Your company’s success depends almost entirely on the people you have supporting it. That’s why it is so important to regularly gauge whether your teams feel really invested in the company’s long-term goals. It’s important to find the right talent that’s looking to be in it for the long haul rather than just looking for a brief engagement before moving on to other opportunities.
While offering a competitive salary is a great place to start when piecing this puzzle together, what people expect from their employers is regularly changing. Most of today’s workforce is looking for a deeper connection with their employer and real proof that their contributions actually matter to the business.
If your current benefits format and company perks feel a little outdated, the start of a new season is the perfect time to pivot. Refreshing your strategy shows your team that you are listening and that you care about their day-to-day experience. Here are some ideas to consider.
Prioritizing Total Well-being and Mental Resilience
Basic health insurance coverage is usually the bare minimum for many individuals entertaining a job offer. For businesses to really stand out, focusing on deeper coverage options like those designed to support mental and emotional health is important. Many companies are now moving beyond standard coverage to offer access to services such as counseling, mentorship programs, or subscription-based wellness apps.
Giving your team unique ways to stay proactive about “all” aspects of their health is a great way to show your business really cares about its people and helps you stand out when searching for new talent.
Another option you can explore to ensure everyone can use these additional company perks is to look into digital health platforms and virtual clinician access. When you expand your insurance coverage into these areas, it proves that you want your people to lead balanced, happy lives, not just work hard for a regular paycheck.
Building Long-term Financial Stability
Everyone wants to feel like they have a solid grip on their financial future, especially as the cost of living continues to increase in many areas. While, as an employer, you can’t guarantee that someone won’t have financial troubles, you can offer some support through a well-rounded benefits package.
Providing access to retirement plans, for example, can give your team a sense of long-term security with the company. This helps them feel more confident about staying with the business and reduces their need to explore other opportunities. You can also add financial wellness programs to your benefits package that offer real-world financial assistance, like mortgage advice or one-on-one meetings with financial planners.
Helping cover other incremental costs associated with commuting to and from work can also have a positive impact on employees. Whether it’s providing transit passes or car maintenance allowances, these initiatives can significantly reduce smaller financial burdens for your workforce, often leading to much higher employee loyalty and more motivated teams.
Allowing for More Autonomy and Scheduling Flexibility
Having control over your own work schedule is one of the benefits many individuals look for when fielding offers from potential employers. Many people are now actively seeking companies that offer generous vacation time and let them disconnect and recharge without worrying about their inboxes filling up.
Remote working arrangements and increased scheduling flexibility are often among the biggest factors for new hires when choosing a role. These options give your team the freedom to arrange their personal lives around work needs while still achieving their professional goals.
Many businesses are even now offering paid sabbaticals for long-term employees to reward their loyalty and help them to prevent burnout.
Providing More Customizable Benefits Offerings
Trying to use a templated, one-size-fits-all approach to structuring your benefits offerings rarely brings great results. Your business likely has a wide range of employees all with different backgrounds and lifestyles, all of which have their own unique needs or wants when it comes to their benefits packages. Because of this, creating more flexible offerings like introducing a Section 125 plan tends to be the more popular option for modern organizations.
Taking this approach lets your employees choose how they want to spend their benefits budget allotments on the type of things that matter most to them. For example, a younger employee might want to use their allowance on vision or dental coverage, while older employees may want to reserve funds for caregiving services for older loved ones.
Providing this level of flexibility ensures that the money employees spend on benefits actually provides value to every person. A good way to ensure your rewards remain relevant is to use quick surveys or “pulse checks” to gauge what your employees think of their current arrangements. This direct feedback helps you to understand if your perks are still hitting the mark or if it’s time to try something new.
Supporting the Family Dynamic
Showing that you’re invested in your employees’ families’ well-being is a powerful way to demonstrate that you’re a supportive employer. For example, offering parental leave that extends past the legal minimum is a great way to demonstrate real care for your people.
Giving your team the time they need to bond with a new child on parental leave is another way to help employees feel more supported when they return to work, rather than overwhelmed.
You might also consider offering eldercare resources or extended “caregiver leave” to show you understand the different life stages your team and their families are going through and want to help the best you can. This kind of empathy goes a long way toward building a motivated, productive team that feels seen and respected by its employer.
Choose Benefits Offerings That Your Employees Are Looking For
Designing a great benefits program means more than just picking a few random perks. It’s about showing your team that you actually listen to them and value their individual needs.
By looking for ways to improve your benefits offerings to support your employees’ health, financial security, and lifestyle preferences, you’ll start designing a company culture that reduces turnover and helps your business scale.
Author Bio: Frank Mengert
Frank Mengert continues to find success by spotting opportunities where others see nothing. As the founder and CEO of ebm, a leading provider of employee benefits solutions. Frank has built the business by bridging the gap between insurance and technology driven solutions for brokers, consultants, carriers, and employers nationwide.
