Which benefits do employees move jobs for?

Switching jobs for a fatter pay cheque used to be the norm. But, with today’s employees much more discerning about what they want from a job, employers must pay more attention to the broader benefit package.

Getting the mix right is increasingly important. Two-fifths of employees would jump ship for better benefits and the same pay, according to Willis Towers Watson’s (WTW) 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes survey, published in September 2024.

But employers face an additional challenge, with further research by WTW, the Benefits Trends Survey 2025 published in June 2025, showing that while competition for talent was a concern for 59% of those surveyed, the top issue, at 64%, was rising benefit costs. Andy Leighton, director, health and benefits at WTW, says: “Benefits play a huge part in attracting and retaining talent. But with budgets under pressure, employers need to focus on what drives real value.”

Benefit attraction

Understanding what makes employees tick is essential. Pay remains a key element but its significance is waning. Jo Werker, chief executive officer of Boostworks, explains: “The basics, including salary, have to be there, but employees are increasingly looking at the richness of the proposition.”

This is supported by research by Hays’ UK Salary and Recuiting trends 2025, published in January. It found that while base pay was important to 21% of employees, when asked which benefits they valued most, 30% put flexible working top, with additional holiday days (29%) and health insurance (24%) close behind.

Split the findings by age and it becomes much more difficult for an employer to have a one-size-fits-all approach. While employees in their twenties valued time off highest (additional holiday (36%), flexible working (27%) and days off for wellbeing (25%)), the over 50s had pensions (30%) as their priority, followed by flexible working (29%) and health insurance (28%). “Employers must offer a suite of benefits,” adds Pam Lindsay-Dunn, chief operating officer for Hays UK & Ireland. “Our clients are having to think of all the things employees want and be more creative about what they offer.”

Reward influencers

The shift in what employees want is driven by a variety of factors. The diversity of the workforce is a key influence, with employers now having to cater for the needs of five different generations.

This influences benefit priorities but also attitudes to work. As examples, Lindsay-Dunn says employers are having to consider older employees coming back into the workforce after retirement, often with a more relaxed approach to employment, but also the demands of more switched-on younger employees. “It’s much more acceptable to ask what’s in it for me at interview now,” she adds. “Employers need to gear up for this.”

Individual circumstances play a part too. “Pay is a driver but someone with child or elder care commitments might be just as interested in flexible working arrangements,” says Charles Cotton, senior reward adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). “Another individual, especially at the start of their career, might seek out a well-known brand to enhance their future marketability.”

Changes in legislation have also shaped expectations. A decent pension scheme used to be a deciding factor but today, thanks to auto-enrolment, it’s expected and won’t get a second look from most employees.

Competition and transparency

Competition has also upped the benefits ante. “The war for talent is so fierce in sectors such as finance and technology that employers are looking to really niche benefits to differentiate their offering,” explains Jeff Fox, strategic consulting lead at Lockton. “This has resulted in much richer benefit packages, often with more lifestyle-related options to support employees outside of work.”

And while benefits might have remained low profile in the past, there’s much more visibility around what organisations are offering. “Sites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn are really influential,” says Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr. “They showcase the best products and services on offer and make it even more important that an organisation offers benefits that are valued.”

She also points to Covid-19 as a catalyst for change in employee expectations. With lockdown forcing organisations to adapt, employees saw the benefits of flexible and hybrid working while the employer’s role in supporting health and wellbeing was also cemented. “Expectations have changed,” she adds. “Employers must offer choice and benefits that are meaningful.”

Brand appeal

With employers having to offer a shopping list of benefits to meet everyone’s needs, creating an attractive employer brand and image becomes more important. This needs to outline why an employee should work for the organisation, highlighting its values and all the benefits on offer. “The benefits package is critical but the brand needs to go beyond this,” explains Leighton. “It needs to include the wider culture, including key wellbeing support, HR policies and the employee experience.”

Also feeding into the brand are elements that make a difference to an employee’s development, both inside and outside work. This might include opportunities for promotion and career development; training; and volunteering but also the availability of flexible working and sabbaticals to enable an employee to build skills and experience outside of the workplace.

It needs to be unique too. “So many organisations say they want their employees to thrive that it’s become almost meaningless,” says Fox. “To stand out, an employer needs to find something that makes them different.”

Building attraction

Benefits can play a powerful role in creating an attractive image that helps to attract and retain employees. As an example, a firm keen to demonstrate its commitment to family values, job security and retaining experience might offer a range of family-friendly policies such as flexible working, enhanced parental leave and sabbaticals to enable employees to balance work and life.

Sometimes it requires a bit of creative thinking. As an example, Williams says her organisation relies on goodwill from employees to work flexibly to meet deadlines. “This can encroach on their time with their families, so we introduced National Trust membership to help them enjoy their free time more,” she adds.

Benefits can be simple and, for a cash-strapped employer, potentially even cost neutral. Adapting or introducing policies and flexible working arrangements can help to highlight brand values while an organisation could offer volunteering days or religious holiday swaps, allowing an employee to work over Christmas but take time off to celebrate Eid, to support the value of inclusivity in its brand.

An employer’s own brand can often play into this too. Fox says that where an employee joins an organisation because they’re passionate about that sector, for instance sports, fashion or gaming, giving them something unique can be powerful. “It might be a discount, merchandise or exclusive access,” he says. “It brings the energy and delivers on the employer’s purpose.”

As trends change, it’s also essential that a benefits package evolves. “An organisation must talk to its employees and find out what motivates them,” says Werker. “Regular surveys will keep an employer on top of what they need and value.”

And, with employees increasingly likely to switch employers for the right benefits package, understanding what they need, and keeping an eye on what other organisations are offering, is key to attracting and retaining talent.