Providers of voluntary benefit programmes use their buying power to secure discounts on different products and services for companies to relay onto their staff.
Typical examples offered through a voluntary benefits plan include: gym membership, retail vouchers, CDs, DVDs, travel insurance, holidays and travel, entrance to theme parks and other attractions, cinema and theatre tickets, and car parking.
However, with the opportunities for voluntary benefit schemes being almost endless, it is not uncommon to see products such as cars, televisions, broadband, electricity and gas included in today's programmes.
And with it simply being a case of striking a deal on a discount with large providers of products and services, new benefits are being added to voluntary programmes every day.