In the era of the Great Resignation, as our current business climate has been called, employers must make an effort to retain every employee they have. Burnout has become a very real threat, particularly in companies where turnover has led to reassigned responsibilities. A balance must be struck, or overtaxed workers will leave. That’s why companies need to get creative with their benefit offerings to stave off burnout and keep employees happy with their jobs.
What kinds of things have companies been offering lately? Burnout is not the type of thing that can be entirely remedied by extra vacation days, and many employers need people present so they can remain open. So, we did some digging about other kinds of benefits that can help workers de-stress, have opportunities to recuperate, and keep performing at their best.
Deliver on Mental Health
Mental health benefits are one of the most important offerings that employees are currently seeking. The pandemic increased both the need and the willingness to seek treatment for conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression – all of which directly lead to burnout.
This has millions of workers all over the world seeking out companies that offer support for mental health concerns. In a global report from Mercer, researchers surveyed more than 14,000 employees globally and found out that “insurance coverage and other programs covering the cost of mental health support are seen as highly or extremely valuable by half of employees. Nearly as many would value both tele-therapy and tools to build skills like mindfulness and resilience.”
Mercer CEO Martine Ferland wrote an op-ed that said employers that do provide stronger mental health offerings will gain a competitive edge in the labor force battle. She said, “Leading employers that provide comprehensive and convenient mental health resources stand to differentiate themselves in a competitive labor market. With critical labor shortages in the United States, a company’s benefits can be the deciding factor for potential employees.”
Get Digital
Greater access to digital support options like telehealth is a solid way of making sure more employees connect with the help they need. In fact, a whopping 84% of the workers that were part of Mercer’s study said they plan to use or increase their use of digital healthcare going forward.
The logic is simple. Health concerns create anxieties and stress, which are all major burnout contributors. Digital healthcare is convenient and removes many of the barriers people encounter when seeking treatment. This can add a lot of value to an existing employee assistance plan (EAP) because people are more likely to use the services and move forward to a better outcome.
To get the most out of digital health offerings, they should be a seamless part of a company’s benefits package. Employees will want employers to thoroughly vet their selected programs for quality, affordability, and security. Employers would also be advised to actively promote the use of digital healthcare to help drive adoption, increase access, and ultimately foster better overall company health.
Be Flexible
Life still happens, even if it’s during business hours. Everyone will have unique life circumstances from time to time and the ability to manage them can go a long way toward alleviating burnout. In these moments, a little flexibility can be a very valuable thing.
In that survey from Mercer, researchers reported that “almost all (93%) employees said they would at least somewhat value flexible working arrangements, and three in five employees (60%) said flexible work arrangements are highly valuable or extremely valuable.” Also, employees that do have access to greater work flexibility are reportedly more engaged and loyal.
By having greater work flexibility, employees will feel a greater sense of value from their companies. This will drive commitment and will help curb the instances that lead to burnout.
Support and Save
When companies care, employees care back. That level of loyalty and commitment is extremely valuable, especially these days. The more benefits a company can launch to support workers and reduce burnout, the more money they will save in the long run against worker turnover. By taking just a few simple steps to make life a little easier for employees, businesses will remain competitive and performing at their best.
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