What employee benefits should you offer?

Its almost like an entirely different environment for individuals looking for jobs at the moment. Remote working has now become standardized and looks to stay that way for some time to come. Due to this, people’s expectations of what benefits they should be receiving as employees has also changed. Suddenly that perk of being able to use the company gym doesn’t seem so appealing anymore. So, what benefits do employees now want and what should employers be prepared to look for?

One of the main benefits employees look for today is a flexible work environment that can allow them to work at home. This has been something that prior to the pandemic employees across many sectors had asked for, however many companies had been hesitant to give this. Once the pandemic hit, remote working became necessary and it became obvious that many employees like the flexibility that this brought with it. We have already done a post on whether home working is right for your business if you are still unsure whether this is something you should still be offering.

Following on from home working, employees are increasingly looking for benefits that will help their mental or physical health. Many people struggled with their mental health during lockdown, and this is something that employers should be aware of. Being able to offer employees the ability to speak to a counsellor or a mental wellbeing programme, or even by enabling employees to take days off if they are having a bad mental health day. Physical health is also just as important and employees should be encouraged to take time out of their day to get some exercise. You don’t need to offer a gym subscription, but rather you could offer employees online classes that they can take at home. Classes such as yoga offers not only a chance to improve strength, but also serves as a method of relaxation where employees can unwind from the days work. You could even begin a friendly competition such as who can get the most steps in each week.

A direction of individual growth as an employee is another factor many look for when applying for jobs. For younger employees entering the business, knowing that there is room for future training where they can learn new skills that can help them advance is extremely attractive. It’s not only suitable for attracting younger people, but for everyone. Knowing that there is room for growth and advancement will attract people to your business and will help them know that this won’t be a dead-end job that will ultimately lead nowhere and lead to an unhappy and unsatisfied employee.

Stuck for unique ideas your business could offer? Here’s what large well-known companies include:

Google offers their employees free food amongst their perks (anyone who has seen The Internship might know what their workplace includes!). They previously offered buffet-style canteens but have now moved to boxed grab-and-go-meals and individually packed snacks. Keeping your staff fed is a simple method that you can implement in your own workplace (if you are back to the office). You could follow a similar pattern by ensuring your staff fridge is kept full, which in turn will keep energy and morale high.

Nationwide Building Society and The Body Shop are two companies that offer corporate volunteering days. Here, employees get the opportunity to give something back and help out at a local charity. Employees can feel more fulfilled and even as if they are learning a new skill, which is useful if they ever decide to look for another job as many employers look for volunteering experience.

Facebook encourages physical health by providing bikes around the campus to help employees get around, stay active, and is part of their campaign to reduce its carbon footprint. They even have vending machines that instead of offering food such as crisps, instead give out all the parts you would need to prepare a bike!

The list of benefits employees look for is endless and ever changing. Employers need to be aware that the world we live in today is dramatically different from that of pre-covid and therefore many of the benefits previously offered need to be adjusted and new ones potentially brought in. Even if the pandemic does subside and life returns to full normality, benefits such as flexible working should not be forgotten completely. Always think of what benefits would help bring out the very best in your employees, which in turn will maximise their productivity and benefit the organisation as a whole.

‍