When observed in a cesium beam frequency standard, the hyperfine transition frequency of the atoms differs slightly from the invariant transition frequency of the unperturbed atoms at rest. The various physical and technical origins of the frequency offsets are stated. They relate to fundamental physical effects, to the method of probing the atomic resonance and to the frequency control of the slaved oscillator. The variation of the frequency offsets under a change of the value of the internal operating characteristics is considered. The sensitivity to a change of the magnetic induction, the microwave power and the temperature is given. A comparison is made of the sensitivity of cesium beam frequency standards of the commercially available type, making use of magnetic state selection, and of devices under study in which the state preparation and detection is accomplished optically. The pathways between the external stimuli and the physical origin of the frequency offsets are specified.