The ‘Employee Benefits Index’, from sharetech platform Vestd, analysed over 130,000 job listings across over 30 industries, assessing the availability of 20 key employee benefits.

To create the overall ranking, each industry was given a weighted score of 100 based on the percentage of jobs that had each benefit, and totalled up to give an index score out of 2,000. The higher the score, the better the benefits package offered in the industry.

The accountancy sector ranked 25th, placing it among the bottom ten industries, with a benefits index score of just 331 out of a possible 2,000, nearly half that of the highest-ranking industry.

Despite more than 14,800 active job vacancies, the most common benefits to attract talent were bonuses (offered in only 13% of listings), and flexible working (11%). This comes as research by TotalJobs found that two-thirds of candidates would forgo a pay rise in exchange for more flexible working hours.

However, more progressive benefits such as a four-day working week, profit sharing, and bereavement leave were notably minimal across the sector, highlighting the importance of varying incentives in recruitment.

Notably, just over 1% of jobs in the accountancy sector offered employee share schemes, placing it among the 10 worst industries – despite research finding 93% of leaders agreed shared ownership schemes supported recruitment efforts.

This underlines a broader trend of limited forward-thinking benefits within the sector, potentially putting it at a disadvantage in a competitive hiring market, which can further harm talent engagement and retention.

At the bottom of the ranking was the scientific sector, with a score of just 210, followed closely by media, digital, and creative (215) and education (229).

In contrast, the motoring and automotive sector leads the way for employee benefits, with a score of 704, with bonus schemes and flexible working the most popular incentives for jobs in this industry. Customer service and hospitality were the second and third best sectors, with scores of 671 and 660, respectively.

Ifty Nasir, founder and CEO of Vestd, commented on the research:

“Despite growing awareness of the importance of employee benefits, too many organisations still view benefit packages as a cost hit rather than a strategic investment. But when you consider the ROI of a well-designed employee benefits package, chiefly in improving retention and employee engagement, the financial need is clear.

“It is surprising to see that accounting businesses are falling behind when it comes to employee benefits by not offering more progressive workplace perks. Meanwhile, our ‘Employee Benefits Index’ shows that sectors offering long-term incentives like EMI schemes also outperformed in overall benefits, leaving them better equipped to attract and retain talent.

“With National Insurance contributions on the rise, turning to equity-based schemes also works as a tax-efficient alternative to pay rises or bonuses. In doing so, companies that invest in their benefits provision and long-term incentives are not just supporting their teams, but are strategically safeguarding their bottom line and protecting their long-term stability in a tough economic climate.”