Only two out of ten employees can choose their own extra money, while the vast majority of employees would prefer to choose their own motivation and would even accept a lower budget than their current employer if given the opportunity.
The representative survey "National survey on employer-provided benefits" was carried out from 18-28 March.
Ignas Zokas, manager of Spinter Research, notes that although the vast majority of employees say that their motivation at work is boosted by their salary, as many as one third of employees are motivated by employee benefits, and a fifth by a good line manager.
The survey found that employers most often provide up to 5 benefits to employees. The most popular are: training (35%), health insurance (33%), flexible working hours (29%) and working from home (29%). The most desirable benefits, according to employees, are: health insurance (54%), flexible working hours (41%), health and emotional well-being (36%), additional paid time off (36%) and the possibility to work from home (30%).
Half of the employees surveyed believe that their employers provide up to €250 a year in benefits, while one in ten believe that their employers provide more than €1000.
However, employees rate the benefits they receive very moderately, at just 5.5 out of 10, and as many as 35% of those receiving benefits rate their benefits package as unsatisfactory, at just 1-4.
Vidmantas Šiugždinis, CEO of MELP, notes that a paradoxical situation arises: employers invest in employee motivation, but employees do not appreciate or even know about some of the benefits they receive.
"There is a clear trend that the vast majority of employees - two thirds - would like to have an employer-provided budget for additional incentives and use it in the way they want to use it, choosing from a wide range of offers. Eight out of ten would even accept a lower amount from their employer than they currently receive in order to have this freedom of choice," says V. Šiugždinis. He says that this fully reflects global trends and sends a clear signal to employers that it is important for their people to choose individually, according to their specific needs, and that generic benefits do not have the desired impact. "This trend will be further reinforced as Generation Z enters the labour market and only values what is right for them personally," notes the MELP CEO.
The survey showed that only a fifth of respondents can choose their own benefits, while 71% would like their employer to allow them to do so.
"Whereas in the past candidates used to value salary the most, now, when choosing between several job offers, candidates value soft money, salary & benefits, and experience in the recruitment process itself. This is where it is crucial to rely on data to understand what values and benefits employees in different age groups and areas of expertise really want, and not to apply the same values to all groups," adds Matas Martinkėnas, Partner at recruitment company People Link.
