Every employer want to have a workforce that is loyal and engaged, and every employee wants to be doing a job that appreciates their values and talents. Successful employers recognize the importance of appreciating employees with workplace benefits, and spare no expense to provide these perks, because the organization wins big when employees are happy, satisfied and motivated. These benefits must go beyond 401K s and health insurance, to perks that would make a difference to the employees’ daily lives. Some of these perks are listed below:
- Family prioritization
Childcare for working mothers is an especially useful benefit, that, when added to tax deductions, makes for a hefty discount of the very expensive cost of childcare. This is done through daycares, in-house kindergartens or even designated nursing rooms for breastfeeding moms.
Ensuring that parents aren’t worried about their children while at work is a great way to ensure that they’ll give 100 percent to the job, increasing productivity by leaps and bounds. Employers can take this a notch higher by allowing time off for field trips, offering generous terms for maternity and paternity leaves. Putting employees’ families first allows them to put your business second, and with such perks and a thriving home, the productivity will soon trickle down to your bottom-line.
- Health living options
A number of employers have embraced workplace gyms to allow employees to slot in exercise-time in the mornings and/or evenings. This not only encourages employees’ participation by making gym free, it improves their health and reduces company expenditure in hospital expenses. Companies without in-house gyms can provide some allowance for gym membership expenses. Company walks and periodic baseball games are another way to provide out-of-work socialization with health improvement being a fringe benefit. Serving healthy meals for a subsidized cost (cheaper than junk) can also encourage employees to make the right lifestyle choices.
- Employee common areas
A break room with free food where employees can run to in the middle of the day to grab a snack is another great way to keep them satisfied. Within these break rooms, employee relations are fostered: they get to know each other better, can share ideas and challenges as well as form bonds that will improve collaboration while on-the-job. Any move to encourage employee interactions outside of work emails and phone enquiries about a pending task can improve team chemistry, and productivity from the stronger team thus built.
- Training and employee development
Nobody wants to stay in the same place in their careers, which is why people are always trying to better themselves through education. As an employer you can invest in your employees’ betterment endeavors by implementing some form of school fees reimbursement, holding in-house and external short-term trainings and courses like SEO for online marketers, or even just making it easy for employees with classes outside to attend them e.g. allowing flexible working hours. Bear in mind that knowledge and skills so acquired will be channeled back to you as increased productivity, creative problem-solving and endless talent for job openings that come up. Promoting from within your ranks in turn motivates other employees to better themselves, since the rewards of such endeavors are clearly visible.
