According to new research from The Electric Car Scheme, 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- to 34-year-olds reporting that alignment with company values is important to them. But which employee benefits are the most sought-after of all?
To discover which perks are most desired by full-time employees, the Electric Car Scheme surveyed over 1,000 UK employees to understand which general and ‘green’ benefits are most important to them in 2024.
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 health/life/dental insurance | 38.1% |
7 | Early finish Fridays | 37.3% |
8 | Employee discounts on food, shopping, etc. | 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 in second for the most valued general benefit. Like overtime pay, this is most popular among 45- to 54-year-olds (48%).
4-day working weeks are 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 that this was 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’re 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- to 34-year-olds and 56.3% of 17- to 24-year-olds saying they would favour a company that offers them.
To help understand what sustainable benefits attract employees in a role, the Electric Car Scheme uncovered which “green” perks will be 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 (for example, recycling and composting programmes) | 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 such as 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 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 appreciated 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 expressed 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 to 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 their salary in exchange. This is making EVs an accessible option for everyone, and means employers and employees can work together towards a more sustainable future.”
