Do Benefits Drive Employee Engagement?
August 7, 2015
There seems to be a lot of questions about benefits and which ones will increase employee engagement. Many ask if benefits help satisfaction or engagement, or if they help both? Which benefits will make employees happy? Unfortunately, there is no a single answer to these questions; it varies dependent on what your organization is trying to achieve.
The benefits your organization offers can have a direct impact on an employee’s engagement or disengagement. If your benefits are covering the basic needs of your employees, support the culture of your organization, and provide a competitive advantage, then you are likely using the right formula for benefits to increase employee engagement.
Benefits for Basic Needs
If we look at psychologist Abraham Maslow’s concept know as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” you will see that having safety is one the basic needs a person strives for. Offering benefits that provide safety and stability in health for your employees should help alleviate worries that may cause disengagement in the workplace. By offering quality basic benefits, your employees can spend less time worrying about their basic needs, and spend more time focusing on their work.
Benefits Build Your Culture
The benefits that go above and beyond the basic health and safety needs are ones that will help you build your culture. For example, do you allow dogs in your office? Is there a drink and snack cart? Are employees allowed to play table tennis? These are some of the more unique benefits that organizations are offering to employees, which certainly help build a unique culture. A more common benefit that is being pushed strongly by younger generations is the flexibility to work remotely, which can help improve work-life balance. If the benefits match your culture, your employees will feel more aligned and engaged with your organization.
Benefits Provide a Competitive Advantage
The main advantage of giving “above and beyond” benefits is how it accommodates your employees’ lifestyle so they are more engaged in their personal and professional life; this helps engage the whole person. According to Gallup, disengagement is costing organizations billions of dollars annually. We’ve also learned that employee engagement has a direct impact on your bottom line. By having benefits that align with your culture and retain your employees your organization will have a competitive advantage over organizations who are not focusing on aligning their benefits to the desired culture.
Benefits that cover basic needs and encourage a unique culture will create better engagement levels for organizations. Determining what benefits are required to satisfy the employees’ need is the first step. Next, allow benefits to create a unique culture that defines your brand and engages your employees. This formula will create a competitive advantage for talent and help keep your employees engaged.
– Kaitlyn Carr, Organizational Development Specialist, @EmplyEngagement @kacarr789
