Benefits programs have long been a selling point to attract workers. Medical, dental, and vision insurance can be a major draw for prospective employees. But, as HR directors, you shouldn’t stop there. 

Many employees are looking for more than a basic benefits package. Offering more than the standard packages can prevent burnout and reduce employee turnover. But where do you start? 

People are more conscious of maintaining a healthy work-life balance than ever before. In the past, employees worked with no regard for their emotional and physical states and often burned themselves out. Workers today are much more self-aware, and HR professionals need to recognize this. 

HR Directors Have the Power

The task of crafting a well-built benefits package generally falls to the HR director. Researching insurance and other benefits can be a difficult task in itself, but staying within certain budgets can also add a whole new dimension of difficulty. HR directors have to be creative and flexible to really make it work. 

The benefits offered to employees can make or break a business. Employee turnover is happening at rates many business leaders haven’t seen before. According to a poll conducted by Gallup, 52% of employees that left a job voluntarily claim that their leaving could have been prevented if the company’s leadership simply tried. 

Recognizing employees and keeping them engaged is a key component to keeping turnover to a minimum. A simple conversation about their overall satisfaction and wellbeing is what shows employees that they are being cared for. But having a conversation is one thing. Paying attention and doing something about what is being said is another. 

According to a different study done by the Achievers Workforce Institute, only 16% of employees felt satisfied with their employer's response to feedback. When you ask employees how things are going, you need to prove that you hear them. Especially when it comes to things that they need to feel appreciated and stay productive. 

But how does this tie into benefits programs? Well, people want to feel like they won’t be chastised for enjoying their time away from work. One major benefit companies are using to promote that idea is by offering fitness and wellness programs to their employees through their benefits packages. 

Fitness and Wellness Programs

Due to the lockdowns over the last two years, the general health of the population has dropped a bit. Not just physical health, but mental health as well. According to the World Health Organization, the world’s prevalence of anxiety and depression shot up 25% in the first year of the pandemic.

As a business leader, it is important to remember that people need a way to get out and do things. Whether you have a full staff in the office, utilize a hybrid work model, or offer fully remote positions, when a worker feels locked down in their working environment, their mental health is often the first to deteriorate. This is why fitness and wellness programs can do more than just help employees lose some weight. 

It has been shown that regular exercise can help reduce depression and anxiety by increasing self-esteem and cognitive function. When it comes to preventing burnout and improving employee morale, exercise is one of the most effective ways to go.

For some, however, offering compensation for a gym membership is not enough to get them to actually take advantage of the service. Committing to a single gym membership is overwhelming, especially considering that some gym cultures can be very off-putting and intimidating for many. With Peerfit credits, employees can use any gym on the network and are never limited to choosing just one. Most people need variety, specific workouts and individualized services to truly get what they need out of a wellness program.

Services like Peerfit offer a new way for team members to find local workout programs that fit their needs or stream condition-specific wellness courses directly into their living rooms. They can offer dietary guidance, mental wellness programs, and many other opportunities for employees to better their overall wellbeing. 

With a diverse range of wellness options available to employees, they are more likely to feel cared for and heard when they speak up about their wellness needs. With job openings around the U.S. at record highs, employees are willing to look elsewhere for work when they feel their needs aren’t being met. 

Human resource management teams need to get in touch with their employees and listen to what they need. HR directors have the power to reduce turnover and employee burnout by responding to what the employees themselves are saying. One of the main reasons for employee burnout is the feeling of a lack of personal control. 

When employees don’t feel they have any control over their daily activities, they get overwhelmed and start to burnout. Too many burnouts can lead to simply leaving the job altogether. In 2022, there are plenty of jobs to go around. 

HR directors are the ones with the power to offer their workers a wellness program that really works. Insurance is essential, but going above and beyond with well thought out wellness programs that offer more than just a gym membership can be the ticket to vastly reducing turnover and employee burnout all together.