Today’s working culture is very competitive, and to find reliable employees that you want in your business and employees you want to keep in your business, then you need to go above and beyond to show them that you care. That’s where we come in, with different work perks that you should be offering your employees! From things that cost next to nothing to other things that require more of an investment, we have something to cover all sorts of budgets. So, let’s get into it and help you to create a great working environment for your employees!
Offer Flexible Working
The first work perk you should be offering your employees that is completely free, but could be the key thing that draws people to your business, is flexible working. Many more people are favouring flexible working, as not everyone works well in the traditional 9-5 hours. Some people prefer starting work earlier and finishing earlier, others prefer starting later and finishing later. For many people with other commitments outside of work, particularly family commitments, the option to work flexibly can make a huge difference to their routine and make life much easier. This also means having some days from home and some in the office, for example.
A great way to make this work for everyone is to have set working hours, so everyone works between 10am and 2pm, to cover meetings or any internal discussions that need to take place. You could also have one or two days a week when everyone is in the office for those working hours. You can still keep a good working culture, but you are making life easier for people who really need more flexibility.
Refreshments
Another thing that you should be offering to your employees are refreshments. Having things like nice tea, coffee, cold water, snacks and fruit in the office can make a big difference, as running out to coffee shops a few times a day can be inconvenient and it can get expensive. This is a small investment each month that will make a big difference to employees! A good way to figure out what to have in the office apart from the basic tea and coffee is to do an anonymous survey. Send it out over email to all of the employees, then they can fill it in anonymously to request certain things. This could be a particular type of tea, a non-dairy milk, their favourite biscuits or tasty fruit. This small gesture is just another way to show that you care about your employees and want to offer everything they need to feel comfortable in the office.
Pay For A Leisure Activity
Next, you should pay for a leisure activity for your employees. Showing you care about your employees well being outside of work is key, as not only will it help to relieve some financial burden for themselves, but it will also help them to relax and unwind out of work, so they’re more productive when they’re at work.
Providing around a £50 allowance per employee is a great thing to do. This could go towards their gym membership, sports memberships or hobbies of any kind, from pottery to yoga. This could be a small investment for your business, but will mean a lot to your team.
Cover Health and Dental Insurance
Another thing that you should be offering is health and dental insurance. Firstly, health insurance is a fantastic thing to offer, whether you’re in a country with free health care like the UK or not. If you are in the UK, private healthcare often provides a quicker service so if they do have any issues, it can be nipped in the bud quite quickly. Across the world where there isn’t free healthcare, providing it for your employees is essential, as they will often let things get to a stage where the issue is difficult to manage because of the initial cost.
In terms of dental care, this is something that not all businesses provide, but again, it can be a real help. Oral health has a wider impact on overall health, and having oral health problems can really weigh on people. You could also look for corporate discounts at cosmetic dental clinics, as you can get good deals and this is another great perk to offer to your employees.
Overall, caring for your employees health will be beneficial for your business, and you will reap the benefits in the future.
Have Regular 1-1 Meetings and Pay Reviews
We’re mentioning this here as it should always be a given, although technically it’s not a perk as it’s expected! Having regular 1 to 1 meetings with all of your employees, along with fair pay reviews, is absolutely essential. It gives your employees the opportunity to air any concerns or issues, then you can also have discussions about their progression, what they need to do to work towards the role they’re looking at and then also how they have progressed and whether that deserves a pay rise. If you’re not already having regular reviews, it’s key you do.
You could have one 1 to 1 every three months (or more often if requested, of course) that is predominantly focused on the work environment and any concerns, along with working up to the next pay bracket, then you could have one 1 to 1 every six months that is focused on pay also.
Monthly Team Lunches
Last but not least, you should be organising monthly team lunches. Depending on the size of your business, this could be a departmental lunch or it could be a company wide lunch if you are a smaller business. Bringing the team together is so important for overall morale, plus it’s an opportunity for people who have other commitments and perhaps can’t come out in the evenings, to still spend time with the entire team. This could be something more affordable or you could do something a bit more extravagant if the budget is there and if everything is going well! If the budget isn’t there as much, instead, you could do it once every few months instead, or you could save more money by having caterers come into the office which will be a more cost effective option! This is another way to bring back the survey as well, send it out to all of the employees and you can ask them which restaurants they like or what kinds of food they like, so you know you’re offering something for everyone across the different monthly team meals.
