Guest post by Brad Krause.
Whether you’re a new business owner or a veteran, regardless of company size, you want the best, the most sustainable workforce you can get — and often, that means hiring millennials. Job seekers today look beyond the position and want benefits that will let them achieve balance at work and in their personal lives. According to Pew Research, this trend started when the millennial generation took over the U.S. workforce in 2016. So here are some of the benefits that attract this generation to your company.
1. Offer Continuing Education
One of the biggest perks employees look for is educational benefits. This could mean offering tuition assistance to those seeking to earn or finish a degree. All employees appreciate having skills training available to boost their professional development and their careers. Such investment shows your workforce that your business is interested in their professional growth and gives them the opportunity to boost the company’s success with their new skills.
Offering your employees access to online courses and degree programs allows them the flexibility to learn at their own pace. It enables them to advance their education while working full-time and taking care of their family or personal life.
2. Provide Financial Planning Resources
Most millennials have the desire to retire at a younger age than their parents did. They understand investing early and letting compound interest build their retirement funds is the way to achieve that goal.
Providing access to professional financial planning resources helps employees invest wisely for their future. Giving them the tools to learn how to make smart money choices helps eliminate their stress about finances.
3. Create a Holistic Wellness Program
A company wellness program attracts job seekers of all ages. One way to start one is to create a wellness committee to plan on-site activities for the year, such as:
- Health screenings
- Vaccinations
- Health fair
- Weight loss meetings
- Fitness challenges
This digital generation is used to going online or to a smartphone for information. Offer your employees access to digital wellness programs they can watch at any time. Include topics on healthy eating, fitness, stress management and mental health issues. Offer discounts on apps that monitor their health or provide calming stress relief. Provide access to a counseling service so employees have someone to talk to when dealing with tough life issues.
4. Give Family-Friendly Benefits
This generation saw their parents work too many hours and are committed to maintaining a work-life balance. They want a successful career and a fulfilling family life and look for family-friendly benefits from an employer. If possible, have childcare available at the office or work with local providers to get discounts for employees. Give paid parental leave for new mothers and fathers. Those without children appreciate pet perks, such as offering pet insurance or allowing employees to bring pets into the office.
5. Allow Paid Volunteer Opportunities
Millennials love to give back to causes they are passionate about. To meet that need, organize company volunteer events for individual and team participation. Give a set number of individual paid days off to allow employees to volunteer on their own projects.
Employees at larger companies enjoy opportunities to donate to charitable organizations and receive a company match too. They also look for companies that donate to worthy causes that make life better for those in need.
Adding some or all of these benefits to your business can draw millennials to your business. It also helps you retain this talented workforce once they are hired and ensure that your business is ready to face the future.
About Brad
Brad Krause created Self Caring after years spent putting his own self-care on the back burner. His goal now is to educate people on the importance of self-care by providing tips and tricks that are easy to implement.
Image via Pexels
