What benefits do employees actually want?

Employers that don’t offer work flexibility are now a minority, says a recruitment director

By Abel Riototar

07 Jun 2018

Almost 73% of Australian workers prefer a job that offers flexible working practices, 72% look for career progression, and 59% want learning and development, according to a survey by recruitment expert Hays.

These benefits rank higher than requests for more than 20 days annual leave, health and wellness programs, financial support for study, and covering usage costs of employee-owned devices at work, free or subsidised food, a birthday leave, and onsite childcare.

“With salary increases set to be even more restrained this year, the benefits an organisation offers will help to attract and retain top talent, particularly if they support career advancement,” Hays managing director in Australia and New Zealand Nick Deligiannis said in a statement.

More than 3,000 organisations representing over 2.3 million employees participated in the survey.

Flexibility is king

While almost three quarters of professionals get flexible work practices, less than half feel “very satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with their work-life balance.

Deligiannis said that “an organisation that doesn’t offer flexible working options is now in the minority and this has an obvious impact on attraction and retention”. For those who want to get back in the game of competing for top talents, he suggests that firms review and implement policies in that area.

The survey also revealed that “the most common flexible working practices employers offer are flexible working hours and compressed working weeks (77%), part-time employment (75%), and flex-place, such as working from home or an alternative location (66%). Less common are flexible leave options, such as purchased leave (38%), job sharing (31%), career breaks (18%), and phase retirement (16%)”.