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Employers have to get creative to stand out in competitive job markets. HR professionals can help by refining the benefits they offer. Understanding what people want in remote vs. on-site benefits packages will make your job listings more appealing. You’ll give new hires what they need to thrive and potentially reduce your turnover rates in any department.
What prospective workers want in remote benefits packages
Deciding what remote workers want from their benefits packages can feel tricky. They already work from home, which is a significant benefit. These are several other perks to make potential new hires race to apply for your open positions.
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1. Health insurance
Providing health insurance for remote workers may feel like a challenge if they’re located across the country, but it’s not impossible. Varying state laws require different health insurance coverage for workers, but you can often arrange health coverage for employees living in multiple states.
Consider looking into national plans or state-wide plans to simplify the process. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that 47% of private industry workers rely on employer-provided health insurance. You’ll immediately appeal to nearly half of potential new hires by showing the guarantee of health care coverage on your benefits package list.
2. A vacation stipend
When people compare job listings, they look at the various estimated salaries. If there’s no salary listed, they compare included benefits on each post to see which employer would provide the best coverage options. Those benefits packages must stand out to remain competitive in the modern job market. Vacation stipends are an excellent way to do that.
People often don’t utilize their provided time off for numerous reasons, including the cost of vacationing compared to the cost of living. Remote workers who spend all of their time at home every day may feel the need to vacation more than workers who clock in outside their homes during the week. A vacation stipend or generous PTO package guarantees that they won’t feel stir-crazy if they get hired by your team.
3. Child care coverage
People might think working from home means parents can easily care for their kids during the workday, but that isn’t the case. Participating in video calls or completing focus-heavy work is challenging when you’re also trying to keep an eye on your child. It’s one of the reasons why 18.2% of remote workers living with children use their commute-free time to take their kids to child care.
Providing child care coverage for remote team members would benefit people looking for extra hands to help with their kids. Some new hires might use the financial support to pay for preschool, while others might utilize a discount on professional babysitters during their busier days of the week. Child care coverage demonstrates your family-friendly approach and simplifies a remote worker’s remote career, making it one of the best benefits to offer.
What people want in on-site benefits packages
Team members working on-site should also receive appealing benefits packages. Consider a few of the most in-demand benefits to bring more talented workers to your company.
1. Child care assistance
Child care is also a pressing concern for parents commuting to work. The average price of day care rose 22% between 2020-2024, so additional financial coverage through a stipend makes a significant difference for families. It’s one of the reasons why child care coverage is a common consideration for HR professionals comparing remote vs. on-site benefits packages.
Employers can also partner with local child care providers to arrange exclusive discounts at locations closest to work. It would double as a way for employees to save time during their daily commutes because they wouldn’t have to travel far out of their way to reach affordable day cares.
2. Extensive paid family leave policies
Returning to work after adding a new member to your family is always tricky, even if you work remotely. However, on-site workers face additional challenges as they typically can’t bring their infants to the office. Extensive family leave policies ensure that every team member can take the time they need to recover from giving birth or develop a new family routine before resuming a full-time work schedule.
Paid family leave policies make your workplace more competitive on the job market, particularly since gender-inclusive policies appeal to more potential new hires.
Offering this benefit will give your company a competitive edge, as recent data shows 73% of private sector workers do not have paid family leave. People will want to work with your team more than any other local employer if they plan to expand their families one day.
3. A corporate fitness program
Employer-provided fitness benefits can be a big hook for job seekers. New hires get free or discounted gym memberships, which may even apply to a gym within the same building as their workplace. Companies experience higher retention rates when their employees aren’t as stressed because they’re working out.
People commuting to the office may utilize this benefit more than remote workers because they’re already out in town, making it easy to fit in a few minutes to go to the gym during their commute. It’s worth considering while trying to enhance on-site benefits packages for potential new hires.
Clarify benefits to streamline hiring
Comparing remote vs. on-site benefits packages clarifies how you can make your workplace the best employer in town. Once you create comprehensive benefits addressing various new hire needs, you’ll have more people enthusiastic about joining your team.
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