COVID-19 changed the way many employees are looking at the benefits their workplace offers. After being faced with a worldwide pandemic, many people are putting more focus on work-life balance, health and wellness, and improving their personal lives. While their careers are still important, they want an employer who also places importance on their personal well-being.
That being said, employers are now finding it necessary to revisit their benefits packages and include non-traditional benefits they may not have previously considered. Here are five benefits you should be thinking about.
Redesign Wellness Benefits
Wellness benefits need to be catered more towards the remote workspace. This means that your employee wellness packages should include virtual health offerings. Consider adding in online fitness classes, mindfulness classes, and other webinars. You should also be sure they have access to virtual medical services like telehealth consultations. All of this will help improve your employees’ health and engagement in the workplace.
Place Focus on Mental Health
Employers will also need to think beyond their employees’ physical well-being and place focus on their mental health as well. The pandemic was hard for a lot of people mentally and recovering from that will take time. Even before COVID-19, employees regularly suffered from anxiety, burnout, and depression.
So, think about how your organization can expand its benefits to cover mental health costs, such as counseling and therapy, for employees. You should also consider offering additional mental health support to employees who are struggling to adapt to remote work or returning to work.
Consider Financial Wellness
One of the biggest stressors for employees is their personal finances. The last year has been financially challenging for many people. You can think about adding financial wellness benefits to your offerings as well. This can include financial counseling to help your employees set up a plan for their money. You may also consider things like student loan payback, childcare help, and other direct financial assistance programs.
Customization Options
Another important benefit many employees will be searching for in a post-pandemic world is the ability to customize their package to their specific needs. As an employer, you can address this by simply asking your employees what they would like to see in their benefits packages. You may be surprised to find out that more people in your organization would like paid mental health days or need financial wellness assistance. No matter what their needs are, having the ability to offer them benefits that cater to them is something many employees will be looking for.
Increased Flexibility
Many employers will find that their workforce is also searching for increased flexibility in the workplace. One of the benefits you can provide them with is the ability to set their own schedule or work remotely. Giving them this increased flexibility will help improve productivity and morale within your organization in the long run, as will the other benefits listed above.
Working with a staffing agency can help you better manage the benefits you offer your staff. Learn more about how the Staffing Resource Group can assist you.
