Rethinking Employee Benefits for Remote Workers in the UK
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world of work. Now, remote work, which was once unheard-of, has become the “new normal”. With the rise of remote work, employee benefits have also undergone significant changes to keep up with the times.
Employers in the UK and around the world are adapting their employee benefits packages to cater to remote workers’ needs. In this Pacific Prime UK article, we will explore the 6 meaningful employee benefits for those working remotely in the UK.
1. Flexible Working Hours
Flexible working hours are extremely helpful in enhancing remote employees’ productivity because it allows them to adapt their work schedule to fit their own unique work style.
Providing flexible working hours also helps employees manage their families, hobbies, and personal activities better, enabling them to balance their personal and work lives more effectively.
Allowing remote employees flexibility with their working hours means they can work when they are most productive. This autonomy, and the knowledge that they are not being micromanaged, helps to reduce employee stress, absenteeism, and burnout, resulting in increased job satisfaction.
One key to success lies in making sure that all task details, requirements, and deadlines are clearly communicated to all parties concerned.
Some inconveniences can be expected, such as when instant communication becomes harder because employees have different “office hours.” However, with skillful implementation, these inconveniences can be effectively handled while the benefits of flexible working hours keep showing up.
2. Subsidy for Home Office Expenses and Equipment
Many companies have been able to save money on office rent with the widespread adoption of working from home (WFH). Maybe it is possible to channel some of these savings to improving the workspace in your staff’s own home?
For remote work, a proper home office setup is essential. Equipping employees with the necessary office tools will boost their productivity. In addition, a stable Internet connection is crucial for remote employees, and an Internet allowance can be provided to ensure good connectivity and speed.
You can go one step further by adding a “utility subsidy” to the salaries to cover the extra heat and electricity consumed by your staff while working from home. Remember that when you genuinely care for your staff’s wellbeing, they will go the extra mile for you.
3. Mental Health Support
It’s common for remote employees to feel lonely and disconnected from their teams and colleagues, leading to increased anxiety, stress, and even depression. Simply put, WFH can take a toll on your employees’ mental health if not done carefully.
Thus, employers should provide mental health support to help employees cope with any mental health challenges caused by remote working. It’s not enough to just give them a number to call if they need to. Most likely by the time they call, the golden opportunity for intervention will have passed.
Remote employees should have access to information on mental health resources. Employers should also invite mental health professionals to hold seminars regularly. If one-to-one meetings between remote employees and mental health professionals can be arranged, so much the better!
4. Professional Development Opportunities
Intuitively, if employees enjoy more autonomy with their work schedules, that should make it easier for them to pursue professional development. However, in reality, often the opposite is true.
Employees who work remotely may miss out on opportunities to develop their skills or advance their careers within their organisations. It is therefore essential to offer remote employees the same professional development opportunities as are available to in-office employees.
Remote employees can benefit from online training courses, mentoring sessions, or virtual conferences offered by their employer. These opportunities not only provide employees with tangible benefits, but also help to retain them by showing the employer’s commitment to their growth and development.
5. Health and Wellness Benefits
The physical and mental well-being of employees is crucial for maintaining productivity and motivation while working remotely. To support a healthy lifestyle, employers can offer benefits such as gym memberships, health insurance, mental health support, and health promotion programs.
Remote workers may miss the physical activity of commuting, but employers can provide wellness initiatives like virtual group exercise sessions, subsidised gym memberships, or interactive step-based challenges.
Health insurance is no less important to remote employees than to in-office employees. It can help ensure access to necessary healthcare services, which is critical for employees’ well-being.
6. Paid Time Off
When working remotely, it can be challenging to separate work from personal life. This is why paid time off (PTO) is a crucial benefit for remote staff. PTO allows employees to refresh, recover, and recharge, increasing productivity.
Employers can provide ample and flexible PTO options to their remote staff. When employees work beyond their scheduled hours and respond to emails, they may miss out on the rest necessary for creativity and energy in the next work period.
Focusing on PTO helps remote employees recharge, prevent burnout, and attend to personal matters, all of which contribute to increased job satisfaction.
Review Existing or Redesign Employee Benefits for Remote Workers
With so many changes happening across the UK, now is the time for employers to support remote workers. To implement these changes, employers need to start by reviewing or redesigning their current employee benefits programme, which is made easier with the help of an employee benefits specialist like Pacific Prime UK.
When designing an effective employee benefits plan in the UK, employers should include the current and upcoming appealing trends for remote workers. For some of the most trending employee benefits, download our Global Employee Benefits Trends Report and discover what other businesses consider for their remote workers.
For a free consultation with one of our corporate experts, feel free to contact us today!
Since joining Pacific Prime, Martin has become even more aware of the gap between the true value of insurance products and most people’s appreciation of it, and developed a passion for demystifying and simplifying matters, so that more people get the protection they need at a cost they can easily afford.
In his free time, Martin attends concerts of various genres, and plays the violin with piano accompaniment he pre-recorded himself or played live by his niece.
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