UK Employee Benefits Guide 2026 - Request your copy

Request your free copy of the 2026 UK & Ireland Employee Benefits Guide today.

Looking to improve your employee benefits strategy in 2026? Our free UK & Ireland Employee Benefits Guide reveals what benefits professionals value most - helping you attract and retain top talent in a competitive market. Fill in the form to receive the 2026 benefits guide.

Following the success of our 2025 guide, we surveyed over 2,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland to understand the evolving state of employee benefits in 2026.

This year’s guide offers deeper insights into the value and impact of employee benefits and hybrid/flexi-working policies, helping you build competitive packages that meet workforce expectations.

What is the Robert Walters Employee Benefits Guide?

The guide is a comprehensive analysis of the benefits professionals receive and prioritise, based on real survey data from professionals across the UK & Ireland. It includes tables covering the benefits professionals are receiving, segmented data by seniority and company size. The guide also has insightful key findings and expert HR recommendations.

What’s in the guide?

The comprehensive guide covers the exact employee benefits professionals are receiving across the UK & Ireland - and what they value most in 2026.

1. The perks professionals receive in 2026

The guide includes segmented data on the benefits received across the following categories:

• Financial benefits (e.g. bonuses, pensions)
• Paid leave
• Family benefits (e.g. maternity, paternity leave)
• Insurance & health benefits
• Wellbeing & lifestyle perks

2. Key findings about benefits packages in 2026

The guide presents clear infographic-style overviews of key survey insights - expertly unpacked and visualised to help employers benchmark and improve their offering. Request the guide to dive into:

Satisfaction with benefits packages

Discover how satisfied professionals are with their current benefits, and which elements - such as pension contributions, annual leave, and hybrid working - drive higher satisfaction scores.

Retention and job-seeking intention

Understand how benefits influence whether professionals are actively seeking new roles, and how satisfaction levels correlate with retention risk.

Bonuses & pensions

Explore how eligibility, value, and expectations around bonuses and pension contributions affect salary perception and job satisfaction.

Hybrid and flexible working

Track how hybrid and flexi-working policies have shifted since 2025, including the rise in mandated office days and the impact of commuting costs on satisfaction.

Customisation of benefits

See how many professionals can tailor their benefits packages, and the impact of flexibility and personalisation. 

Salary perception

The guide explores how the benefits professionals receive shape their sense of being fairly compensated, and how this perception influences job-seeking behaviour.

Communication and understanding

Review how benefits are communicated and the consequences of poor communication on employee satisfaction and retention.

Demographic variation

Understand how benefits are received and valued differently across age groups, seniority levels, and gender, offering employers a clearer view of how to tailor their offerings.

3. Expert insights from industry leaders

The 2026 guide includes expert commentary from senior HR and compensation specialists, offering readers a deeper understanding of how benefits strategies are evolving across the UK & Ireland.

These expert perspectives explore the growing importance of health and wellbeing in the workplace, the shift towards more personalised and inclusive benefits, and how organisations are adapting to meet the expectations of a multi-generational workforce. 

Readers will gain insight into how leading employers are responding to rising employee demands, and how benefits can be used not just to attract talent - but to improve productivity, morale, and long-term engagement.

Why do employee benefits matter?

Employee benefits are no longer just a perk - they’re a strategic tool for attracting, engaging, and retaining talent. In today’s competitive market, professionals expect packages that reflect their values and support their wellbeing.

The 2026 guide offers actionable insights into the latest trends and best practices, helping organisations tailor their offerings to meet evolving expectations. From flexible working to health support and financial wellbeing, the guide helps you build a benefits strategy that delivers real impact.

Download your copy today to access expert insights that will transform your talent strategy.