FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
JOBS
FM CAREERS - RECRUITMENT
EVERYDAY BENEFITS Employee benefits are a key differentiator in current labour market says Emma Thornton of facilities management recruitment experts 300 North
O
ver 70 per cent of employees consider the employee benefits on offer when applying for or considering leaving a job. A good benefits package can make an employee feel supported in their role and can provide transformational development opportunities. It is also a vital part of talent attraction. This is even more essential in the current climate where people do not feel like their salaries are stretching as far. It also means that benefits packages are increasingly becoming a differentiator in a hiring market where there are still more vacancies than qualified candidates, putting pressure on businesses to improve their offering. Companies in the FM space who have engaged with this new market outlook have begun to produce enhanced benefits packages, “benchmarked to external best practices and market insights, and supported throughout their development by external partners” including charities with specific knowledge on each part of the offering in order to provide the most relevant and assistive benefits possible according to Mark Goodyer, HR Director at Sodexo.
deals with popular large brands can be among the most attractive and most expensive benefits. These offers can run alongside cashback benefits which can be used with many major retailers. Employers can also get more specific, offering salary sacrifice schemes for a range of goods and services, including cycle to work and EV schemes, and health insurance, many of which can also fit into CSR goals. Businesses may also consider offering subsidised food and drinks to bring people back to the office, which can be particularly valuable for offices in more isolated areas. Outside of this, companies can offer financial education benefits to help employees with money management skills. Goodyer notes that Sodexo provides “all 34,000 colleagues access to an online platform hosted by Salary Finance providing free
FINANCIAL HELP The most popular benefits at the moment are financial, as many see an increase in bills due to the cost of living crisis. Employee discount platforms and
LATEST JOBS ON FMJ BIM COORDINATOR Salary: 4,990.47 EUR Monthly Location: Belgium - Brussels
financial education including videos, life guides, webinars as well as tips and tools such as savings calculators, budgeting tools and access to credit scores”.
https://bit.ly/49iK8jU
HARD SERVICES MANAGER Salary: £45k - 51k per year + Location: South East https://bit.ly/3QmTdQj
HEAD OF FACILITIES Salary: £65k - 73k per year + Location: Exeter https://bit.ly/3tQkpiA
jobs.fmj.co.uk 60
NOVEMBER 2023
Over 250 jobs live on site
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Training and development programmes can be extremely popular for both employers and employees. Companies can upskill their existing workforce through in-house training that provides refreshment for employees whose roles may have slowed down. It allows people a chance to understand their role and the company better, bringing significant benefits to both parties. Mark Whittaker, General Manager at Thomson FM and Chair of the IWFM notes that “it has become clear since the end of the Coronavirus lockdowns that companies have been putting a great deal of thought and effort into both retaining and attracting talent
into their organisations. “It is not just about salary packages either; flexible work patterns and career development are regularly signposted as being just as important to the workforce. It has become increasingly obvious that an organisation’s offering on training, professional qualifications, mentoring and career development is essential for attracting new entrants into the profession and IWFM continue to be ideally placed to support them with this.” FLEXIBLE ARRANGEMENTS Research from Business Name Generator found work-from-home flexibility is the most highly-valued benefit, with 94 per cent of those who receive this benefit saying it increases their work productivity and happiness, however, just over a quarter of officebased workers currently receive this (27 per cent). Flexibility has become an expectation. It is expected for both where people want to work and when they want to work. Companies who do not offer flexible working are appealing to a decreasing section of the market and of those, many are struggling to hire and retain staff. Part of this is offering a space for people to come together and collaborate, especially if they work in remote teams, and potentially making use of coworking spaces in city centres. Companies who provide a flexible approach to work-spaces and fulfilment of contracted hours often also provide desirable policies on leave, including annual leave, leave for illness, parental leave and much more. Different kinds of leave work best for different employees, and building a positive culture around taking leave is crucial for people to feel comfortable declaring their needs. Creating an organisational culture that works well for all employees, that empowers them and encourages their productivity, is diverse and inclusive, with a transparent CSR agenda will be the best way to attract and retain talent. Having a benefits package that the company can be proud of and advertise throughout their hiring process is crucial to recruitment and candidate attraction and could be the difference between hiring or missing out on the top talent.