Revealed: The hottest work perks to get Aussies back in the office

Sydney, Australia, 29 October 2020 — Aussies are a nation of foodies, and it’s no surprise that as restrictions ease back and offices open up again, that one of the biggest work perks employers are dangling to entice us back in is… free food! 

New research by Uber Australia reveals that over 1 in 2 Aussies prefer free food over a flexible workplace policy, and almost 60% of employees wish their office offered free meals or food vouchers. And as the generation that launched #foodselfies, the findings show that millennials (57.7%) are the most food obsessed professionals in the country, making up the largest percentage of Aussies who would prefer free food over any other work perk.

Head of Enterprise for Uber for Business, Tim Rossanis, has seen first hand how Australian businesses have used food to support its employees throughout lockdown. In fact, the number of Australian companies using Eats for Business has almost doubled from pre-COVID times.   

“Food is the way to many people’s hearts and it comes as no surprise that in a year like 2020, where many of us have been stuck at home for months on end, that employers are looking for ways to keep employees motivated and engaged,” he said. 

“While our Melbourne colleagues are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, at the height of the lockdown, large enterprises were offering Uber Eats for Business and digital gift cards to its Melbourne based staff to help keep spirits up.

“But free food is not just a work perk being offered by big business. Over a third of orders we have seen through Eats for Business this year were made by SMBs.” 

Help with transport and the commute to work follows closely (41%) as another work perk that Aussies are calling for post-COVID. The research reveals that:

“Not everyone is comfortable with taking public transport yet, and the economic impact of commuting, like road tolls, is deterring many people from returning to the office even when it is safe to do so,” said Rossanis.  

“Some employers will have to help with the daily commute if they want Aussies back in the office. Or provide alternative options that do not lead to more cars on our roads as people opt to drive rather than get a bus or train in post-COVID.”

Additional research findings:

For more Uber for Business return to the office resources, contact us.