longer ends at the office door.
"Well-being starts at home and we can support this by offering a simple move in process and quality, well-managed homes.
“We know from speaking to our partners that this takes a weight off staff who are relocating or moving to a new city when starting a new job.
"We hope the success of this scheme will encourage more companies to take a vested interest in their employees’ living situations.”
THE MOST ATTRACTIVE WORKPLACE BENEFITS – BY AGE
18-24
1. Unlimited holiday days
2. Flexible working hours
3. Dental care
4. Free breakfast supplies
5. One free holiday a year
6. Access to mental health care
7. Private health care
8. Retailer and restaurant discounts
9. Free coffee and tea
10. Help with housing
11. Additional holiday days for long service
12. Enhanced pension contribution
13. Free fruit
14. Free eye tests
15. Free taxis if you need to stay in the office late
16. Clothing allowance
17. Phone allowance/work phone
18. Free/on-site gym and classes
19. First class travel on work trips
20. Summer hours between May and August
21. Subsidised gym/fitness classes
22. Assistance with childcare costs
23. Free showers
24. Taking paid work days to volunteer at a charity
25. Access to an emergency nanny
25-34
1. Flexible working hours
2. Enhanced pension contribution
3. Unlimited holiday days
4. Free coffee and tea
5. One free holiday a year
6. Additional holiday days for long service
7. Private health care
8. Dental care
9. Free eye tests
10. Free breakfast supplies
11. Assistance with childcare costs
12. Summer hours between May and August
13. Free fruit
14. Retailer and restaurant discounts
15. Access to mental health care
16. Free/on-site gym and classes
17. Clothing allowance
18. Subsidised gym/fitness classes
19. Help with housing
20. Free taxis if you need to stay in the office late
21. Taking paid work days to volunteer at a charity
22. First class travel on work trips
23. Free alcoholic drinks on a Friday
24. Pets in the office
25. Unpaid sabbatical
35-44
1. Flexible working hours
2. Enhanced pension contribution
3. Additional holiday days for long service
4. Private health care
5. Unlimited holiday days
6. Free coffee and tea
7. Dental care
8. One free holiday a year
9. Free eye tests
10. Access to mental health care
11. Free fruit
12. Summer hours between May and August
13. Retailer and restaurant discounts
14. Assistance with childcare costs
15. Clothing allowance
16. Free breakfast supplies
17. Free/on-site gym and classes
18. Subsidised gym/fitness classes
19. Help with housing
20. Phone allowance/work phone
21. Taking paid work days to volunteer at a charity
22. Unpaid sabbatical
23. First class travel on work trips
24. Free showers
25. Free taxis if you need to stay in the office late
45-54
1. Flexible working hours
2. Additional holiday days for long service
3. Private health care
4. Enhanced pension contribution
5. Free coffee and tea
6. Free eye tests
7. Dental care
8. One free holiday a year
9. Unlimited holiday days
10. Clothing allowance
11. Free fruit
12. Retailer and restaurant discounts
13. Summer hours between May and August
14. Access to mental health care
15. Free breakfast supplies
16. Free/on-site gym and classes
17. Unpaid sabbatical
18. Subsidised gym/fitness classes
19. Help with housing
20. First class travel on work trips
21. Free taxis if you need to stay in the office late
22. Phone allowance/work phone
23. Taking paid work days to volunteer at a charity
24. Assistance with childcare costs
25. Pets in the office
55+
1. Flexible working hours
2. Enhanced pension contribution
3. Private health care
4. Additional holiday days for long service
5. Free coffee and tea
6. Dental care
7. Free eye tests
8. Unlimited holiday days
9. One free holiday a year
10. Retailer and restaurant discounts
11. Clothing allowance
12. Access to mental health care
13. Free fruit
14. Free taxis if you need to stay in the office late
15. Summer hours between May and August
16. Phone allowance/work phone
17. Subsidised gym/fitness classes
18. Free/on-site gym and classes
19. Help with housing
20. Unpaid sabbatical
21. Taking paid work days to volunteer at a charity
22. First class travel on work trips
23. Free breakfast supplies
24. Free showers
25. Pets in the office
ENDS
