Unique perks to motivate your employees

By Carrie Kramer

Today’s job market is highly competitive. To keep up, LinkedIn^® estimates that jobseekers now must increase the number of applications they send out by 18% compared to 2022. One of the best ways to stand out to potential job seekers, and to retain the great talent that you have, is to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to employee benefits.

When it comes to perks, we’re not talking about your standard retirement contribution or health insurance plan. Companies of all sizes are offering new and innovative benefits to motivate their employees.

Support nontraditional caregivers

According to Carers Canada, 35% of employees identify as caregivers, but only a portion is covered by traditional parental leave policies. Employee benefits packages need to extend beyond the traditional parental leave policies and should include support for other types of caregivers, including pet owners and those who care for older adults. Consider adding caregiver-friendly policies, like pet insurance, a stipend for doggy daycare or at-home nursing, or time off to care for loved ones.

If your office space allows for it, consider letting employees bring their dogs to work. Research shows that 84% of employers that welcome dogs at the office see an improvement in culture and retention. Take the opportunity to announce your new pet-friendly policies by gifting your employees stainless steel dog bowls for the office or bandanas in company colours.

Provide opportunities to upskill

The World Economic Forum^® estimates that 60% of workers will require training to upskill or reskill by 2027. These opportunities are particularly imperative in sectors that will deal with AI and big data, although leadership and other social skills are also considered important.

Keep your workforce ahead of the curve by offering memberships to online course libraries, or by partnering with local colleges/universities or similar organizations for mentoring and shadowing programs. Equip your team with sleek laptop backpacks to get them back into the student mindset.

Encourage financial wellness

While a competitive retirement package is a consideration for most job seekers, today’s employees are looking to their employers for even more financial support. The 2023 Employee Financial Wellness Survey by PwC^® found that 68% of employees whose employer offered financial wellness programs reported using them.

Join in on this popular trend by bringing in personal financial planners to provide one-on-one coaching, either in the office or virtually. And promote this exciting new perk by equipping everyone on the team with a dollar sign stress toy.

Commit to sustainability

As climate change becomes a more present topic in our day-to-day lives, research is showing that a company’s stated policies on sustainability are becoming more important to employees. The IBM^® Institute for Business Value found that more than 70% of workers and job seekers would like to work for environmentally sustainable employers.

There are many ways that you can show you are an environmentally responsible brand. Partner with local nonprofits to contribute to tree planting in the area, and share this effort with employees by gifting them a blossom kit to plant on their own. Have collection spots for objects like electronics and batteries that are difficult to recycle. Or try out a bike-to-work initiative where you reimburse employees who opt for bikes over car commutes. This benefit can be promoted with branded bike taillights.

Enhance employee well-being

Look to trendsetters when it comes to motivating employees and potential job seekers. Go beyond the traditional benefits and perks that become the norm to attract and retain the best of the best.

Carrie Kramer

Carrie Kramer is a merchandising category manager with more than 20 years of experience in the promotional products industry and has been part of 4imprint’s merchandising team for nearly two years. She brings extensive expertise in merchandising, product sourcing, and building strong vendor relationships. Working closely with product development partners—and always thinking creatively—Carrie continually seeks out the best promotional products to strengthen her category offerings. Her expertise and creative approach help ensure 4imprint remains at the forefront of wellness-related promotional trends.

All marks are the property of 4imprint or their respective owners.

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