Every business should strive for a healthy company culture that fosters employee engagement and ensures retention. While every business is different and employees have unique preferences for what motivates them, employee benefits are one of the most important aspects of their position. Typically, businesses who offer comprehensive benefits (as well as additional benefits) receive higher scores from employee surveys and job satisfaction ratings.
Benefits come in all forms, and it is crucial that employees are aware of the support being provided to them, not only to understand what resources are available, but to feel they are being valued. Here are a few actions you can take to help your employees understand and maximize their benefits:
Providing thorough information about benefits and resources gives employees better access to their options, and builds trust by showing the company supports them in making informed decisions. Some of the methods of communication include:
Hosting regular workshops or seminars to explain benefits, provide updates to staff, and answer any questions
Ensuring the employee handbook is updated with detailed information on benefits, and can act as an easy reference
Distributing email newsletters on a regular basis to highlight benefits, upcoming deadlines, or any recent changes
Incorporating an introduction about company benefits into orientation sessions for new hires
When employees feel supported in balancing their personal and professional lives, they are more likely to engage with available resources and take full advantage of their benefits. This cultivates a more resilient team that boosts productivity and job satisfaction for employees. Additionally, it helps your business build a company culture that promotes mental well-being, reduces burnout, and motivates the workforce. A few common ways to encourage flexible work arrangements include:
Working from home or other locations helps employees minimize stress from external factors like commuting, and elevates productivity by providing a more comfortable work environment. Additionally, remote workers were shown to be 5% more productive in 2020, with this figure rising to 9% in 2022, simply because staff became more proficient at navigating remote work.
Implementing flexible options for employees helps accommodate their personal responsibilities and allows them to work during their most productive hours. Instead of adhering to a strict 9-to-5 schedule which can create stress from external obligations such as appointments or childcare, offering flexible hours lets staff feel supported by their employers and respected for their needs.
While switching to a more compressed work schedule does require longer work hours (typically increasing from 8 to 10 per day), it does reduce the number of work days within the week. This has shown to reduce burnout and increase overall morale by helping employees manage their personal commitments more effectively.
In fact, a 2022 trial involving 61 companies and 3,000 workers in the UK tested this compressed workweek over six-months to determine its effectiveness. The results included 92% of the companies deciding to permanently implement a four-day work week, and 90% of employees expressing a desire to continue with this work style. Notably, 55% of staff reported an increase in their work performance with 15% stating no amount of money could make them want to switch back to 5-day work weeks.
While communication is key, creating user-friendly materials that simplify complex information surrounding benefits are essential for your business. Having accessible methods of communication ensures employees receive the necessary information and directions to specific resources for a more in-depth understanding of their benefits. Employers can also tailor these resources to accommodate different learning styles to make them more effective and memorable for each employee. Some great examples of user-friendly resources include:
FAQs documents that provide a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions and address common concerns around benefits.
Easy-to-read guidebook outlining all available benefits, the different enrollment processes, and eligibility requirements.
Video tutorials that cater to visual and audio learners, that explain how to access and use different benefits.
Interactive webinars with either live or pre-recorded sessions, where staff can learn about benefits and ask questions in real-time.
Personalized benefit portals where employees can sign in to view their specific benefits, and any personalized recommendations.
Short, interactive, training modules programmed to explain benefits in ways that cater to different learning styles.
By actively seeking input through methods such as surveys, focus groups, or suggestion boxes, your business can gain valuable insights into the different experiences and preferences of employees regarding benefits. This process can reveal common areas of confusion, as well as highlight benefits that employees view as more highly-valued. Gathering feedback from your employees can ensure the communication around these topics are updated and tailored to accommodate your team. This can also help your business save on costs by understanding what benefits are important to your team, and customizing benefits plans accordingly.
With so many options for benefit packages, it’s essential to understand the range of benefits available for your business and customize them to fit the different needs of your team. Being knowledgeable about different types of benefits and utilizing employee feedback, as well as analyzing usage patterns, can better identify the benefits that best fit your company and employees. Here is a list of different components to consider when selecting what benefits you want to utilize.
Comprehensive benefits like healthcare coverage, wellness programs, and mental health support are essential for employee well-being. Each promotes a healthy work-life balance that can help staff stay more focused and energized, and help foster a more engaged and productive workforce.
These initiatives provide opportunities for training, skill development, career advancement, and mentorship, particularly through comprehensive programs including the ones we offer in our course catalogue. This fosters a more motivated and active workforce that empowers employees to grow and succeed in their career.
Flexible work arrangements, paid time off, remote work options, and family-friendly policies can contribute to a positive work-life balance. This helps reduce stress and improve the overall-well being for employees, as staff feel more supported in managing their personal and professional responsibilities.
Remember, benefits aren’t just a resource for employees; they are essential tools your business can use to enhance employee satisfaction and retention. By helping your employees maximize their benefits, you cultivate a resilient team that drives your business forward through feeling more supported and can lead to higher productivity and lower turnover rates.
If you’re interested in discovering more ways to help develop your workforce, discover our article 5 reasons why employers should invest in their workforce’s learning.