Almost half (48%) of HR leaders said they have seen a poor uptake of employee benefits because employees do not seem interested in what is on offer, according to new research from Nous.co.
The employee money-saving platform carried out a survey of 500 UK HR directors, and found that two-thirds (62%) of respondents agreed that the benefits they currently offer do not address what their employees really need or are only useful to some of the workforce.
Nearly one-fifth (18%) said the employee benefits they offered were difficult for staff to access, with 32% agreeing that leveraging certain benefits required too much effort on the part of employees.
One-fifth (20%) admitted that there was either a lack of onboarding for employee benefits initiatives, or onboarding was inadequate. A further 20% thought employees were not aware that certain benefits were available to them.
The most popular benefits currently being offered by the employers surveyed included flexible working, enhanced pension benefits, enhanced holiday leave, healthcare and or dental care, and free food or drink in the workplace.
Jon Rudoe, co-founder at Nous.co, said: “Competitive employers know they need to offer more than just a good salary to attract and retain top talent. Employees increasingly expect their employer to help them out with the struggles that daily life throws at them. But clearly something is wrong when this many HR leaders admit their benefits aren’t working.
“Businesses need to focus their attention and their budgets on benefits and support that actually meet people’s needs, whether that’s through flexible working, support with childcare or help with essential expenses. While rising prices remain the number one source of concern for UK employees, financial wellbeing is a crucial part of this. Employers should use their convening power to set aside time in the working day for staff to engage with benefits so that people actually see the upside.”
