Employers to offer more benefits to entice jobseekers: survey

What new perks are coming to workplaces this year?

Employers to offer more benefits to entice jobseekers: survey

Employers across Australia plan to offer additional benefits this year as they become more crucial for jobseekers when choosing their next employer.

Robert Half's 2023 Salary Guide found that 70% of 300 employers plan to increase their benefits this year.

"To empower their employees and elevate their organisation as an employer of choice, business leaders are upping the ante when it comes to their benefits program," said Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half, in a statement.

This comes as 63% of them said they had a candidate who accepted a job offer because of their company's benefit package, even if they couldn't meet the candidate's salary expectations.

This shows that Australians are now actively seeking opportunities that are satisfying both their monetary and lifestyle needs, according to Gorton.

What perks are coming?

According to the report, benefits covering many of employees' demands are coming to workplaces this year. This indicates that businesses are "increasingly recognising" the power of benefits to attract, motivate, engage, and retain staff, Gorton said.

Flexible work arrangements are among the most popular perks and benefits to be introduced this 2023, according to the report. This flexibility includes:

  • An early finish on Friday afternoons (30%)
  • Compressed work week (29%)

Other employers plan to expand existing or offer additional leave entitlements to staff:

  • Extra paid annual leave (27%)
  • Paid parental leave (27%)
  • Leave of absence or sabbatical (25%)
  • Paid domestic violence leave (27%)
  • Paid menopause leave (25%)

Employers are also looking into the following allowances and assistance programmes, including ones that could support employees' lifestyles:

  • Remote work business allowance (28%)
  • Car allowance (26%)
  • Subsidising meals at work (25%)
  • Wellness programmes (25%)
  • Ability to make extra superannuation contributions (24%)
  • Childcare assistance (24%)
  • Reproductive health benefits to support IVF treatment (22%)
  • Health insurance (25%)
  • Financial planning assistance (27%)

Employers are also planning to offer training allowance (24%) to upskill staff, as well as international secondment opportunities (27%).

Benefits of additional perks

These upcoming perks are expected to boost offers that are already offered by employers, which include:

  • Flexible work schedules (60%)
  • Mental health resources (55%)
  • Remote work options (52%)
  • Parental leave (50%)
  • Wellness programmes (48%)

Australian companies are set to benefit from diversifying their incentive offers beyond purely financial aspects, according to Gorton.

"A company's perks and benefits structure is reflective of their wider corporate culture, so innovative and comprehensive packages not only help attract and retain top talent, but they can also support a long-term talent pipeline of employees and help build staff engagement overall," the director said in a media release.

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