But it’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, there are ways for smaller businesses to get creative and provide perks that appeal more to individual employees. By figuring out what a candidate needs, it may be possible to win them over by offering personalised and memorable perks.
People Are Conditioned to Expect Perks and Bonuses
One of the biggest challenges for firms and recruiters in 2026 is the fact that people are almost conditioned to expect bonuses and freebies wherever they go. Online industries have been at the heart of this, where there’s often loads of value to be found. For instance, services like Spotify and YouTube give away free trials on their premium membership before people have to pay.
It’s the same with gambling promotions. Players can usually get free spins and free playing money, and sometimes use these bonuses before spending any of their own funds. On top of that, there are often perks for returning players, such as getting a turn on a daily prize machine.
When top candidates apply for jobs nowadays, they often have the leverage to flip the interview process and ask employers what benefits they’d get if they joined. They know that they can get their hands on lucrative sign-on bonuses and extra perks, and want to try to get as much as possible before agreeing to a deal. This is where small business owners have to get clever. They can admit to not being able to compete with the big firms when it comes to sign-on bonuses, but they can make their offers attractive in different ways.
Using Personalisation and Memorable Perks
The best thing that small business owners can do is make sure that their incentives are highly personalised to individual candidates. There’s a lot to be said for making someone feel recognised and that you’ve put some effort into learning their needs. For example, candidates with families could be gifted flexible hours or a hybrid working scheme. Another employee may be looking for professional development schemes, so you can outline all the potential promotions if they manage to reach their targets.
Large companies tend to offer standardised benefits to all employees, but smaller companies can compete with this by providing memorable perks that suit individuals. For example, there could be a reward wall at the company, where people can exchange performance points for perks. They can choose what they want, and it could include things like a free holiday or a company car.
While a lot of top talent may go to the most-established businesses in an industry, many people may prefer small companies that can cater to their needs more. By getting to know candidates and what appeals to them, business owners can try to attract them through different perks.
