5 Employee Benefits That’ll Inspire Your Team to Do More

5 Employee Benefits That’ll Inspire Your Team to Do More

Employee benefits extend way beyond the standard 401(k) and health insurance plan. Now, top companies are offering more to their team members in an effort to inspire them to be more productive and loyal to the organization. What can you do to get that same kind of dedication from your team? Here are five ideas.

1. Flexible Hours

Life doesn’t happen outside of the standard 9 to 5 workday. Appointments need to be made during regular working hours. Kids get sick and need care during working hours. Errands need to be tackled during working hours. With so much going on in your team’s life, they need access to the outside world – even when they’re supposed to be at work.

To the extent you can, offer flexible work hours. If an employee needs to leave the office for a few hours in the afternoon, allow it. They can always make up their missed shift another time. If you use an online scheduling app, it’s easier for them to find where you’re light on labor and fill in that gap, making it a win-win for both you and your employee.

2. Remote Work Options

Sometimes, cubicles and desks suck creative juices dry. Some of the best ideas are drawn out on a napkin at a coffee shop. To keep your employees inspired and coming up with innovative new ideas to common challenges in your business, free them from the confines of your office. It might feel like you’re sending your team into the abyss of distraction, but you’re actually taking the shackles off their mind, so they can think clearly and creatively.

3. Team Building Activities

One way to bring your team closer together and light that spark of inspiration is to get everyone away from the office for awhile. Team building activities don’t require you to go to a resort for a day or get everyone out of the office for a week. They can be as simple as a regular lunch date all together as a team, or a happy hour once a month.

No matter how your team feels most comfortable coming together, get your best people away from the office to connect on a more organic level. Then, when you’re back in the conference room, the deepened team camaraderie will take shape in the form of new, innovative ideas.

4. Ergonomic Furniture

It’s not a secret. Sitting all day is one of the most harmful things we can do to our bodies. Not only does the lack of circulation make you tired but it also causes your brain to turn off, shutting out creative ideas and feelings of inspiration to get the job done well. Pair an 8-hour workday of sitting with office furniture that contributes to the aches and pains your employees feel and you have a recipe for disaster.

If you’re looking to reinvigorate your office, try adding in ergonomic furniture. Something as simple as a standing desk can make a person feel more energized. If you want to add in even more activity opportunities to your office, offer treadmill desks.

5. Scheduled Breaks

Employees are taught that in order to succeed, they must hustle their way to the top. This means never leaving before the boss and always arriving first to the office. But often, this type of hustle leaves a person sitting at their desk feeling uninspired.

Encourage your team to take breaks by putting them on the schedule. With a public online scheduling app, your team can see when each person is scheduled for a break, making it feel justified and encouraged, rather than frowned upon.

How Are You Inspiring Your Employees?

Employee benefits don’t have to be complex to be effective. By following these tips, you can inspire your team to feel better at work and, in turn, be more productive.

Author Profile Jon Forknell is the Vice President and General Manager of Atlas Business Solutions, Inc., a software marketing company specializing in employee scheduling software, including ScheduleBase employee scheduling software, and other business software solutions. In the past, Jon has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Atlas Business Solutions was named as one of Software Magazine’s Top 500 Software Companies in 2004 through 2007 and again in 2010, 2013 and 2014.