Best of the week: How to keep employees happy

April 30, 2021 1:30 PM

Employees are feeling the strain of overwork, burnout and stress more than a year into the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to retain employees and support their well-being, organizations need to boost their benefits and perks and address the causes of burnout. From offering free lunch to the widespread adoption of remote work, employers hope to weather the challenges of this time.

Read more: The 16 most popular employee perks

“People are reconsidering and reevaluating their priorities and the way that their organization is supporting their well-being and the balance that they have in their lives,” says Dr. Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at Achievers.

Our top stories from this week explore the major issues confronting employers and how they can continue to support a strained workforce.

4 signs your employees are thinking about quitting

Current events are leaving employees burned out — and pushing them out the door. Over half of employees are planning on getting a new job this year, up from 35% last year, according to a report by Achievers Workforce Institute.

Employees tend to become more disengaged and less productive as they draw closer to their final week of employment, according to data from software application Prodoscore. A change in three key indicators suggested that somebody would either be likely to stay or likely to leave: the worker’s prodoscore, calendar time and email volume. Here’s how to spot the warning signs.

Read more:

4 signs your employees are thinking about quitting

Employers must address how stress and burnout impact their female employees

One in four women — and three out of four Black women — are thinking about downshifting or leaving their careers, citing lack of flexibility, feeling like they always need to be “on” and heavier burdens at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This is a challenging moment for benefits leaders as we seek to stem the tide, but a holistic approach to benefits can help move the needle on many of the societal issues driving this burnout. The need to engage employees with a platform of relevant solutions is more vital than ever.

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Employers must address how stress and burnout impact their female employees

ezCater is reinventing the lunch hour with new food benefit

Not only does free food boost happiness, but it keeps employees productive and engaged, says Diane Swint, head of marketplace at ezCater, a corporate catering platform. As employers retool their workplace for the post-COVID era, finding safe ways to continue these perks is high priority.

“The closest way to get to your employees’ hearts is through their stomach,” Swint says. “It really helps to show your employees that they matter and that you’re willing to help them out by keeping them safe and making sure their food is safe.”

Read more:

ezCater is reinventing the lunch hour with new food benefit

WFH forever? These 20 companies are hiring remote workers

Fifty-eight percent of employees working remotely over the past year said they would look for a new job if they weren’t allowed to continue working from home in their current position and 65% want to work remotely full-time post-pandemic, according to a survey conducted by FlexJobs, a job search and career coaching site. Only 2% of respondents say they want to return to the office full-time.

“Companies really now are starting to look more strategically at how to set remote work policies that make sure people are signed out and off the clock when they're not working so that they have that space between work and their lives,” says Brie Reynolds, career development manager and coach at FlexJobs.

Read more:

WFH forever? These 20 companies are hiring remote workers