[UK] Two-thirds of employees describe paid sick leave as a must

In the UK, new research has revealed that paid sick leave continues to top the list of benefits and incentives that matter most to employees, The Global Recruiter reports.

The survey of 2,000 UK employees, by HR, payroll and benefits software provider Ciphr, found that more than two-thirds (68 per cent) think company sick pay is the most important employee benefit. It was ranked above all other benefits, incentives and rewards.

This result is reportedly almost identical to a similar survey Ciphr ran four years ago, when 67 per cent of 1,000 employees said sick pay was the benefit they valued most.

After paid sick leave, the other most in-demand incentives in 2026 include annual pay rises that match or exceed inflation and flexible working hours.

Employees cited the following 10 benefits and incentives as most important:

• Paid sick leave (68 per cent of survey respondents)

• Annual pay rises that match or exceed the UK’s inflation rate (60 per cent)

• Flexible working hours (58 per cent)

• Pension contribution matching (54 per cent)

• Extra holiday allowance (50 per cent)

• Upskilling (48 per cent)

• Employee discounts scheme (46 per cent)

• Paid overtime (42 per cent)

• Hybrid working (41 per cent)

• Personalised employee development (37 per cent)

Karen Lough - director of people at Ciphr - said, “With employer National Insurance (NI) contributions rising and wage bills under sustained pressure, it’s understandable that companies are scrutinising every line of their reward and benefits spend. But this research highlights a real risk in employers cutting back or standing still. It also shows that employees have clear priorities - paid sick leave, pay rises that keep pace with inflation, pension matching, and flexible working - and in several areas there are significant gaps between what they expect and what employers tell us they currently provide.

“Take paid sick leave, for example – the top-ranking benefit chosen by employees. Only half (56 per cent) of employers offer company or contractual sick pay. This creates a situation where many employees may force themselves to work when they may not be well enough to do so, because they can’t afford to live on SSP (Statutory Sick Pay). While the latest SSP reforms are welcome and will make sick pay more accessible to lower earners and part-time earners, the changes won’t fully bridge the gap for employees without company sick pay. That has consequences for productivity and long-term absence that employers often underestimate.

“A strong, clearly communicated benefits package builds trust, helps reduce absenteeism, burnout and attrition, and strengthens your employer brand,” Ms Lough added. “Getting it wrong, or simply doing nothing, carries its own cost, one that tends to show up quickly in increased recruitment spend and lower engagement and performance scores.”

Source: The Global Recruiter

(Quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, new research has revealed that paid sick leave continues to top the list of benefits and incentives that matter most to employees, The Global Recruiter reports.

The survey of 2,000 UK employees, by HR, payroll and benefits software provider Ciphr, found that more than two-thirds (68 per cent) think company sick pay is the most important employee benefit. It was ranked above all other benefits, incentives and rewards.

This result is reportedly almost identical to a similar survey Ciphr ran four years ago, when 67 per cent of 1,000 employees said sick pay was the benefit they valued most.

After paid sick leave, the other most in-demand incentives in 2026 include annual pay rises that match or exceed inflation and flexible working hours.

Employees cited the following 10 benefits and incentives as most important:

• Paid sick leave (68 per cent of survey respondents)

• Annual pay rises that match or exceed the UK’s inflation rate (60 per cent)

• Flexible working hours (58 per cent)

• Pension contribution matching (54 per cent)

• Extra holiday allowance (50 per cent)

• Upskilling (48 per cent)

• Employee discounts scheme (46 per cent)

• Paid overtime (42 per cent)

• Hybrid working (41 per cent)

• Personalised employee development (37 per cent)

Karen Lough - director of people at Ciphr - said, “With employer National Insurance (NI) contributions rising and wage bills under sustained pressure, it’s understandable that companies are scrutinising every line of their reward and benefits spend. But this research highlights a real risk in employers cutting back or standing still. It also shows that employees have clear priorities - paid sick leave, pay rises that keep pace with inflation, pension matching, and flexible working - and in several areas there are significant gaps between what they expect and what employers tell us they currently provide.

“Take paid sick leave, for example – the top-ranking benefit chosen by employees. Only half (56 per cent) of employers offer company or contractual sick pay. This creates a situation where many employees may force themselves to work when they may not be well enough to do so, because they can’t afford to live on SSP (Statutory Sick Pay). While the latest SSP reforms are welcome and will make sick pay more accessible to lower earners and part-time earners, the changes won’t fully bridge the gap for employees without company sick pay. That has consequences for productivity and long-term absence that employers often underestimate.

“A strong, clearly communicated benefits package builds trust, helps reduce absenteeism, burnout and attrition, and strengthens your employer brand,” Ms Lough added. “Getting it wrong, or simply doing nothing, carries its own cost, one that tends to show up quickly in increased recruitment spend and lower engagement and performance scores.”

Source: The Global Recruiter

(Quotes via original reporting)