The pandemic introduced a number of changes to the workplace that have greatly influenced employees’ expectations of their employers. These workplace shifts might urge employees to consider a new career move if they’re not satisfied with their updated benefits. In fact, at least one in four people quit their job this year, and the statistic could continue to grow into 2022, according to data from the people analytics firm Visier.
This trend is forcing businesses to get serious about employee retention and re-evaluate their current benefits packages. As you prepare for the year ahead, consider these 10 benefits questions that your employees may ask you in 2022.
Benefits Question 1: What kind of mental health benefits do you offer, or are planning to offer, in the new year?
Mental health struggles skyrocketed during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and it’s continuing to be an issue as individuals try to navigate workplace changes, virus variants, and booster shots.
While many companies have long offered employee assistance programs (EAPs), which provide access to a fixed number of counseling or therapy sessions, today employers are expanding their well-being benefits. Subscriptions to meditation apps, tele-mental health sessions, and mental health stipends are some of the mental health benefits that employees hope will be offered by their employers in 2022.
Benefits Question 2: Do we have any financial wellness resources that I can take advantage of?
Nearly 7 out of 10 (69%) people say the pandemic has intensified their financial stress. However, 80% of people who feel their employers are committed to helping them strengthen their financial resiliency are more likely to stay with the employer. As a result, it’s no surprise that companies are starting to offer financial wellness benefits.
Some financial wellness benefits include one-on-one meetings with certified financial planners, tips on taxes, financial literacy education, and digital platforms and applications, among others.
Benefits Question 3: What kind of unique health benefits will you offer in 2022?
Consider offering employees unique health perks like 2020 On-site, an affordable and convenient way to receive eye care. 41% of employees in a recent survey said vision care was a “must-have” — imagine the ease of receiving a routine eye exam from the convenience of the office. Our mobile vision clinics can come to your office and provide 30-minute eye exams, prescriptions, and a selection of quality frames and lenses.
If you’re interested in adding 2020 On-site as a health perk to your 2022 health plan, contact us today to learn how we can provide a unique experience that shows your employees how important they are to you and your organization.
Benefits Question 4: Can I have the flexibility to work from home in the new year?
A May 2021 survey found that 40% of workers would consider quitting their jobs if denied the flexibility to work from home (at least some of the time). Pointing to remote work benefits like time saved commuting, more time to spend with family, more sleep, and better health makes it easy to see why employees would be willing to look elsewhere if denied the flexibility to work remotely.
Going into the new year, organizations that want to attract and retain the best talent will offer flexible work options. If giving employees the option to work remotely full-time isn’t an option, consider giving them one or two work-from-home days a week, or let them split their time at the office and at home 50-50.
Recommended Reading: What Employees Really Want Post-Pandemic
Benefits Question 5: How can I schedule a one-on-one meeting with you to go over my benefits package?
If you’re the benefits specialist at your organization, there’s a good chance that your inbox will be filled with requests from coworkers for a meeting to go over their benefits package when you return to the office after the holidays. It might be a good idea to get ahead of the rush and send out a form for employees to fill out so they can schedule their meeting with you for the new year before the holiday break.
Benefits Question 6: What kind of digital tools and applications do we utilize that I can download?
Alongside the growing popularity of telehealth, digital-friendly benefits programs have made navigating healthcare a lot easier for remote employees. A Gartner study found that 82% of company leaders will continue to allow employees to work remotely after the pandemic, and many of the features of this digital revolution can be accessed from anywhere.
Investing in benefits administration software and/or digital applications will not only save your HR team time and frustration managing benefits and doing paperwork, but it will also empower employees to take control over their own benefits.
Employee benefits software typically provides information about different plan types, comparisons between plans, automated enrollment or re-enrollment capabilities, and regulatory compliance features. Check out this list of the 18 best employee benefits software and platforms in 2021.
Benefits Question 7: Do we have a student loan benefit program? If not, are you planning on implementing one in the new year?
Student loan benefits programs are relatively new, but they’re quickly gaining popularity as organizations try to attract and retain millennials — the generation with more debt than any other and the largest age group currently in the labor force.
A 2018 study by the American Student Assistance, a non-profit aimed at helping young people eliminate financial barriers to higher education, found that 4 in 5 young workers would commit to an employer for 5 years if they helped pay their student loans.
Benefits Question 8: What kind of childcare benefits can I take advantage of?
A survey from Care.com reported that 85% of working parents do not have childcare benefits. However, two-thirds of the same group said they would trade sick days, vacation days, dental plans, and retirement plans for childcare benefits. Furthermore, 60% of employees said if they received childcare benefits, their job performance would improve. If your organization doesn’t offer any childcare benefits, it might be a good idea to look into it for the new year.
Benefits Question 9: How can I submit feedback on our current benefits package?
After this year where mental health has taken a front seat, employees are more vocal about what they need from their employers so they can thrive at work. Giving employees the chance to voice their opinions, or even choose a personalized benefits package that works best for them, shows them that you truly care about their well-being.
Benefits Question 10: Where can I access more information about my benefits if I have questions?
According to a Voya survey, more than 73% of employees are interested in support and guidance tools that help them understand how much money to put aside for retirement, emergency savings, and healthcare expenses. Why not give employees access to benefits resources 24/7 with an internal resources “hub” where employees can view webinars and videos, PowerPoint presentations, PDF guides, and other downloadable resources. You could also provide a list of FAQs to save employees an email to HR.
Prepare your employees for the new year.
The new year is a time to start fresh and make healthy choices — you have the opportunity to be a support system for your team! If you have any questions about how to improve your health and wellness benefits in 2022 with on-site eye care, get in touch with us today.