Benefits can be the difference between whether a talented performer stays or leaves an employer. When asked by ResumeBuilder, 44% of workers who planned to switch employers cited better benefits as a reason. But you can’t expect your direct reports to voice their benefit-related concerns before they quit. Instead, you should aim to elicit their feelings by routinely bringing benefits into your discussions.
Taking this kind of proactive step may seem challenging, especially if you’re a first-time manager. It’s hardly unusual for new leaders to feel out of their element. In a report from the Center for Creative Leadership, six out of 10 early-career managers said they received limited training for their roles. However, rest assured that being pragmatic as a boss (even if you’re new to life as a manager) pays off.
By opening the door to tough conversations, you show employees you’re a boss who wants to understand their needs and help them love their jobs. You also help avoid losing your most talented performers. Plus, you give employees a chance to vent; and venting isn’t necessarily a bad thing. An employee who trusts you enough to share their thoughts may think twice before resigning abruptly.
Even if you’ve never managed people before, you can apply several strategies to bring up benefits in ways that produce positive results.
1. Set aside time to talk about benefits.
It may be tempting to ask an employee about their benefit questions or concerns at the end of a one-on-one meeting. However, making it seem like a last-minute item implies that you don’t think it’s important.
A better rule is to front-load your conversations about benefits with direct reports. You may even want to start every other meeting by opening the door for some honesty. That way, your employee knows that you genuinely care about the topic. Consequently, you’ll be likely to get more pertinent and frank responses.
As Michael Held, CEO of LifeSpeak Inc. explains, “Benefits are a powerful resource for increasing retention and job satisfaction and improving productivity. HR teams have traditionally been the go-to resource for addressing benefits education, but business leaders need to play a more visible role if they want to build a lasting workplace culture.”
Therefore, get serious and be the strong leader that your people deserve. Just be sure you’re not doing this during the annual open enrollment period, though. By then, your employee may already be too frustrated or overwhelmed.
2. Help employees identify unused benefits.
During your talk with employees about benefits, be prepared to help them take advantage of all the perks that are available. Many employees don’t realize that they’re not maximizing their benefits. Sometimes, they don’t realize that certain amenities exist at all.
Take recreational and wellness spaces, for example. Plenty of forward-leaning companies have begun to add everything from yoga rooms to playgrounds featuring all-age equipment for their team members’ wellbeing. These types of benefits offer employees the opportunity to enjoy a more balanced work environment that supports their mental and physical health.
Nic Breedlove, the Founder and CEO of Playground Equipment and author of Biography of Play explains, “In Biography of Play, I talk about how a playground’s impact is realized when it’s part of daily life. Workplace benefits are no different, they need to stay front of mind. Whether through reminders printed on walls, shared in emails, or sent via text, consistent communication ensures employees see and use what’s available, turning benefits into meaningful tools for engagement and satisfaction.”
3. Bring fresh ideas to your leadership.
During your discussions with your employees about your company’s benefits, you may hear suggestions for other benefit offerings. Write these down to remember for later. Even if some of them seem like they wouldn’t work at your organization, they could still be springboards for tomorrow’s benefits.
When you have a list of potential suggestions, arrange a time to speak with your manager or an HR representative. This will allow you to pass along your employees’ issues and thoughts. Having a face-to-face meeting makes your employees’ top benefit questions and frustrations harder to ignore.
This type of “managing up” conversation may feel awkward, but it will help you grow as a leader. It will enable you to serve your direct reports as well. They don’t necessarily have the same access to reach out to executives as you do. And even if nothing happens, you’ll show your team that you have their interests in mind.
Being a supportive boss means stretching yourself and having harder talks occasionally. But opening the door for your employees to tell you about their benefit concerns makes sense. The more you learn, the more you can do to build engagement on your team and avoid turnover for your organization.