Study reveals the perks job seekers are prioritizing – mobility and flexibility being favored over traditional benefits
Key Findings:
- Monthly searches for jobs with travel opportunities reach 4,400 searches, making it the most in-demand job perk among job seekers.
- Traditional benefits like retirement plans and stock options show surprisingly low demand, with only 70 monthly searches each.
- Expert David Garcia warns companies may need to reassess their benefits packages as employee priorities shift towards lifestyle perks.
Job seekers in 2024 are redefining what makes a dream job, with their search habits telling a fascinating story.
Job screening experts at ScoutLogic have analyzed Google search data to understand which job perks are being most actively sought after by potential employees.
Travel opportunities, flexibility, and personal development were revealed to be major drivers in job searches, suggesting that the modern workforce places more value on lifestyle and experience-based benefits.
Most Popular Job Perks
Table 1. Job searches ranked by volume
| Rank | Search term | Average Monthly Search Volume |
| 1 | jobs with travel opportunities | 4,400 |
| 2 | jobs with relocation assistance | 3,600 |
| 3 | jobs with sabbaticals | 3,600 |
| 4 | jobs with signing bonuses | 3,600 |
| 5 | jobs with tuition reimbursement | 3,600 |
| 6 | jobs with flexible work schedules | 2,900 |
| 7 | jobs with pet insurance | 2,900 |
| 8 | jobs with health insurance | 1,000 |
| 9 | jobs with company car | 590 |
| 10 | jobs with unlimited pto | 590 |
- Travel
Jobs offering travel opportunities dominate the rankings with 4,400 monthly searches. These positions typically include regular business trips, working from different office locations, and client-facing roles requiring frequent travel.
The high interest in travel-based positions likely reflects a post-pandemic desire for exploration and new experiences, particularly among younger workers seeking diverse work environments.
- Relocation assistance
Coming in second with 3,600 monthly searches, jobs with relocation assistance packages are attracting significant interest. These benefits usually cover moving expenses, temporary housing, and sometimes cultural integration support for international moves. The strong demand could indicate that job seekers are willing to relocate for the right opportunity and value employers who help make that transition smoother.
- Sabbaticals
Also generating 3,600 monthly searches, sabbatical offerings have become increasingly attractive to job seekers. These extended paid breaks typically allow for personal development, travel, or rejuvenation. The high search volume supports the idea that there’s a growing emphasis on work-life balance and opportunities for personal growth.
Surprising Trends in Less Popular Benefits
Table 2. Job searches ranked by volume (low to high)
| Rank | Search term | Average Monthly Search Volume |
| 1 | jobs with loan forgiveness programs | 10 |
| 2 | jobs with summer fridays | 10 |
| 3 | jobs with childcare assistance | 30 |
| 4 | jobs with paid time off | 30 |
| 5 | jobs with parental leave | 30 |
| 6 | jobs with paternity leave | 30 |
| 7 | jobs with retirement plans | 70 |
| 8 | jobs with stock options | 70 |
| 9 | jobs with casual dress codes | 90 |
| 10 | jobs with maternity leave | 170 |
- Loan Forgiveness Programs
Loan forgiveness programs, which typically help employees pay off student loans or provide debt relief, could be seeing low search volumes because they’re often industry-specific, particularly in public service or healthcare sectors, or because job seekers may be searching for these benefits using different terms.
- Summer Fridays
Jobs offering summer Fridays, where companies provide shortened work days or days off during summer months, also receive just 10 monthly searches. Despite being a trendy perk in recent years, particularly in creative industries and tech startups, the low search volume suggests job seekers might view this as a nice-to-have bonus rather than a highly desirable benefit.
- Childcare Assistance
Jobs with childcare assistance benefits receive only 30 monthly searches. These programs, which can include on-site childcare facilities, childcare subsidies, or backup care options, show surprisingly low search volumes despite the rising costs of childcare. This could indicate that working parents might be searching for childcare benefits through other terms, or that they’re assuming such benefits would be discussed during the interview process rather than searching specifically for them.
About ScoutLogic
ScoutLogic is a bulk background check service in the United States. ScoutLogic primarily works with recruiters and HR teams to conduct bulk background screening at a large scale. ScoutLogic provides a full suite of background checks, including criminal background investigations, education/employment verification and reference checking, and drug testing, to perform FCRA-compliant background checks.
Methodology
ScoutLogic took a list of common job perks that companies and employers offer to their employees or prospective employees.
Then, they ran the terms with the phrase “Jobs with [PERK]” into Google Ads, which provided a monthly search volume.
Searches were then ranked by their monthly search volume.
Only terms with a search result above 0 were included for the bottom 10 rankings.
