Business · Economy · 1 day ago
Study finds cars and home working attract job seekers more than team events
A study involving ETH Zurich’s KOF found which job perks attract applicants in Switzerland.
Researchers assessed how job seekers responded to job ads offering different benefits.
Company cars ranked highest, with the model estimating that applicants would give up 10.4% of salary for one.
Home working, childcare contributions and parking also made ads more attractive, with estimated values of 8.3%, 6.1% and 4.4% of salary.
These figures are estimates, not observed pay cuts, and home working means being able to work from home for part of the week.
Team events did not show a measurable advantage in the experiment, but the study did not assess whether employees enjoy them or whether they build team bonds.
Employers may find practical perks more effective when trying to attract applicants, while the study does not say what any particular company will offer.
A study involving KOF at ETH Zurich found that company cars, home working, childcare contributions and parking make job advertisements more attractive to job seekers.
Team events did not show a measurable advantage in attracting applicants.
The study estimated that job seekers would give up 10.4% of their salary for a company car and 8.3% for home working.
The estimated values were 6.1% for a childcare contribution and 4.4% for parking.
These figures are model estimates based on job-search behaviour and a supplementary survey, not observed salary cuts.
- Who
- Job seekers and researchers involved in a study with KOF at ETH Zurich.
- What
- The study assessed how workplace benefits affect the appeal of job advertisements. Company cars, home working, childcare contributions and parking showed measurable appeal; team events did not.
- When
- The article was published on 8 November 2026.
- Where
- The study involved KOF at ETH Zurich. A more specific study location is not stated.
- Why
- The researchers examined how much salary job seekers would give up for various workplace benefits.
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- Company car
- Estimated salary value of 10.4%
- Home working
- Estimated salary value of 8.3%
- Childcare contribution
- Estimated salary value of 6.1%
- Parking
- Estimated salary value of 4.4%
- Team events
- No measurable advantage in attracting job seekers
- Publication date
- 8 November 2026