Companies that go beyond the norm for their employee benefits packages help attract and retain amazing talent while positively transforming the company culture. Having these types of benefits also helps companies avoid the additional costs of having to train new employees because of high turnover. Companies that understand the power of a rapidly evolving workplace will reap the benefits.
What are some employee benefits most people look for and appreciate when seeking employment?
1. Flexible Work Weeks and Schedules
Let’s face it...everyone has things to do. The more an employer wants to keep employees tethered to a 9-5 day, the harder it will be to keep them when competing alongside companies with more flexibility.
2. Hybrid Workplace
The pandemic taught a lot of lessons, but one of the biggest is that employees can work well from home. Companies must learn how to adapt. Implementing a hybrid workplace where some employees work in the office and others from home helps tailor the environment to focus on where those employees are most productive. For some, it isn’t in an office.
3. Tuition Reimbursement
With people looking to learn more and expand their skill sets, companies that embrace this and provide incentives for employees to go back to school have happier employees which usually results in them moving up within the company instead of leaving to go elsewhere.
4. PTO for Volunteering
Where does your company stand on social impact? This is huge for many employees who value corporations that want to give back. Giving employees PTO hours to go volunteer and help the community makes them feel good and you look good too!
5. Pet Insurance & Pet-Friendly Offices
Providing a group rate for those employees who want pet insurance is a great way to let them know you care about all the members of their families. Offices that have a pet daycare or facility where they can come when not feeling well or can’t stay at home make employees feel more comfortable and cut down on those who feel they must call in.
6. Gym Membership Credit
Happy and healthy employees are always the goal. Providing discounts on a gym membership or having gym facilities on campus demonstrates your concern for employee wellness.
7. Casual Dress Code
While corporate attire is not entirely dead, the casual dress code is continuously shifting toward the norm, especially with many people working from home.
As a result, relaxed dress codes are considered the new normal, with professionals choosing neat comfort over style. Depending on how your employees work, adopting some form of a casual dress code shouldn’t fly under the radar.
8. Unlimited PTO
Companies that care about whether the employee gets the job done and not so much about them being tied to specific days and times may experience higher levels of productivity. According to a 2019 employee benefits trends survey from MetLife, unlimited PTO was at the top of the benefits list among those surveyed. With quite a few big companies offering this incentive, you’ll be in good company.
Remember, it is important to look past an open position in and of itself when it comes to recruiting for your organization.
By taking a hard look at your current benefits plan, and making selective changes as needed, you'll be adding attractive qualities to your job openings, not to mention making your company more attractive to applicants as a whole. Improve retention, company culture, and more when you offer a comprehensive employee benefits plan that includes some of the out-of-the-box benefits above.
