A competitive benefits package filled with attractive incentives for employees is key to attracting top talent to your organization. According to a Glassdoor survey, 57% of job candidates claim that perks and benefits are some of their top considerations when weighing a job offer.
Spend a bit of time and money building an employee benefits package that makes your employees happy and naturally more productive. A typical benefits plan includes both the employee’s compensation and non-wage perks like health insurance and pension plans. But what sort of special offerings can you include in your benefits package to make you stand out from your competitors?
With more and more workers putting a priority on work-life balance over salary, it’s time to take a look at offering personalized benefits. Let’s explore what matters most to your employees in 2022 and how you can craft your benefits plan in a way that best fits their needs.
What benefits matter to employees in 2022?
Job candidates are doing more research exploring company culture and available perks before applying for a job.
Benefits and incentive bonuses are all part of the compensation package your HR department offers employees. And that package is growing in importance. MetLife’s U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study notes that 62% of employees think employee benefits are now more critical than ever due to the pandemic.
Job candidates are doing more research exploring company culture and available perks before applying for a job. A recent Indeed.com career development guide listed why having a great benefits package makes your company more competitive:
- Improves employee focus and productivity
- Makes your organization more competitive in the workforce
- Keeps employees healthy, resulting in fewer sick days
- Provides employees with a better work-life balance
- Improves morale, reduces turnover rates, and attracts top talent
So how do you build a benefits package that works in 2022?
Building an employee benefits package that works
Certain benefits like 401(k) retirement plans, health insurance, and life insurance still matter. The Glassdoor guide points out that traditional employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave now comprise about 1/3 of the total compensation package.
But to fully motivate your team, offer a combination of traditional non-monetary benefits plus special incentives to help them go above and beyond what’s expected. Fun incentives for employees can help engage and motivate your staff and make for a happier workplace.
Develop your benefits plan to better meet the changing and evolving needs of your workforce. MetLife reports that 75% of employers are giving their employees options to customize their benefits packages.
Offering a customized perks model lets you build a sustainable benefits plan that appeals to a variety of employees. Below are the top 7 personalized benefits trends for 2022 to help you craft the right package for your employees. The items on this list might not appeal to everyone. However, providing options gives each employee the flexibility to pick and choose what they want.
Pet-friendly offices
Pet-friendly offices are a great way to boost the mental health and well-being of your employees. Google is just one example of a company that has adopted a dog-friendly work environment with a dog park, called the Doogleplex, located at its Mountain View Campus. Their Doogler group and online forum even help employees working remotely get in on the fun with virtual pet parades hosted on Google Meet.
Health and wellness perks
Encourage your employees to manage stress, eat healthier, and get regular exercise. When it comes to desired benefits, health and wellness matter. According to MetLife, 39% of workers say their organization is not offering any programs or benefits to support their well-being. Discounted gym membership, on-site fitness centers, and free weekly yoga classes are a few examples of health and wellness perks.
According to MetLife, 39% of workers say their organization is not offering any programs or benefits to support their well-being.
Product and services discounts
National employee perks programs give your HR department the option to add product and services discounts to the benefits package. Anyone who signs up for this perk gets access to discounts from 10% to 30% off published rates. Some of the many discounted items employers can offer are:
- Movies and concerts
- Theme parks and attractions
- Hotels
- Rental cars
Employee education perks
Student loan repayment assistance is an attractive employer-provided education perk. For employees currently enrolled in classes, or thinking of going back to school, give them the option of an annual tuition stipend. You could also offer a scholarship or grant program to employees’ children.
Volunteer time off
This is a great way to boost employees’ mental health and encourage your team to give back to the community. Volunteer time off gives employees the option to volunteer during the week and still get paid a day’s wages. As an added bonus, you can promote your VTO policy and feature employees working for their favorite charity on the company blog, newsletter, and social media channels.
Family-focused perks
Extended parental leave, childcare services, and adoption and fertility benefits are just a few family-focused perks to include in your benefits package. This shows your employees you care about their well-being by creating a supportive and understanding environment.
Technology-focused benefits
Technology is an especially nice benefit for employees that will spend at least some of their office hours working from home. Provide company-supplied laptops, cellphones, digital cameras, and wireless headphones so your workers don’t have to use their own equipment. Or you can offer employees a monthly flat-rate technology perk that covers internet and other home office expenses.
Shifting priorities and expectations
We hope you enjoyed reading these tips to help your HR department create an attractive employee benefits package to meet the growing expectations of your staff.
If you are looking for ways to simplify employee perks, we have many solutions to help create the best benefits plans for your workforce. Read the Zenefits Benefits Benchmark Report for more great data, trends, and insights.
