The Three Most Important Benefits You Should Offer To Your Employees

Offering your employees a range of benefits on top of regular salary increases will really help to show that you care about their physical and emotional wellbeing, rather than just seeing them as an employee. These things may require an investment from your business, but you are very likely to reap the benefits, as not only will you have a healthier team but you will also be much more likely to retain good staff and save the money required to recruit and train new employees. So, if you’re looking for ways to make your employee’s life at work and at home better and more enjoyable, whether you’re starting your business or you’re established, these are the things you should be doing!

Gym Membership

The first thing you can do to impress your employees is to pay for some, if not all, of their gym membership. This will encourage people to attend the gym, which is one of the best things people can do for their physical and mental health. On top of this, from an employer’s perspective, when you have a healthy team, they are less likely to be off work ill, so it will benefit you in the long run too. 

So, offer to pay for their gym membership, perhaps up to £30 or £40, so that people aren’t taking advantage of the benefit, but you are still being fair and helping to contribute. Or, if they prefer to go to sports clubs and need to pay subscriptions, you can contribute towards this instead. Overall, this will benefit you as a business, as well as your employees as people, which is why this is a fantastic benefit to offer them.

You could also give them a voucher to help them get some new gym wear once a year to keep them motivated, like a new pair of gym leggings or running trainers. This is another thoughtful gift that shows you really care about their health and wellbeing. 

A Strong Company Culture

Something else that you need to be providing for your employees is a strong company culture. Good company culture is all about creating an environment that people want to be in, from a supportive working environment where there are clear paths to progression and a team that is all passionate about working towards a shared goal to a fun office environment where you show your employees that you care and want them to bond. Aside from the working side, which should be focused on accessible leadership, maintaining core values, enabling professional development, being inclusive, and encouraging strong communication, the social side of a good company culture is so important. 

You should be offering opportunities within the business for employees to truly feel at home, from things like book clubs and run clubs to team lunches, work nights out, fun Christmas parties, and mid-week activities that bring everyone together. You don’t need to spend a fortune on this, as it could be as simple as getting some pre packed sandwiches and doing a quiz over lunchtime! Focus on improving your company culture and you’ll be able to hire and retain better employees who are there for the right reasons. 

Flexible Working

As everyone was forced into working from home in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, people’s approach to working from home changed massively. Whilst some people really didn’t like it, for others, it welcomed a sense of freedom that they hadn’t experienced in their working world. Now that more people are back in their offices, many, are missing working from home or at least having the flexibility to do it sometimes when it is convenient to them. Employers should understand that people have commitments outside of work, whether it is looking after their children, caring for family or going to healthcare appointments. So, you should offer them flexible working. This means that as long as your employees get their work done or work their contracted hours, you don’t mind when they do it. 

For example, perhaps a father has to drop his two kids off at school, so struggles to get back to the computer or into the office at 9 am. Instead, you could let him start at 10 and finish at 2:30, so he can then pick the kids up, and finish the last few hours of work in the evening when they’re in bed. The best thing you can do is ask your employees what they need and do your best to accommodate it, and they will truly appreciate that you are making an effort to make their lives easier.