How Great Employee Benefits May Shield Your Company from the Great Resignation

10/05/2021

Posted by: Altura Benefits in Informational

Great employee benefits

Workers keep quitting. If you want to keep your workers, it’s crucial to have a great employee benefits package. You might need to up your game.

The Great Resignation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 4.0 million workers quit in July, while the number of open jobs was 10.9 million. CNBC’s Q3 2021 Momentive Small Business Survey found that nearly one-third of small business owners report having open job positions that they haven’t been able to fill for at least three months.

Around the country, there have been reports of businesses closing or reducing their hours because of worker shortages. Some other businesses have managed to stay open, but they’ve had to ask customers to be patient as staffing shortages cause delays. You may have seen some of the signs yourself.

In addition to putting daily operations in jeopardy, high turnover rates can also increase overhead costs. For small businesses, the average cost of training a new employee exceeded $1,500 in 2019, according to Investopedia. And training costs are just part of the equation. The direct and indirect turnover costs associated with an employee earning $8 per hour could come to around $3,500.

Why Employees Are Quitting – And How to Convince Them to Stay

Workers are quitting for many reasons. Some feel forced to quit because they don’t have affordable childcare options. Others are burned out or fed up with their positions. Some feel they’re being taken advantage of, and they don’t want to work until they’re given the compensation they believe they deserve.

The right benefits can help with all of these issues.

Great benefits aren’t quite a silver bullet. If your workers have decided to open up their own business, or if they’ve won the lottery or inherited a fortune from a long-lost uncle, even the best benefits package in the world might not convince them to stay. But for many workers, generous benefits might be exactly what they need to stick around – and lackluster benefits might send them looking for greener pastures at another company.

A survey from Digital.com found that 44% of Americans who quit did so because they want better pay and benefits. That’s a lot of workers. And while cash is great, benefits may be in even higher demand. According to Glassdoor, 80% of employees prefer additional benefits over a pay raise.

So, be honest – are the benefits that you offer enough to keep workers around? Or are you giving your workers one more reason to join the Great Resignation? Don’t rush to answer. While you consider the question, here are some benefits to look at.

Health Insurance and Related Coverages

Health insurance is a staple, and for good reason. Many Americans depend on job-based insurance coverage. According to Gallup, one in six adult U.S. workers who get their primary health insurance through a job say they are staying in a job they might otherwise quit because they don’t want to lose their coverage.

Simply offering some health insurance might not be enough, though. If employees don’t like the coverage, they might not be convinced to stay. Here are some elements to consider:

  • Options: The right plan for a healthy, single 20-year-old might not be the right plan for 40-year-old with a family and health problems. Consider offering options, including both high deductible and low deductible plans.
  • FSAs and HSAs: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can help workers manage out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
  • Telemedicine: More people are turning to telemedicine as a convenient, low-cost option.
  • Dental and Vision: Group dental and vision benefits provide important coverage not typically included in group health insurance plans.

Retirement Planning

According to ThinkAdvisor, a 2020 study found that 62% of Americans were more concerned about retirement than they had been just one year earlier. Many Americans are worried about saving enough for retirement, so a good retirement plan might give them another reason to stay.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 67% of private industry workers had access to retirement benefits through their job in March 2020. Most employers that offer retirement plans offer defined contribution retirement plans, but some offer defined benefit retirement plans, and some offer both.

Employers have many different types of retirement plans to choose from, including 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, SIMPLE IRA plans, Simplified Employee Pensions, profit-sharing plans, employee stock ownership plans, and more.

Other Benefit Staples

In addition to health insurance and a retirement plan, your employees may expect a few more common benefit staples. Here are some important insurance products to consider:

  • Life Insurance: This insurance staple can give your workers peace of mind.
  • AD&D: Accidental death and dismemberment insurance provides additional coverage for the risk of an untimely death.
  • Disability Insurance: Because a disability can interfere with a person’s ability to earn an income, this is an important coverage.
  • Long-term Care Insurance: Many people will need long-term care at some point, and it can be incredibly expensive. Long-term care insurance can help people plan for this cost.

Mental Health

One in five U.S. adults has a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Even more Americans experience high levels of stress. The 2020 Stress in America study found that 84% of adults reported feeling one or more emotion associated with prolonged stress, such as anxiety, sadness or anger,  in the prior two weeks.

Many workers are quitting because they feel stressed and overworked, so this is something that employers should think about.

The right benefits can help employees deal with stress and mental health:

  • Employee Assistance Programs: These programs offer a wide range of services to help employees manage problems.
  • Counseling: Free counseling sessions, either in-person or remote, may be just what employees need.
  • Apps: SHRM says that some employers have started offering apps to help employees deal with mental health issues.

Support for Working Parents

Childcare has always been an issue for working parents. Because many schools have switched to remote classes during the pandemic, it’s become even more of a struggle. If employers want to retain working parents, they may need to help employees with childcare.

  • Flexible Schedules: Giving workers flexible hours or remote work options can help them balance work and family obligations.
  • Childcare Stipends: Stipends give workers the flexible funds they need.
  • On-Site Childcare: For employers with many working parents, this may be the ideal solution.
  • Parental Leave: For new parents, paid parental leave is a very attractive benefit.

Additional Perks

To make your company stand out in the talent war, you may want to consider additional benefits that appeal to your workers. Here are some ideas:

  • College Costs: The average tuition at a public out-of-state college is $22,698, according to U.S. News, while a private college will cost $38,185. Tuition assistance benefits can help employees pay for college, while student loan repayment programs can help employees pay off debt.
  • Financial Wellness: Many workers are stressed about money. Courses and tools that help with budgeting may relieve some of their stress.
  • Fertility Benefits: According to Employee Benefit News, only 19% of employers offer IVF benefits, but 48% of employees are considering a fertility assessment. If you’re looking for an attractive benefit that could differentiate you from other employers, this might be it.
  • Pet Insurance: Many people adopted pets during the pandemic, and healthcare for pets can be expensive. According to Employee Benefit News, more employees are demanding pet insurance benefits.

Need Guidance?

There’s a lot to consider as you build an appealing and affordable employee benefits strategy. We can guide you through every step of the process and help you design a plan that works for your budget.

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