Making employee benefits work in a post-Covid landscape
Employee perks such as Friday drinks and office yoga have become somewhat of a distant memory. In the space of a few short months, our working lives have changed on an unprecedented scale and the benefits many employees once enjoyed as part of their job have become redundant.
As some businesses start planning to welcome staff back to the office or continue to work from home, our ways of working are likely to look very different to before. Employees’ various needs and priorities may have changed, and it would be prudent for employers to consider whether their employee benefits are still fit for purpose.
While business leaders will understandably be focused on navigating their way through this next phase and adjusting to a ‘new normal’, it’s vital they don’t overlook the importance of continuing to incentivise and reward their team.
Now, more than ever, employees need to feel valued and appreciated and by creating a supportive, employee-driven culture, leaders will reap the rewards of a happier, more engaged and committed workforce.
Mental health support
Over the past few years, employee wellbeing has risen firmly up the business agenda, but while great strides have been made around the importance of mental health, there is still a way to go.
As many as one in six workers will suffer from ill mental health and recent events have exacerbated the issue, with social isolation, remote working and concerns about health and finances having a profound effect on peoples’ mental wellbeing. A study by BUPA found that eight out of ten people have experienced symptoms of poor mental health in lockdown and two thirds (65%) feel anxious about returning to work.
Given the enormous uncertainty employees have faced and continue to face, it is essential that all businesses, regardless of size, make employee mental wellbeing part of their benefits package. Wellbeing programmes provide employees with the incentives, tools and support to improve and maintain healthy behaviours, reduce stress and avoid burnout. Not only is it morally the right thing to do, but there is a strong business case too, with ill mental health in the workplace costing employers nearly £35 billion last year.
If businesses have an employee assistance programme in place, everyone should be reminded of the support available. If not, leaders should consider providing access to confidential workplace counselling. In times of stress and uncertainty, these services become even more important and employees may need extra support.
There is a wealth of online resources that businesses can subscribe to, including mindfulness and meditation apps such as Calm and Headspace, as well as online support forums and wellbeing webinars.
Adjusting the company’s sick leave or paid time off policy to include mental health days will also help employees feel comfortable taking time to reset away from the pressures and deadlines of work. Similarly, simple initiatives like reminding employees to take regular breaks throughout the day, use their annual leave or have the option to work flexible hours if they have other commitments will go a long way to creating a culture that champions mental health at work.
Keep employees active
A staggering 84% of us fail to carry out the recommended amount of physical exercise and more than two thirds (67%) believe it’s an employer’s responsibility to support their physical wellbeing. With more employees now working from home than ever before, and the trend for remote working likely to stay for the foreseeable, it’s clear businesses have a huge role to play in helping their staff to keep both mentally and physically fit.
There are lots of free online classes businesses can encourage employees to take part in from the comfort of their own home, including dance, yoga and Pilates, while workout apps and subscriptions to online fitness programmes such as OpenFit can be a great motivator. If budget allows, consider giving employees a voucher they can use towards a home workout kit.
There are also a number of ways employees can stay fit together, including company-wide initiatives such as walking a set number of steps a week or creating a shared book of healthy recipes where colleagues can swap and share healthy cooking tips.
Make it personal
Employee benefits should be more than a box-ticking or admin exercise. For smaller businesses that don’t have the luxury of a flexible benefits package, they should make sure they design a rewards programme that is tailored to the individual needs of their employees. This means thinking outside of the box.
If a team member enjoys long walks, consider membership to the National Trust or Heritage Trust. Perhaps an employee is a fan of gardening and would relish an annual pass to Wisley or Kew Gardens. If they’re a working parent who has struggled to juggle the demands of their job with home-schooling, think about a family activity that might give everyone a well-deserved break or a subscription to a Disney channel to keep little minds occupied.
Many businesses have a Summer Fridays policy and while it might not hold much appeal in the current climate, consider being flexible and giving people paid time off on their birthday, special occasions or for Christmas shopping days.
Recognition and appreciation are a vital part of employee engagement and finding ways to reward team members with gestures that show thought and an understanding of their own personal situation can go a long way to motivating and inspiring employees.
Stay connected
Many of the social aspects we once took for granted in the workplace have vanished overnight, and this lack of interaction can impact employee morale.
While team lunches or an afterwork drink might not be possible, there are still lots of activities employees can do virtually to recreate that bond.
Get team members to sign up to virtual coffee breaks, whether it’s on zoom or over the phone. As a nation we’ve probably exhausted organised quizzes, but if you have a naturally competitive team think about what other activities you can do together as a team virtually to create a sense of belonging and connection with each other.
We’ve seen some businesses send team members vouchers to spend on items needed for If virtual wine-tasting or pizza making which have helped to ease the financial burden and shown appreciation for their team’s hard work.
Ultimately, this new and unfamiliar environment we find ourselves in means businesses need to be a little more creative. Trialling benefits on a short-term basis and reaching out to employees to ask for feedback can be a great way to get everyone involved and create a benefits package that works for the whole company. Leaders often feel they have to shoulder the responsibility alone, but if this crisis has taught us anything, it is that we are all in this together and now is our chance to think about new ways of doing things.
“A study by BUPA found that eight out of ten people have experienced symptoms of poor mental health in lockdown and two thirds (65%) feel anxious about returning to work”