Building ethical benefits that work for everyone

Benefits are only beneficial if your employees want them. However, 50% of employers do not believe their benefits offering meets the needs of their multi-generational workforce. And fewer than one in five employees feels their benefits meet their needs. Plus, employees who have been working longest are most satisfied with their package while those starting work after 1990 are least happy.

As socio-economic priorities and public attitudes shift and change, organisations must adapt to ensure employee benefits are fit for purpose for everyone, including younger employees. With an increased focus on wellbeing for people and the planet, we take a look at the tactics your organisation can employ to attract, retain and engage your staff.

FLEXIBLE WORKING FOR ALL

Flexible working is the most or second-most wanted benefit amongst all age groups.
Once considered a benefit for people with children, organisations have moved away from a family focus to make flexible working a benefit for all.

That could mean enabling your workforce to:

• work from home or another location one day a week or more regularly
• take an extended weekend to visit friends and work late to make up the hours
• flexing working times to enable parental caregiving
• compressing work patterns into fewer days with longer hours
• job shares
• formal or informal flexi-time schemes

By giving staff the option to avoid busy commute times, take control of their own schedules and avoid run-of-the-mill routine, you’ll keep people of all generations happy.

MAKE GOING GREEN EASY

2019 saw millions of young people take to the streets around the world to protest about government inaction over climate change. Some of these protesters are already of working age, others will soon be seeking jobs. And there’s a good chance they’ll be swayed by your organisation’s green credentials.

For your organisation’s green credentials to ring true, you need to be as green on the inside as you are on the outside.

A great way to do this is to place the environment at the heart of your benefit offering. When people are looking for a new job, one of the first indicators of your business’ values is your benefits package. Introducing environmentally friendly benefits makes it easier for employees to live greener lives, for example:

• Ultra-low emission vehicles and workplace charging points
• Cycle to work benefit
• Liftshare schemes
• Carbon offsetting for business flights
• Give-as-you-earn donations to charities including environmental not-for-profits
• Days off for volunteering at organisations of the individual’s choice

SUPPORTING ALL ASPECTS OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Alongside planetary wellbeing, personal health is also a major concern for staff. For older generations, private medical insurance is the focus, whereas for younger employees it’s mental wellbeing and preventing ill health that are the priorities.

Providing subsidised gym memberships, in-work exercise classes, at-desk massages or even mindfulness and meditation classes are just some of the solutions on offer from organisations.

It’s also helpful to have every-day health support like a cash plan or an employee assistance programme in place to proactively manage and respond to health problems. Combined, these benefits will send out a signal that you’re invested in the complete wellbeing of your staff.

OFFERING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT TO ALL

As organisations, technology and the world change, different demands are placed on employees. Supporting them with a range of learning and development opportunities, regardless of the stage they’ve reached in the career, is a great way to invest in your people and your business.

Support your staff with learning support like formal training programmes, mentorships and team building sessions or even an annual budget to spend on books or courses. These kinds of benefits can help to attract and retain staff, particularly when they’re matched with promotion opportunities for your most promising people.

By instilling a culture of continuous development in your teams, you’ll have a workforce that’s always learning and ready for whatever the future brings.

Building a benefit package to suit all your staff needn’t be a major challenge. Understand what people want, identify where your offer is lacking then find the right provider to ensure implementation is a breeze.

Talk to us to find out more about adding ultra-low emission vehicles to company fleet today.