Most employers provide several benefits to both employees, including health insurance, paid vacation days, and retirement account options. The most innovative employers, though, offer extra perks. In this article we explain how to attract top talent to your team and make your company culture stand out among competitors by providing the following eight benefits.
Why it Matters
A robust benefits package sends the message to your staff that they're important and you care about their well-being. These additional benefits – such as paid personal days, extra paid vacation time, vision and dental care plans, tuition assistance, or daycare for children of employees – are likely to be appreciated, leading to success in your recruiting and retention efforts. With that in mind, here are some of the benefits you can offer to attract and retain the best employees out there.
1. Mental Health Days
It's becoming less taboo to talk about mental health. While most people understand that depression, anxiety, and various stress-related disorders are not a choice. Peninsula notes that empathetic employers can take this knowledge a step further by implementing paid, or even unpaid, mental health days that employees can take to recharge or engage in self-care activities.
2. Yoga and Other Courses
You don't need to build a company gym to engage your employees in healthy exercise. Consider offering yoga classes, Pilates, or strength training sessions once or twice a month, or providing a voucher to redeem classes elsewhere if you do not have room to offer them on-site to help your employees take advantage of full-body workouts for free or at a discounted price. Self-paced courses that teach ways to increase confidence, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence can give your employees a much-needed mental health boost as well.
3. Local Memberships and Gift Certificates
If your business doesn’t have its own gym, getting employees a membership at a nearby gym is another great perk – but don’t stop there! If the point is to keep your employees healthy, try offering them memberships and gift certificates to local establishments that will not only keep them active, but help to generate a positive feeling about the neighborhood in which they work. Start by checking your business’s walk score – that is, its walkability in relation to other nearby businesses and resources. From there, you could even involve your employees in the process by asking them to vote on which nearby establishment they’d like to get more acquainted with.
4. Low-Cost Accommodations
Speaking of getting to know the neighborhood – consider offering your employees low cost housing options if they want to move closer to the office. You could establish a relationship with a local real estate agent who can arrange for discounted fees for renting or buying a nearby property. Having employees closer to the office can reduce tardiness, minimize your carbon footprint by encouraging walking or biking to work, and allow employees to further develop local business relationships in the area. Plus, the company shows its desire to invest in the community in which it exists, which can develop good ethos with other community members.
5. Team-Building Events
Schedule a few fun, informal team-building activities and events! Not only will it bring joy to your current employees but gives you the opportunity to capture images of your company culture. This will help attract new employees and alert them to several perks such as nights out, committees, and clubs that go far beyond the workplace. Check out our team building activities page for plenty of great, fun ideas to get your teams better connected.
Team building events are also a great opportunity to show employee appreciation. Whether you give awards or gift cards to outstanding employees, or simply give people the day to bond with their team and then relax, make the effort to show your employees that you see their work and that you appreciate them. It will make a huge difference in their satisfaction levels.
6. Pet Insurance
You may be able to attract more qualified people to your venture by offering comprehensive benefits for their families. Show your employees that you care about them — and their furry friends — by offering pet insurance as part of their benefits package. Many people do not understand that pet insurance can be lifesaving for an animal who has a chronic condition, needs specific medication, or requires immediate surgery.
7. Childcare Options
Do some of your on-site employees have small children? They would likely be thrilled if you offered on-site childcare. If this is out of your budget, offering dependent care accounts that provide childcare reimbursement for daycare, summer camps, and nannies can help your employees focus on their work as they know their children are safe and well cared for.
Try to offer flexible schedules and remote work options for parents of small children as well. According to data collected by Catalyst and presented through LSE, mothers who are offered the option to work from home are 32% more likely to stay with their current employer.
8. Tuition Reimbursement
Consider tuition reimbursement as an innovative part of your benefits package. Giving your employees the chance to further their education can be a great help for employers who wish to boost their retention rates — and the increased knowledge, skills, and certifications that your team members gain will, in turn, help your company grow. You can also encourage employees to pursue courses and training that benefit their overall wellbeing. Some of these options are free, but offering employees the option to take one during their work day can show your support of their personal and professional goals.
9. Life Admin Hacks
We all struggle with getting life done, whether it's getting your car serviced or doing your laundry! Why not make your employees lives easier by offering exactly those services! Hire a laundrette to pick up employees' clothes and drop them back at the office, clean and folded. Arranged for a mechanic to come in and perform oil changes while employees are working, or even sweep employees off their feet by hiring professional cleaners to tidy up their homes every so often! These small gestures go a long way!
Show Employee Appreciation Through Benefits
If you are invested in employee retention, you're likely already addressed and corrected issues within your hiring process, training, and your organization's company culture. But it’s important to know that potential employees are looking for – and value – additional benefits. Offer these unique and innovative benefits to give your team members further incentive to stay with you for the long haul.
Blog written by Cheryl Conklin
