You don’t have to have a huge budget or multinational operation to attract and retain top talent. In fact, with the job-hopping millennial generation comprising the majority of your workforce, you need something extra special to keep hold of these employees. 60 percent of millennials are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. And they want to work for companies that take a vested interest in their wellbeing and the community as well.
In fact, an overwhelming three quarters of this demographic would take a paycut if they could work for a socially responsible company. Clearly, simply throwing more money at this group isn’t going to cut it. But if you can’t provide free massages, foosball tables, or allocate millions to charity; how can you compete to keep hold of your brightest talent?
According to Alexis Kavazanjian, Director of People at PatientPop, you can start by making sure that your employees are happy with their working environment. Job stress, sick days and disengagement cost the American economy between $450 and $550 billion every year. Simple ways to look out for employee well being can go a long way. Let’s take a closer look.
Sponsored team sports
Sponsored team sports are an excellent opportunity for company employees to get together and have some fun, while getting in shape. Sports like softball, basketball, and soccer are simple to play and enjoyable. Better than that? The social skills that people learn on the field can be applied to a business setting. Just imagine your perfectly in-sync basketball team working in unison to win over a client or reach a business goal.
Team sports are also great for fostering a sense of company spirit and camaraderie, bringing employees from different departments together. As Kavazanjian enthuses, “We love to see our team working together on the court and field as well as the office. Team sports foster cooperation, healthy competition, and fun. They’re a great way for employees who don’t work directly together to get to know each other so we avoid being siloed into departments which don’t interact.”
Enjoying the great outdoors
In a high-tech, fast-paced office environment, we often lose out on our connection with the great outdoors. But encouraging your employees to interact in natural surroundings can be great for stimulating wellbeing and productivity. Well-rested employees are also more likely to come up with creative and innovative solutions to a problem. PatientPop is lucky enough to enjoy a privileged Los Angeles location, which they take full advantage of.
Kavazanjian explains, “We’re located a block from the beach in Santa Monica, so of course our employees spend a lot of time outside. We run along the beach path at lunch or after work, did a 10K and half-marathon together, and soon we’ll be running a 5K for one of our team member’s charity.”
If you don’t have an office located in natural surroundings, you can still encourage your employees to get healthy. Something as simple as providing gym membership can prove to be a popular perk. According to a study by Healthy Contributions, even contributing as little as $20 per month makes employees three times more likely to work out after work.
Providing healthy snacks and lunches
It might sounds extraordinarily simple, but providing healthy snacks and lunches can make your employees feel appreciated. It also helps keep their health in check. If you encourage your employees to take lunch together, you can also create a sense of community and ensure that no one is chomping on a bacon sandwich while thwacking away at their keyboard.
Locally grown and organic foods also promote an atmosphere of social responsibility. Buying produce like this supports local farmers and sustainable farming practices, and shows a commitment to the community.
Generous PTO policy
Sometimes the best way for people to be healthy is for them to just take some time off from work. Happy and healthy employees take up to 66 percent less sick days than their disengaged or dissatisfied colleagues. So, if team sports aren’t an option and need a powerful hook for your A-team, try being flexible with your time-off policy.
We all need time to destress and relax so that we can avoid burning out. After all, you can’t have work-life balance without allowing for time spent not working.
Originally published at medium.com