HR Benefits for the Future of Work
By: Laurel Farrer
The world of traditional business is changing, and so is the global workforce. Employees are more independent than ever before, which means the support they want from their employers is changing.
In many circumstances, the flexible schedule and location-independence that remote work provides are enough to satisfy new employees. But what about employees who have been remote workers for several years and for whom the novelty of working outside of an office has worn off?
We’ve written about some long-distance gift ideas that you can send to your team every once in awhile to strengthen culture and boost morale, but what about the benefits and compensation that job seekers are hoping to receive from their employers on a daily basis? Here are some ideas on how to woo those prospective employees and set your business apart from the crowd of remote-friendly companies:
- Telemedicine Account - This is exactly how it sounds: the virtual version of on-site healthcare. Bonus: it can save your company a grundle in insurance costs!
- Annual Office Allowance - Keep your employees connected and comfortable by providing an office budget to spend on equipment upgrades, internet boosts, and personal office tools.
- Stress Management Resources - Remote workers value work-life balance more than the average employee. Cater to that priority by offering access to online yoga classes, financial and life coaches, and hobby stipends. (Tip: these perks will also help combat the three remote work killers.)
- Travel programs and/or work-cation stipends - Employees who live and work in their homes 24/7 get desperate for a change of scenery. The world’s leading travel program, Remote Year, has recently launched a B2B program in which companies can pay for monthly or annual memberships for their employees to participate. If these don’t seem to match the preferences of your staff, you can just provide an annual work-cation stipend to help replenish their energy.
- Chiropractic care - Most remote workers aren’t sitting in ergonomic chairs all day. They’re at dining tables, on couches, or in trains. All the while, they are wreaking havoc on their backs. Help your team prevent long-term spine damage by confirming that chiropractic care is included in your health insurance package.
- Coworking office membership - Whether they’re at home or on the road, distractions, background noise, and interruptions are a constant concern for remote employees. Give your team a place to escape and get into some deep headspace in a controlled environment.
- Events & Education Allocation - The millennial generation is hungry for feedback and personal development. Encourage continuing education and combat isolation by providing an annual stipend for each employee to attend an industry event of their choice.
- Choice in employee benefits - If the backbone of your benefits package is a superior parental leave policy, the appeal will be lost on a prospective employee who is single. Offering an opportunity to mix-and-match benefits will ensure that each employee is satisfied that they’re getting the maximum value for their lifestyle.
Are there any other benefits that your distributed or hybrid company offers? We’d love to hear about them on Twitter @yonder_io!