Creative wellbeing activities are rarely mentioned in recruitment advertising, according to an analysis by workshop marketplace ClassBento of 94,934 Reed job listings in October 2026.
The company found 293 mentions of creative activities, equivalent to 0.31% of the adverts reviewed. Free tea appeared in 1,078 adverts and free fruit in 675. The findings offer HR teams a prompt to review how they describe their wellbeing offer to potential recruits.
Key stats
- 94,934 Reed job listings analysed.
- 0.31% mentioned creative activities or qualifying benefits platforms.
- 1,078 mentioned free tea, compared with 293 mentions of creative activities.
What the research measures
The analysis counts what employers advertise, rather than surveying the benefits they actually provide or measuring employee mental health. It also counted adverts mentioning platforms such as Perkbox as offering creative activities. An absence from an advert therefore does not establish that an employer offers no such support.
ClassBento, which sells creative workshops, argues that employers should consider activities such as art, crafts and baking as part of a broader wellbeing programme.
“Creative experiences bring people together, encourage self-expression and help employees switch off from day-to-day pressures.”
John Tabari, co-founder of ClassBento
Why it matters
For recruitment and HR teams, the practical question is whether job adverts communicate meaningful, accessible support. Reviewing benefit descriptions with employees can help identify what they value. Creative activities may complement a wider offer, but should not substitute for addressing workload, management support and access to appropriate help.
Key takeaways
- Explain the substance of wellbeing benefits in job adverts, rather than relying on familiar perks.
- Ask employees which activities and support they would actually use.
- Treat these findings as an analysis of advertising language, not proof of employer provision or health outcomes.
Source: ClassBento analysis of Reed job listings, October 2026. Image supplied by ClassBento.
