5 Ways to Boost Employee Morale

A recent Gallup poll reported that 1 in 2 U.S.  employees are open to leaving their organization. Yikes.

Kelly Gust, president and principal talent consultant of HR Full Circle Consulting, LLC, shares five ways companies can keep employees at their jobs — and help them thrive. These strategies align with current trends in employee benefits and address what employees want from their employers.

“People are looking for creative, out-of-the-box options. Employees want to feel like their employer is taking care of them.”

Invest in the Hiring Process

One of the most fundamental aspects of employee well-being is to make sure that employees are in roles that match their skills, interests and personality. Gust emphasizes the importance of matching employees to roles where they can thrive.

In today’s AI-driven hiring landscape, there’s a temptation to automate everything. However, Gust cautions against depending too much on these tools.

“Put energy into understanding the nuances of each role,” Gust says. “Find candidates who are not only skilled, but also culturally aligned with your organization.”

Management Matters

People don’t leave jobs; they leave managers, Gust says. Too often, high-performing individual contributors are promoted to management roles with little guidance on how to lead effectively.

Managers can benefit from training on topics like:

• How to have effective 1:1 conversations with employees
• Techniques for giving constructive feedback
• Best practices for hiring and onboarding
• How to foster positive team dynamics
• Time management for balancing individual work with leadership responsibilities

Provide Growth and Development Opportunities

Employees who feel stagnant are likely to look elsewhere. An organization should offer a clear plan for growth and development. This can include:

• Training programs and workshops to build new skills
• Tuition reimbursement for continuing education
• Opportunities to work on stretch assignments or special projects
• Leadership development programs to promote future managers

“Growth doesn't always mean promotion,” Gust says. “Lateral moves to new departments or expanded responsibilities in current roles can also provide stimulating challenges. Help employees articulate their career goals and create plans to achieve them within your organization.”

Do a “Stay Interview”

Don’t wait until the exit interview. If something isn’t going well for an employee, intervene with a “stay interview.” During the interview, discuss what your employee loves about the job, what they would change if they could and what conditions allow the employee to do their best work.

“While it sounds formal and prescriptive, a stay interview can be a casual lunch or coffee,” Gust says. “Carving out time to talk shows you care about the work environment and want your team to do their best work. Stay interviews open up dialogue about how the employee feels about work and create a sense of loyalty — making a job change a risky disruption.”

Offer a Robust Benefits Package

While traditional benefits like health insurance are important, Gust says companies should think more holistically about employee well-being. She notes that in the current market, “People are looking for creative, out-of-the-box options. Employees want to feel like their employer is taking care of them.”

This could include a range of benefits that support different aspects of well-being, anything from childcare credits to clothing stipends (to encourage employees to come back to the office).

With dental benefits being the second-most requested benefit that employees ask for, Gust says that providing this is a must. Because a company’s budget can vary, she says that a dental savings plan can be a cost-effective way to provide dental care. Employers can use it as a supplement or alternative to dental insurance.

With Altogether Dental, employees will enjoy discounts of 15-50% on all dental procedures and don’t have to worry about waiting periods, deductibles or claims. Plus, Altogether Dental’s partnership with Aetna gives employees 260,000+ choices of in-network general and specialty care dentists.

Besides offering a range of healthcare benefits, here are a few popular benefits for businesses that employers can offer:

• Childcare support or credits
• Transportation credits or stipends
• Gym membership
• Professional development opportunities (training, workshops, conferences)
• Tuition reimbursement for relevant courses
• Generous PTO and parental leave
• Mental health support services
• Retirement savings plans
• Life and disability insurance
• Volunteer time off

These innovative employee benefits and company benefits and perks for employees can be part of how to attract employees with benefits. They represent some of the best benefits for employees and creative employee benefits that are shaping the future of employee benefits. For small business employee benefits or mid size business benefit plans, these ideas can be adapted to fit various budgets and company sizes, ensuring that employee benefits for SMB are competitive and appealing.