A well-designed benefits package can benefit your business in the same way (if it is not greater) as your employees.
Lots of businesses offer employee benefits, and lots of employees are expecting these benefits. However, if you’re an unproportional business with limited funds, you might wonder if the benefits provided by employees are worth the price.
The short answer? Yes, benefits matter. Benefits programs that are well-designed can help keep and attract top performers, which results in happier and more productive workers, and ultimately can help your business thrive.
To help you understand what we believe, let’s explore the five main reasons why you must offer employee benefits solutions.
1. Attract the most talented employees
If you’re looking for the most talented, enthusiastic workers who can help your business grow, then an effective employee benefits package is a good way to begin.
This is because everybody else is doing it. Many (if not all) businesses provide some type of employee benefits. Even small businesses, in fact. One study found that 50% of small businesses that have less than 50 employees provide health benefits while 96% of companies that have more than 100 employees offer health insurance.
To remain competitive in hiring it is essential to offer your employees benefits. Otherwise, you’ll probably be losing the top applicants to businesses with the benefits package. Because for many workers, a benefits program can be a deciding factor when deciding where to work. It’s an important part of the overall compensation.
However, it is more than just compensation. If you provide benefits for your company is a sign that you believe in your company’s success, that you have enough money to afford benefits, and that you would like to invest in your workforce. Benefits are a way of saying you’re able to be a top employer, which in turn attracts great employees.
While we used to illustrate insurance, it is possible that you may think about more extensive benefits. As we’ve mentioned, having better employee benefits can be the primary factor in an in-demand job seeker. If you’re looking to hire top performers and benefits, you must have top-of-the-line benefits.
2. Minimize the time employees spend on work
When hiring employees as well, it is important to consider how you can keep your employees happy. In addition, benefits can be beneficial.
We’ve mentioned it before when talking about hiring, having a solid benefits package can prevent your employees from being influenced by other job opportunities. And when you provide benefits, you’ll make employees feel like the organization (and their employment) is stable and secure They’ll be less inclined to begin putting out resumes.
The result? Reduced turnover among employees and better retention rates for your employees.
That means you’ll save money on training and hiring because you won’t have to perform either as often. It also means you’re less likely to see projects and clients fall in the shuffle when employees quit. And it means you can develop a skilled team that is able to quickly and efficiently tackle every kind of problem that could be a challenge for a younger team–all thanks to the trust of employees you’ve built through benefits.
If you want to keep your employees on long periods of time it is essential to have an employee benefits program that makes employees want to stay.
3. Make sure your workforce is healthy
You probably know firsthand that when you feel better, you’re more productive. Therefore, if you’re seeking to be a more productive employee the benefits offered by benefits, particularly health benefits, can aid.
For instance, if you provide dental insurance, a minor tooth is not likely to turn into the kind of root canal which distracts the employee and makes them be absent for a number of days. The same applies to vision insurance or medical insurance.
Paid sick time works in exactly the same way. In enticing employees to be home when they feel ill and preventing one sick worker from infecting the entire group. Wouldn’t it be better to have just one person out rather than more than a dozen?
In addition, it lets your workers concentrate on getting better. Thus, even if an employee will be gone for a day or two, they’ll come back fresh and ready to go rather than struggling to to work with illness for several days, or even weeks.
The idea is that healthier employees could lead to a healthier business. It makes good business sense to provide health insurance and other wellness benefits.
4. Boost employee productivity
We’ve told you how a strong benefits package can get you skilled workers, keep them for the long haul, and provide your employees a healthier and happier workforce. The result of all of that? More productivity.
Think about it: You’ll have hired a more talented enthusiastic workforce that is able to work hard and get the job completed. Your employees will have been around for long enough to establish good workflow and processes. Additionally, you’ll have helped employees stay healthy providing them with the physical strength to stay productive too.
Benefits will also give your employees the mental space to stay productive too. Your employees won’t be stressed about the cost of health insurance as well as saving for retirement, or taking care of their children, or other issues that benefits could deal with. That means they have more brainpower and enthusiasm to work to help your business.
It’s not a bad trade-off, is it?
5. Have a better employee morale
Finally, having a good benefits package can boost employee moraleand lead to an improved work environment overall.
Since providing benefits to employees will make employees feel that you are concerned about their needs. That, in turn can increase loyalty of employees and satisfaction. They’ll do their best at work. (As an added bonus which makes your job as a business proprietor and boss much more enjoyable.)
And that, will result in a positive cycle for you. Happy, loyal employees will be positive about your company, which makes it easier to draw in talent when you have job openings. And then those new employees will stay with you because of your great benefits–and, well you’ll be able to see where this is going.
To ensure that your employees are satisfied and have the motivation that goes with it, you need to be able to provide great benefits.
Examples of employee benefits
Are you not sure what you should include with benefit packages? We’ll give you a few ideas.
A basic benefits package could include:
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Medical leave
Time off for vacation
Parental leave
Retirement plan
Of course, you can modify your benefits program according to suit your particular business. Some businesses, like opt to provide not just a 401(k) retirement plan, but also matching contributions to the retirement plan. Certain businesses might choose to give employees unlimited paid time off, while other companies will stick to a set number of sick-leave holidays and days off.
There is always the option to provide more and develop an extremely efficient employee benefits package. Apart from the fundamental benefits mentioned above, the best employee benefits packages often offer perks like these:
Disability insurance
Life insurance
Tuition reimbursement
Gym memberships
Financial wellness programs
Commuter benefits
Pet insurance
Childcare
Meals that are catered
Free time to volunteer
The sky’s the limit. Sure, you’ll have to consider what your company can afford, and what kind of benefits your employees really want.
Remember that higher profits can result in a better business.
The takeaway
Although offering benefits to employees may cost more at first, the long-term advantages will far outweigh the costs and help to ensure your overall success. Benefits will draw better employees and retain them over the long term. Benefits will accrue from a healthy, productive, and content workforce.
Simply put it’s a good idea to have an employee benefits program that is well worth the expense. Remember, you don’t have to offer all benefits in the world at once. Small businesses can begin by offering basic benefit programs (like medical insurance) and expand the employee benefits program as your workforce expands.
If you decide to start large and small believe your company will, in all likelihood get benefits.