Workplace Wellness: The 2022 Benefit

COVID-19 continues to be the uphill battle for most of us as we look at 2021 and what has taken precedence in the workplace.  First, it was determining “work from home” and now, in the blink of an eye, we are facing open enrollment.  With this, comes the crucial discussion on employee benefits. Benefits and perks are becoming increasingly important considerations for employees, and now more than ever, employees will see more value in what is offered as we continue to fight through the pandemic.

I tend to keep a close eye on workplace trends and one thing has not changed:  employees value benefits and they value the feeling of being taken care.  Done are the days of health insurance being the only benefit individuals look at.  Now, as employers, you are faced to consider beyond the health insurance benefit and what additionally is offered.  Is health insurance and compensation still important?  Absolutely.  But employers should think beyond this when trying to attract and retain talent.

For highly competitive industries that already offer common benefits like health and retirement plans, other benefits are needed to differentiate themselves from other employers. The benefits that will likely get the best response from prospective employees are ones that address specific challenges in the current environment, such as wellness benefits that address how individuals can be healthy at home, flexibility for parents who have to juggle being teachers and work professionals in the middle of the day, and what about how you can help support ergonomically friendly and productive work environments away from the office.

Have you felt a difference in office comradery?  The employee connection?  Consider offering your employees with a monthly health focus and wellness challenge to give your employees something to focus on rather than all many have heard about for the past 8 months:  Covid-19.

Let Well365 help you think both short- and long-term with the benefits you plan for 2021 and beyond. Although work will eventually not be limited by the pandemic, it does not mean that it will return back to normal. Like with benefits, the prevalence of remote work increased dramatically and permanently in response to COVID-19. This means that benefits geared towards employees at home will be important now and in the future.

Employers should also recognize that office-based benefits, such as free snacks, are no longer available to employees, so although benefits were not explicitly cut, they may feel that way. As such, employers should consider reallocating the savings from office-based expenses toward new wellness benefits. For example, employers who offered on-site lunch-n-learns may want to consider virtual educational opportunities!  Want to offer a challenge that enables your employees to combat their stress, consider how you can still execute a challenge without having employees onsite!  Putting all of this into perspective and I promise you, your employees will notice and thank you!  For more information on how you can enhance your employee benefits package, contact Well365:  trisha@corewell365.com