Organisations are misfiring when attempting to drum up employee loyalty and performance, by using increasingly elaborate company perks to retain staff.

Business Insider recently published their list of the top 16 company perks offered around the world. Included were services such as on-site car repairs and servicing for employees, pet-sitting for those unable to leave their animals at home, and access to on-site hairdressers and beauty therapists.

Indeed, survey results released by American Express show that 80% of Australian executives believe the limited access to qualified staff is the biggest threat to achieving their company objectives, and half aim to increase the benefits they provide over the next year.

Yet, despite the array of appealing company perks, recruitment firm Kelly Services surveyed 20,000 Australian employees, with their results showing that employees prefer non-monetary based perks at work.

The results show that small businesses and companies experiencing tough financial times are not necessarily disadvantaged, with the cost of initiatives such as flexibility, in-house training programs and even health programs being relatively low. Speaking to Human Capital, Alla Keogh, HR director, iSelect said it's important to offer benefits which really engage staff.

By offering three 'recharge days' per year in addition to annual leave, she said it was a fairly small cost to the company, but it had a significant impact on employee absenteeism. "Our staff don't feel the need to take sickies and lie about it. We make it ok for them to take extra personal time," she added.

Employee benefits experts Member Advantage advise that employers should not assume that one-size-fits-all when it comes to employeebenefits. They said employers should endeavour to provide a diversified range of benefits such as:

  • A system of RDOs
  • Complimentary lunch or breakfast in the office
  • Regular recognition of good performance and feedback to employees
  • In-house seminars by industry professionals