Putting a ping pong table in your breakroom just won't cut it
When it comes to benefits, personalization is key. Gone are the days of the “one-size-fits-all” perk plans – where putting a ping pong table in the breakroom constitutes good management. Instead, employees are craving tangible benefits – ones that make a difference to their lives.
According to a recent report from LifeWorks, 55% of Canadians say that flexible work and hybrid models are more important to them than career progression, with 34% adding that wellbeing perks were the main reason they remained with their current organization.
This onus on wellness should be a core component when it comes to building a 2023 benefits strategy. Anthony Ariganello, CEO of CPHR Canada, added that Canadian employers should prepare for a shift towards “care benefits” and away from one-size-fits-all programs, or prepare for some high turnover next year.
“Care benefits speak to a number of issues. Anything from childcare to flexible working policies, they’re benefits that allow people to choose when, where, and how they work,” he told HRD.
These care benefits should equally include psychological wellbeing – especially in post-pandemic workplaces. With the great return to work underway, employers need to pre-emp a mental health crisis. Many employers thought that with COVID on the way out mental wellbeing would improve, however we’re seeing that may not be the case. Research from Robert Half found that while 63% of Canadians agree that their company currently offers “adequate” wellbeing support, 30% of employees would quit in search of an employer with more enhanced benefits.
“With mental health and wellness top of mind for workers, companies need to offer benefits and perks to meet their needs,” Sandra Lavoy, regional director at Robert Half Canada, told HRD. “Making sure employees are aware of the mental health resources and benefits available to them is also key to ensuring all relevant options are being shared and utilized.”
HRD recently ran our 5-StarBenefit Programs awards, which looked at the very crème de la crème of organization perk plans. Take a look at how you can improve your benefits plans now, before the stress of the new year hits.
