Workplace perks are becoming increasingly important to professionals, and for that reason it’s vital that businesses are able to offer these employee benefits as a means to incentivise and reward members of staff.

And while there are a number of different types of perks out there, from flexible working, to staff discounts, it’s about finding what works best for you, your business and your employees.

There are several reasons why you should offer workplace perks, most notably because they are a great way to attract and retain staff. Below, I’ve outlined in more detail why workplace perks are so important to employers and staff alike.

Staff happiness and motivation

Firstly, workplace perks are a great way to keep your employees motivated, as they show your team that their hard work is not going unnoticed.

A happy workforce is the key to productivity, and staff benefits such as social events, free refreshments, or interesting company break rooms are great ways to help your workers unwind, whilst rewarding them for their efforts.

Furthermore, these benefits are a great way to reinforce and strengthen your company culture. This is another contributing factor to keeping your staff happy and productive, retaining these individuals within your business and ultimately building a strong workforce.

Best of all, these types of perks don’t have to be expensive; there are plenty of small ways in which you can show your employees that you appreciate them. Organising drinks after work or letting staff go home an hour early on their birthday are inexpensive offerings that show your appreciation.

Keeping on top of candidate trends

Workplace perks are also important for keeping up with the latest trends and ways of working. For example, flexible working is becoming increasingly popular, and more and more job hunters are seeking opportunities that enable them to work remotely or have more flexible hours.

Knowing what your staff want, and being able to offer them benefits that reflect this, is a great way to keep your workforce motivated.

Not only this, but it shows you’re listening to your employees’ needs, and working to make their time at your company the best it can be. In turn, they’ll reward you with hard work and loyalty.

Attracting new candidates

Workplace perks are not only useful for cementing a strong existing workforce, they’re also a great tool for attracting talented new candidates.

Today’s job hunters are searching for jobs with a strict set of criteria in mind, and many are unwilling to compromise on anything that doesn’t tick most, if not all, of the boxes. In fact, two thirds of candidates (62.1%) said that they consider workplace perks as a key factor when looking for a job.

For that reason, it’s important your business is offering perks if you wish to stay ahead of the competition and secure the top talent. Be sure to shout about the benefits you have on offer in your job descriptions, and on social media or company pages.

That way potential candidates can see what you have on offer, and why you’d be a great company to work for. This will also help to boost your employer branding – bonus!

They are part of the package

Finally, offering competitive packages is important if you want to secure talented recruits. But this can sometimes be difficult, especially if you’re a smaller company.

If you can’t always offer the most competitive salary, practical workplace perks can act as a substitute for this, for example free gym memberships or free child care. Staff discounts also work well here, and often workers are happy to accept a lower salary if there are other benefits on offer, and if the company culture seems like the right fit for them.

Overall, it’s clear that workplace perks do play an extremely important role for both businesses and employees. If you want to attract talented new candidates, whilst retaining a strong and productive workforce, these perks are a simple but effective way to do this!