How The Pandemic Has Transformed Employee Benefits

Change is the law of nature.

We've all grown up hearing these words of wisdom. That's something that has helped us make peace with the fact that no matter what, some or the other thing will always change in our lives. And that's okay.

Thus, as we move forward in life, we expect that many things will change eventually. Still, nobody could have anticipated what would happen in 2020.

Everything changed in no time. We had no time to deal with the change. A global pandemic threw our lifestyles and work structure into disarray and cast doubt on even the most well-thought-out strategic goals.

Everyone had to deal with various disruptions, which required businesses to rethink their employee benefits and compensation program. The expectations and priorities of employees have irreversibly changed because of what they experienced due to the pandemic.

Companies modified their policies to support their people during these difficult times. It has resulted in significant enhancements to employee benefits, and it appears that many of these benefits will be maintained even after the pandemic is over.

Employers must restructure their employee benefits plan, along the below-mentioned lines, to boost employee productivity in the post-pandemic world.

1. Provide Mental Health Support

The impact of the pandemic on our mental health and well-being has been detrimental, and it may take years to recover from it. As a result, today's employers are attempting to reduce mental health problems that affect their employees, such as burnout, which was already a global dilemma before Covid-19.

According to a recent study, 42% of businesses upgraded their support for employee health and well-being in the last six months, with mental health choices leading the charts.

Also, fitness and nutrition, in addition to mental wellness, are equally vital. Therefore, offering subscriptions to online exercise courses, cooking lessons, and mindfulness apps can help companies boost their employees' overall well-being.

Companies should also encourage their employees to communicate and interact more as it will improve their mental health and productivity in the workplace.

2. Rethink Financial Wellness

Today's employees indicate that they are willing to accept financial assistance from their companies, and their employers should actively take care of this aspect.

According to a survey, nearly 60% of employees believe it is more vital than ever for firms to provide financial wellness benefits in light of the pandemic.

Financial wellness benefits help employees understand their financial security better and provide them with the confidence to manage their finances better and smarter for the future.

These programs allow employees to turn their hard work into financial success.

They also help employees achieve their most meaningful goals in life. Some examples of financial wellness benefits include budget counseling, insurance benefits, employee assistance programs, and many more.

3. Make Way For Hybrid Work Structure

The hybrid work model is the most recent style of working after the pandemic. A hybrid team is made up of people who work both in the office and from home. It's a flexible work arrangement that allows employees to decide what works best for them.

Most of the firms have already adapted to it as it is the need of the hour. Also, the right technology makes it super easy for hybrid teams to collaborate and work together efficiently.

While some of your employees are eager to return to their desks, others may have health issues or other reasons that prevent them from returning to the office. It is important for employers to understand that employee benefits do not always hold monetary value.

A hybrid work structure provides your employees with the freedom about when and where to work from.

As a result of this freedom, employees have more autonomy, which allows them to fit work around their other commitments.

It's about time companies understand that offering flexibility to their employees improves their satisfaction in their job.

4. Prioritize Flexibility

The most important lesson learned by companies during the pandemic is that people frequently work best when they believe they have greater control over their hours, suited to their unique life needs at the time.

It's better to concentrate on results rather than time spent working as that's the only thing that matters.

Corporations should be more flexible with their time-off policies, allowing employees to take some time off whenever they want without having to adhere to strict time-off schedules. Also, a lot of companies have updated their vacation policies as well.

The last year has been quite taxing for everybody, and all those crazy stress levels, exhaustion, and burnout have forced the employees to take a break. As a result, now is the best time to review your leave management policies.

5. Provide Home Office Reimbursements

Many companies have already extended their remote work policies till late 2021 or even later. Allowing employees to work from home appears to be a trend that is here to stay. Firms should make sure that their employees have the proper facilities and resources to work efficiently remotely.

Companies must reimburse employees for items such as laptops or tablets, workstations, chairs, and higher-speed internet. Employees who work from home full-time or part-time require a home office arrangement that meets their demands.

Providing home office reimbursements is not just beneficial for employees but also for employers. It allows employees to be more productive and focused on their work without any hindrance.

Conclusion

Gone are the days when employee benefits packages were solely defined by terms like "medical" or "dental." As time passes, more and more companies are looking forward to building a happy and healthy workforce, resulting in the evolution of employee benefits.

While adding new perks comes at a cost, the benefits certainly outweigh the expenditures because you'll have happier employees, higher productivity, reduced absenteeism, and lower turnover.

However, employee benefits are a perennial need that will continue to evolve as the world and employees' needs change.

This article is written by Vartika Kashyap. Vartika Kashyap is the Chief Marketing Officer of ProofHub—a project management software loved by thousands of teams and businesses across the globe. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com.