In the aftermath of the pandemic, the need for mental health and wellness benefits is more apparent than ever. Having the right health and well-being strategy has the power to improve employee engagement, lower absence rates, and increased productivity within the workplace, but what should employers be offering their workforce to improve their health and well-being? And more importantly, what well-being benefits do employees actually want? 

Global HR and payroll company Remote surveyed 10,000 full-time employees across the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US, revealing the most desirable employee benefits across genders: job roles, industries, and parental status, including well-being benefits.

The rise of remote work has created new opportunities for global talent to work for anyone from anywhere. As a result, companies are facing a greater demand to offer robust, equitable, and compliant benefit packages to attract and retain the best talent around the world. 

Remote, the leader in global hiring and payroll, has conducted research to discover which benefits are most valued by employees in 2022. 

Top three benefits employees want

Whether an employer’s primary aim is to attract top talent or retain it, flexible working hours, company-sponsored retirement plans or pensions, and early finishes on Fridays are the top three perks to consider including in their benefits packages.

It is crucial for employers who wish to attract diverse global talent to develop customised benefits packages based on what is most valued in each country where they wish to hire.

Employees in the US in particular see paid time off for self-care and mental health as very important, as well as private and family health insurance. This is because in the US, the healthcare industry is mostly privatised and the cost of insurance and medical care can be exorbitant.

Flexible hours and a four-day working week are the most desired employee benefits

Employees who currently have flexible work are less likely to switch to a company without it, and those who do not have flexible work opportunities at their current job are more likely to be attracted to jobs that do offer this benefit. 

The survey shows that flexible work hours and a four-day workweek are more important to employees who identify as female than those who identify as male. This reinforces the need for employers to offer more flexible options that actively empower their female workforce and support their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

The importance of remote and flexible working is undeniable, but which employees value these benefits most?

Employees with and without children both value flexible work hours

Flexible working is the most important benefit to both parents and non-parents, highlighting the importance of allowing all employees the freedom to work in a way that best suits their individual needs.

Employees want flexible work hours

Flexible working is seen as the most important benefit for employees in every job function except production and other roles, with 78.74% of HR professionals and 78.07% of IT professionals seeing the benefit as important.

Employees in the Netherlands value remote work the most

Dutch employers are more used to their staff adopting a fully-remote or hybrid working model. Even before the pandemic, the Netherlands maintained a highly flexible working culture. The UK, Germany, and the US follow behind the Netherlands. Remote work is seen as less important to employees in France, whether offered partially or all of the time. 

The best wellness benefits for employees across Europe and the US

Across all of the 10,000 employees we surveyed, healthy food in the office, meal deliveries, or meal stipends, as well as time off work each month for mental health improvement, were seen as the most important wellness benefits.