Traditional employee benefits have become part of the “typical package”: taken for granted, expected, missing when not offered. So employers tend to get a little pro forma with benefits.
Employers need to do a better job communicating benefits.
How many times have you heard an employee state they don’t think they have good medical insurance after they pay a thirty dollar copay for a two hundred dollar prescription?
Benefits should express some business ethic. We don’t want you worried about your family healthcare so we pay all but thirty dollars for prescriptions. Not “we have a healthcare program”. You certainly wouldn’t recruit a new employee by offering a salary rather than being specific.
What says “we want your family to be safe” more than fire extinguishers? Brand them with your company logo or identifier. Give every employee two per year – one for home, one for the family vehicle.
This benefit might cost one hundred dollars per employee, far less than any other health or safety related benefit. Every employee home and vehicle will have a reminder that the employer values their safety, on and off the job.
Safety becomes a twenty-four hour a day awareness program. If any employee deploys this gift in an emergency, every employee will hear about it.
Along the same thought pattern, perhaps you choose to give smoke detectors or batteries every quarter to remind employees to change their detectors. Protect the employees’ families, the spouse will be appreciative.
Many homes do not have carbon monoxide alarms. Basements and garages should have these early warning systems for family safety.
These safety measures are very inexpensive compared to your company contributions to employee social security or Medicare. Yet, they are much more visible in your employees’ lives, and you probably don’t adequately communicate the costs of the employers share of these mandates.
For an employee earning $40,000, the employer pays over $2800 for social security and Medicare. Fire extinguishers, carbon dioxide monitors or smoke detectors combined cost less than $280. The safety equipment is branded by your company, a concerned employer.
Health insurance, disability, contributions to retirement, paid vacations all cost more than safety. Consider this employee benefit to reinforce your company safety ethic. Your employees and their families will appreciate the good thoughts.
