It’s no secret that the current labor market is overstocked. As a result, employees quickly get tired of working in one company and looking for a new place. That’s why many HR managers and business owners puzzle their heads about how to increase employee engagement. Benefits and privileges are the best way to motivate employees.
A good few studies show that the more employee-oriented a company is, the stronger its corporate culture becomes. Employee engagement is a concept that can be interpreted in different ways. It includes active participation in the company’s development, enthusiasm at work, and pleasure from their results and successes.
In general, involved employees are people who love their work and care for the company. They stick to its goals and values a lot. Therefore, a company that supports and encourages employee engagement will work better. But that’s just one reason, and twelve others can be found in the further article.
What are employee benefits?
A benefits package is a set of different benefits provided by the employer as incentives for employees and attraction of candidates, creating a more positive image of the company, not offered by labour law, and a package of social benefits. Every company decides for itself about the set of benefits for employees.
It depends on the financial capabilities of the organization and the ability of management to understand how necessary it is to encourage or attract staff in this way. A benefits package allows enterprises to reduce the cost of an employee through the benefits they provide to employees. It seems that it is a “tasty candy” for both parties.
How to choose a bonus package?
When choosing a social package, one should consider the employees’ age group and preferences. For example, Generation X focuses more on income, career growth and stability. However, despite their age, they are usually ready for constant development to learn new technologies. They realize it is impossible to achieve excellent results without going ahead.
Such employees would be glad if the company offered them training in computer technologies, a foreign language, or modern staff management methods. But, unfortunately, the younger Generation Y takes on well-paid jobs and disregards hobbies, traveling, and the desire to spend enough time with the family.
They will happily accept such “perks” as numerous staff parties and team-building activities, compensation for sports activities, material benefits for marriage and childbirth, health insurance and sanatorium-resort treatment for family members, and organization of holiday events for employees’ children.
Importance of employee benefits
Offering employee benefits is of tremendous value as it shows them that the employer invests in their physical and mental health and their future. In addition, solid benefits packages can help to attract and keep talented specialists. For more detailed information on reasons why employee benefits are essential, see below.
1. Engaged employees work better
Research shows that employees who love the company they work for are 21% more productive than those who don’t care about their employers’ future. In addition, employees who put effort and heart into the company are more likely to be proud of working here, enjoy coming to work and feel valued.
Bringing people into the company’s life with extra responsibility or a competitive moment, people in business increase the entire organisation’s productivity. So, everyone stands to gain from it.
2. Keep the best employees in the company
An engaged employee is less likely to change jobs because he or she is pleased with a larger salary or a comfortable location. Involvement gives people a sense of self-worth and enjoyment of the work process. That is why this factor can outweigh material ones.
3. Engaging employees increase customer satisfaction
People who are passionate about their work make a better impression on customers. Why? Because they inspire with their passion, and it’s impossible to stay indifferent. Engaged employees tend to make more effort, naturally leading to higher productivity, better service or products, and sales growth.
4. Engagement improves corporate culture
As a rule, it’s easier to work with engaged people. Not just because they’re more fun, positive, and happy, but also because they give an example of how cool it is to be engaged. What is a culture of employee engagement? It is an approach based on company values.
Creating a culture of engagement requires working with employees to ensure that the company’s mission is under the work process. In the ideal case, the employees involved will ensure that everything aligns with the company values. Encouraging the most active employees is one step toward creating a good company culture.
5. Employee engagement is a signal of success
It’s unnecessarily a determinant of business success; instead, engagement often appears with personal or team success. In other words, engaged employees are super productive, as they know their work is essential. As a result, they feel valued, their accomplishments are recognized, and therefore they are a significant component of the company.
Consequently, engaging employees is crucial not only for a comfortable work environment but also for increased productivity. To achieve this, owners will have to be democratic and share responsibility with others, recognizing their contribution to the work’s success. And then the result can surpass all expectations!
6. Stay close to your subordinates
In the Hays study, 60% of respondents reported that the primary motivating factor is the pleasant personality of the boss. He/she should not take employees as tools for achieving the company’s financial goals but as people. The boss should hand out assignments and control the execution process and become a mentor and be open to questions and suggestions. At the same time, 56% of respondents said that an unpleasant manager was a severe demotivating factor. In comparison, 40% stated they had quit because they didn’t find a common language with their manager.
7. Free schedule as a way to reduce staff costs
In 2018, 13% of the Kelly Services survey respondents mentioned remote working and flexible hours as motivational factors. It is a successful option amidst the pandemic as it creates a comfortable environment for employees and helps employers reduce staff costs — 36% of companies in the KPMG survey said they had chosen that particular way to save money.
8. A path to the higher position as a way to motivate employees
People want to gain experience and do their projects. It makes them work more efficiently than their colleagues, who come to serve another day for a paycheck. If entrepreneurs channel such people’s energy in the right direction, it will do well for the company.
Employees should be allowed to set up their projects, represent the company at events, and propose solutions to improve their work. Employers have to let them know to be valued. Try to let them explore new directions, share their view of the company’s development.”
9. Gamification as a way to improve teamwork and stimulate creativity
Gamification can increase staff engagement by 20-60%. In addition, it helps to improve teamwork and stimulate creativity. Gamification is based on game mechanics with virtual currency, ratings, prizes. It is grounded on the need to self-actualize and get recognition and works best for companies where employees are digital-oriented: so, they regularly use gadgets.
10. Health insurance as a way to get employees to be less sick
Corporate health insurance allows employees to be treated and diagnosed at private clinics for free. In exceptional cases, it pays for hospitalization and long-term inpatient treatment. In addition, employees can get vaccinations, routine checkups, and dental care. Sometimes family members are also covered. Thus, employees will be less likely to get sick and take sick lists.
11. Share in the company as a way keep for a long period the most valuable employees
If the top manager becomes irreplaceable, the employer can offer the employee to become a part-owner of the business. When stocks are lent, it is usually a small package — up to 10% of the share capital, but it also gives the right to receive dividends and take part in stockholder meetings. In addition, stocks can be sold or left as an inheritance, which is a powerful motivation for top managers. Thus, the employee is not just attached to the company; they become interested in its profitability.
12. Training for the account of the company as a way to improve employee efficiency
Master classes, training, team building, English courses or tuition fees at universities and business schools are essential components of loyalty programs. This method can dramatically improve employee performance. Continuous and high-quality training makes the staff competent and helps employees to move up the career ladder faster. But training shouldn’t be formal, dull and distracting from significant duties. So the employers should choose the lecturer and training program carefully.
Read more: 10 Steps to Start an Online Business
What benefits can employers use (with experience of other companies)?
If a top manager leaves, it puts the entire company at threat. He\she can take away half of the team, partners, crumb profitable deals, or break trade secrets. That’s why it’s significant to know the most effective tools to help hold valuable employees, both managers and rank-and-file workers.
Conclusion
When it comes to motivating employees, external financial rewards and become just one of the tools. Employees need regular personal and team recognition to do their jobs even better, be valued and listened to by management for their projects, problems, and ideas. In addition, employees should be given tasks that promote their personal growth and career development.
If it is possible, they should work on their own and independently. And employees should know that they are contributing to the company’s success and helping realize the organisation’s mission or business. Job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation can significantly improve the functionality of the organization and the productivity of each employee and the team as a whole and positively impact the total score.
A company’s profitability depends heavily on innovative suggestions and ideas from employees, and an efficient communication process between management and employees helps solve problems and increase loyalty. Therefore, finding the motivational methods, such as benefits that work best for your employees is important to ensure the company’s most crucial resource — the ability to grow and develop by constantly building capacity.
FAQ
Corporates. The example of many successful companies confirms that. For instance, Smule employees at a music app development company can bring their instruments into the office for weekly jam sessions. In addition, various holiday parties include a Halloween costume party, Thanksgiving dinner, Wednesday game nights, and a monthly karaoke party.
There are two ways to encourage employees.
1- Motivate the team through mass events, gifts, or bonus systems.
2- Publicly reward the best employees, setting an example for them.
Among the essential options of motivation for employees:
Taking care of employees` health;
Encouraging employees to play sports;
Flexible working hours.
Poor preparation for implementing changes.
Weak link between results and rewards.
Employee burnout.
Lack of a systemic approach.
Employee Acquisition. An attractive bonuses package can provide highly qualified employees.
Employee Retention. An above-average benefit plan can go a long way in keeping employees at a business.
Respect. Offering employee benefits shows that an employer understands and respects the needs of employees.
Health. By offering employee benefits, an employer can keep the employees healthy, increasing the efficiency and productivity of a business.
Employee attitude. A competitive benefits plan is important as it can improve employees` attitudes about their job.
This article Why are Employee Benefits Important: 12 Reasons originally appeared on The Financially Independent Millennial.
This post first appeared on The Financially Independent Millennial, please read the originial post: here
