At The MBA, we know employee retention is one of our members’ top concerns. While competitive pay is important, today’s workforce often expects more. Here are three creative employee perks that can help your team feel valued and encourage them to stay.
Employees change jobs more frequently than ever before. Studies show that the average person will change careers five to seven times, with approximately 30 percent of the workforce changing their position each year. This high turnover can make it difficult for employers to build stability and maintain a strong company culture.
One way to attract and retain valued employees is to offer benefits that help foster a “family-like” workplace culture.
Consider these three unconventional recommendations:
Technology Training
Keeping up with technology is hard, especially with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Offering training opportunities helps employees to stay informed and up-to-date as new technologies continue to emerge.
For some employees, learning new advancements is exciting. For others, especially those who may be resistant to adapting to new technology, training provides the support they need to confidently adapt. It greatly benefits both the employee and the employer.
Investing in technology training proves to your team that you are committed to their growth while giving them the tools to prepare for the future.
Employee Pet Support
Child support is a well-known benefit, but one that flies under the radar is pet support — no, seriously!
Pets play a major role in many people’s lives and have a significant impact on emotional well-being. Employers who recognize this often build strong goodwill among their teams.
You can make a difference by hosting pet-centric events such as “bring your pet to work” day or partnering with local organizations that bring therapy dogs to the workplace.
Mental Health Days
When employees feel burned out, overwhelmed, or distracted by personal challenges, the traditional business stance is “get on with it” — continue working as normal and deal with your problems on your own time.
Thankfully, many organizations are recognizing that this approach isn’t sustainable. Mental health is being treated with the same importance as physical health.
Providing mental health days allows employees the time they need to reset and return to work more focused and productive. Knowing that support is available can make a meaningful difference for employees who may be struggling.
Offering high wages certainly helps with retention, but today’s workforce often looks for more than just a paycheck. Employees want to feel supported, respected and connected to their workplace. Small, thoughtful benefits like these three can go a ,long way toward building a culture where people feel valued and opt to stay.
This article was originally published in The MBA’s Business Magazine and is written by Tracy Daggett, Director of Training & Development at The MBA.