What workers want – How can employers show that they care?
In navigating the rough seas of the pandemic, organisations have learnt a great deal about their workforce’s capacity to adapt quickly to change; and have witnessed increased productivity levels due to the benefits of remote working. Many organisations have conducted valuable employee consultations in order to discover their working preferences and needs, going forward. The CIPD and Employee Benefits have uncovered some interesting insights into what employees (existing and potential) are seeking from their employer post-pandemic. To ensure that employers remain competitive, and maintain the ability to attract and retain top talent, we’ve highlighted some of the key things which employers could implement immediately, without incurring significant costs.
Employer reputation
In the CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2020, 30% of respondents ranked “perception of the organisation as an employer” among their top 5 most important elements for attracting candidates. Salary alone is no longer the greatest driver for prospective and current employees. The prestige of working for an employer who values their employees is gaining increasing significance.
Wellbeing support
For home-workers, whilst there have been tangible improvements to productivity, cost reduction, environmental impact and work-life balance, it isn’t a life without drawbacks. Some of these remote workers have experienced isolation, with a raging pandemic augmenting levels of anxiety. In addition, many home working environments are makeshift, to say the least! Employers have a duty of care for their employees’ physical work environment, (ensuring they provide appropriate equipment and technology), as well as their mental health and wellbeing. Employers need to factor in support, workloads and expectations. Employee wellbeing should start with their line manager, and these line managers should be equipped to ensure both the physical and mental needs of their employees are being met.
Health and wellbeing benefits are the most popular employee benefits. According to MetLife UK, 19% of SME managers stated that they would target this area as a priority. An Employee Assistance Programme has also been very popular amongst employers. It’s an external programme which is very cost-effective. It gives employees access to a confidential helpline, should they require support for issues associated with stress, legal or finances.
Flexible rewards
When it comes to rewards, what an employee at the start of their career desires, may differ somewhat to the expectations of a mature employee with 20+ years’ service. Reward needs vary according to age, stage of career and personal circumstances. We’d recommend that employers should adopt a flexible benefits scheme, where employees can pick and choose the benefits which suit their needs. Historically, a flexible benefits scheme was only cost effective for large organisations; however, technological advancements have resulted in such schemes being accessible to smaller organisations. Some of the most popular benefits include: the ability to buy and sell holiday allowance, gym memberships, healthcare and cash back schemes.
Flexible working
The biggest revelation from the enforced lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 for many organisations has been the success of remote working. CIPD research on new ways of working post pandemic (2020) has found that working from home on a regular basis is expected to double to 37% of the workforce. Employers predict that approximately 22% of their workforce will be working from home full time after the crisis, compared with only 9% before. As a result, organisations are developing home working and hybrid working practices, investing in technology to support remote working and re-design ways of working.
Implementing these benefits will help employers to attract and retain top talent. If you need advice on defining roles, organising work and managing change, get in touch for an initial chat.
