Employees want benefits, not meaningless rewards

HR departments across industries have worked hard in the past year to keep businesses moving, to connect remote workforces and to bolster productivity. Through it all, it became clear that these challenges offered a unique opportunity for growth, learning and creativity.

To shed more light on the challenges HR teams have faced in the past year and how they should move forward, we surveyed 700 global HR leaders on the topic — here’s what they had to say.

Technology integration played a huge role in establishing and improving remote operations:47.8% of all HR leaders surveyed reported that the industry will continue to rely on the latest technologies to enhance and streamline the employee experience for all. While many HR leaders have pushed for this shift in recent years, the pandemic expedited the industry’s growth in this regard.

In the same way that instant messaging technologies, video conferencing technologies and even remote collaboration tools gained popularity in 2020, we can only expect this to continue and grow into 2021 and beyond.

What workers really need are benefits that meet them where they are, not where they used to be: This changing state of our world has caused employees’ needs to shift in tandem and no longer are holiday parties, ping-pong tables and company swag the best rewards for a job well done.

Read more: What does work look like in 2021? Workplace experts share their predictions

Employees need holistic and well-rounded well-being support now more than ever, and HR teams must respond to these needs, whether in the form of physical and mental wellness resources, social justice initiatives or opportunities for human connection. As business leaders, we must meet these needs in the coming year to encourage the personal growth of all employees and to ensure they feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.

HR leaders must remain dedicated to their core values: To set our organizations up for success, we must see 2020 not only as a learning opportunity but moreover, as the impetus for significant, permanent positive change in the industry.

The tools, technologies, benefits and supports that were “nice to have” before the challenges of 2020 are now staples of the employee experience, intimately linked to the health of our organizations and the people that power them. In this new year, we must keep in mind the lessons we’ve learned and carry forward the insights we’ve gained to bring growth to our teams and the industry and continue putting our people first.