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mean you can ’ t improve flexibility for employees who must come into a physical location to work . Here are some ideas .
Provide on-site perks
Think about ways you can make your employees ’ work environment more pleasant and worthwhile . How about free meals if you have a cafeteria , or a catered lunch from time to time if you don ’ t ? You might reprise the old-fashioned perk of taking care of employees ’ dry cleaning , or if you have on-site washing machines , let employees bring in their regular laundry to be washed , dried and folded . This type of thing really can be helpful for people who have to be in every day . Another on-site perk you can offer that won ’ t cost anything extra is allowing your employees to have their packages delivered to the office . It gives everyone one of the perks of working from home — no porch pirates .
Offer rewards — both monetary and otherwise
Everyone wants money , so if you can raise salaries or offer bonuses to thank your employees for their hard work , that ’ s always a plus . But raising some team spirit with high-quality branded jackets or Yeti cups can also show your appreciation . And then there are gift cards — for local restaurants , the grocery store , or a general Visa or Amex card that can be used anywhere .
Build flexible schedules
Does everyone have to be there at 8:30 ? Or can your employees build their own schedules ? Some laboratories , like
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hospitals , work through the night . The graveyard , early-morning or evening shifts may suit some personal lives better than the 9-to-5 norm , so ask employees ’ preferences before assigning them shifts . Of course , most client-facing businesses , such as dentist offices , don ’ t have as many shifts to choose from , but employers at these kinds of businesses can still ask their employees ’ preferences and build new schedules around them . |
Increase vacation time
While your employees must be on-site during work hours , you can increase the time they have away from work so that they can spend more time with their work-fromhome spouses , family and friends . What does a generous PTO policy look like ? The average American has 10 days of vacation , plus holidays and sick days . You will need more than that if you want to compete with employers that allow remote work . Start at a minimum of 15 vacation days , plus sick days and holidays . That may seem like a lot , but your employee retention is important . Keep in mind that California requires you to pay out unused vacation time when someone quits , so you will want to put a cap on accruals .
Provide the best management possible
You ’ ve heard that people leave managers , not companies , and it ’ s mostly true . So make sure your leaders are competent and that you deal with all problems promptly and professionally . Train your managers on how to give positive and negative feedback ,
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how to handle requests for medical and religious accommodations , and how to support employees . Good management will do more to retain staff than anything else you can do .
Ask your employees what they want
I ’ ve saved this for last , but it is the first step any time you try to make employees happier . They know better than anyone else what would give them the flexibility they need . Maybe they would prefer something other than or in addition to flexible hours . Perhaps they want tuition reimbursement , stock options , and pizza on Fridays . Maybe they are less concerned about working from home than having sufficient time off to take care of sick kids . So ask — and , importantly , listen . Make your employees your true priority and they will prioritize working with you , even if it means commuting .
Suzanne Lucas spent 10 years in corporate human resources , where she hired , fired and managed the numbers and doublechecked with the lawyers . On Twitter @ RealEvilHRLady . Send questions to evilhrlady @ gmail . com .
What perk would you prefer to receive : flex time , more PTO , a pay raise or pizza on Fridays ?
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April 2022 | comstocksmag . com 27 |