Work perks are revolutionising the way the British workforce views the workplace, according to new research by BankingRefunds.co.uk.
The packaged bank account claims specialist polled over 1,500 Brits on their attitudes towards perks and benefits, to find out whether they really have an influence in uplifting morale. The findings suggest that the secret remedy for bosses to get the most out of their employees is to invest a little extra in them.
More than a third (36 per cent) of British workers admit that receiving perks makes them significantly happier within the workplace, 40 per cent of employees confess that a perk makes them feel like they are getting a better deal.
The study reveals that while Brits may enjoy perks that allow them to use flexi-hours (40 per cent) and escape the office early on Fridays (37 per cent), the most sought after work perk is private healthcare (45 per cent), suggesting that British employees value employers who are interested in their wellbeing.
Brits’ top five work perks are:
1. Private healthcare (45 per cent)
2. Complimentary food (42 per cent)
3. Flexible hours (41 per cent)
4. Early finish on a Friday (37 per cent)
5. Complimentary drinks (31 per cent)
6. Free parking (28 per cent)
7. Staff discount on products and services (22 per cent)
8. Work mobile phone (22 per cent)
9. Leased Car (18 per cent)
10. Team away days (9 per cent)
BankingRefunds.co.uk also discovers that those in different professions value different work perks. Those working in offices such as HR employees and administration staff found private healthcare to be the most appealing work perk (50 per cent and 46 per cent respectively), while those working in consumer facing industries such as plumbers and teachers were more interested in receiving complimentary food (40 per cent and 44 per cent respectively) and drink (40 per cent and 38 per cent respectively) throughout their working day.
The research also suggests a generational difference in the expectation of work perks. The rise of companies such as Google, which is known for creating a fun work environment with lots of free benefits, appears to have created an expectation of workplace benefits amongst 18 – 24 year olds (29 per cent).
Carl Millar, managing director at BankingRefunds.co.uk says, ‘We started by looking at the response to packaged bank accounts, and how the nation feels about paying for benefits. Our research revealed that over a third (35 per cent) of Brits love to receive a perk even if they know that the perks are covered in the costs of their packaged bank accounts.
‘Following this, we thought it would be interesting to delve deeper into this topic and look at how perks and benefits may be used in the workplace. We discovered that when employers show they are invested in employees’ welfare and happiness, they can create a culture of mutual appreciation; cultivating a workplace where everyone strives to achieve the best results possible.’
Further reading on perks
