As tax season rolls around again, more employees are feeling the pinch. While they may not necessarily owe taxes, the season itself can still be a reminder of the overall state of our finances.

Modern workplaces understand the importance of employee wellness and how a stronger sense of well-being can lead to more engagement and higher productivity. Stress, especially financial stress, can have a big impact on detracting from that well-being.

Less than 37% of Americans don't have the savings to cover a $400 emergency. Living day-to-day without a safety net or the fear of economic consequences can be a scary reality. To offset stresses, one of the best things workplaces can do to encourage well-being is to provide access to financial planning support.

Why Financial Planning at Work

Financial planning literacy and learning in the workplace is really catching on as a way for workplaces to lessen the load on their employees. Many people deal with financial stress on a day-to-day basis, even when they are secure in their careers.

There are certain areas of financial planning that are fairly universally applicable, including:

• Eldercare
• Insurance
• Retirement
• Estate Planning
• Education Savings

Each one of these topics makes an ample subject for a learning experience in the workplace. Learning about financial planning for retirement, eldercare, estate planning, does not require anyone to disclose their personal or financial situations, but it can be helpful to have dedicated time to devote to personal enrichment.

The Passport program can offer your employees savings on these important areas, including care for elderly family members or children, home and auto insurance, wills and estates and tax services.

How Can Leaders Support Worker Financial Planning?

There are several leveraging points where leaders can step in to offer encouragement in the realm of financial planning.

Educational Resources

Lunch and learns are quickly becoming a popular resource for HR departments who are seeking to increase engagement, foster team building, and as a way of offering upskilling opportunities in the workplace. Lunch and learns can provide information on company-specific upskilling or speak more broadly to wellness, such as financial planning.

Recruit Experts Already on the Team

Depending on the size of the organization, there is typically a financial expert or two in the bunch. So look no further than your own company's accounting department and see if anyone would be interested in hosting a seminar or a coffee talk on the topic of financial planning. This way, workers can feel comfortable asking questions and getting reliable advice.

Reduce Financial Strain in the Workplace

Not every company is big enough to provide massive job perks like gym passes, transportation coverage, or free lunches every day. But consider offering a free lunch Friday once a month. Better yet, if your company is in a position to cover any wellness opportunities like these, then it's a no-brainer!

Increase Benefits Use and Opportunities

There are a variety of benefit programs that can be opted into company-wide to help make life a little more affordable for employees. Health benefits can save workers enormous amounts of money, and there are other benefit programs and opportunities that can offer much-appreciated day-to-day savings. Savings through the Passport program can help support and supplement your existing benefits packages with a wide array of deals to suit many employee needs.

If you are looking for a reliable company that can provide you with the right employee engagement program for your employees, contact Passport Unlimited today. We provide personalized programs that can help you significantly enhance employee engagement in your company.

Today, the professional workplace is vastly different than before the pandemic. Because of this, corporate office architecture needs to adapt and transform to support the changing organizational practices, promote economic development, and reinvent dynamic workspaces to better cater to work efficiency, employees, and innovation.

The goal of a cohesive workplace strategy is to ensure that employees, both onsite and offsite, have an appropriate and engaging environment to work in. Transforming a workplace entails offering a range of several work modes that improve employee concentration, co-working, discovery, and even socializing. In order to integrate these components, corporate office staff should employ smart structural solutions, updated technological systems, and versatile interior design.

Today's Hybrid Work is More Complex

A successful hybrid workplace supports your employees with dynamic flexibility. Much of the work that is done today is sophisticated and heavily interconnected. To develop an efficient workplace environment, employees thrive with an adaptable space to enable them to work in creative teams and concentrate without interruption. Additionally, most organizations need to recruit candidates who are innovative independent thinkers, the ones that stand out from the crowd.

New Modes of Work to Support Meeting Equity

When it comes to onsite working, it is essential for businesses to support a variety of working styles, from intense concentration to spontaneous engagement. Encouraging various workplace interactions enables employees to keep in touch with their coworkers and work collaboratively.

Technology Continues to Shape How We Work

Working from any location at any time is now possible due to mobile devices, widespread internet connection, and cloud-based programs. Most millennials and younger workers anticipate being able to bring their smartphones to work and use them with existing business systems. A popular emerging workplace initiative, BYOD (bring your own device) can help enhance employee control and flexibility.

Value of Digital Transformation

Today, people are continuously linked outside of work, so it is not a surprise that employees demand the same in the workplace. Businesses should consider updating their in-house technology to enhance efficiency and simplify immersive online interactions. Due to the risk of digital saturation, making time for digital breaks is crucial, particularly for professionals who work remotely as much of their time may be devoted to videoconferencing.

Collaboration Between Departments

Collaboration is vital at all levels, from management to operational employees. Some departments have a tendency to concentrate on their own goals and can occasionally neglect to connect with other departments. With the right strategies in place and a commitment to teamwork, businesses can better enhance procedures, overcome challenges , and create joint solutions to enhance the workplace culture.

Skills and Training

Making meaningful changes to the workplace environment will benefit both employers and their staff , developing their qualifications and improving their commitment through ongoing training.

Businesses must change if they want to stay innovative, compete in a global market, and draw in and keep the best personnel. Depending on the workplace environment you want to transform, the changes may be drastic or gradual. However, any measures you take to develop adaptable workspaces will have direct impacts to your bottom line.

If you are looking for a reliable company that can provide you with the right employee engagement program for your employees, contact Passport Unlimited today. We provide personalized programs that can help you significantly enhance employee engagement in your company.

Many employees feel more satisfied and more likely to contribute to their company’s objectives if their employer takes an interest in their personal development .

Human behavior places a high value on development, and we possess an innate urge to keep expanding and changing our skills and perceptions. Personal development is common and easy to spot in young children and teenagers. However, we also continue to develop and evolve as we get older, though it might not be as noticeable.

Most adults spend a substantial portion of their lives working, so it's critical that they continue to improve and progress professionally. Some employees may move to a different job if there aren't opportunities for personal improvement at their current workplace.

How to Recognize Growth and Development in a Workspace?

Employee growth and progress are much more apparent in workplaces where employees are encouraged and supported to improve their social, psychological, and professional abilities. This is commonly seen in businesses that offer various internal and external options for employee skills development. Employee skills development programs can help improve worker efficiency and prepare employees for future opportunities.

Many employees are more likely to feel more satisfied and promote the company's objectives if they believe their employer cares about their self-improvement. In addition to obtaining the necessary skills for their job, the opportunity to improve personal skills is crucial for encouraging employee self-care, developing relationships, and fostering a sense of community.

Supporting Growth and Development in a Workspace

Organizations can include personal development and growth in the workplace in several ways:

1. Start With a Plan

Create personal growth strategies with every employee starting with when they are hired and on a routine basis (e.g., annually). This should be a cooperative exercise where employees can pinpoint the specific subjects that interest them, establish their desired objectives, and specify the places where they want to broaden their expertise.

2. Ask Workers What They Want or Need

The requirements and ambitions of every employee determine their personal growth and development. Ask what kinds of prospects are most significant and vital to their future aspirations and career development.

3. Provide Mentorship Opportunities

The higher-ups in any company are the finest teachers for employees looking for advancement and promotion opportunities. These managers and executives can offer mentorship opportunities to employees to give them a chance to develop the necessary competence and see if they're the proper match for the job.

4. Train Soft-skills

Employees may occasionally lack certain skills as they may be unaware of how those abilities relate to their field of employment. 'Soft skills' encompass non-technical abilities, including verbal interaction, empathy, time management, and self-organization. Employers can offer unique training opportunities to help their workers improve these skills.

5. Provide Feedback

Employees who receive praise and rewards for their efforts are more inclined to advance within the company. Rewards and appreciation are about acknowledging and recognizing a worker’s achievements rather than receiving financial compensation (provided employees are appropriately compensated for their work). This usually works better when businesses acknowledge their employees right away rather than with planned evaluations.

Progress and expansion in the workplace can keep employees content, healthy, and dedicated to their jobs. When it comes to offering possibilities for employee development within your firm, it is good to look outside the box. However, remember to also seek out advice from current employees and give them a chance to design their own unique growth strategies.

If you are looking for a reliable company that can provide you with the right employee engagement program for your employees, contact Passport Unlimited today. We provide personalized programs that can help you significantly enhance employee engagement in your company.

With the increase in global competition, employees look to companies to be more socially aware and considerate towards their employees. This has led to the prominent demand for a people-first culture. An employee-first or people-first culture refers to an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their concerns , raising their voices, feeling respected, and getting growth opportunities. All these components are critical to making the workspace more productive and efficient. The following blog discusses the importance of people-first culture and how it can help companies achieve long-term success.

What is a People-first Culture?

In technical terms, a people-first culture refers to an organizational culture where people are given priority as opposed to materialistic goals. This might represent a shift in mindset for some companies, but in the long run, when employees are engaged, the companies are more likely to be innovative and, in fact, even profitable.

Benefits of Establishing a People-First Culture

1. Helps with Retention

Retention is often a concern for HR professionals. However, when employers care about their employees and prioritize their growth while listening to their concerns, employees are more likely to stay in the organization. As the world is becoming more concerned about workplaces post-pandemic, employees have started to prefer organizations that offer a flexible working environment. Such an environment can only be cultivated if the workplace has a mindset of a people-first culture.

2. Associating Work With Purpose

If employees are fully committed, they will work more efficiently and effectively. Low morale might sometimes be the result of what's happening in the individuals' life, but most of the time, it's because of the lack of purpose they feel in the workplace. People-first cultures focus on associating meaning and purpose with the work of individuals. Purpose can be used to create consensus and cultivate impact in a collective manner.

3. Ensures Career Development

Employees want to work where they can grow and cultivate personal development . Organizations with a people-first mindset help create cultures where employees can amplify their growth. Accordingly, companies need to provide opportunities and resources to their employees in accordance with the skills and knowledge they want to learn.

Ways to Establish a People-first Culture In The Workplace

1. Focus on Reskilling & Upskilling

As previously mentioned, employees prefer workplaces where they can amplify their hard and soft skills. This means businesses need to track the surging demands for new skills and what their employees actually want to learn. Then, the employers should work towards cultivating the resources required to teach the skill set to employees. Just one corporate learning program is not enough-managers should have consistent seminars as part of the L&D initiatives.

2. Ensure Inclusivity at Work

Inclusion at work is quite important. Instead of just showcasing that the company has a very diverse team, it's important for companies to actually take relevant actions on the ground to ensure they're inclusive of everyone. Inclusivity eventually comes down to empathy. Employers must be empathetic with their employees and support them, especially during tough times.

3. Adopt Current Trends

Companies need to stay informed of the changes across the world. Some companies were slow to adopt remote work, which disadvantaged them compared to their competitors. Companies should adopt the best strategies in accordance with how the world has changed and what their employees actually need.

Companies can also adopt HR tools to provide a comprehensive employee experience. Modern-day onboarding, learning, and communication processes can also attract people who want to work at advanced workplaces. These tools should ensure that there isn't information overload and that employees can utilize the tools correctly.

Conclusion

A People-First culture is a great way to cultivate a friendly environment in the workplace, and part of creating this culture is offering employee benefits. Passport Unlimited offers HR incentives that help companies curate better experiences, increase engagement and drive value for their employees.

Employee retention is not an easy task in any workplace. Employers not only have to keep their employers happy, but they also need to provide opportunities for growth to retain the best in their organization. Even in the world's top organizations, employee retention is a serious issue faced by HR Managers. Besides this, it can also be difficult to hire and train new workers when employees leave.

Although there are many strategies that employers can adopt to retain their employees, one way to do so is to curate employee opinion channels. The following blog discusses this in more detail.

Why is Employee Retention Crucial?

Employee turnover is an important matter for any business. When an employee leaves the company, it can lead to many disturbances in the workforce and have detrimental effects on the business. It can affect the morale of the departing employee's team.

On the other hand, employee retention helps reduce the overall costs incurred by the business, boosts the company's efficiency, and ensures a good customer experience.

Why Are Communication Channels Important for Employees?

Communication lies at the heart of any business. It’s the responsibility of employers to cultivate an environment where employees can leverage communication channels and share their concerns. Here are some ways in which communication channels make a major difference.

1. Efficient and Clear-Cut

Communication channels should be focused and clear for the best results. This means that if the employees want to communicate something to the employers, it should not pass through multiple individuals before reaching its final destination. There should be limited parties involved in the communication flow. Providing a dedicated channel for employees to share their views can help employees easily find an effective path to provide their feedback.

2. Flexibility in Communication

Although clear and dedicated communication channels are important, it’s equally important to accommodate employees who might need to communicate during off hours or days. Hence, managers should allow for flexible communication channels to accommodate unforeseen issues or circumstances.

3. Constructiveness

Team members having an open space to share their opinions and suggestions can support the quality of your product or service. It’s important for team members to be given the space to share their concerns and get constructive feedback. Employees want to discuss their concerns and receive valuable feedback in return. Constructive feedback serves everyone, so having employees whose job is to respond to employee feedback is critical.

Examples of Effective Communication Channels

Many communication channels can be utilized to cultivate discussions between employees and employers. Here are some examples:

• Face-to-face interactions to have one-on-one discussions with team members.
• Instant messaging can cultivate immediate communication between team members, especially during times of emergency.
• Video conferencing as a way to bridge the distance.
• Knowledge-sharing platforms to optimize workflow.
• Real-time review and approval platforms to provide timely and effective feedback to employees.

A mix of these platforms is an excellent way to streamline communication between employees and employers!

Conclusion

Attracting and retaining employees has never been an easy task. However, with the right mix of strategies, employers can retain employees in the long run by optimizing the communication flow between the two parties.

A company's culture is defined by the mindfulness, intention, and constant effort it puts into fostering the trust and loyalty of its employees. It can be easier to develop a strong culture with in-house employees, and it may take more intentional behavior to develop the same culture with remote and distributed teams.

There are various factors to keep in mind before planning on cultivating a strong culture with your remote team . Weighing factors such as geolocation, availability times, and mental wellbeing during the process of creating a healthy remote culture will prove to be fruitful.

But what are the steps that need to be taken in order to develop a remote culture? This blog mentions all the nuances of positive culture growth within your remote team.

Why is Remote Culture so Important?

Remote teams work most effectively if they're treated as a part of your organization's overall culture. Being distant can pose many challenges to employers, which directly impact the success of the business. Without in-person interactions and being mindful of the mental health and other needs of your remote employees, your company will experience a dip in productivity and see a decrease in employee retention.

Building a Healthy Remote Culture

When building a remote team, an organization needs to assess and reevaluate its processes where necessary. It's best to research different aspects of the company before implementing change. Here are a few guidelines that can assist any company in creating a healthy remote culture.

1. Build Trust and Psychological Safety

Trust and psychological safety is often overlooked when it comes to remote teams. According to Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School, it's essential to cultivate "a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up."

In order to build trust and psychological safety, employers have to constantly show humility, curiosity, interest, and fallibility. Furthermore, it's also essential to promote participation within teams so they're more comfortable working for your organization despite the unique framework they're part of.

2. Increase the Value of the Onboarding Process

The onboarding process is the most crucial since it's the responsibility of the employer/HR manager to ensure the newly hired employee has access to all the vital resources that will assist them in being successful in the role they were hired for. It's best to create plans and set meetings to reduce the onboarding anxiety that's natural for the employees to face during the process. You can also onboard in groups to reduce the effort and redundancies and are able to create a sense of community amongst the newly hired ones.

3. Communicate Clearly

Poor communication with your remote employees, lack of recognition, failure to understand their needs, and ignoring their feedback can result in a rift between the remote employees and in-office staff. To avoid this, it's vital for the organization to communicate clearly and regularly and also show appreciation to their employees through recognition and reward programs.

Most employers now have employees who work remotely. Even before the pandemic, remote work has been on the rise for decades and doesn't show signs of slowing down. In fact, according to Gartner, "in the US, fully remote and hybrid workers are expected to account for 71% of the workforce in 2023." . That means there will be more remote workers than ever before—and more people at risk of burnout and other mental health issues.

Working remotely can lead to isolation and a lack of face-to-face communication, making it hard for workers to feel part of a team or community. This can lead to stress and other mental health issues. If you're an employer who has remote workers, there are ways you can help ensure they stay healthy while they're on the job.

Encourage Collaboration

Ensure there is plenty of opportunity for communication and collaboration within the team, including daily check-ins and weekly meetings where everyone can contribute their thoughts and ideas.

Training Opportunities

Provide plenty of training opportunities for remote employees to feel like they're growing in their roles. This will also make it easier for you to promote in-house, which saves time and resources hiring from outside.

Manage Expectations

Set realistic expectations that are supported by real results. This helps to ensure the same standards and evaluation criteria for employees who work in the office and employees who work remotely.

Be Inclusive

Find ways to make sure everyone feels included and connected with each other even though they aren't physically present in one place at any given time (i.e., use video conferencing tools to connect with other members from around the world).

Conflict Management

Be sure there is a system in place for dealing with conflicts among team members who are working remotely so they don't get left unresolved. Unresolved issues can lead to burnout or even employee attrition.

Encourage Breaks

Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day. Employees at home may forget to take regular breaks because they're not chatting with employees in the breakroom or grabbing a coffee with a coworker. Regular breaks throughout the day to recharge their batteries and take care of other responsibilities like eating or exercising can help employees balance priorities.

Flexible Schedules

Offer flexible scheduling options for those with family obligations. Remote workers may have family members who need help caring for, like children or elderly parents at home. As an employer, give your staff the flexibility to attend to these responsibilities.

Access to Mental Health Resources

Make sure employees have access to mental health services. Many people don't seek help because they don't think they can afford it or don't want their employer to find out about their situation. Offering free counseling sessions for remote employees or covering the cost of one session per year with a local therapist who specializes in telehealth services (like video chats), can help employees feel more comfortable seeking out this kind of support.

Optional Office Days

When possible, try to let remote workers enter an office once in a while so they can interact with others face-to-face and get out of their home environment for a while.

If you want to learn more about ensuring the mental well-being of remote employees, schedule a demo here.

Every HR professional knows how difficult it is to attract and retain top talent . And one of the reasons why employees switch jobs is because they are not engaged with a company’s culture or are seeking a sense of belonging elsewhere. So how do HR professionals retain the top talent in their company and continue attracting a wide pool of talent?

One can say a considerable compensation will work. And for many companies, employee perks are a big part of compensation packages. The following blog discusses why employee perks are essential and how they can benefit companies.

Why are Employee Perks Important?

Candidates are selective of the jobs they apply for and the companies they work in. The pandemic has especially changed the needs and demands of employees. Organizations now strive to be more flexible and supportive of their employees. And this is where employee perks play a critical role.

Companies looking to upscale and progress ahead are always searching for top talent. However, talented candidates want to work for a company that values their employees. And the super-competitive business landscape means companies can simply not rely on good salary packages to attract candidates. Instead, extra-added employee perks can be a game-changer for companies and allow them to stand out from the crowd.

External challenges, such as economic turmoil in the country, can affect everyone in the office. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has proven to be difficult for everyone and continues to affect everyone. Accordingly, companies need to showcase that they cares about the well-being and health of their employees. HR professionals can testify to it by providing extra perks, like health insurance programs and extended sick days.

Perks, such as bonuses at the end of the month, can motivate employees to work better within their capacities. Employee benefits show that the company recognizes and appreciates the efforts of its employees. When the HR department introduces perks based on performance, employees would be motivated to do their best and attain those benefits.

A company's reputation speaks volumes about its culture in the market. Companies with poor online and offline reputations are less likely to attract top talent. However, companies can improve their reputation by showcasing their values and perks offered to the employees. Young talent is likely to gravitate towards companies that recognize the efforts of their employees.

Examples of Employee Perks that Companies can Provide

There are various perks and benefits that a company can introduce for its employees. Some of these are as follows:

• Opportunities for remote work and flexible working hours
• Healthcare program
• Paid family leave
• Student loan assistance, especially for young interns
• Vouchers and discounts for partner companies, such as restaurants
• Insurance policy for the employee and their family

Conclusion

So why are employee benefits so imperative for companies? The answer is simple - top talent looks for employee benefits in a company. These perks can help retain good employees, attract fresh graduates with better skills, enhance the company's reputation, and maintain the morale of the existing workforce. Looking for support in curating the perfect employee benefits program? Then, Passport Unlimited can help! Passport Unlimited connects businesses and customers , offering a wide collection of national and international incentives.

From logistics to HR, COVID-19 has affected all departments of companies operating in all kinds of industries. However, some departments, such as Human Resources, have been affected more than others. Although business operations have mostly resumed, the effects of the pandemic can still be felt, especially in the HR Department.

So how can HR departments attract and hire new employees while dealing with external challenges? What can companies do to beat the competition in the market? This blog answers all these questions and more.

How have COVID-19 Affected Businesses and Employee Recruitment?

Virtual touchpoints that became a necessity during the peak of COVID-19 have now become a norm in the business world. In other words, all businesses are expected to embrace virtual touchpoints. And when it comes to HR processes, companies have started offering virtual interviews, so the top candidates can be interviewed while saving both time and cost for each party.

The pandemic was a good reality check for industries to identify their sustainability and demand in the ever-changing world. Industries that deal with technology and digital solutions have started to attract a lot of talent because candidates want to work in industries that offer job security. On the other hand, companies with traditional operations have struggled to attract a good pool of talent, especially if they have struggled to adapt to their needs post-pandemic.

Today, candidates are more aware of working conditions and how companies have adapted to such challenging times. After all, people always remember what a company does in tough times. Accordingly, candidates are likely to do their research and choose a company that offers flexibility and support to its employees.

How can HR Departments Attract New Employees?

The pandemic has accelerated globalization, and people are more connected than ever. This means that people in one corner of the world are well-equipped today to offer their expertise and skills to a company in another corner of the world, thanks to remote working. Hence, companies can attract new and better employees by opening gateways to remote working and hiring international candidates. Plus, remote working also saves business resources since they work from their homes using their own devices.

The pandemic has accelerated globalization, and people are more connected than ever. This means that people in one corner of the world are well-equipped today to offer their expertise and skills to a company in another corner of the world, thanks to remote working. Hence, companies can attract new and better employees by opening gateways to remote working and hiring international candidates. Plus, remote working also saves business resources since they work from their homes using their own devices.

Employees have needed to give more than to their health and well-being, especially if they work in populated places. However, companies can help resolve their concerns by adapting the workplace layout, for instance, by shifting meetings online, mandating social distancing, and allowing flexible schedules.

Conclusion

Attracting and retaining employees was never easy. But the pandemic has particularly made it very difficult to attract top talent. However, there are various ways by which HR professionals can adapt their hiring strategies and recruit good candidates, such as by offering employee benefits. Passport Unlimited offers great HR incentives that can help companies curate a better experience for their employees. Contact them today!

With an employee benefits program, companies can appreciate their employees and show that they care about them.

What is an Employee Benefits Program?

An Employee Benefits Program simply refers to a program that covers the indirect pay of the workforce, such as health insurance, 401(k), life insurance, personal purchase discounts, and other things that an employee might want for a secure financial outlook. The Passport Corporate program can be an added perk of the job to attract top talent in the market, as well as a way to retain top-performing employees in the company.

Some employee benefit programs may vary by location. For example, in the US, health insurance is a key part of employee benefits packages. In France, to name another example, employees receive restaurant vouchers every workday.

However, regardless of where employees are located, a total employee compensation package is critical to retaining great employees and showing that the organization cares.

Why is an Employee Benefits Program Beneficial for a Business?

An organization can promise great pay in return for job responsibility. However, with the rising costs of basic necessities, it can be difficult for many employees to manage their everyday expenses with just the basic salary package. Organizations now provide employee benefits or added perks in order to attract top talent and retain employees in the long run.

There are many types of employee benefits programs that a business can offer, such as:

• Health Insurance that pays for medical expenses of an employee and their families, such as medical treatment costs, dental care, and medications.
• Life Insurance that covers the expenses in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as an accident in the workplace.
• Disability Insurance through which the insurer pays a certain amount of the individual's salary if they cannot work because of a disability.
• A retirement or pension plan is a type of deferred compensation offered by the company.
• An employee discount program to help employees stretch their salary further with savings on the things they're buying every day

Tips to Improve Employee Benefits Programs

1. Have clear goals

   Organizations should know why they are actually designing an employee benefits program to give them a better idea of what they can add to it. For instance, if the organization wants to retain its top talent, then the program should be geared towards that accordingly.

2. Consider the resources of the organization

   Another key thing to consider is the resources of the organization, such as the budget, number of employees, location, etc. In this way, companies can decide what sort of program they can support.

3. Consider the opinion of their employees

   Organizations can create better and far more effective employee benefits programs if they consider the likes and dislikes of their employees. For instance, if the majority agrees that they want an insurance plan over, let's say, some discounts in a restaurant, then the organization needs to spend its resources on curating such a plan. Surveys can also show that the organization cares about its employees' opinions and is actually trying its best to satisfy them.

Conclusion

A robust and meaningful total compensation package can be a true game-changer for organizations that are struggling to motivate and retain their employees. Through this program, companies can recognize the efforts of their employees and position themselves as an employee-friendly organization in the market.

It is a well-known fact that retaining top talent is imperative to the growth of any business. After all, searching for talent and recruiting new employees is time-consuming, as well as expensive. Furthermore, low retention rates can also impact the morale of other employees in the organization. So how can organizations increase their employee retention rates and improve their HR strategies ?

What is Employee Retention?

Employee retention is described as the ability of an organization to keep its talent or employees. Both employee turnover and retention are the leading challenges for HR professionals in various organizations since a low employee retention rate poses a threat to business growth.

There can be many reasons why individuals would want to leave their job and move to a different company, such as salary, growth opportunities, motivation, or working conditions. Hence, companies need to come up with strategies that promote employee retention and improve turnover rates.

Importance of Employee Retention

Employee Retention is all about reducing turnover to ensure the organization can focus on their internal goals and initiatives, not replacing headcount. Here are some benefits of employee retention.

1. Cost Reduction

   Companies spend tons of resources when it comes to finding and recruiting employees every year . From interviewing and advertising to screening and onboarding employees, there's a lot that goes into finding employees. Hence, when an employee leaves, companies have to spend their resources again in order to find new employees, which can be an added cost for the entire organization.

2. Employee Morale

   When employees leave, the other employees may feel demotivated. This may be because of lost connections and/or more workload that the remaining employees will have to bear. A low employee retention rate might even raise questions about the organization as a whole. Employee retention rates can influence employee morale for better or worse.

3. Retention of Experience

   A high turnover rate can result in the loss of skills, institutional knowledge, and relationships within the organization. When new employees are hired, it takes time for them to learn the skills needed and adjust to the culture of the organization.

Tips to Maintain a Positive Employee Retention Rate

1. Create a positive work environment

   Employees like to work in environments where they are supported and encouraged. Accordingly, companies should strive to create environments where employees can be motivated to perform their best. And most importantly, companies should provide opportunities for growth and improvement to their employees, so they can be further motivated within their job roles.

2. Recognize their efforts

   Employees like employers who can recognize them for their efforts. Hence, organizations need proper rewards and recognition programs to show that they care about their employees and recognize their efforts. This may range from a simple appreciation message on slack to a customized corporate perks program, such as employee discounts.

3. Have proper communication channels

   Communication is key to retaining good employees. When people understand what is expected of them and have ways to communicate about matters of importance, they are more likely to stay back within an organization because they feel heard. Accordingly, companies should have proper communication channels across the hierarchy.

Conclusion

Retaining employees is extremely imperative in today’s world, considering how costly it can be for an organization to lose top talent. Luckily, companies can utilize rewards and recognition programs to improve their retention rates besides having proper communication channels and an encouraging work environment.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has become the new normal. Employers and workers alike are finding all kinds of benefits, meaning that this trend is likely here to stay – in some capacity.

Because of the many differences working from home makes on a company, including profits versus costs, employee expenses, and general overhead, some adaptations will need to be made to keep this trend working in the long term.

One significant consideration that needs to be made, however, has not yet become top of mind for most people. That consideration is benefits.

As companies become more and more dependant on remote workers, what should their benefits packages look like? What makes up an attractive incentive package for remote employees and digital nomads alike?

Offering health care, extended medical, and dental will always be attractive, along with monetary bonuses. But in some industries, these perks are standard. With the ongoing reshuffling of workers, it can help to have a few unexpected incentives in the back pocket to tip prospective clients in your favor.

Here are some ways of providing remote workers with exciting incentives and benefits.

Wellness Perks

As working from home becomes the new normal, a significant consideration is that the home office does not require a commute, i.e., the steps and movement that we need on a daily basis. Ditching the commute may feel great and banish some stress, but, for many, this is their most reliable form of exercise.

We know that diet, exercise and meditation are good for us. Still, it can be hard to get started and incorporate these practices into daily life.

Employers also know that wellness will make employees work more efficiently, boost morale, and lower health costs. Therefore, many are opting to include gym memberships, meal plans, wellness hours, and all kinds of wellness-promoting tactics to retain employees and make them feel valued, which is a win-win.

Passport Unlimited offers a variety of wellness centered discounts, including gyms and fitness classes, mental health resources, nutrition options and more!

Online Activities

By far, the biggest downside to working from home is the isolation. We yearn for the days of the water cooler. However, employers and HR teams should know there are plenty of online options like games, trivia nights, scavenger hunts, dance parties, and more to engage co-workers. Apps and online platforms also exist to help organize these events.

Allowing employees to have fun together will build up the team and boost morale in a meaningful way. Passport Unlimited offers discounts for online classes and camps for both adults and children.

Providing the Best Technology

Keeping organized at the home office and working far from team members can be challenging. When workers are in the office together, it is easier to organize things visually (on walls) or physically (in file cabinets). When everything is online, it helps to have strong organization and data management systems to save time and reduce friction.

Passport Unlimited offers discounts on technology including computers, peripherals, audio and visual as well as home office furniture.

Training and Upskilling

One of the biggest responses to the Great Resignation has been through upskilling or reskilling. Instead of letting go of under-skilled team members, taking the time to upskill sincerely improves morale and corporate culture.

Some employers might think it is not worth the time and cost, but they should have a second look at their recruiting expenses. When talent knows they can grow in their positions with your team they will be lining up to come on board.

Rewards Programs

Employees will love being a part of a platform that offers them discounts at local stores and restaurants or even online merchandise.

Passport Unlimited is an employee engagement platform that offers a variety of content to meet the needs of employees in various life stages. If you are looking to attract and retain employees better, consider looking into Passport Unlimited.

Remote work has successfully offered flexibility to employees all over the world. With the option to work from home, it is up to the employee to create a work schedule for themselves that is ideal, while tackling their personal responsibilities.

However, there are downsides to this kind of flexibility as it can instill unwarranted pressure. There is a lack of in-personal contact with colleagues and coworkers, which reduces chances of any social interaction during stressful tasks. If you have a job that offers you flexible hours, you may often find yourself working outside of the office hours, much more than you would if you were working from the office. And before you know it, you’ll wonder why you have been putting in the extra hours and not being compensated for it. There must be a strict work and personal life balance when working from home. Here are some ways you can achieve it.

Adhere to Your Set Schedule

With the flexibility to work from anywhere, it is easy to blur the lines between work and personal life. If your schedule is different from the rest of your team members, you’ll find yourself actively working around the clock even though you’re not supposed to. So, you must set a strict schedule and adhere to it every day. When your teammates know that there is one set time for you to be working, they will respect it and not contact you outside of it.

Out of Office or Away Message

Working from home has encouraged companies to hire people from all over the world, which means they belong to diverse time zones. The timings they work at might not necessarily be your working hours. Put an “out of office” message on your status once your hours for the day are done so your team members know not to disturb you during this time.

Take Breaks

Working from home has reduced costs quite a bit and you no longer have to commute to work. But this can take away your social interactions. Short and sweet as they may be during the day, they greatly impact your outlook on life. So, even though you are super productive at work, try taking short breaks to get the groceries done or take a small walk so you don’t feel gloomy or stuck in front of a screen all day.

Make Plans After Work

If your home office is in your living room, then it might be harder for you to switch off from work mode and switch into relaxing mode. If you want to relax but are finding that hard to do with your workstation staring you in the face, try making plans with friends after work, even if it is just to go for a socially distanced walk.

Dress Up for Work

We know what it sounds like, but there is more to this tip than you may think! Take the time you previously would spend commuting and get ready for work. Turn on your camera when you are in meetings so you can have some face-to-face interaction with your colleagues. Trust us, it will shift your work outlook drastically and make you feel better about yourself.

Are you interested in learning more tips and tricks? Passport Unlimited may be able to address some of your concerns. Reach out to us for more information now.

People that didn’t use their vacation days heavily regretted their decision once the pandemic hit. Once in lockdown, they were unable to use their vacation days even if they wanted to.

People are awaiting a change of scenery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Rest and time away from our current lives may be just what we need as a society to reset ourselves, but only when it is safe to do so. So, let’s take a sneak peek to see how we can make the most of our vacation days once the pandemic is over.

Plan Ahead

The pandemic has made it near impossible to plan for anything in advance. But when the time comes and you are able to take a vacation, make sure you clear it with your bosses. You must book time off well in advance so there are no pending tasks when you take time off to travel. The last thing you want is your colleagues to message you because they weren’t aware you were going to be going away for a few days.

Take a Week-Long Vacation

Taking time off work gives your mind a few days to get out of the work mode and relax . For the first day or two, you might find yourself reading or responding to emails and trying to inform everyone you’re not online. Real relaxation will most likely kick in after the first few days, so you should plan a vacation that is at least one week long.

Go Anywhere

You can quite literally go anywhere during your time off. If you’re not in a position to go somewhere lavish or go abroad, why not go somewhere locally? If you like the woods and enjoy being surrounded by a body of water, book a water-facing cabin and just spend a week unwinding there. You’ll come back totally refreshed with a new lease on life.

Prepare Your Colleagues Prior to Leaving

When you’re taking a vacation, one of the biggest holdups is your colleagues. You may be collaborating with coworkers on a project. While upper management may know you’re going on a vacation, your colleagues might not. To make sure there are no pending tasks and your colleagues can manage without you when you’re away, prepare them well in advance of your leaving.

Minimize Phone Usage

It’s a wild idea, isn’t it? We won’t go so far as to recommend you turn your phone off, because if you do and there is an emergency, you’ll be completely cut off. Instead, you can mute your work apps for a certain period of time while you are vacationing. Most new smartphones will have a feature or app that can do this. Try and limit your interaction with social media to make the most of your days off from work.

Personal days and vacation days are more important than you may think. It’s true that you get Saturdays and Sundays off but they are simply not enough to unwind after a long week of work. If you have vacation days left over, make sure you use them after the pandemic and take some time off to do things you enjoy.

Many of us have gotten used to spending time out of the office, working remotely or at home, but now we're starting to see more and more employers transitioning back to the office. While this is an exciting time, there might be some awkwardness or bumps along the way as we all get back into that office groove. Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to help yourself feel comfortable and confident at the workplace again.

1. Plan Ahead, Even With the Basics

Back in the before-times, when going to work was second nature to all of us, we did things by habit, without even thinking about it. We packed our lunches to save money, had our transportation sorted out, and were experts (well, near-experts) at getting everyone in our home out the door.

Now, we might be a little out of practice in terms of the tasks we once completed on auto-pilot. Maybe you forget to pre-pack a lunch, or maybe you can't seem to remember to load money on your MetroCard. Planning ahead can make a big difference on whatever challenge you're facing with the basics of getting out the door and to an actual, physical workplace.

Try making a meal plan for the week in advance, or use your Sunday afternoon to pack lunches ahead of time. Choose nutritious, fun recipes that are easy to make and that you'll look forward to on your break. You can also set an alert on your phone or calendar for when you anticipate your MetroCard will be empty. Soon, with a little planning, you'll be back on auto-pilot.

2. Put Your Personal Wellness First When Back in Office

As an HR professional, you probably spend a lot of time with people, and interacting with your colleagues is a key part of your job. But being around coworkers and socializing, even when it's just office small-talk, might be a bit of a shock to the system after all that remote work.

If you're finding yourself overwhelmed, make sure to put your personal wellness first. This will be a difficult transition for many, and you're not alone if you're finding it difficult. Consider booking yourself a mindfulness and meditation workshop or gentle yoga class. You can also reach out to talk to a loved one, like a family member or friend, and share how you're feeling. If your workplace is flexible with your transition to being back in office, then consider starting with a hybrid model. Two days working from home and three days in the office is a great place to build from.

3. Keep a Positive Attitude and Reap the Benefits

Working in a physical office environment can come with its frustrations. You have to commute and leave the house, and you have to share common spaces like bathrooms and break rooms. As you get back to the office, try to adopt a positive mental attitude as much as possible. Positive thinking can help with stress management, and people who engage in positive self-talk see a myriad of benefits, just by treating themselves with kindness.

Don't get down on yourself if you're not the exact employee you were before you moved to remote work. You'll get that spring back in your step in no time.

Passport Unlimited: A Boost for Back to Work

What's one way to help employees feel confident about going back to work? How about employee rewards that will energize your team and revive their enthusiasm for being back in office. Passport Unlimited has a solution for you. Visit our website today to learn more.

A survey by Glassdoor found that 72% of employees are eager to return to non-remote work. While those numbers express a high level of enthusiasm for a return to the office, it will be normal to expect that our collective transition back to “normal” might not be a smooth one. The pandemic has been a trying time, but there are many things HR professionals can do to help their workforce bounce back from the pandemic in a healthy and enriching way. Here are a few ideas you might try out at your workplace.

There are many different factors such as salary, work-life balance, and company culture that all play into whether an employee will stay with a company for the long haul or not. In order to know which benefits might be best it's important to ask them! Or better yet, read our blog post and get the inside scoop.

1. Boost Health With Wellness Benefits

While the sweatpant lifestyle was fun for a little while, many people may find that they aren't feeling their best about their mental health or fitness levels after months of lockdowns and uncertainty. One way to help employees bounce back from being sedentary and house-bound is to offer health and wellness benefits and seminars.

Employes can be offered discounts on mindfulness and meditation class packages, massage therapy, hair styling, acupuncture, running training, or gym memberships. All of these benefits will help employees feel good about themselves and see themselves in a positive light. Remember that learning to feel positive again is just that; learning and it will take time. But with help at work, employees will feel supported and nurtured.

2. Inspire With Leadership Talks and Guest Speakers

The pandemic created a disconnect between workers and the more personal parts of their careers, like meeting clients in person and collaborating with their coworkers, so it's no surprise that worker burnout is on the rise. How can you make employees feel excited about their careers again?

One way to inspire and retain talent at your company is to offer leadership talks and bring in industry guest speakers. Many workers learn about potential career paths by hearing about how other people got to where they are today, and what better way to boost enthusiasm than with model success stories. Look inside and outside the company for speakers to mix it up and bring in a variety of perspectives.

3. Help the Team Bounce Back With Employee Rewards

Remember those sweatpants we've all been wearing? It goes without saying that perhaps many closets filled up with loungewear, leisure clothes, and pyjamas over the pandemic, and everyone could use a bit of a wardrobe refresh. Employers can offer discounts and rewards at local retail shops and major online brands so their employees can feel fresh when they return to the office, with all the latest styles. With a discount and rewards program, employees can also redeem for electronics, attractions, vacation destinations, rental cars, and so much more.

Employee perks can help boost morale around the office and make people feel like valued members of the team. Investing in the time off of your employees by offering perks on things like hotels and rental cars also assures your employees that you are committed to their rest and relaxation, so they can be their best at work.

Prepare Your Bounce Back Plan

Going in with an idea of how you will support your employees through the transition back to work and out of the pandemic will set your team up for success. Consider running a survey of all employees to see what they need to help them get back to work feeling confident and capable. Everyone is different, but if you offer some options of possible work perks, it will be easier to come to a consensus for launching a company-wide rewards program.

Are you interested in learning more about your very own company rewards program? Passport Unlimited has a solution for you .

In recent years, there has been an increase in turnover rates. As a result, companies are trying to think of ways they can keep their employees happy and engaged. One way is by offering benefits that better suit what new hires and young people want .

There are many different factors such as salary, work-life balance, and company culture that all play into whether an employee will stay with a company for the long haul or not. In order to know which benefits might be best it's important to ask them! Or better yet, read our blog post and get the inside scoop.

Flexible Work Hours

Flexible hours are popular among job seekers. According to a study conducted by the Harvard Business Review, flexible hours can persuade 88 percent of respondents to choose a lower salary over one with higher pay but a fixed schedule. Believe it or not, flexibility is the most requested benefit followed by health insurance.

Further, in a FlexJobs survey, 80 percent of parents and millennials (anyone born between 1981 - 1996) said that flexibility and work-life balance were the most important factors in evaluating potential job opportunities.

Health Insurance

Employers who provide health insurance for their employees will benefit by attracting quality candidates. Employees carefully consider whether a company provides affordable, comprehensive coverage for them and their immediate family members as they make employment decisions.

But why do employees value health care coverage so much? Well, in 2016, the average American spent $10,345 on healthcare. This was an exorbitant amount five years ago, and that number is only growing. It’s the reason why employees rank health care benefits as their most requested.

Life Insurance

In a 2017 LIMRA survey, nearly six out of ten employees believe that life insurance benefits are not only important but necessary for their jobs. Life insurance gives workers peace of mind that they have financial security should something happen to them and ensures that their families can continue living normally if they ever pass away.

Luckily, group life insurance is an affordable benefit employers can offer to round out their benefits package and attract top talent. For example, a healthy 40-year old employee costs just $36 per month for group coverage. This type of low-cost option helps employees supplement other medical or retirement plans already in place at the organization with something that matters most to them – being able to care for dependents if tragedy strikes.

Wellness Benefits

Most employees say they are interested in their well-being and take their health seriously, and employers agree. This is why many of them have wellness programs as part of the benefits package for new hires. In fact, a Fitbit survey reported that 88 percent of CEOs said their company already has a health and wellness program on board.

As a small business owner, it can be difficult to provide your employees with an onsite gym like big companies like Google or SAS can provide, but there are still some things that you can do. These include:

• Providing healthy snacks
• Reimbursement for exercise equipment
• Yoga Classes
• Gym Memberships

Some of these may be too hard – like the gym membership – but you should keep these in mind for potential employees as your business expands.

Conclusion

There are many benefits that a new hire might be looking for in a company. For example, flexible work hours and health insurance top the list of priorities. We can help you find your perfect match by tailoring your organization’s offering with our Passport Unlimited program!

By partnering with us, we will provide tailored benefits – such as life insurance or wellness options – which may not have been on your radar before this blog post. If you want more information about how we can tailor these offerings for your business needs, contact us and request a demo today!

Employees today are more aware than ever of the impact health and wellness has on both their personal and professional life. While some people may be content with a job that offers basic healthcare benefits, others want to know that they have an employer who is invested in their well-being. In this blog post, we will explore how employee benefits beyond the basics help to create a culture of engagement and retention for companies while also providing employees with peace of mind.

The first step in understanding why these types of perks are important is to look at what makes up ‘the basics.’ The most common options offered by employers include medical insurance coverage, dental insurance coverage, retirement plans, vacation time, sick days, and paid holidays. The best way to ensure your company provides the optimum level of protection is through a professional review of all your current policies and practices. Remember though: it doesn't have to be complicated or expensive!

It Will Get the Attention of the Most Talented People

But first, let’s take a look at why standard employer benefits are a great place to start if you want to hire talented, motivated employees and how it can help your company succeed.

Many (if not most) companies offer employee benefits, such as health insurance, to incentivize creativity in their workforce while providing security or recourse against illness. If you want to hire competitively, you should consider offering these attractive perks as well. Even small firms have shown an interest in this hiring trend as more than 50% of small businesses have offered some form of health care coverage at one point or another.

It Increases Employee Loyalty

A company that offers benefits is more likely to retain its employees. One survey found 60% of workers identify an employee benefit package as being extremely or very important, and for good reason! Benefits are not just a way to keep your workforce happy. They also help with recruitment efforts by attracting new talent. Furthermore, 36% of employees say that benefits packages can entice them into staying at an organization.

In addition, employees also value the opportunity to design their own benefits package and customize their options based on what is important to them. 72% percent of survey respondents said this was an appealing feature to consider when applying for a new job.

It Will Increase Productivity

It should come as no surprise that hiring the best talent for your company, combined with feeling secure in their new environment, would equate to them being more productive while at work. Employees are human beings who share the same concerns as everyone else. They may, for example, be worried about childcare, illness, and their financial stability, all of which can distract them from being productive at work. And the numbers prove it.

According to a MetLife survey, 23% of employees are less productive due to financial worries, and 58% have lost sleep over childcare. Anxiety is the root cause of most issues in an employee's life both inside and outside the workplace. Without this mental pressure becoming a debilitating factor, employees should be more successful in all areas of life, especially at work.

Conclusion

Businesses that offer a comprehensive benefits package to their employees are more likely to attract the most talented people. Nowadays, it is not enough just to offer insurance and retirement plans. Your company should also be providing its workers with perks, such as an employee assistance program (EAP) for counseling services or wellness programs like discounted gym memberships. These types of offerings will keep your talent happy and engaged and will inevitably lead to increased productivity and better results.

When you partner with Passport Unlimited, we can help you design custom programs that suit all of your needs – no matter how big or small they may be! Contact us today for more information or to request a free demo.

The best way to keep your employees feeling healthy, happy, and productive is to show them you care. Showing that you care includes allowing them to take time off for medical appointments, provide health services on-site, or offer a "wellness program" of sorts.

One effective way to do this is by providing spa visits as an employee benefit. A day at the spa has been shown to help lower stress levels and reduce symptoms of depression in less than one hour—benefits that will last all day long!

The benefits of offering this type of perk are two-fold: not only does it make employees feel cared for and loved, but it also helps with productivity! Employees who experience higher levels of happiness have been found to be more motivated in their work.

Curious about how to include spa and massage treatments into your benefits package? Read on and find out!

Make It an Employee-of-the-Month Reward

Interested in boosting productivity without the risk of burnout or a sudden caffeine energy crash? Employee-of-the-Month vouchers might just be what you're looking for. For every month that an employee meets their quota, they'll receive one voucher, which can then be redeemed at any spa location within your network, for example. Or you can go the more traditional route and give one spa voucher for the Employee of the Month.

Being able to take time out, even just for one day, can be so beneficial. We all need that occasional moment of peace and relaxation in order to fully enjoy life after the hectic workdays are over with. More importantly, we also need those moments as they help us keep our mental focus sharpened when returning to reality. That is why having an employee reward system could really make a difference!

Whether it's using these to stay on top of the game during work hours, investing them into some well-deserved relaxation time after completing your day’s tasks, this is sure to help keep employees energized and motivated throughout each long week.

Bring a Massage to the Workplace

A chair massage is a wonderful way to remove stress and depression from the workplace. The process of performing a chair massage on someone only takes about 15-30 minutes, so it's easy for most people who do not have much time in between their workdays anyway. They can set one up during their break or lunch period, so it shouldn’t pose too much of a logistical challenge.

A chair massage program is a great way to reduce stress. Researchers found that massages can significantly decrease depression and daily stress levels, leading to an improvement in morale as well as reduced employee turnover rates. Employers who institute their own bodywork programs are sure to see the benefits.

It’s also just a fantastic way to show your employees that you care about them and all the hard work they’re doing, as well as your commitment to their health and well-being.

Closing Thoughts

When it comes to spa and massage treatments, the sky's the limit. Incorporating these services into your benefits package for employees is a great way to show that you care about their well-being as much as they do. Another idea? Set up a monthly "massage at work" day where staff has access to free chair massages in designated areas of the office. That will be an excellent motivator for them during those long hours spent hunched over their desks!

At Passport Unlimited, we can connect you with these businesses. Give us a call today if you're interested in finding out more information on how we can help your company stand out from others by offering unique incentives like massage or spa treatments. With local, national, and international partners, we’ll be able to find the package that best suits your needs!

The city you live in is more than just a place to reside. It's an integral part of each one of us. So why not encourage your employees to explore their city and surrounding areas? Explore it with their families or on the weekends when they're off work. The benefits are endless!

First and foremost, your employees will have a greater sense of pride in where they live. They'll be more excited about coming into work and being productive because they know that this is their home turf. Additionally, exploring the city can help them find new favorite spots – such as restaurants or parks – that make everyday life even better than before!

Allowing your employees to explore the city also helps create bonds between coworkers outside of the office setting if they decide to have an outing with fellow employees. Your company's benefits package can be an ideal way to encourage employees to explore, so let’s take a look at some features that such a benefits package can, or should, include

Public Transportation Incentives

This idea has multiple benefits. First, it will encourage employees to spend more time with their families on the weekends and see a new side of town they wouldn't have seen otherwise. Second, the traffic is bad enough during rush hour, do you really want your employees sitting in that for hours, waiting! Giving incentives can help them arrive at work happier than before – which might make everyone else happy too because no one likes someone who's just not "in good spirits."

Car Rental Discounts

One of the perks about being hired by a great company such as yours is that employees can receive affordable car rental discounts for weekend getaways with their friends or families. That includes an array of luxury cars, SUVs, and sporty convertibles to choose from, with no need to negotiate prices or haggle over insurance coverage because it's all included in your package!

But some recent studies have shown that most people are entirely unaware of the perks and benefits they receive from their company. That includes car rentals, which can be massively expensive if they don't know their policy well! Make sure your HR personnel knows about what your company offers or how employees can contact them with any questions. Or even better – advertise it around the office somehow so everyone knows about this great perk for a quick trip out of town without all those pesky fees!

Hotel Discounts

You can also take advantage of the convenience and affordability that hotels offer by offering hotel discounts in your benefits package. Employees will appreciate being able to explore their city and surrounding area at a discounted rate while still having access to some creature comforts like food, showers, or even just TV binge sessions on those rainy days when you don't want to leave the building!

Offering hotel discounts comes in a variety of forms too. You could offer your employees an exclusive discount on hotels at your partner hotels, or you can opt for the reward route and give them a weekend stay as one of many employee rewards when they hit milestones regarding time served or skill mastery!

Passport Unlimited is your one-stop shop for finding great deals on hotel, car rental, and public transportation discounts. With Passport Unlimited’s unique partnerships with local, national, and international businesses of all types, we're able to find the right package that will suit all of your needs! Give us a call or request a demo today, and you won’t be disappointed!

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the work life of everyone on the globe. But with vaccine milestones being hit all over the world, going back to the office part-time is on everybody's radar. But for those with children or pets, who are accustomed to staying with their little bundle of joy, this return to work can pose some challenges.

As a workplace leader, it's important you encourage a sense of regularity. But more importantly, your employees must feel like you're on their side and that you're concerned not only with growing the business, but with adapting to these new lifestyle changes we've all faced.

Here's how you can help employees with young children, or pet-parents, return to work part-time:

Let Employees Choose Their Hours

Among those working from home, one of the best perks is the ability to schedule their own hours to adapt to their lifestyle. By allowing employees to choose when they come into the office, you'll see less stressed and, therefore, more focused people.

Setting boundaries by having your workers commit to a specified time to be at the office, with little deviation, so you know when they're available if still necessary. A little give and take does wonders to relax your team, though, and get them focused on their assignments instead of worrying.

Allow Your Employees to Bring Pets to Work

Research shows that bringing a pet to work can have a variety of benefits. One study found that employees who bring their dogs to work experienced lower levels of stress, a positive view of their employer, higher levels of job satisfaction, and an increase in workplace friendliness and interaction.

So, if hesitant employees are on the fence about returning because they don't want to leave their pet at home, it may help if you let them bring the pet to work. And if they are returning on a part-time basis, it's even less of an issue.

Of course, you'll have to cover your bases. Talk to your landlord, for example, to see if the lease agreement allows pets. Check with other employees to catch any potential issues, such as someone being allergic to cats or afraid of dogs. Establish a clear policy, in writing, about responsibility in case of damage or injury.

Promote Good Hygiene in the Workplace

Childcare doesn't always have to translate to bringing kids to work or having affordable childcare available. Sometimes, parents just want to know their workplace is clean and hygienic. A study found that a majority of people, 66%, are worried about their health when returning to work.

Thankfully, there are simple steps to help your workplace remain safe and hygienic. Provide handwashing stations with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs if hand-washing stations are unavailable. You can also help by sharing messages on preventive measures that parents can also share with their children.

Determine Whether Current Workplace Policies Help Families

Dig deep and be honest with yourself. Do current workplace policies do enough to support growing families? Try to imagine being a parent or a pet owner, or both, and empathize with the anxiety they may feel having to manage care for both their children and pets.

You can build a benefits package to ease employees' fears and even to help in the recruitment of new ones. Passport Unlimited partners with over 5,000 businesses to offer discounts on benefits packages. And the best part? These packages include child care services and pet walkers!

When it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, no industry suffered more than restaurants. Hit even harder were the neighborhood family restaurants that had to deal with lockdowns, small re-openings, lockdowns, small re-openings, and lockdowns, again in a stubborn spiral of uncertainty.

But with vaccinations increasing day after day, and milestone after milestone being reached, a light at the end of the COVID tunnel emerges. With easing restrictions and partial re-openings around the corner, restaurateurs are more excited than ever.

Here are some ways you can support your local restaurants and get your employees back eating at their favorites places again:

Encourage Employees to Pick Up Food Instead of Using Apps

While delivery apps like UberEats do help restaurants get their food to hungry customers, having your employees pick up the food helps struggling restaurants more. Why? Because delivery apps charge restaurants a service fee.

For example, UberEats charges restaurants a 30% fee for delivery and a 15% fee per order for pick up. Restaurants can negotiate lower fees, but the amount still ranges between 20%-30%. DoorDash has a similar fee model, also charging restaurants between 10%-25% depending on the business and the agreement they sign.

Encouraging your employees to order directly from the restaurant and pick-up food ensures more money for the restaurant, and more money lets them stay open for longer. It also lets your employees get out of the office and into the fresh air, stretch their legs, and bask in the sun. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Encourage Proper Hygiene In and Out of the Office

Supporting local restaurants doesn’t always have to mean saving your employees money or putting more money in the restaurant’s pockets. Even simple kindness and consideration towards another person can go a long way to helping a struggling restaurant.

Encourage your employees to wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer when inside and outside of the office. This will keep them safe, but keep the servers safe as well. Wipe surfaces with disinfectant to ensure a clean work area, the same as restaurants wiping down tables after every customer.

Support Your Favorite Restaurants on Social Media

Social media is a good way of promoting a sense of community without spending money you may not have. Chances are your business has accounts on major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Follow them and share their content on your own page. Remark on how good the food is or how friendly the staff is. Or better yet, both. Tag your favorite restaurant and share past photos of company parties or employee birthdays there. Get the word out about how this restaurant is the place to be!

Establish a Discount Program For Your Employees

One way you can help your employees, and local restaurants, is to set up a dining discount program. This means saved money for your employees during their lunch breaks and a business boon for local restaurants. And if they save money, your employees are less likely to travel farther for a bite too.

Passport Unlimited can help with setting up these benefits packages. Passport Unlimited has agreements with thousands of businesses, including restaurants, and can individually negotiate with each one to bring those savings directly to your employees!

With some or all of your staff working remotely, you can no longer track their productivity in-person. You can't see for yourself whether employees are remaining on-track or if they are facing any at-home obstacles impeding their efficiency. Some roadblocks could be caused by sharing their workspace with their children who have been homebound.

Due to the pandemic, your employees’ children's schools may be closed for their safety. That means they are conducting their schooling from home virtually. Your staff members may be struggling as they need to monitor their children, coach them through their virtual learning, and possibly share their computer, taking away from their ability to work during school hours.

Having children going through remote learning while remaining focused on the day’s workload can be difficult. It could be impairing your staff productivity. However, as a leader, you can help. Through your employee benefits package, you can support parents by offering discounts on services that will take care of their children and help them thrive under their new education methods.

Consider including discounts to these child-focused services in your employee benefits package:

Virtual Morning and After-School Programs

While schooling will keep their child occupied, your remote employees will still need to stay close by to keep them safe. A typical workday is also usually longer than a school day, so your parent staff may need to pause their work to occupy their children before or after school. With so many learning-focused programs available around school hours, parents can keep their child in one place as they continue virtual learning until the workday is done. Your employees may not be currently enrolling their children in these programs because of their expensive pricing, so a discount for these could go a long way.

Online Courses

Some parents have children who may not be quite old enough to be enlisted in schooling but still at an age where they would appreciate learning something new. Through online courses, your parent staff can keep their child occupied and allow them to start their learning early. Or, they can offer their child extracurricular education to build their skills and learn to do things they love. Discounts on these courses will make them much more affordable and accessible for your employees.

Childcare Services

Having another person or group watch your child is expensive. With discounts on childcare services, like daycares or babysitting organizations, your employees can make sure their child is kept safe during workdays so they can focus on their job without the extra stress of concern.

Nanny Services

Nannies are an excellent resource for families with children. They watch the children while also helping maintain the home’s condition. A nanny could be a great help to your employees if they can afford it. Include discounts to nanny services in your benefits package to improve your staff productivity and allow them to concentrate on your business.

Tutor Services

Virtual learning may not be as effective as in-person education for children. The screen adds physical and emotional distance between the child and their classroom environment, making it more challenging to grasp what they’re learning and falling behind. With the help of a tutor, parents can give their children the support they need to thrive in their virtual classroom without taking extra time away from their workday. Tutors come with a price, so a lower rate on their services will make parents more willing to seek this kind of service.

Passport Unlimited Employee Discount Programs

With Passport Unlimited, you can build an employee benefits package that could help parents take care of their childrenwhile staying productive for your business. You’ll notice your staff will work efficiently, and they’ll be much less stressed about their child care concerns, and their children can master their virtual learning. Your employees will feel valued that you help make their life a little easier when working for you.

Your employees influence your business's accomplishments. You count on them to complete their tasks at hand to satisfy your consumers.

If your employees are struggling due to stress, anxiety, poor health, or other reasons, your operation’s productivity could take a heavy hit. Your staff may feel constantly overwhelmed with personal issues that could be impacting how they conduct their work. You may be receiving completed work later than the assigned deadlines and full of errors, which will lead to unhappy clients. Furthermore, your stressed workers may experience more miscommunications with each other, causing tension and hostility that disrupt your work environment.

So what can you do as an employer? How can you support your staff members’ wellbeing to regain focus during their workdays and feel fulfilled in their free time?

Access to Wellness

Often, people experiencing mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression aren’t able to resolve their problems because of several barriers, including the inability to afford expensive services that could help them. When it comes to their physical wellness or health, your employees may not know how to kickstart a new healthy diet or follow an entire workout regimen without some guidance. However, gym classes and nutrition programs can be pricey and may be considered non-essential on your staff’s list of spending priorities.

By building an employee benefits package that makes mental health services and other wellness resources accessible to your employees, you can make a difference. They will have more tools available to them to help take care of themselves and enhance their mental and physical condition.

Consider including these wellness-promoting discounts in your employee benefits package to help them sustain their personal wellness:

Nutrition Services Discounts

Nutrition is an essential staple in a person's wellbeing. It's vital to consume valuable nutrients in a healthy diet that will promote physical functioning, energy, and high cognitive functioning. Malnourishment could play a big role in your employees’ stress management and health. They may be emotionally imbalanced or more susceptible to illness and call in sick quite often, which could bring some of your operations to a brief halt until they're back.

Seeking help from a nutritionist can be costly, which could be why your staff is having difficulty following a healthy diet that works for them. By including discounts to programs that can educate them and help them get on track with healthy eating, you could make an impressive impact on your employee wellness.

Meal Delivery Discounts

Your employees work all day and invest a lot of energy into what they do. After a busy day of work, they may feel too drained to cook a meal, leading them to opt for 'quick bites' or ordering cheap, fast-food takeout.

By offering discounts to meal delivery services that provide nutritious pre-cooked dishes, or easy-to-make meals with all ingredients included, you can make healthy eating convenient for your employees.

Subscription Deals for Wellness Apps

Wellness apps are excellent resources for guiding your employees to live a healthier lifestyle. These apps target fitness, mental health, sleep, eating, and more. However, they often come with a price that could turn away employees on a budget.

Consider inducing wellness app subscriptions or discounts in your benefits program. The savings could motivate your employees to join programs that will lead them to live healthier and happier lives.

Passport Unlimited Employee Discount Programs

With Passport Unlimited, you can build an employee benefits package that could help your employees achieve personal wellness, which will improve your business. You’ll notice your staff will be more productive, contributing to a positive work environment. Your employees will feel valued by you for offering financial savings and access to health and wellness resources in your benefits package.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in the workforce as companies were required to shut their office doors and adapt to remote work-home balance. Your employees have likely been dispersed and set up their new workspaces within their homes, causing your work culture to undergo a massive, unexpected transformation. Meetings are conducted via video rather than the conference room at your office, and water-cooler chats no longer exist.

With your team working at home, their work-life balance may be completely skewed. The time limits of a workday are blurred now that your employees have constant access to completing their work at home. While they may believe this is a demonstration of higher productivity, it could lead to negative results like burnout and lower work quality.

As a leader, your new duty is to encourage as much normalcy for your employees while they work from home. This will help them maintain work-home balance so they will remain an asset to your business and be able to tend to their personal lives and wellbeing when the workday is over.

Here is how you can promote work-home balance for your remote workforce:

Allow Freedom in Scheduling

A benefit of remote work for your employees is the freedom to adjust their workday scheduling to suit their lifestyle. You may notice higher productivity in your employees as they shape their scheduling around times when they are more highly focused.

It’s highly recommended that you promote scheduling flexibility for your remote employees. This is highly valued by employees working remotely. With more freedom, they can run errands during their lunch breaks or take care of their kids at certain hours while their partner holds meetings from their home office. You will still need to ensure boundaries are set by having your remote workers share their hours so you can know when they are available and ensure they are completing their necessary daily workload.

Encourage At-Home Workspaces

Whether you choose to maintain regular 9-to-5 scheduling or allow your employees to establish remote scheduling, you must ensure they only work their necessary hours and no more or less. You can achieve this by having your team members set online and offline hours, which apply to when they are working and when they can no longer be contacted for work-related issues. It’s essential to ensure your team honors one another's’ hours.

With these hours, which can be established on most communication platforms, your team can develop their work-home balance.

Establish Online and Offline Hours

While you may not have total control of where your employees work within their homes, you can help them find some work-home balance by suggesting they designate a workspace. You can do this by including discounts to workspace equipment retailers or by sharing at-home workspace set-up tips.

Promote Wellness with Work-Home Balance and Health Tips

These times are highly stressful for your employees. The shift of everyday life may have heightened their anxiety levels as the pandemic has caused social isolation, reduced access to certain resources, and entirely different work environments. The stress and chaos from the pandemic may impact your remote workers’ mental and physical health.

You may have an on-site fitness center at your office or resources available for your employees’ wellbeing. Now that they are home, you may need to find alternative methods, like sharing health tips through emails or providing discounts to wellness resources like apps, subscriptions, or online classes. Supporting your employees’ wellness through these services and discounts will lead to their reduced stress and improved ability to remain productive from home.

Promote Work-Home Balance With Passport Unlimited Packages

To help your employees thrive while working from home, you can build a benefits package filled with discounts to local and world-renowned businesses so they and their families can adapt to their new work lives. Passport Unlimited is partnered with a wide range of companies that will promote your employees’ wellness and establish their new work setting so they can manage their work-home balance.

This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the structure of society. One significant change brought about by the pandemic is that more people are working from home. While the transition period was likely a challenge for your business, the time has allowed everyone to settle into their at-home work environments.

With your employees working from home, some of the perks in your benefits package may no longer apply to them as before the pandemic. The job perks around your office space are not being used, and you can no longer host weekly free lunches at your office.

Now is the time to reconsider your benefits package. You will want to consider your remote employees' new post-pandemic needs. To help you reshape your job perks to employees, consider these statistics:

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66% of employees feel their productivity has been negatively impacted by balancing child care and their remote work responsibilities since the pandemic

Your employees are likely not alone while working from home. They may have children in the house as schools and daycares have been shut down throughout the waves of the virus spread. This means they need to supervise and entertain their children while conducting meetings, completing assignments, and other work-related duties.

By offering job perks like discounts to businesses with children’s toys, entertainment materials, and more, you could help your employees occupy their children during workdays. Including savings to childcare services could relieve your remote workers of the stresses of working with their children in the home.

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Almost 20% of employees want lifestyle and entertainment tools in their job perks

Now that people are required to stay home, entertainment services like streaming platform accounts and hardware are highly desirable to employees. These have been beneficial for distracting from the stresses of COVID-19.

You can support your employees’ access to entertainment in their homes by partnering with businesses that sell the necessary equipment. As an employer, you may also want to consider free streaming service accounts or discounts in your job perks.

Due to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, many offices have shut down, and staff teams have been separated to work remotely in their own homes. This is designed to reduce the risk of continued virus spread, keeping everyone healthy and safe.

However, most teams weren't given a chance to develop a plan to stay connected or adjust their regular workday to the home setting. Their new office space may be full of distractions for families, decreasing productivity and overall employee engagement.

To ensure your business continues moving forward, you will need to focus on strategies to engage remote employees .

Keep Checking In

Now that you can't see your employees working productively as you would in the office, you should initiate a system where you can meet with your remote workers one-on-one. For them, asking questions about their assignments or workload has changed where they can't simply knock on your office door, so make sure to offer a platform or new approach where they can ask you questions and get feedback almost immediately as they would in-person.

You can also take this time to hear how they are finding their remote work setup and any problems you could potentially help with. Hearing feedback from team members on the new remote work style will help you understand consistent glitches or areas where you need to reshape your approach or offer solutions or resources to keep everyone on track.

By constantly meeting and holding discussions, you'll have a higher chance of engaging remote employees so they will remain focused on working at their highest efficiency levels and completing their work on time at its best quality as they would have in the office.

Video Conferencing

Try to conduct staff communication on video calling platforms. That way, you and your employees will feel more connected like you would in the office. During these trying times, society has changed so dramatically that everything is uncomfortable and seems unfamiliar. By seeing your staff's faces through video calls and hearing their voices again, your team will get to stay in touch with something familiar and standard in their lives. This could help them to cope with the setting changes.

Video calling will help with engaging remote employees, not only by reducing their sense of isolation with a team reunion, but it also offers a platform for collaboration. As you would in a brainstorming meeting in the office, you can use your video platform to share any important information for everyone to hear and share any issues or projects that need help moving forward.

Virtual video-based calls are also helpful for any training for new or current employees. This method makes it easier to walk your team through new software or discuss new strategies or techniques you will implement for a functional remote workstyle.

Be Transparent About Remote Work Expectations

Now that you and your team have been spread apart, your staff may be confused about the new conditions of their workdays or how to balance work and their personal life. When leading your remote team, list details of new standards, including how to contact management, report if they are sick or have an emergency leaving them unable to work from home, new regular work hours, and more. By being clear about your work output expectations, they will have the information necessary to remain productive and focused on their regular workload.

Show Your Appreciation for Their Work

The pandemic's constantly changing conditions could easily leave your employees stressed and missing their office work setup. The stress of these times could impair their ability to work.

That is why it's necessary to show your appreciation for staying committed to your business while going through these changes. Despite this anxious period, your team has continued to perform work for you to support your business. By saying thank you and expressing your gratitude, they will feel the emotional reward of their hard work.

Offer Rewards Through Employee Wellness Programs

Engaging remote employees with programs that will support their wellness will motivate them to stay committed to their work. An employee wellness program with restaurant or retail partnerships will offer access to good food and tools they need in their new daily living. A program with software and online vendor discounts will make it easier for your team to access resources to boost productivity.

To get started on building an employee wellness program to offer your team the resources and discounts that will help them stay engaged and manage these difficult times, choose Passport Unlimited. You can customize your staff's benefits, so you know they have everything they need to cope and stay productive. Book your demo with Passport Unlimited today.

Offering an employee discount program provides an extra incentive for your team to trust and feel motivated to commit to your company. By implementing such a program, employees can enjoy more of their personal life on top of their work lives. With this balance, you’ll see boosted team morale and efficiency. However, before singing your praises, your team needs to understand what the program is and how they can reap the benefits.

From major companies to startups, managing the benefits game is a crucial part of attracting and retaining top talent. On top of conventional benefits like health insurance, companies have gone above and beyond to provide employee support through concepts like:

• Catered-food
• Wellness/exercise programs
• Work-life balance tools
• On-site child care

However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have been forced to shift their operations remotely, possibly for a long time. In addition, statistics are showing that many employees are enjoying their remote workplaces, and would like to see remote work in some capacity even when the pandemic subsides. This puts business owners in a bind in terms of their benefits programs. They still want that added employee satisfaction/perks for talent prospects, but need to reevaluate exactly what benefits they provide. Here’s a look at some unique benefit options well-suited for remote teams.

Local merchant discounts: Local businesses like restaurants and retailers have been particularly hit by lockdown restrictions. As a result, we’re seeing a bigger push for people to support their local businesses as those restrictions get lifted. One way you can help facilitate this is by setting up a discount program for your employees. Many of these employees are more likely to shop locally rather than traveling further, so there’s a practical benefit on their end, as well.

Online workout discounts: Wellness has been on people’s minds a lot during this pandemic, and with gyms still being a hot topic in terms of safety, many people are opting for virtual workouts instead. Creating a plan that allows people to save on virtual workouts shows you are thinking about their immediate safety and long-term health. These also make for a great substitute if you had an on-site workout program that had to be cut short due to COVID-19 restrictions. Ideally, you want to create as reasonable a facsimile of your existing benefits plans as possible.

Home loan savings: While this isn’t the type of decision you can make on a whim, the fact that interest rates are at historic lows may mean some people already on the road to buying a home will want to pull the trigger now. Partnering with banks and credit unions to offer savings in these areas shows that you are thinking about their long-term plans. In addition, you can partner with banks and credit unions to provide benefits for other services, like additional perks with a new account or credit card.

Every business owner’s creativity is being tested during this time, not just in operations, but employee relations. As a result, business owners need to reconfigure their benefits plans in order to be as appealing as possible for remote workers, possibly for the long-term. The best way to create an appealing, remote-friendly benefits package is with options. Every business has its own workforce with unique preferences and quirks, and the better you can service them, the easier it is to keep them happy and see improved retention and recruitment.

At Passport Unlimited, we are the perfect fit to help make that happen. We work with over 5000 companies, national and local, to create benefit packages that you can provide to your employees. Choose a customized package of benefits and deals that your employees can use, even while working remotely. With our exclusive collections, we are the perfect partner for taking your benefits program to the next level.