Why Traditional Employee Benefits Aren’t Enough Anymore

• An ever-evolving deskless workforce wants flexible benefits that can travel with them, without breaking the bank.
• Mental wellness, physical wellness, and financial wellness are all benefits that employers need to pay attention to to stay competitive in today’s job market.   

If you’re struggling to attract and retain talent, revamping your employee benefits package is a great place to start. Employers winning the war for talent are getting creative in building an employee benefits package that supports a diverse workforce. Traditional benefits like paid time off and disability coverage are no longer enough if you want to stand out from your competitors.

The Dynamics of the Modern Workforce

One of the reasons why traditional employee benefits packages are missing the mark is how people’s work has changed. Today’s workforce is mobile. 80% of the global workforce, or 2.7 billion employees, are deskless and often outside office space. However, reports show that 23% of deskless workers feel a lack of connection to the company they work for and often feel “disposable or temporary.” Even worse, 34-50% of deskless workers in logistics, retail, transportation, hospitality, and healthcare feel their employers view them as disposable. 

Get Noticed with These Next-generation Employee Benefits

Over the next few years, we can expect the number of deskless, freelance, gig, and or contract workers to rise, making flexible, personalized employee benefits packages essential. Here are the modern benefit options we recommend for staying ahead of the game.

1. Financial Well-being and Budgeting Tools

Given widespread concerns about inflation, more employers are trying to support their employees in reaching their financial goals. It’s important to note that economic well-being looks different for everyone. 

Ideally, employers should offer financial benefits best suited to their particular workforce and assist employees at different life stages. Recent research revealed that around 60% of employees wanted their employer to expand their retirement benefits and financial and budget planning tools.

The best financial wellness programs support workers with free financial tools like 1:1 financial coaching, smart budgeting tools, and discounts in one convenient location. 

2. Earned Wage Access

Earned Wage Access (EWA) allows people to access wages they’ve already earned but have not yet been paid. EWA particularly appeals to hourly workers who work from paycheck to paycheck and often find themselves short on cash when unexpected expenses arise. EWA is the only alternative to high-interest and predatory payday loans.

Payactiv, the pioneer and leading provider of EWA, is the only certified B Corp in the industry. Payactiv’s EWA service goes further by allowing employees to use their earned wages to pay for services like Uber and Amazon and pay their bills directly in a mobile app. A recent survey by Payactiv shows that 81% of respondents were likely to stay in their role because of access to EWA, demonstrating the retention value of EWA.

3. Diversified Leave Options

Currently, the US is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t guarantee workers a single day of paid parental leave or sick leave. This leave gap disproportionately affects lower-wage workers, who are less likely to be granted such protections from their employers. Overall, 24% of all private sector workers have paid family leave, while only 12% of workers making the lowest wages do, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

More employers are expanding the scope of their leave policy beyond sick and maternity leave to include customizable options. Workers appreciate the flexibility to handle whatever life hands them, from health challenges to family support. 

4. Mental Health and Wellness

Some 81% of employees will favorably consider employers that regard mental health as a priority when seeking a job. An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a great way to support people’s mental health. Such programs help with non-medical issues (such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and more) that could impact an employee’s work and home life. Through EAP programs, workers can access confidential counseling and other resources to alleviate mental health conditions. 

Other supplementary wellness benefits could include:

• Company gym memberships and yoga classes
• Free subscriptions to mental health events and apps
• Offices designated explicitly for mental health purposes
• Quarterly mental health PTO
• Financial wellness benefits or free 1:1 financial coaching

5. Reproductive/Fertility Care

Women’s reproductive health has come under the spotlight in the media of late. Forward-looking businesses recognize that they can make their organizations more attractive to women by offering parenting/pediatric support, improving maternity and menopause support, and expanding employees’ fertility coverage through medical reimbursements. Some companies offer resources to support high-risk pregnancies, lactation, family planning, and pregnancy loss.

6. Legal Insurance

Many people don’t seek legal advice because it is expensive. Legal insurance benefits provide employers with a means to help their employees pay for day-to-day legal services such as:

• Traffic violations
• Estate planning
• Divorce
• Property/consumer protection
• Bankruptcy

7. Flexible Schedules

Recent research found that seven out of 10 workers would like more flexibility in their work schedules, and 43% said it was an important consideration in their job search.

Systems like Payactiv Connect make it easy (and safe) for employers to schedule shifts using their smartphones. Employees can communicate with one another and easily swap shifts. Those seeking to pick up additional shifts from time to earn extra cash also see massive value in this benefit.

Modern Benefits Matter

Today’s talent expects more than a paycheck and traditional benefits. They’re seeking jobs with companies that take their quality of life seriously, help them support their families, and make them feel valued. To meet this demand, consider modernizing your benefits package to recruit and retain talent in 2023.