A High-Value, Low-Cost Gift for Your Team
Can you believe it? The holiday season is upon us once again! Time certainly does fly. And when it comes to this time of year, time management and stress can bubble up for many of us. The holidays bring a unique level of stress all their own. Compounding that stress is the fact that the holidays can trigger feelings of sadness, depression, and grief in many people. As an employer, there is often year end work to be accomplished amidst the holiday season. How can you successfully balance work objectives with your employees’ wellbeing during this stressful time of year?
Consider offering a gift that will cost little but can bring immeasurable value in the form of employee goodwill, loyalty and increased productivity: flexibility.
A recent survey found that 56% of respondents believe an employer’s benefits should support the personal lives of its employees, and this is particularly true for Millennial workers and younger. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) giving your team some say in how and when they work results in a more satisfied and potentially more productive workforce. Let’s face it, when we feel holistically cared about, our hearts expand to those who support our wellbeing.
In fact, Mckinsey & Company’s American Opportunity Survey found that flexible work arrangements are the third highest motivator when considering a new job, behind better pay and career opportunities. When flexible work arrangements are offered, the survey reported, more than 87% of employees utilize them.
The key to a successful flexible work arrangement, said the APA, is to allow employees to choose from a variety of options. Some ideas might include:
- Allowing schedule flexibility around core hours (e.g., 10 am to 3 pm), half-day Fridays, or four-day work weeks
- Adopting a “work-from-anywhere” culture, with technology access requirements
- Measuring projects completed and objectives achieved, rather than hours worked
- Offering extra break time, with pay, to run errands (e.g., a 90-minute lunch)
- Granting time off, with pay, to attend appointments, religious services, children’s events, and self-care activities and treatments
In today’s hustle-and-bustle world, time can be as valuable as money for some of your team. Offering the gift of flexibility may result in a valuable investment that pays dividends in the form of greater achievements, hard work, on-the-job focus, increased loyalty, and a more fulfilled workforce.
Looking to add a unique wellbeing program in 2023? SimplaFYI can help. We offer on-site and virtual services, webinars and preferred pricing for integrative care services. Contact us to learn more!
Written by: Carol Swanson. Carol’s writes blogs for the health, wellbeing & finance space. She can be reached at: [email protected]
Recent Comments