Everyone knows that employees perform better on the job when they truly care. And the best way to make them care is to show that they’re cared about. Employee perks are a way for an organization to build a long-lasting and stable relationship with an employee. If an employee feels they truly matter to a business, they will be far more willing to give it their all and prevent you from having to hire and train new employees. Here are a few of the best benefits to add to your organization’s employee perks program — and the best ways to implement them.
Make Your Employees Feel Recognized
Employee rewards don’t have to cost money. For the most part, employees simply want to be recognized for their hard work, creativity and innovation. An employee recognition program is an excellent way to do this. Pay attention to what your employees are doing and what value they bring to the company. Create an “Employee of the Month” reward that is attached to some corporate perks, such as free lunches — and award employees for top performance and effort. Showing that you are paying attention to your employees and who is working hardest will encourage them to work even harder.
Give Your Employees Flexibility
Many modern employees are specifically looking for a small business that will offer flexible hours. When done properly, flexible hours is one of the best small business employee benefits that doesn’t have to cost a thing. And not only is this a great perk for employees, but it also makes employees more productive in and of itself. By scheduling their own hours, employees are able to work when they are feeling most productive. Employees are also able to deal with any issues in their personal lives that could be preventing them from giving it their all. And in addition to flexible hours, working from home has also become more technologically feasible. Paid vacation and sick leave can also ensure a great work place and retain top employees for years to come.
Offer Training and Career Advancement
Why do people choose to leave their jobs? Apart from disagreeing with management, many leave their jobs either because they don’t see a future there or because they’re offered a better one. Employees want to grow and develop their careers. Consequently, one of the best employee perks is also good for the business: offering employees additional training and opportunities for advancement. Training will make them more effective and efficient at their job while also improving their personal skill set. Employees will not only feel confident in themselves but also feel that they are developing themselves and achieving their goals.
Schedule Retirement Planning and Financial Advice
In addition to providing retirement accounts and a solid financial benefits package, you can do a lot to reduce your employee’s stress (and improve their work product) by offering them financial counseling. Over 60% of Americans are stressed about their money and finances — and this can have a significant impact on their productivity. For the most part, most financial institutions offering retirement plans will also offer financial consultations to employees free of charge. If you can’t keep increasing your employee’s salaries and cash benefits, you can at least show them how to best leverage the resources they have.
Don’t Forget Their Family
Employees today are looking to establish their work/life balance. Though they want to work hard, they aren’t going to do so at a detriment to their family. For SMBs in particular, being understanding about family care issues can go a long way. Maternity leave, child care options, and even pet care options can begin making a business feel more like a home. When employees aren’t worried about when their child has to be picked up from daycare, they can instead concentrate on their work. Family issues are one of the major stressors for many employees and also one of the things that impacts their productivity.
When trying to inspire your employees, you want to promote positive feelings of inclusiveness and recognition. Too often, company’s focus on negative drivers, such as fear and competition. Employees want to do their best, but they also want to feel respected and valued. Pitting employees against each other is a sure-fire way to create a stressful, chaotic and self-sabotaging work environment.