As the demand for digital skills continues to increase it’s more important than ever to make your benefits package stand out in order to attract the best possible talent to your business. Candidates applying for roles in the creative and tech sector are in high demand and short supply so at the end of the recruitment process they often have several offers on the table. Your employee benefits package can often be the deal breaker and you don’t want to lose the best candidate to a competitor because their overall package is more attractive than yours.
According to a survey by Glassdoor, around 60% of people say that benefits and perks are one of their top considerations when deciding on a job. Here at Concept we’ve been filling jobs in the digital and creative sectors for over 20 years. We’ve seen our fair share of creative thinking around employee benefits packages and it’s no longer just about duvet days and free fruit. If you want your Company to stand out from the crowd, you must give candidates the benefits that matter and are of value to them.
We’ve put together some employee benefits package ideas to attract and retain talent.
Flexible working
We all need a healthy work-life balance and companies that encourage this are fast becoming the most attractive places to work. Allowing employees flexibility to choose their hours and where they work from is highly regarded by our candidates. If you’ve hired the right personality an employee who is passionate about their work and always goes the extra mile will be 100% committed to their job regardless of the hours they work or the location they work from.
Four-day week
There’s been a big increase in businesses trialling and adopting a four-day work week with no pay cut or increase to hours worked. This won’t be possible for many businesses but if you can consider it then this is a great way to make your offer more appealing. Benefits of being able to implement this can be a better work life balance for all improving employee mental health and increased productivity. Recent stats from 4 Day Week Global show that 63% of businesses found it easier to attract and retain talent with a four-day week. There are several organisations out there, including 4 Day Week Global, that can support businesses with guidance and workshops to seamlessly make the switch.
Enhanced holidays
If a four-day week isn’t suitable for your business another way to actively improve work life balance is to increase your holiday allowance. It’s easy to look at what your competitors are doing and add on an extra couple of day’s holiday to enhance your policy over theirs. You could also give people their birthday off or allow people to take their bank holidays whenever they like, giving your holiday package more inclusivity. Allowing colleagues the flexibility and autonomy to manage their own time, both in their day to day role and with their holidays, is the most effective way to show your people that you trust them.
Employee discount schemes
Schemes like Perkbox and Perksatwork are app-based platforms that give your employees shopping and activity discounts, freebies and access to wellbeing services like virtual GP appointments. You can also use these platforms to give extra recognition rewards and they won’t break the bank.
Training and learning opportunities
The most successful colleagues in the creative and tech sector are those who love to learn and keep themselves at the fore of the ever-evolving field of technology. It’s important to nurture this desire to continue learning and show candidates that their thirst for new knowledge will be well supported if they choose your role over another. Consider a regular subscription to an online learning platform such as TreeHouse or Linkedin Learning where people can enhance and refresh a current skillset or learn something new. You could also allocate an annual learning budget for individuals that they can use for online courses, conference tickets or events. Investing in education is a highly desirable benefit for many and your business will reap the rewards too.
Health Insurance
In the aftermath of a global pandemic people are more health conscious than ever. By providing good health insurance you give your team access to healthcare services without the usual waitlists. A good health insurance policy will give your team peace of mind. Some policies even cover dependants too so you can provide your team with an extra layer of reassurance that you’re also looking out for their loved ones.
It’s all about the flexibility
A great employee benefits package will help you retain your existing team and attract the best talent to your business and its great way to support your company values and ethos. If you say you’re a people first business, then validate this by having benefits that support all members of your team. Be sure to try to take into consideration the needs of everyone within your organisation. They’re likely to be varied, so having a flexible approach could work better than a one size fits all package. You could even consider a flexible benefits arrangement that allows your team to have a choice of benefits relevant to their own individual circumstance.
Need help with employee benefits?
If you would like to discuss how your employee benefits are impacting your ability to recruit and retain the right talent, here’s how to get in touch.
