I am looking at expanding the benefits range for a company I am working with and would love some feedback on benefits your employees like, over and above the usual discounts and vouchers side of voluntary benefits.
- Jane Vivier (pictured), owner, The Rewarding Company
Buying and selling holidays, or even control over working time, such as flexible working and home working, is, in my experience, the number one welcomed benefit across all levels.
- Michael Cope, reward, performance and HR information services manager
Flexible working is very important to most people now. So that it doesn’t affect the business, you could introduce core hours, for example start time must be between 8am and 10am, and leave time between 4pm and 6pm. Carrying over hours to gain half days or full days is attractive, too. In my experience, it drives down sickness figures.
- Ashleigh Witcher, senior benefits and pensions administrator, Serco
At my previous company, we did some fabulous things re: wellness, giving money towards gym memberships, exercise equipment, and so on. We even had fun things in the office that employees loved at lunchtime and breaks, such as pool tables and darts.
- Debra Corey, global reward director, PageGroup
The number one valued benefit we offer to our staff is discounted smartphones. In our industry and with our population, this is our key flexible benefit and is much more popular than retail discounts and trading holiday.
- Seth Russell, director of reward, Three (UK)
We launched emergency back-up care for carers and parents as an employee benefit within our WorkLife programme last year, and the take-up and feedback has been fantastic.
- Jonathan Marsh, benefits manager, EMEA health and benefits team, American Express