Companies
offering to pay off graduate debts are becoming increasingly sought after by
today’s new entrants to the job market, a study finds.
A
survey of 1,000 staff by employee benefits specialist youatwork reveals that
more than a quarter (27 per cent) of workers in their 20s rate the provision of
student debt assistance as an important factor in deciding whether to apply for
a new job.
In
contrast, workers in their 30s are far more keen on looking for help from their
employer to balance the demands of work with childcare.
In
fact, a third (33 per cent) of this age group look for childcare assistance,
and more than half (55 per cent) rate the ability to work from home as an
important factor in assessing whether to apply for a job.
Gerry
Callaghan, managing director of youatwork, said: "These results provide
further evidence of a rise in demand by today’s jobseekers for greater
flexibility in the workplace. An increasing number of job-hunters are looking
for jobs that will provide them that extra incentives on top of their salary
and traditional benefit package."
Across
all ages, pension provision still tops the list of the most important benefits
for nearly nine in 10 (86 per cent), with flexible working coming second (80
per cent), ahead of both private medical insurance (77 per cent), and dental
care (54 per cent).
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When
asked to name the top three benefits they would look for in a new job,
three-quarters (75 per cent) said pensions, six in 10 (61 per cent) said
flexible working and just over half (55 per cent) said private medical
insurance.
