It can be difficult for businesses to compete for top-tier talent with their many competitors offering incredible benefit or "perk" packages, especially in the technology industry.
From breakroom chefs (Dropbox) to shuttles taking workers to and fro (Google, Apple, Facebook), the world's leading tech brands have cornered the market in getting the brightest minds to work on time and helping them stay there longer - where everything they need is quite literally on their company's campus (dry cleaners, dentists, dinner).
While these programs are out of reach for most companies, designing employee experiences can be done on any size budget - and the most significant benefit they offer is when it comes to reducing burnout.
The 2016 Workplace Index from Staples Business Advantage (SBA), for example, indicated that 40 percent of the workforce feels burnt out at work so much so that it's the leading cause (47 percent) of looking for a new job. Despite their high levels of stress, 63 percent of respondents said that a more flexible schedule could help them avoid burnout.
Whether it's the option to telecommute, split up a traditional 40-hour week as they see fit or design a work-life integration for their individual needs, companies must start thinking about their employees who see the generous perks offered by competitors. In the end, are they really demanding all that much?
SBA found that workers want initiatives such as wellness programs and well-designed workspaces, office perks including healthy snacks and coffee as well as technology tools that help improve productivity.
Work is changing and businesses would be wise to change with the times. Check out this month's Quiz Time to learn more about today's workforce woes and what companies are doing about it (the answers are at the bottom of the page).
1. The co-working trend seems to be all hype, with only __ percent of freelancers saying they worked mostly in a co-working space.
a. 3 percent
b. 1 percent
c. 10 percent
d. 13 percent
2. Thirty-seven percent of U.S. workers say they have done this at/for their job:
a. Telecommuted
b. Worked sick
c. Taken a pay cut
d. Not used vacation days
3. Men are three times more likely than women to be successful at:
a. Being promoted within the first year on the job
b. Negotiating greater pay
c. Changing workforce policies
d. Receiving more flexibility in their workday
4. Which tech companies have joined the federal "Fair Pay Pledge," an initiative aimed at closing the gender pay gap between men and women in the United States?
a. Accenture, Buffer, GoDaddy, Salesforce and Slack
b. Walmart, Target and Oracle
c. Amazon, Deloitte, PwC and Pinterest
d. A and C
5. Three out of four workers say their employers don't provide access to this in order to do their job efficiently:
a. A company car
b. An expense account
c. The latest technology
d. A laptop for home
Answers
1. a
2. a
3. b
4. d
5. c
