We Expect These Trends to Stick Around for a While
More businesses than ever are attempting to compete for top talent, so it's critical that you offer what your best candidates really want. Though many people have a different idea about what the most desirable company benefits are, we’ve found some common perks that many job seekers can agree on. Take a look at the prominent
employee benefit trends that people are looking for in a new role.
Employee Benefits Trends to Watch:
Flexibility
Flexibility can take many forms. It could mean a four-day workweek, shorter Fridays in the summer, meeting-free Monday, or fewer work hours every day. We recommend getting your employees involved to see what matters to them.
Employees’ needs for flexibility will vary by as many factors as you can imagine – age, marital status, personal preferences, religion, etc.. And because some of these reasons can be personal, it’s vital that you keep an open mind when listening to employees and why they value some wiggle room in certain areas.
One key element in ensuring flexibility is allowing employees to work from home, at least part time. So, it makes sense that another trending benefit to watch is culture-building activities that include both remote and in-office employees. You could do biannual get-togethers in a city of everyone’s choosing or enjoy weekly happy hours over Zoom.
Competitive Health Insurance
Recent years have turned the spotlight onto community health and by proxy, individual health. We’re also thinking of “health” differently now that the pandemic has exacerbated mental illness symptoms, so job seekers are looking for employers who can insure not only their physical but also their
mental health needs – whether that’s therapy or even massage and holistic medicine.
Generous PTO Plans
The average PTO package is also expanding due to the booming market. Though benefits like unlimited PTO don’t work for every employer, again, it all comes down to flexibility. Employees value perks like two additional paid weeks around a holiday of their choice, guaranteed birthdays off, and plenty of time for mental health and sick leave.
Health and Wellness Benefits
As workers reevaluated their priorities, many realized they weren’t considering health and wellness nearly enough and started taking a closer look at their workplace for a solution.
One prime example: now that workers better understand how sedentary their workdays have become, they are seeking more creative wellness benefits that address the side effects of a sedentary lifestyle, such as:
- Reimbursable gym memberships
- Company-sponsored yoga classes
- Mental-health days
Professional Development
Team members eager to expand their role and skills understand they’ll need additional classes, certifications, or even degrees to pursue advancement in their current role. Employers are answering a demand for extended learning by providing reimbursement that people can use for an approved course or as they see fit.
Many savvy employers are coming around to the idea that challenging their employees to follow their interests could pay off exponentially with worker loyalty and retention. As such, many tuition reimbursement programs begin with an approval process for courses that fall somewhere within the employee’s charted career path at the company.
Knowing some of the benefits today’s employees are looking for is a good start. But a competitive package of benefits and perks can make your company stand out, so always take care of your people so they can elevate your business.
Contact Harvey Nash today to see how we can help you reach your recruiting and retention goals.
