'Benefitsmaxxing' | UK workers look beyond pay during period of slowing wage growth

A growing number of UK workers are choosing jobs based on benefits rather than salary alone, as wage growth continues to lag behind the cost of living and employers face mounting cost pressures. 

The new trend dubbed 'benefitsmaxxing' reflects a shift in employees strategically choosing job opportunities based on comprehensive benefits packages rather than salary alone. This new phenomenon is forcing employers to rethink their approach to talent retention at a time when wage growth is failing to keep pace with inflation.`

According to new data from Employment Hero, while pay rises remain the most common reason people change jobs at 63%, employee benefits are now a close third (53%), just behind flexible hours. The findings suggest employees are not motivated by pay alone, with benefits playing an increasingly decisive role in job moves.

The shift comes at a challenging time for UK businesses. Analysis of 117,000 anonymised and aggregated employee records on the Employment Hero platform, reveals that the three-month average wage growth reached 3.6% in January 2026, tracking marginally above inflation. Employers are increasingly under pressure to offer higher, but with rising employment costs - including higher National Insurance Contributions eating into budgets - consistent wage growth isn’t feasible.