Employers should embrace going the extra mile to provide workers with important benefits that are in addition to the traditional ones usually offered.
Giving this extra support can create a welcoming workplace culture and assist employees through a difficult situation.
Aeroflow Health is doing this in an extreme time of need for hundreds of its employees. The medical equipment provider is based in Asheville, North Carolina, and many of its workers are now indefinitely displaced after Hurricane Helene ravaged the area in late September.
The company has taken numerous steps to help its workers, including creating a fund that now has more than $400,000 to help affected staff members and opening a pantry in its headquarters to distribute necessities.
Aeroflow Health has also paid employees regularly, whether or not they were able to make it into work and regardless of their accrued PTO amount. Additionally, Casey Hite, CEO and founder, has allowed employees to take cash advances on their paychecks in order to pay for food and gas.
"Whatever we can do, we're doing it," Hite says. "We did right by our people and worried about the legal ramifications later."
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But there are smaller gestures that companies can offer to create a pleasant work environment.
For instance, Jennifer Kraszewski, CHRO at HR software solutions company Paycom, is advising employers to embrace "loud vacationing," a term she coined that centers on the idea of employees feeling encouraged to plan, discuss and look forward to their
This push is meant to counteract the rise of
"Loud vacationing is the idea that you can take a vacation and not feel guilty about it," she says. "PTO is a benefit that organizations provide to their employees, so it's important for employees to take full advantage of that PTO, and managers should encourage people to do just that."
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Supporting new parents is another way to go above and beyond. As more companies adopt
According to the National Health Institute, 24% of women leave the labor force in their first year of motherhood; meanwhile, three in four moms believe their employers could be doing more to
So, what are employers missing? As a mom and vice president of people at marketing solutions company Customer.io, Jen Fong knows firsthand that leadership is key to ensuring parental leave policies account for what comes after parents have taken months off to bond with their families.
"We have an exceptional people team that works very closely with our managers to just make everyone's leave a very smooth process," says Fong. "We want to make sure that you feel like your work is covered while you're out, and you're not stressed about what happens when you're ready to return."
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However, if employers are considering investing in new ways to make their workplaces appealing to staff members, they should know which ones will best meet the needs of the different demographics in their workforce.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the annual cost of benefits per employee is $23,696 in the private sector and $26,226 for civilian workers, and 78% of employees said
For instance, all generations prioritize retirement savings, though more older employees (77% of Gen X and 84% of baby boomers) ranked it as a must-have compared to younger workers (61% of Gen Z and 73% millennials), according to New York Life Group Benefit Solutions (NYL GBS).
"The workforce today comprises [multiple] generations, each with distinct experiences, yet within this generational framework lies a diverse range of individuals with unique needs and perspectives," says Kristina Welke, head of strategy, solutions and marketing for NYL GBS. "By understanding these generational nuances and offering a flexible benefits package, employers can create a more engaging and supportive workplace for everyone."
