Employed adults think flexible working is just as important as high salaries in jobs

Employed adults consider flexible working and a great team of colleagues just as important as a high salary when looking for a new job.

A study of 2,000 UK adults revealed understanding bosses and generous sick pay are also major factors when applying for new roles.

Half of those polled consider flexible working to be the most important work perk when it comes to deciding which employer to work for.

This ranked above a high salary and a great team of colleagues, with 44 percent voting for each of these as other top factors.

An annual bonus was also key for workers when it came to choosing a new role, with almost one in three looking for extra cash to supplement their wages.

While more than one in twenty said a trendy office was a factor, alongside a fully stocked kitchen on site.

Company cars and electric charging ports were also among the priorities.

Cas Paton, CEO at online marketplace OnBuy, which carried out the research, said: “People are at the core of everything we do, from our customers and retailers to our fantastic staff who help us thrive.

“As the research suggests, consumers quite rightly care about how companies treat their employees, and we believe that listening to what people actually want from their jobs is pivotal to creating a happy workforce.

“We also believe in making people feel appreciated rather than a cog in the machine.

“For example, giving staff equity in a business is a fantastic way to reward hard work and share success.

“When a business succeeds, everyone should succeed.”

The study also found that more than a third (36 percent) of adults have left jobs in the past because they felt undervalued.

And other top reasons people have previously quit jobs include finding a better role (42 percent), not being paid enough (33 percent), and being overworked (31 percent).

But nearly one in 20 (four percent) handed in their notice after having a physical fight with a colleague or boss.

However, two-thirds have stayed in jobs they didn’t enjoy, with nearly half (44 percent) admitting they didn’t want to deal with the stress of applying for new roles.

If people had their way, 35 percent would want a higher salary implemented at their current work, with 31 percent wanting an annual bonus.

There’s also strong interest in moving towards a four-day working week, with more than a quarter hoping for a better work-life balance, according to the study by OnePoll.

Cas Paton added: “For many, while the amount you earn is obviously important, there are other elements which play a huge factor in our general satisfaction.

“Flexible working has become a big part of our daily lives since the start of the pandemic, and it looks like that’s here to stay.

“We encourage all our staff to “own the way they work” by offering a hybrid working policy, making it easier for employees to manage their work-life routines with the choice of working both in the office and at home at times that suit them.”

OnBuy has taken to the streets to find out exactly how happy people are at work.

TOP 30 DESIRED WORK PERKS:

1. Flexible working hours
2. A high salary
3. A great team of colleagues
4. Understanding and friendly bosses
5. Good sick pay
6. Having everything you need to get the job done
7. An annual bonus
8. It being somewhere you feel proud to work
9. Working somewhere you feel confident you can ring in an emergency and get time off
10. The ability to work from anywhere you want
11. Amount of time off to exceed the legal minimum
12. Visible opportunities for promotion and to rise through the ranks
13. A four-day working week
14. A staff discount
15. Private healthcare
16. A good HR department
17. An extensive training scheme
18. Staff equity
19. A workplace that is very diverse
20. A workplace that is very green and eco-friendly
21. Shutting down early on Friday afternoons
22. Unlimited annual leave
23. Six months or more of paid maternity/paternity leave
24. Your birthday off from work
25. A coffee machine in the office
26. Your own office
27. The opportunity to travel
28. A company car
29. Colleagues who love to socialise
30. Gym membership