Financial rewards are the most important show of appreciation for nine in ten Romanian employees, and the most desired forms of recognition are bonuses, according to a survey of the current trends in the fringe benefits industry in Romania.
The annual Benefit study, conducted by Edenred Romania, shows that only four in ten employees feel constantly appreciated.
"Unlike Romania, globally, five in ten employees say they feel frequently valued for human quality, and not just for their professional activity, while only six in ten see bonuses as the most desired forms of recognition. On a global scale, the relationship with the manager (58%) and the recognition of personal events (51%) - birthdays, childbirth, wedding day, etc., are the most important shows of appreciation," reads a press release from the digital platform for services and payments.
At the local level, data from the Benefit survey reveal that although three in five employees believe that fringe benefits have a significant impact on their productivity, only one in five employees feel that their current benefits package is completely adjusted for their needs.
In terms of what they want to include in the benefits package, two in five employees mentioned access to professional training courses and wellness services.
"In the last six years, the budget allocated to benefits has doubled, and in 2024 it increased by 17%, a trend that not only continues, but we estimate that it will continue to grow rapidly in 2025 as well. The figures are not only economic indicators, but signal a maturation of the market, in which benefits become a strategic pillar of retention and productivity. The fact that, despite these investments, only one in five employees believe that their current benefits package fully covers their needs underlines the need for greater customisation. The labour market is moving towards a model in which flexibility and adaptability will define the success of companies in attracting and retaining talent," Gorkem Oran, managing director of Edenred Romania, is quoted as saying in the release.
According to the survey, meal cards, gift cards, holiday cards, cultural cards continue to be the most appreciated fringe benefits in Romania, followed by days off (42%) and insurance policies (38%).
At the same time, among the fringe benefits that Romanian employees would like are additional days off (54%), welfare (41%) and professional courses (38%).
Likewise, vacation days and access to various benefits are essential aspects that contribute to employee productivity.
According to the survey, seven in ten Romanian employees believe that days off have a significant impact on their performance, compared to five in 10 globally.
Also, fringe benefits such as insurance (five in ten employees in Romania vs. four in ten internationally), transportation (five in ten employees) and access to education and professional development (five in ten employees) play an important role in supporting well-being and motivation at work.
"The importance and impact of the fringe benefits packages for the well-being of employees has grown in recent years, which is demonstrated by the average allocated budget, which is on an upward trend and has doubled in the last 6 years," the survey also shows.
In terms of fringe benefits preferred by employees, except for meal cards, which are still in first place, there are gifts, which registered the highest growth in 2024 (33% versus 2023), which shows employees' need for flexibility, as well as their desire to receive evidence of personalised recognition.
On the next places are tourism with 28% and 7% more than in 2023 and gifts on special occasions with 14% (up 24% from 2023). These are followed by health benefits and private pensions, which witnessed increases of 11% and 28%, respectively.
At the same time, cultural activities are also in high demand and witnessed the highest growth from one year to another, at 112%. The sports category recorded a 20% decrease in expenses, as a result of the legislative changes in 2024.
The survey also shows that Gen Z spends 10% more on benefits than previous generations.
"As a result of the purpose of fringe benefits to contribute to the increase of well-being, both materially and physically or psycho-emotionally, they are accessed by employees of all ages, but in different ways. Gen Zs value activities that enrich their personal and social lives, and spend an average of 10% more on each benefit than previous generations. They opt for gifts in general (about 50%) and benefits from the cultural area (tickets to concerts, festivals, bookstores)," according to the survey.
On the other hand, the Boomers are making choices for financial stability and a comfortable future and are choosing smaller but higher-value benefits, with a predilection for tourism (38%), gifts and private pensions.
Gen X is also focused on a relaxed lifestyle and has shown greater interest in tourism (36%), gifts and private pensions. Millennials are concerned about wellbeing and work-life balance, so their top choices are gifts (28%), tourism and healthcare benefits.
Edenred is a leading local digital platform for services and payments, connecting over 60 million users and over 2 million partner merchants in 45 countries through one million corporate customers.
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