How HR can better provide for employees by letting go of these misconceptions

HR's role as a corporate service in the company is one that goes beyond recruitment, payroll, and administration.

Another important aspect of HR is to make sure employees feel valued, recognised and provided for.

1. Happy work environment

Bean bags, pool table, massages and sleeping pods - these are just some of the latest trending benefits employees can enjoy in many companies today.

But the reality is - these bean bags are getting dusty, pool table looks lonely, and sleeping pods are probably folded away to make more space for meeting tables.

Companies these days might be making the mistake of hopping on the trends train and deploying perks that employees do not want.

The solution for this? HR can survey the profile of the employees, evaluate their potential needs and come up with benefits that will better cater to them.

If the office has mostly young working adults or some older employees who are more family focused, HR needs to find activities or benefits that will be useful for them.

For office furnishings, a nice area for employees who like to eat in and areas to conduct meetings is always lacking and useful in offices.

Food, health, dental, grooming and family care are general perks that everybody will need.

But most importantly, the benefits need to be accessible and not be a distraction for employees.

2. More than just Thank You

Feeling valued and recognised are important factors to retaining employees.

Other than a simple Thank You, employees want to know how their contributions are helping the team or the business achieve success.

A suggestion could be a system for rewarding and recognising good performance.

It could be an informal manner such as highlighting the employee's contribution during meetings or even in e-mails.

By detailing the ways their hard work helped, it can let the other team mates learn and grow.

If the company policy permits, monetary benefits such as a gift, perks or even time off can be more ways to show appreciation to the employees.

3. Health and Wellness

A healthy employee works better and contributes more, so don't discount on health and wellness aspects for them.

With a large group at hand, HR can organise exercise classes on-site or off-site for employees to help them keep fit.

By providing an array of classes, fully subsidised or not, employees can have the chance to relax and unwind, mingle with their colleagues in a non-work setting, and get to know each other better.

Other than classes, other incentives can include giving free or affordable fruits, gym memberships, sports events or games days, and even inviting guest speakers to discuss and share during health talks.

HR can take the initiative to provide year-long programmes to show the company cares for the employees' well-being.

4. Flexible work arrangements

Some people are morning risers, while some are night owls.

When it comes to doing work, we all have that time of day when we are most productive.

Despite knowing this, many companies may still be resistant to allow employees to have flexible work arrangements. Even if it is not a permanent arrangement, having this option can bring many benefits and convenience for employees.

This would work well for people with young children or taking care of elderly parents who have many medical appointments.

Or even those employees who are unmarried, they might prefer to start early and leave early, or work from home in the comfort of their surroundings.

As long the job gets done, and they show up for meetings, flexible work arrangement can be an option to increase employee satisfaction and productivity.

As the workplace becomes more diverse, so are the needs of the employees.

Active listening and gathering feedback regularly are ways for HR to be more in touch with the workers and plan better benefits for them.

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