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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Forget work perks, UK workers want a higher wage instead

Nearly two thirds of full time working Brits would rather have a higher wage instead of work perks, according to a recent survey conducted by conference calling provider, Conference Genie.

According to the research conducted on 2,000 full-time workers based in the UK, the main day-to-day work perks that employees want are free food (38%) and flexitime (28%). But ultimately, 62% of UK works still prefer a higher wage over work perks.

The results show that desired work perks differ when it comes to age groups, but they do share one similarity. 18-24 year-olds seem to be the most materialistic, as having a clothing allowance and getting a work tablet/phone come in their top three desired perks. However, free food reigns as the top everyday work perk for all age groups.  

It seems men are more motivated by financials than women, as over two thirds of men would like to have a higher wage instead of work perks, compared to only 57% of women. They do also have a fun side, though: three times the amount of men than women would like a games room at work.

The study illustrates that financial perks are the most desired type of perk for UK workers, as the majority of people surveyed stated they would rather have these than everyday perks. Nearly half of workers (45%) would like to receive regular bonuses and over a quarter would like to receive health insurance.

London rated itself the happiest working region with a 3.23/5 job satisfaction rating, and is one of the top regions for employees receiving free tea and coffee while at work. It’s the small things that really can make a big difference.

Interestingly, of those who gave themselves a job satisfaction rating of 5/5, 35% say that they don’t get any work perks related to time off. According to the study, 59% of those who said they had a job happiness rating of 5 said that work perks play a significant role in the job satisfaction.