Trends in benefits: Pension plan or pool table?

‘Extra benefits’ are an increasingly important part of any package, and while they may not hold quite as much sway with candidates as basic salary and career development, the right benefits can improve the likelihood that a candidate accepts an offer. Modern HR teams have realised this, and employees at small, medium and large organisations alike typically receive a wide range of benefits ranging from Friday night drinks to discounted gym membership. 

There are industry-wide trends in the benefits that marketing candidates find particularly attractive. We examined the attitudes of over 1,200 marketers in our EMR Salary and Market Trend Report 2016, and found some interesting results. 

It appears that marketing and communication talent still has a strong preference for traditional and financial benefits. Marketers said that the single most important benefit to them remains having 25  or more days holiday a year, followed closely by a company pension scheme and a bonus scheme. Interestingly, the fourth and fifth most important benefits are flexible working and a smart phone/tablet – showing that some more modern perks are starting to gain importance. 

Hiring managers and HR departments looking to attract the best talent in the sector should therefore take heed of the importance that marketers attach to these benefits. While gimmicks like pool tables can make a workplace seem more fun, traditional benefits still prevail. Employers should position these as the ‘icing on the cake’ of a good package, rather than its foundation.