The charity sector is outperforming other sectors in offering employees benefits such as longer annual leave and options around remote and flexible working, a survey has found.

Four in five charity sector staff told researchers they are currently receiving 25 or more days annual leave, not including bank holidays. However, this proportion dips to just over seven in ten among non-charity employees.

The perks and benefits gap is even greater around remote and flexible working options.

While just under four in five of charity staff receive remote working options, this plummets to under half of those working in other sectors.

Similarly, more than seven in ten charity staff receive opportunities around flexible working hours, this falls to less than a half among non-charity sector workers.

Charities also outperform other sectors in offering their staff free tea and coffee (53% v 44%), training (53% v 48%) and mental health support (50% v 45%).

The findings have emerged in a survey by recruiter CharityJob of 1,400 people offering an insight into their current jobs and what they are looking for in a potential employer.

This found that charities are listening to employees demands as the three most popular benefits or perks job seekers look for in prospective employers are longer holidays, flexible working hours, and remote working options.

Training and development opportunities also rank highly among job seekers, as does mental health support.

Pensions and career pathway

Despite the charity sector outperforming other sectors in popular areas including flexible working, the survey found that charities fall short in a raft of other areas, including pension options and perks including gym membership.

Just 17% of charity workers receive enhanced pension benefits, compared to 23% of those in other sectors.

While 32% of non-charity employees enjoy cycle to work scheme benefits, this falls to 26% among charity employees.

In addition, only 7% of charity staff benefit from gym membership, compared to 15% of those working in other sectors.

Charities are also playing catch up in terms of offering staff a clear progression pathway. Only 5% of charity workers said they benefit from this, compared to 11% of those in other sectors.

Researchers also asked job seekers which perks and benefits they most desired but rarely received in their workplace. This found that a four-day week on full time pay is the most popular but is received by just 3% of candidates across all sectors.

Health or private medical insurance is another popular benefit that is rarely received, by one in five job candidates.

“Offering fair pay remains essential to attracting candidates and increasing diversity across organisations, but it’s clear that salary isn’t always the main incentive for joining the charity sector,” said CharityJob co-founder Raya Wexler.

“It’s crucial for employers to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. This means not only tailoring benefits to the specific needs of diverse candidates, but also cultivating a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with the charity’s mission and values.”

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