So, what about employer perks & benefits?
The Sunday Times recently published 4 new surveys on the best companies to work for in the UK. Proud local moment: 6 Dorset companies were listed across the 4 surveys, with 3 in the top 25 of ‘The top 100 companies to work for in the UK’.
No. 1 – the local Christchurch company, 4com,
No. 13 – Churchill Retirement Living based in Ringwood
No. 22 – Amigo loans, in Bournemouth.
In the ‘Best big companies to work for’ survey – local companies Merlin Entertainment made No. 20 and Lush No. 28,’ and Poole children’s hospice Julia’s House stood at number 41 among the ‘’ Best Not-for-Profit Organisations to Work For’.
6 companies listed in the local area isn’t bad for our neck of the woods. So how do employers make it onto these lists? What are they offering that makes them so appealing? There is more and more talk about the impact of the Millennial generation in the workplace; and for employers there’s one thing you need to be on top of, attracting the right candidates and then of course keeping them.
It’s currently a candidate’s market with the top talent receiving multiple job offers from various companies. So how do you encourage them to choose your company above the others? It’s not as straightforward as it used to be, “it’s not about the money, money, money “ – other factors are as, if not more, important.
‘A survey by Glassdoor found that 79% of employees would prefer benefits to a pay increase.’ Source: Glassdoor.co.uk
| ‘The best perks being offered by companies included an all expenses paid holiday for the whole staff from TransferWise, a £5,000 joining bonus offered by Huddle a software firm and a $2,000 (£1,413) travel allowance from Airbnb.’ source: www.independent.co.uk |
So, what about these perks?
Working hours, flexibility, location, office environment, gym discounts, free exercise classes, even massage sessions, free beer or food in the fridge, an X-box in the staffroom, buy a computer schemes, retail discounts, discounts/vouchers for local restaurants, services etc + a day off for your birthday are all attractive benefits to offer.. but let’s get a bit more creative. Last year, The Independent looked at the best ’20 best perks and benefits offered by top companies’ – so here they are!
These are the 20 best perks and benefits offered by UK employers, according to Glassdoor.
- Huddle – The software company gives employees a £5,000 joining bonus called a ‘Huddle Cuddle’, as well as a gift worth £500 every year.
- TransferWise – The firm takes all staff members away on annual, all-expenses-paid company holidays.
- Airbnb – Airbnb offers staff employees $2,000 (£1,413) to travel and see the world.
- Skyscanner – Skyscanner, a website which enables people to find comparisons for flight, hotel and car hire, has negotiated employee discounts at the local pub and beauty salon.
- The Body Shop – The company pays staff for five volunteering days per year.
- Peninsula Business Services – The HR, employment law and health and safety consultancy lays on a Christmas party for employees’ children.
- AutoTrader UK – AutoTrader UK has a wine club, giving employees discounted wine delivered to their door every month.
- Jive Software – The company offers staff free food including Bacon Thursday and Hot Food Friday, healthy snacks, free drinks including soft drinks, beers on tap and coffee.
- Opus Professional Services – Opus Professional Services has a villa in Italy that employees can use free of charge whenever they want.
- Visualsoft – The firm offers unlimited holiday time and unmonitored flexitime, allowing staff to take the time off that they need.
11. CA Technologies – A Technologies helps parents out with an on-site Montessori daycare facility.
12. Rackspace – The company offers employees an extra day off for their birthday
13. Allen & Overy – Allen & Overy provides a GP and dentist on-site, helping to keep employees’ health in tip-top condition.
14. Pentland Brands – Pentland Brands provides an on-site swimming pool, gym, tennis court and football pitch.
15. ARM Holdings – offers employees a 4-week sabbatical for every 4 years of service.
16. ASOS – Staff benefit from a 40 per cent discount on website purchases.
17. Swinton Insurance – The insurance company gives employees an additional day’s holiday for Christmas shopping.
18. Google – The tech giant provides employees with free food while they are at work, with a range of different cuisines on offer.
19. Jagex – UK’s largest independent developer and publisher of online games offers staff free bicycle repairs at the office, encouraging them to cycle to work and keep fit.
20. Holiday Extras – The company hires out a cinema every year and offers a free film showing to all employees and their families.
Virgin Group are another great example of what employees find attractive in an Employer –The BBC recently reported :
“Richard Branson’s belief is that making work a more pleasant place to be, by offering more flexibility; such as the ability to dress down, work from home or part-time, and take unpaid leave if they wish, will attract people and encourage them to stay and fulfil their potential.
“Hopefully that’ll be the world of the future and that’s something that we’re working towards trying to get more flexibility in the workforce generally,” he says.
It’s commonsense really, the happier your staff, the more likely they are to stay. When the UK spend most of our time at work, the most in Europe, – it’s about time more employers started treating their employees as an extended ‘work family’ – and put more trust in them.
There is also of course the impact of the ‘Millennial factor. As increasing numbers of Millennials enter the workplace, standard employee expectations are changing and companies need to move with the times.
“For companies adapting the way they work to millennials’ strengths, is a direction which CEO coach Steve Tappin believes will be effective.
“If CEOs try and over control in the old way then millennials will walk but if you can harness their ideas, passion and energy then that’s going to power the future success of the company,” he says.” Source: bbc.co.uk
References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35460401
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/perks-attract-talent
http://www.businessdorset.co.uk/news/15128240.UK___s_best_company_to_work_for__It___s_here_in_Dorset___/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/google-asos-airbnb-20-best-perks-benefits-uk-employers-a6938716.html
Related ‘Client Resource’ articles from the Dovetail Blog:
Personal Resolutions Vs Emerging HR Trends in 2017
Seeing beyond the CV
How creative candidates can benefit businesses
The top 5 marketing challenges facing your business
http://dovetailrecruitment.co.uk/personal-resolutions-vs-emerging-hr-trends/
