Employees don’t just want more money anymore - Part III

In Part I of this series, we looked at net-efficient ways to optimise purchasing power.‍

Part II explored how cafeteria plans and mobility budgets introduce flexibility and personalisation.

In this final instalment, we focus on benefits that directly improve everyday working life. Extra leave and flexible or hybrid working arrangements may not be driven by tax optimisation, but they consistently deliver very high perceived value for employees.

As in the previous articles, each option is assessed using three practical criteria:

• Employee impact
• Employer cost
• Ease of implementation

Each is scored on a scale.

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Extra paid holiday days (Extra-legal leave)

What is it?

Extra-legal leave is an employer’s decision to grant additional paid vacation days on top of the statutory minimum. These days are paid like normal working days and can be allocated in different ways: as a fixed entitlement, based on seniority or job category, or linked to the achievement of predefined objectives.

Why employers use it

Extra leave has become one of the most powerful perceived benefits in the Belgian market. It is immediate, highly visible and directly improves quality of life. For many employees, time has become a form of currency; sometimes even more valuable than additional pay.

Key points to keep in mind

• Treated as normal paid salary days (standard employer charges apply)
• Once granted, it becomes part og the remuneration package and requires clear policy rules
• Pro rata treatment, carry-ver rules and eligibility criteria must be defined
• Consistency across comparable employee groups is essential

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Score

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Conclusion

Extra paid holiday days achieve the maximum score for employee impact thanks to their immediate and tangible effect on quality of life. In a poll among our candidates, the number of holiday days offered consistently ranks near the top of factors that attract applicants - often ahead of pure financial gain.

From an employer perspective, the cost is moderate to high, as it represents paid non-working time combined with social charges. The operational impact varies by sector. Implementation itself is straight forward, with the main requirement being clear regulation in employment contracts and internal policies.

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Flexible working hours & Hybrid working

What is it?

Flexible working hours and hybrid working arrangements give employees greater autonomy over when and where they work, within a clearly defined framework. In Belgium, structural homework must be properly documented through policies and agreements, with clear rules for all parties involved.

Why employers use it

Flexibility improves work-life balance, reduces commuting pressure and sends a strong signal of trust. For employers, it is a powerful lever for attraction and retention, while keeping direct financial costs relatively low.

Key points to keep in mind

• Documentation remains essential (policies and agreements)
• Data protection and security require adapted solutions in hypbrid models
• Managers must adapt their leadership style; teams need new collaboration norms
• Not everty role can be treated the same, consistency and fairness are key

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Score

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Conclusion

Flexible and hybrid working arrangements continue to deliver strong employee value, with autonomy and work-life balance remaining decisive factors for many professionals. At the same time, limits are becoming clearer. When remote work becomes too extensive or overly imposed, employees increasingly report missing social interaction, informal learning and team connection.

For employers, the financial cost is limited, but the organisational impact can be significant. The real investment lies in execution. While the administrative side is manageable, making hybrid work successful requires changes in leadership style, communication, performance management and data-security practices.

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Series wrap-up

The era in which competitive remuneration could rely primarily on traditional advantages is coming to an end. Not because these tools are disappearing, but because they no longer deliver the same balance between employer cost and employee value.

Across this series, one message stands out: the strongest modern salary packages combine three complementary approaches:

• They use net-efficient mechanisms to optimise purchasing power
• They introduce personalisation through structured choice frameworks
• They include benefits that materially improve quality of life

There is no single “best” benefit. The most effective packages are built as intelligent combinations, tailored to what employees truly value. Employers who understand this shift and adapt accordingly gain a clear advantage.

In today’s market, paying smarter is becoming more important than paying more.