Gym membership and retail or leisure discounts are the most commonly offered benefits via voluntary benefits schemes, according to The Benefits Research 2014, which surveyed 256 respondents in March 2014.
Over the past few years, employers have increasingly taken a proactive approach to employee wellbeing, which may explain why gym membership now sits at the top of this list.
Health cash plans for both employees and their dependants also remain a popular voluntary benefit, providing a cost-effective way for staff to fund everyday healthcare.
One of the strengths of voluntary benefits schemes is their ability to provide discounts that may not be available elsewhere, which may also account for the popularity of such benefits.
As the UK comes out of recession, employers continue to be keen to help employees’ take-home pay go further.
This explains why benefits such as retail and leisure discounts, dining cards, season ticket travel loans and personal insurance products continue to be popular in voluntary benefits schemes.
