The job benefits that aren’t benefiting anyone

The job benefits that aren’t benefiting anyone in summary:

Candidates aren’t falling for shiny-but-shallow perks. They’re looking for workplaces that genuinely care, communicate transparently, and offer more than the bare minimum.

1. Re-evaluate common job “benefits”: Things like 28 days’ paid holiday or a friendly office environment, are often pitched as perks or benefits, but are actually basic legal requirements or standard working conditions.
2. Don’t forget the importance of genuine benefits: There’s a real need for employers to offer real benefits that go beyond the basics, such as enhanced parental leave, private healthcare, and mental health support, to attract and retain top talent
3. Transparency and authenticity in job ads: HR teams must champion honesty and transparency in job advertisements, suggesting that employers should focus on what truly makes their company a great place to work, rather than exaggerating basic employment rights as benefits.

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If you’ve recently browsed any online jobs boards recently, you might have noticed that some job ads are starting to sound like a parody.

You know the ones. The job ads that proudly boast about “28 days’ paid holiday a year!” or “We offer a great team culture!” as if they’ve just unlocked some magical, ultra-exclusive perk no one else has. Spoiler alert: you haven’t. That’s literally the legal minimum. And not being subjected to a toxic work environment… well, basic human decency, isn’t it?

Think about it. When did you last see an ad for a car that said, “comes with four wheels!” or a sandwich with “bread included!” We’d kind of assumed that was part of the deal. But somehow, in the world of job adverts, absolute bare necessities are being repackaged and sold like luxury extras.

And, it’s not just a bit silly – it can feel patronising. Candidates aren’t dazzled by the promise of statutory holiday. They’re wondering why you felt the need to list it in the first place. And if you’re leading with that, what aren’t you offering?

In an age where employer branding is everything and candidates are savvier than ever, it’s time we called out the “benefits” that really aren’t benefits at all. Because while it’s tempting to make your job ad sound as attractive as possible, dressing up the basics as exciting extras isn’t just cringey – it can actually harm your recruitment efforts and your reputation.

The fine line between expectation and incentive

Now obviously, there’s nothing wrong with promoting your company’s great culture, supportive team, or flexible working approach. But when things like “free coffee” or “a modern laptop to do your work” make the list of benefits, it raises eyebrows.

Even with a stalling jobs market and concerns about the economy, today’s workforce has higher expectations than ever, and rightly so! According to Glassdoor, 79% of job seekers consider the benefits package a key factor when deciding whether to accept a job. And, in our own research, a company’s culture is also of paramount importance to job seekers. But there’s a difference between actual benefits (think enhanced parental or sick leave, private healthcare, mental health support) and simply being treated like a human being at work.

So, let’s look at some of the most common job “benefits” that should be reclassified as standard working conditions.

1. Annual leave (aka: the legal minimum)

It’s great to mention your holiday policy in your job adverts. But, unless you’re offering above the statutory minimum, maybe don’t frame it as a perk. In the UK, full-time workers are legally entitled to 28 days’ holiday (including bank holidays) if you work a normal 5-day working week. That’s not a benefit. That’s the law.

Want to stand out? Consider offering extra paid leave for birthdays, mental health days, or long service milestones. That’s when it becomes a talking point and a benefit that prospective employers can really value.

2. A decent working environment

I’ve genuinely lost count of job adverts that include phrases like “friendly office” or “great atmosphere” being used to pad out a job listing. But while a nice office or engaging workplace culture is incredibly important, just having a pleasant place to work shouldn’t be pitched as a perk, it should be a given.

Yes, we all want to work somewhere with kind colleagues, good coffee and a team that doesn’t leave you out of the pub quiz. But unless you’re offering something truly different (like dog-friendly offices – something we have here at Cezanne! – coworking memberships, or wellness spaces), this is table-stakes, nothing more.

3. Flexible working… that isn’t actually flexible

Ah, “Flexible working”. In my opinion, it’s become one of the most misused phrases in recruitment. Saying you offer flexibility and then specifying 9–5 in the office Monday to Friday? That’s not flexibility! That’s just traditional office hours with a rebrand.

If you are offering hybrid or remote-first roles, by all means shout about it. But be clear on what flexibility really looks like in your business. Is it flexi-hours? Compressed weeks? Remote options? Be clear with what it really means in your business. These are the kinds of details that candidates care about. And remember: according to a 2023 CIPD survey, 71% of job seekers said flexible working was important when considering a new role. That’s not fluff. That’s a real deciding factor.

4. We pay you!” (Well, we’d hope so…)

Believe it or not, I’ve seen job ads that list “paid position” as a benefit. And no, I’m not joking! So, unless you’re running an internship or volunteer programme, this goes without saying. People work for money – regardless of the position. That’s the transaction.

If you want to talk about pay, highlight what makes your package stand out. Competitive salaries, clear pay progression, or pay transparency are all worth mentioning, and do a lot more for your employer brand than simply confirming the existence of a payslip every month.

5. “We provide a laptop!”

Again… really… this isn’t a benefit. It’s a tool to do the job you’re employed to do. It’s the digital equivalent of being handed a desk and chair. If the bar is so low that candidates are genuinely surprised they won’t have to bring their own computer, it’s not a selling point – it’s a giant red flag.

Want to go above and beyond? Highlight things like choice or quality of equipment, home office budgets, or technology allowances. Those are the extras that tech-savvy candidates notice and appreciate.

Why this matters: trust, transparency and talent attraction

When you exaggerate the basics, candidates pick up on it. It can come across as out-of-touch at best and disingenuous at worst. In a competitive market, where candidate experience can make or break a hire, authenticity counts.

For example, according to a 2023 LinkedIn report, 61% of job seekers said they’d be more likely to apply to a company that openly shares its values and employee experience. So instead of spinning the basics into “benefits,” why not use that space to talk about what truly makes your company a great place to work?

• Do you have strong policies around wellbeing and mental health?
• Do you support learning and development with real budget and buy-in?
• Do you give people autonomy, trust and opportunities to grow?

These are the things that stick and resonate with candidates, and they’re what sets great employers apart from the rest.

What you can do differently

If you’re in HR or managing recruitment, you’ve got a huge opportunity to reset the narrative on what makes your organisation appealing. A perfect job advert doesn’t need to be flashy: it just need to be honest, human, and aligned with what today’s candidates actually care about.

Here’s how:

• Audit your job adverts

Strip out anything that’s just the legal minimum or part of the basic job setup. Be honest: if you were reading the ad for yourself, would you be impressed or just rolling your eyes?

If you’re using recruitment software / ATS (applicant tracking system) to manage vacancies, use it to your advantage. Build in templates, review approval workflows, and ensure that what goes out reflects your real employee value proposition (or EVP for short) – not just the ability to make tea in the office kitchen.

• Differentiate real benefits from expectations

Group your offer into categories: statutory (e.g. holiday allowance), standard (e.g. hybrid working), and standout (e.g. wellbeing budgets, enhanced leave). A good HR software platform can help here too – especially when it comes to centralising policies, capturing what you actually offer across departments, and making sure your benefits messaging is consistent wherever it appears, from your careers site to your onboarding process.

• Highlight the human stuff

Think about what makes your company feel like a great place to work; how you support people during tough times, how you train and promote managers, how you handle things like flexibility or mental health. The best  stories are often hidden in exit interviews, engagement surveys or performance reviews – exactly the kind of insights your HR software can help surface and structure. Use that intel to tell a better story.

Time to raise the bar, not just meet it!

In 2025, candidates aren’t falling for shiny-but-shallow perks. They’re looking for workplaces that genuinely care, communicate transparently, and offer more than the bare minimum.

So, let’s stop pretending that basic employment rights are benefits and start giving people something real to get excited about. Because when you get your EVP right, the right candidates will come knocking: not because of the free fruit or statutory annual leave allowance, but because they know they’ll be respected, supported and valued.

And really, isn’t that the job benefit everyone’s looking for?