From the moment the pandemic hit in 2020, the economy experienced wave after wave of instability. Consumer, staff, business owners—everyone had to adjust their lifestyles and purchasing decisions based on their situation.
Some businesses closed down, causing a decline in employment rates all over the globe. Others had to cut budgets in order to survive. Distressed owners debated whether they could try to stay afloat or just close shop.
Luckily, those years are now behind us.
According to Forbes, the year 2023 is the year of business recovery and growth. Based on the available data, the first half of this year serves as a chance for businesses to gain momentum. It allows us to bounce back from the negative trends and impact of the previous years.
Maybe you’ve been receiving more orders in the last couple of years? Or maybe you’re talking to more potential clients than before? All of this is part of your business’ recovery.
Now with all of the hustle and bustle in your company, it’s important for you to still consider one of the most important factors that make your business great—your employees. Especially since April 6 is almost here!
What’s on the 6th of April?
April 6 is National Employee Benefits Day—an occasion meant to appreciate your employees by providing proper benefits that fit their needs.
This year’s theme focuses on building a better work-life blend for your staff rather than work-life balance.
What’s the difference?
Work-life balance centers on the strict division of an employee’s time. Considering the years of instability where most people had to work at home, employees struggled to separate their work from their personal life.
Some people would answer emails in the middle of the night while others would work unpaid overtime to finish a task since they’re just at home. Employees needed to put their feet down in order to set the proper boundaries between life and work.
Work-life blend is where the boundaries of work and life blur together in a healthy manner. It does not dictate that work is completely separate from our personal lives. Instead, it argues that people can incorporate both within their day to feel more fulfilled and successful.
It centers on being able to focus or step away from either one without needing to sacrifice or favor the other. For example, taking some time off to handle an emergency will not endanger the person’s status at work. Similarly, working for an extra hour won’t put any personal relationships in jeopardy.
National Employee Benefits Day is the perfect chance for you to get to know your employees by establishing benefits and perks that would help them have a better work-life blend. When deciding the benefits to give, there are three main goals for you to consider.
Flexibility. This goal can have different meanings to different employees. Some prefer to have flexibility with their time when working. Others prefer to be flexible financially. So, it’s your job as their leader to figure out what type of flexibility is important to the people who work for you.
Well-being. When we talk about health, we do not refer to physical health alone. Your employees should be holistically healthy. This means their mental, financial, and emotional well-being are just as important as the state of their body.
Happiness at work. This specific goal can be achieved through various means. For employees to be happy, they need to feel valued, respected, recognized, and included. As an employer, you need to create benefits that would cater to these valid needs.
Achieving a Work-Life Blend at Work
Since the start of this celebration in the year 2004, companies have seen great outcomes that resulted from offering the right benefits to their workers.
It may seem like a lot of work at the moment, but it is undeniably beneficial in the long run. Data gathered through research in Nigeria shows that providing benefits increases job productivity and satisfaction. It also ensures workers are more loyal and dedicated to their company.1
But there’s still one question left unanswered. How exactly can you create benefit programs that are inclusive for your diverse workforce?
Step 1: Assess the bigger picture.
Take the time to step back and consider your company.
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What are the goals you want your employees to achieve in the long run?
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What values do you want to impart with your decisions?
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If you value autonomy, think about how that can be possible for your employees.
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If you value loyalty, then how can you prove your company is worth being loyal to?
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Aside from this, you also need to consider available funds when planning possible benefits. Providing good perks to people within your company is important but it becomes counterproductive if it is not sustainable or if you cannot offer it to everyone.
Step 2: Know your employees.
To be able to create benefit programs catered to your people, you need to first know who they are inside and outside of your company.
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What are their priorities?
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Are there new parents in your offices who need more time off?
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Are there people in your company who need more emotional support?
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It’s easy to observe employees within the office, but you need to exert more effort to personally know them. To start a fruitful conversation, there are a lot of questions you can ask. Some examples are as follows:
1. How is your life outside of the office?
This will allow you to know any important events happening in their lives. Some may be undergoing a big change in their personal lives, or some may be experiencing medical troubles within the family.
2. Is there anything you’re invested in at the moment?
To achieve a work-life blend, you should encourage employees to have hobbies and interests outside of work.
According to Forbes, 87 percent of employees stated that they want their employers to support them in balancing their personal and work commitments.2 This means giving benefits to help them pursue their personal endeavors can increase the happiness level of your employees.
3. What do you do to de-stress in your free time?
This question focuses more on the health of your employees. Aside from knowing the ways they relax; you might also find out the status of their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Having this information would make it easier for you to create benefits that would address their well-being.
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Employees are constantly looking for opportunities to be better. Understanding the personal and professional goals of your people is important so that you can make programs that would help them.
For example,
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If they want to be promoted and grow their careers, you can offer benefits that would help them obtain the education or skills they need.
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If they value mental stability and health, then offering mental health services is needed.
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5. Is there any benefit you currently need?
Sometimes, the best way to know what benefit programs you should create is by simply asking your people. This shows that you trust them enough to communicate what they need, and you are empathetic to their plights.
In a survey conducted by Forbes, a whopping 96 percent of employees within a business claim that having empathy from their bosses can convince them to stay with the company.
Listening to your employees directly is the best way to get to know them and understand their preferences.
Remember that these are only examples. Vary your questions based on what you want to know. Remind yourself that it’s okay if the conversation does not flow the way you want it to.
What’s important is your interest and effort to know more about your employees.
Step 3: Plan completely.
Now that you know the necessities, you need to plan properly how to meet them through the implementation of your benefit programs.
You need to start by stating the benefits clearly.
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What are the descriptions of the benefits?
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What will employees receive?
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How will they know if they meet the requirements of the program?
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How often can they benefit from the programs?
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Discuss the programs you chose in detail so that everyone can understand. Try to consider all possible questions your workers may have and expect questions about the implementation of your plan.
Caring for Your Employees Is Just as Important as Caring for Your Business
To ensure that your company continues to run smoothly, it’s important to invest in the people who are there to help you. Your business is only as good as your worst employee, so you need to dedicate your time and resources to helping them become better versions of themselves.
A person with a healthy work-life blend is also a person who is more productive, dedicated, and successful.
NEED HELP IN FINDING AND GROWING DEDICATED EMPLOYEES?
Here at Focus People, we prioritize the growth of relationships between employer and employee. We can help you in finding the right talent for the right job.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today!
References:
1. Zirra, Clifford, et al. “Impact of Fringe Benefits on Employee Performance: A Study of Nasco Group, Jos Plateau State.” Research Gate, March 2019. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331586595_Impact_of_Fringe_Benefits_on_Employee_Performance_A_Study_of_Nasco_Group_Jos_Plateau_State
2. Beheshti, Naz. “10 Timely Statistics About The Connection Between Employee Engagement and Wellness.” Forbes, 16 Jan. 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2019/01/16/10-timely-statistics-about-the-connection-between-employee-engagement-and-wellness/