With studies from recruitment company 1st Executive showing that staff retention is the biggest problem currently facing Australian workplaces, it is hardly surprising that employers are willing to pull out all the stops to give employees what they want.

From flexi-time to gym memberships and even family rooms, most of the tactics being used to lure employees are designed to help them develop a good work-life balance.

The Queensland Government's Department of Employment and Industrial Relations recommends such measures, saying that better work-life balance will make employees more productive.

The department suggests workplaces consider measures such as allowing employees to work from home to avoid commuting, and lunchtime yoga or Pilates classes to improve their health and fitness.

It even recommends workplaces introduce "family rooms", private rooms employees can use when breastfeeding or to care for a sick child or family member.

So what happens when these recruitment tactics work? According to an article by Hays Recruitment, many businesses are willing to interview and even hire qualified candidates regardless of whether a position is available to them.

"In these instances, employers have open requirements and will hire a new staff member that matches their specific requirements even if they are not actively recruiting at the time," Hays director Nick Deligiannis said.

"If candidate availability drops in other areas, the reality is that this trend could spread and employers could register open requirements across the full range of skills they employ."