Employee benefits to get back to the office

These 4 must-have benefits will get your employees back to the office

June 22, 2021 12:16 PM

Employees may need a little more convincing before they head back to the in-person office.

While the majority of employers feel confident they will have their office up and running by the end of 2021, 62% of employees want to stay remote indefinitely, according to exclusive research by Arizent, parent company of Employee Benefit News.

As employees continue to struggle with work-life balance, mental health challenges and other stressors, benefits can play a big role in giving employees the tools to succeed — and in getting them to stay. More than half of employees plan to look for a new job in 2021, wit hbetter benefits and greater work-life balance the top reasons for the move, research from Achievers Workforce Institute found.

Seventy percent of employers agree that the pandemic has highlighted the importance of benefits to their workforce, according to Arizent. These four benefits are not only good recruiting and retention tools, but they help current employees feel seen and supported during COVID and beyond.

Flexible work schedules

Employees want the freedom to work whenever and wherever they want, and employers need to be flexible in accommodating this new normal. Sixty-nine percent of employers across industries believe remote work and telecommuting will be permanently altered, Arizent data found.

Companies including Twitter, Facebook and Slack have all announced permanent WFH arrangements, with many other companies exploring the benefits of hybrid work. The majority of employees say that 2-3 days in the office is ideal going forward.

Tech tools

With more remote work comes a greater reliance on the technology to support it. Employers are ramping up their cybersecurity efforts and rolling out video conferencing platforms to maximize employee productivity, Arizent found.

These tools are particularly important when it comes to making recruiting and hiring decisions — technology and artificial intelligence can eliminate hiring biases, expand the talent pool beyond office HQ and promote DEI efforts.

Mental health support

Almost half of employees have struggled with a mental health issue during COVID, according to the CDC. Mental health and telehealth benefits are an important resource for employees grappling with anxiety, depression, burnout and other stressors.

The fallout from the pandemic is far from over, yet just 22% of employers plan to make permanent changes to their mental health offerings post-pandemic, Arizent found. Employers can explore low-cost telehealth and EAP options, along with a myriad of other platforms that have rolled out over the past 15 months.

Child care benefits

Working parents and women have struggled to keep their heads above water during COVID and are being forced out of the workforce at record rates. However, just 16% of employers plan to tailor their benefits to working parents through additional flex time and PTO, and only 8% plan to boost backup child care benefits, Arizent data found.

Emergency and back-up child care programs and more robust caregiving benefits can help this population navigate COVID and better manage the precarious balance of work and home life.