The remote workforce is growing stronger. A large percentage of employees are now working away from the office one or more days per week. There are many advantages to providing special perks for remote workers. Here are some examples of the types of benefits you can offer employees who work from home.
One advantage of working remotely is knowing your employer trusts you enough not to watch you like a hawk. Still, many companies with employees working from home expect them to clock in and out at set times, keeping normal business hours. Many remote workers consider flexible hours and unlimited paid time off to be valuable perks. Provided they get the job done, which hours they work is up to them. For example, an employee could take a few hours during the workday to watch a child’s performance in a school play, and get the work done in the evening instead.
The healthier your workers are, the happier and more productive they will be. This is why health and wellness benefits are so popular with both employers and employees. Offering your remote workers free gym memberships, massages, fitness programs, nutritionist services, exercise equipment, etc., is an excellent way to help keep employees healthier and boost morale and productivity.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to working from home is loneliness. Despite conference calls and video chats, remote employees can begin to feel isolated from the rest of the group and not quite part of the team. Company-sponsored, all-expense-paid trips give remote workers an opportunity for team bonding, so they feel more like they belong, and get them out of their seclusion, at least temporarily.
Employees working from home depend on technology to do their jobs. This may include Wi-Fi, a laptop, a smartphone, and a printer and scanner, among other things. As an employer, consider providing these necessary items to remote workers or give them a stipend so they can buy them on their own. You may also consider providing proper desks and chairs, as well as office supplies.
A home delivery subscription is a great way to boost morale and bring company culture to remote employees. If your company provides good coffee in the mornings or nice lunches for employees working in the office, a meal delivery service or coffee subscription can make remote workers feel more included. This affordable perk is a great way to show team members working from home that you care.
Leaving a new baby to go to work can be difficult, and even more so when you are working from home. Remote workers need childcare benefits, the same as in-office workers. They also appreciate paid parental leave, which allows them to care for and bond with a newborn baby or a newly adopted or placed child.
Employee benefits and perks are an important part of the overall compensation you offer your workers. Our agent can help you tailor a benefits package to suit your company.