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The key path
- In today’s climate, perk programs are no longer optional. They are business needs.
- The thought process matters as much as the act itself.
- Employees cannot use what they do not know about. Promote claims through multiple channels and reinforce the message regularly.
The workplace has changed dramatically over the past few years. Burnout levels are high, financial stress is widespread and employees are increasingly vocal about what they expect from employers. According to SHRM, American employees lose an average of seven hours of productivity each week due to financial stress, costing companies $3.183 billion annually. Meanwhile, employee engagement has slipped. Gallup reports that American engagement will fall to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, to 31 percent of workers. It’s no surprise that more than half of employees are either actively looking for or searching for a new job.
Why Perk Programs Matter Now
Benefits are often the deciding factor. SHRM data shows that 88% of employers rate health care benefits as very important to their workforce. Flexible working benefits, family care benefits and professional/career development benefits were also high priorities among those surveyed. Employees see benefits as an important consideration, and they’re looking for more than just health care or retirement plans. Opportunities like mental health resources, local experiences, lifestyle discounts and flexible wellness programs make a real impact on take-home pay and day-to-day satisfaction. Free coffee just won’t cut it anymore.
To keep up with the changing demands of an increasingly competitive labor market, successful organizations need to implement meaningful benefits. The challenge is in doing this without the headache of adding another expensive app or confusing process. Implementing several key strategies can achieve a successful perks rollout that drives engagement while keeping things smooth for both HR teams and employees.
Related: How Leaders Should Think About Employee Benefits
Common pitfalls in terminating perk programs
Most HR leaders spend a lot of time and resources designing inductions only to have low adoption. This may be due to one of these common disadvantages:
- Poor communication: Declaring all hands without follow-up rarely gets action.
- clunky user experience: If sign-up is confusing or requires additional apps, employees should be assisted.
- Lack of personalization: One-size-fits-all can excite some but leave others unsatisfied.
- Low exposure: If employees forget about the program after launch, participation decreases.
Another often overlooked challenge is time. Holidays from the Beginning Starting a program before holidays, peak busy seasons, vacations or well in advance. Leaders should also consider ongoing reinforcement: “set it and forget it” rewards. Without regular reminders, how employees are using them and how managers are making small mistakes are unclear; Even the most generous fall flat without ease and clear relevance.
Related: Your current digital marketing strategy won’t hold up in 2026. Here’s the new playbook.
How to easily implement perk programs
Finishing tasks doesn’t hurt. A four-step framework can help leaders successfully implement these:
- Assess employee needs: Use surveys and feedback to uncover what employees really want. A benefit that saves money or improves daily life resonates more than trend benefits.
- Choose scalable, flexible platforms: Flexible platforms provide wide discounts with lots of variety. Instead of expensive office perks reaching only a fraction of the workforce, these programs offer discounts on local dining, travel and entertainment. Employees can tap into flexibility and choice. Additionally, these platforms were designed with scalability in mind and require minimal employer overhead compared to traditional employee perks programs. For HR teams, the benefit is centralization: Instead of managing multiple vendors or apps, everything lives on one platform with minimal oversight.
- Communicate early and often: Employees cannot use what they do not know about. Promote claims through multiple channels and reinforce the message regularly. Timing also matters: Launch programs when employees are most receptive, not during peak deadline or holiday stress.
- Track, evaluate and adjust engagement: Modern digital platforms allow for real-time usage tracking. Review results regularly, not just once a year, to determine whether the program is still meeting employee needs. Use feedback to improve, add a new perk or double up on popular offers.
Related: Businesses can help their employees improve their mental, physical and financial health
Leverage in winnings every day
The thought process matters as much as the act itself. Employers who treat compensation as an investment in workplace culture, not just an add-on, will see stronger engagement, retention and performance.
In today’s climate, perk programs are no longer optional. They are business needs. And when implemented with ease and flexibility, they can change not only how employees feel about their benefits, but how they feel about the company itself.
The key path
- In today’s climate, perk programs are no longer optional. They are business needs.
- The thought process matters as much as the act itself.
- Employees cannot use what they do not know about. Promote claims through multiple channels and reinforce the message regularly.
The workplace has changed dramatically over the past few years. Burnout levels are high, financial stress is widespread and employees are increasingly vocal about what they expect from employers. According to SHRM, American employees lose an average of seven hours of productivity each week due to financial stress, costing companies $3.183 billion annually. Meanwhile, employee engagement has slipped. Gallup reports that American engagement will fall to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, to 31 percent of workers. It’s no surprise that more than half of employees are either actively looking for or searching for a new job.
Why Perk Programs Matter Now
Benefits are often the deciding factor. SHRM data shows that 88% of employers rate health care benefits as very important to their workforce. Flexible working benefits, family care benefits and professional/career development benefits were also high priorities among those surveyed. Employees see benefits as an important consideration, and they’re looking for more than just health care or retirement plans. Opportunities like mental health resources, local experiences, lifestyle discounts and flexible wellness programs make a real impact on take-home pay and day-to-day satisfaction. Free coffee just won’t cut it anymore.
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