4min
With COVID-19 disrupting every facet of business operations, we may be seeing new employee benefits trends emerge as a result. In a recent Benefit News article titled “How benefits need to shift to support work-from-home needs” EverythingBenefits’ CEO, Rachel Lyubovitzky, addresses this topic, specifically which benefits employers should offer to support their employees.
Supporting Working Parents
Within the past few months, the needs and wants of employees have changed in many ways. As working parents attempt to create a new work-life balance from home, they face many new obstacles throughout the week. According to a survey conducted by Fishbowl, "62% of working parents from companies such as IBM, Facebook, Amazon, Google, and thousands of others, stated they are unable to juggle working from home and childcare." Not only do they need to take care of their children during work hours, but it has become essential to look for ways they can keep them occupied throughout the day. With schools and extracurricular activities at a standstill, the demand for online education programs is on the rise. Most importantly, employers need to come up with new ways to address these issues by updating their benefits packages.
How can you help your employees during this time?
- Offering working parents reimbursement on online education platforms for their children. (EverythingBenefits recently added this benefit).
Evolving Needs of Employees
As employees continue to work from home, many find themselves no longer taking advantage of certain benefits as they used to, such as a gym membership or in-office free snacks. Fostering employee health and wellness perks within your company can not only improve the way your employees handle stress but can also boost their performance as they continue to work from home. After all, Wellness Benefits are an excellent way to keep your employees on a positive track. As COVID-19 affects businesses’ current benefits plans, you can start to incorporate new offering such as:
- Sending healthy snacks to employees at home
- Offering reimbursement for online classes - educational, fitness or financial
- Mental health via Telemedicine
Post-COVID Workplace
Returning to the office will be a challenging transition for both employees and employers. According to Gartner, "A survey of 317 CFOs and Finance leaders on March 30, 2020* revealed that 74% will move at least 5% of their previously on-site workforce to permanently remote positions post-COVID 19." The pandemic has redesigned the way many businesses operate, but most importantly, it has created a shift in the way we work, potentially forever.
Companies must remain flexible and attuned to employee needs and pandemic news in their area to maintain a happy, healthy and engaged workforce.
