The Top 10 Most Popular Employee Benefits of 2024
A new survey by the team at The Electric Car Scheme has revealed which employee benefits, including ‘green’ benefits, are most valued by employees in 2024.
Did you know that 56% of people say it’s important to work for a company that shares their values, showing that work culture and benefits are increasingly important in 2024? The trend is strong among younger age groups, with almost three-quarters (68%) of 25-34-year-olds reporting an alignment with company values is important to them. But which employee benefits are the most sought-after of all?
To discover which perks are the most desired by full-time employees, we surveyed over 1,000 UK employees to understand which general and 'green' benefits are most important to them in 2024. Here are the results…
The top 10 most valued employee benefits in 2024, according to UK workers
| Rank | Benefit | % of UK full-time employees who say they would value this |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overtime Pay | 45.6% |
| 2 | Extra Holidays | 43.0% |
| 3 | 4-Day Working Weeks | 40.4% |
| 4 | Generous Pension Contributions | 39.2% |
| 5 | Flexible Schedules | 38.6% |
| 6 | Private Healthcare/Life/Dental Insurance | 38.1% |
| 7 | Early Finish Fridays | 37.3% |
| 8 | Employee Discounts on Food or Shopping | 34.3% |
| 9 | Remote Work from Anywhere | 33.3% |
| 10 | Online Training | 27.4% |
The most desired benefit in the UK is overtime pay, with 46% of people saying they would value this from an employer
Overtime pay tops as the most desired benefit, with 46% of UK employees saying they would value this. It’s especially desired amongst those aged 45-54, with 56% expressing a value in this perk.
43% of people said they would value extra holidays from an employer, coming second for the most valued general benefit. Like overtime pay, this is most popular among 45-54 year olds (48%).
4-day working weeks is revealed to be a highly desired benefit, with 40% of people saying they value this. Notably, almost half (43%) of respondents aged 45-54 reported this is important to them.
The top 10 most valued ‘green’ employee benefits in 2024, according to UK workers
Just under half (48%) of UK employees said they would be more likely to feel motivated at a company offering 'green benefits', and 44% said they’re more inclined to stay at a company like this.
Younger employees are particularly keen to work for companies with these perks, with 59.8% of 25-34-year-olds and 56.3% of 17-24-year-olds saying they would favour a company that offers these. To help understand what sustainable benefits attract employees to a role, the Electric Car Scheme uncovered which ‘green’ perks are the most valued in 2024.
| Rank | Benefit | % of UK full-time employees who say they would value this |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free EV Charging | 45.2% |
| 2 | Remote Working | 38.5% |
| 3 | EV Salary Sacrifice Schemes | 37.1% |
| 4 | Green Office Initiatives (e.g., recycling and composting programs) | 27.2% |
| 5 | Cycle to Work Scheme | 25.6% |
| 6 | Public Transport Subsidies | 25.0% |
| 7 | Sustainable Lunch Options | 25.0% |
| 8 | Environmental Volunteering Days (e.g., tree planting) | 20.5% |
| 9 | Discounts at Ethical Retailers | 20.3% |
| 10 | Ethical Pensions | 20.3% |
The most desired ‘green benefit’ is free electric vehicle charging, with 45% of people saying they would value this
The most desired ‘green benefit’ is free electric vehicle charging, valued by 45% of employees, and is most popular with the 25-34 age range, with 43% expressing interest in this. Remote working is the second most valued ‘green benefit’, playing a part in reducing emissions caused by commuting. An additional 39% of those surveyed commented that they appreciate this benefit.
The third most popular perk is the offering of EV salary sacrifice schemes, valued by 37% of those surveyed, and even more (38%) employees expressing an interest in signing up for an EV salary sacrifice scheme at work.
Thom Groot, Co-Founder of The Electric Car Scheme says:
“It’s great to see that workers in the UK are conscious of their impact on the environment and that people are actively seeking to work for companies with green policies.
Switching to an electric car is one of the most significant ways you can make a positive change towards net zero, however purchasing costs are still a big barrier for EV uptake.
Buying an electric car through a salary sacrifice scheme is a more affordable way to make the switch. Here at The Electric Car Scheme, we’re making salary sacrifice as easy as possible, allowing employees to save 30-60% on any electric car by simply reducing your salary in exchange. This is making EVs an accessible option for everyone, and means employers and employees can work together toward a more sustainable future.”
You can learn more about how The Electric Car Scheme works for employees by visiting our website or watch the video below!
Last updated: 19/03/24
