Happy employees are key if you want your organization to flourish, they bring productivity and a better atmosphere to the table. According to our study Employee Happiness Index 2018, employees are happier and more engaged if they’re satisfied with their benefits. Their demands aren’t unreasonable – put some effort in and you can make your workforce happier in just a few weeks.
1. Food and drink
The new kids in the workplace – generation z – appreciate free food and drinks more than their older colleagues and are more likely to change jobs because of these benefits than other age groups. 78% of all employees get some kind of food or drink benefit at work today. And it’s a good investment for the employer – employees who have access to food and drink at work are 20% more engaged than those who don’t have the same benefit.
2. Flexible work hours
Many of us work eight hours per day and have one hour for lunch. In many industries, it doesn’t really matter if the work is done between 7 am and 4 pm or 10 am and 7 pm. Flexible work hours is appreciated by all age groups, from baby boomers to generation z. Many employees struggle with work/life balance, others are more productive during the early hours or late at night. Giving employees the opportunity to work during their peak productivity hours or letting them drop off their children at day-care without any stress gives their day a good start and they can reach their full potential.
3. Home office
We live in a digital age; most employees have a laptop and internet connection – this gives us new possibilities. Gone are the days when we could only work from a stationary computer, buried in stacks of paper – it's time for employers to realise this and start trusting their employees. Working from home can have a positive impact on employees’ work/life balance – they can work out, do laundry or go grocery shopping during their lunch break or start preparing dinner immediately after finishing work. Freeing up just 30 minutes is worth a lot in a time when we rush everywhere, and your employees will appreciate the gift of time you give them.
4. Skills development
Today's employees want to learn more and perform. Employees are more likely to appreciate training and development benefits the younger they are. According to our study Employee Happiness Index 2018, millennials and generation z are most satisfied and less likely to consider leaving the company when happy with their developmental benefits. Encourage your employees to learn and develop by offering inhouse training or offer them a subsidy for an external training course.
5. Financial Wellness
The data paints a bleak picture for today’s younger employees when it comes to their personal finances. Dragged down by student debt and the looming housing crisis, over half (51%) of young employees say they feel stressed by their financial situation and almost two-thirds (62%) say they review their finances more than five times per year – compared to just over a third (34%) of baby boomers. You can help your employees ease their troubles by offering lectures or classes on financial wellness.
Want to know what else you can do to attract, engage and retain the right employees? In our ground-breaking Employee Happiness Index 2018 we reveal the latest benchmarks and insights from the world’s most engaged workplaces. Download Employee Happiness Index 2018 for free today! Pressed for time? Download our PDF which reveals the top 10 benefits:
