In our ‘My Benefits’ series of blogs, we discover how employees at different stages in life are getting the most out of employee benefits. Ros Gilbert, 22, is a paralegal working in Manchester. Here she talks about her top four employee benefits.
Ros: I’m in my first job since leaving university and I love the independence and sharing a flat with friends. My money doesn’t always stretch as far as I’d like it, with all the expenses of starting out on my own.
When I started my job my boss recommended I take a look at our company’s employee benefits. These are the four I signed up to and I’m really pleased with how they are working out so far.
Gym Membership
After graduation, I struggled to keep fit after losing access to my university gym. With the Salary Sacrifice Gym Membership, I was able to avoid a steep joining fee, and the cost of my annual membership is spread across a longer period of time. As a result, I got excellent value for money, as I was able to sign up to a gym that I had previously considered too expensive.
It meant a lot to me to feel like I was working for a company that cared about what I did outside the workplace, just as much as what I did in it. Moreover, as a recent graduate who knew few people in my new city, I had concerns about making new friends.
Using the gym benefit meant I ended up bonding with two of my colleagues who also took advantage of the scheme. So this one has to be my top choice.
Discount Club
One of the most exciting benefits is the Discount Club offered by my workplace. It gave me the ability to save money on big-name brands, with no strings attached, which filled the gap left by the loss of my old student discount.
When I began buying things for my first flat-share, I was amazed at the cost of furnishings – not to mention furniture. The discount at John Lewis was a fantastic bonus, as it meant I could buy quality things for my first home that I expect to last for years.
I’ve also been able to save on experience days at places such as Legoland and SeaLife. I took my young nephew, who was thrilled to have a day out, and it was a really special memory for both of us.
Holiday Purchase Scheme
An unexpected benefit has been the ability to sell my surplus holiday allowance days. Although I enjoy time off and holidays abroad as much as anyone, right now my focus has been on saving for my future.
As I don’t have the same family commitments as some of my colleagues, I would rather have a bit more money in my pocket than an extra day off.
However, I also appreciate the scheme because it gives me more control. I’m satisfied knowing that I’ll be able to get time off more easily, for the next time I’m planning on going away.
Salary Sacrifice Mobile Phone
As with my gym membership, I have also greatly benefitted from the ability to spread the cost of a mobile phone over 12 months.
Like a lot of recent graduates, I’ve been hit with multiple large costs all at once – such as my flat deposit and the payments on my first car. Therefore, any opportunity to spread other large payments in a more manageable way has made a huge difference to my financial stability.
In addition, the cost of my new phone has also been cheaper than buying it on the High Street, and was delivered straight to me. It was an efficient and easy process, essential for a young person who can’t live without their phone!
Get staff benefits for your business
At Enjoy Benefits, we provide employee benefits to suit every type of employee and their needs. Take a look at our previous ‘My Benefits’ blogs and you’ll see how different the choices are for a graduate like Ros to a working dad and someone approaching retirement.
So whether it’s gym memberships and mobile phone discounts for younger staff, help with childcare for working parents, or critical illness cover for health aware older employees, we’ve got all these benefits and more sorted.
Recent academic research by one of Enjoy Benefits’ directors proved that staff use four or more benefits – and the more they use the more your company can save. So it pays to have a variety of discounts, rewards and salary-sacrifice schemes to offer your staff.
Get in touch with us to find out more about how our benefits can make a difference to your employees’ lives and your business.
About Enjoy Benefits
To find out more about fitness benefits covered in this blog, take a look at all the benefits we offer, or get in touch with us for an obligation-free chat.
At Enjoy Benefits, we have great experience in helping companies of all sizes introduce benefits that are suitable for their workplace.
Benefits are easy to set up and ongoing administration is then run through a hub, allowing employees to manage their own benefits while the employer can see which benefits are proving popular and what level of take-up each has had.
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