Unique Employee Benefits
Employee happiness is one of the most crucial factors leading to a productive and efficient workplace. For this reason, it is crucial for employers to provide their employees with adequate benefit packages. In today’s competitive job market, strong employees are in high demand. Long gone are the days where prospective employees were only concerned with their base salary and potential bonus structure. Instead, employees are now concerned with unique benefit packages and perks that your company can offer. The following perks outlined below can assist your organization to retain valuable employees and present an appealing benefit package to potential candidates.
- Health and Fitness
It is time to get rid of all that junk food you have stored in the kitchen and vending machine and replace it with healthy alternatives. And while you are at it, consider implementing a small, onsite fitness room; or reimburse your employees for gym memberships. Not only will your employees be happier and healthier, but their level of productivity will increase.
- Flexibility
As we discussed in our earlier article regarding the benefits of flexible work arrangements – in today’s working environment, flexible workplace policies are crucial for organizations to get the most out of their diverse work-force. Implementing flexible work hours is the most obvious option, but companies may also consider modifying the company dress code or offering unlimited vacation time as creative options.
- Create a Welcoming Work Environment
Coming into work should be a pleasure, not a punishment. To create a fun, welcoming, and comfortable work environment, companies may consider adding a game room with something as simple as a ping-pong or pool table. An even easier option would be to provide employees with free music and headphones or allow them to start special interest clubs. This can include public speaking clubs, weight-loss support groups, craft circles, and even safety awareness clubs.
- Family Friendly
With a large percentage of today’s workforce being comprised of parents, companies should make an effort to implement policies catering to some of the needs of parents. Offering onsite childcare, or even something as simple as providing reimbursement for a portion of daycare costs will have a positive, lasting impact on employees who are parents. Additionally, finding a way to get involved with providing student scholarships for university can take the burden off parents’ minds, who are concerned about the ever-increasing price of tuition.
- Bonding and Connection
It is crucial for employees to feel connected to each other and to their employers. Implementing semi-annual outings can promote and encourage team bonding and trust, while at the same time boost employee morale. Corporate branded merchandise can also create a sense of community and belonging among employees.
- Giving Back
Giving back to the community should be a focal point of every organization. Organization wide fundraising events or volunteer events allow employees to bond and build trust, while at the same time demonstrate the company’s objective in giving back to the community.
Each of the benefits listed above come with their own perks and challenges. Whether the boost in morale and productivity outweighs the cost of the said perk is ultimately up to the employer. However, in the event that any of the benefits listed above are implemented, employee retention and engagement are sure to reach all-new highs.