Most popular employee benefits revealed

Before Canadians click ‘Apply’, many now take the time to do their homework first by screening potential employers online.

What do jobseekers search for? Perks!

The past year has seen Canadians type in the keyword 8,500 times per month in relation to other search terms such as ‘in the workplace’ or ‘at work,’ according to marketing analytics specialist SEMrush.

Out of the many possible benefits, health insurance matters most to these job hunters. “Trendy workplace benefits, such as having an in-house doctor and permission to bring pets to work regularly, coupled with old standbys such as gym memberships, are not necessarily high on Canadians’ radars, at least not in relation to a strong deciding factor like health coverage when considering whether or not to accept a job offer,” the report noted.

Online search for the phrase ‘workplace health benefits’ grew 129% from 2016 to 2019, with much of the buzz generated in Ontario and Alberta. The terms ‘paid time off’ and ‘work-life balance’ also gained traction, the researchers said.

Today’s workforce – especially the younger employees – also look beyond the compensation package and evaluate a potential employer based on their corporate culture, said Olga Andrienko, global marketing head at SEMrush.

Millennials reportedly search for companies whose values “resonate” with them and who offer “something extra” such as work-life balance.

Proof of this shift in focus is the popularity of other search terms that revolve around workplace culture:

• Ethics – 3,500 monthly searches
• Bullying – 3,100
• Harassment – 2,800
• Diversity – 1,100

In the #MeToo era, the issue of harassment appeared to be a hot topic among Canadian workers as search volume for the term increased 43% while the keyword ‘ethics’ garnered 18% more traction over the past three years.