Champion your workforce with these 5 free benefits

I started working when I was 15 and for the next 10 years was an hourly worker in the recreation and hospitality industries. I was privileged enough to not worry about when I would receive my next paycheck, but many of the people I worked with did not have that comfort. That one, or multiple, hourly jobs, in most cases at minimum wage, was how my co-workers provided for their families and if something came up like a medical bill or car repair, that next paycheck couldn’t come soon enough. 

Over the last 11 months, the world has seen this stress on hourly and frontline workers compounded. As an employer to these individuals, you are a champion of the deskless, frontline and hourly worker, a value that we at Skedulo and our partner Rain, share. 

We understand the thought of providing additional employee benefits at this time may not be a priority, but what if there were a handful of FREE things you could add to your benefits package that could boost morale, help retain talent, and show your family of employees that they are a priority?

On-Demand Pay 

As I mentioned before, Skedulo has recently partnered with Rain, a like-minded, employee-first, organization that is working to eliminate predatory financial products, like payday loans. 

At no cost to you, you can provide your employees with an on-demand pay option, through Rain. Their innovative app empowers employees to access advances on upcoming paychecks without having to collect high-interest payday loans or incur overdraft fees.

When an organization signs up for Rain, at no charge, employees simply download the app and can start collecting advances on their upcoming pay immediately.

A pay on-demand option, like Rain, is an easy and free way for employers to help alleviate some of that paycheck-to-paycheck anxiety. 

Recognition

Providing recognition will make a continued positive impact on your workforce. 

In no way does this recognition need to be monetary. A pat on the back, “you’re doing a great job”, or “we really appreciate you”, can do so much to give an employee the confidence they need to continue performing at their best. 

“Employee of the month” programs are a great way to show this appreciation from leadership as well as colleagues. At Skedulo, we recognize individuals through our Skedgend program. Each month Skedulo employees nominate peers within the company who embody our organizational values and the winner is announced on the monthly all-hands call and are sent a trophy to commemorate their performance.

At a time when most businesses are counting on employees to do more with less, work harder and longer, and keep it all together during incredibly tough times, giving back (however small) can make all the difference in helping your people and your business find a way through. 

Flexibility

According to a recent Skedulo study, 51% of all workers say their job satisfaction has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. This rises significantly to 64% for workers who have been required to return to the office rather than being allowed to continue to work from home.

Several studies confirm that flexibility is a key driver for employees in choosing to work for and stay with an organization. With this in mind, building flexibility into your company culture can be just as effective as any other tangible benefit.

Flexibility can include a lot of things – flexible work schedules and hours, flexible Zoom camera policy (sometimes showing your face feels like a lot), even flexible pay schedules. With Rain and earned wage access, employees can reach financial independence by determining when they want to get paid, breaking traditional payroll frequencies. 

Especially during times of crisis, employees need to know they are trusted to work from home and can create a work, or pay schedule, that makes sense. Life happens, and the further you can go to show your employees that you understand and sympathize with them, the happier they will be. 

Pay Cards

Approximately 25% of American households are either unbanked or underbanked, according to the FDIC. That means as much as a quarter of your staff might not have traditional bank accounts or be able to receive direct deposit.

Not only does writing paper checks make it harder for employees to collect wages, it adds unnecessary administrative time and costs for your payroll team.

Introducing a pay card benefit means employees can access a card that functions like a debit card but is not connected to a bank. The card will only be reloadable by you, the employer.

Our partners at Rain are introducing a card program of their own which allows employees to collect their wages via direct deposit, accessible via a debit card. They can also collect those wages any day of the week, rather than waiting for their paycheck. 

Career Guidance and Support

Personally, I am not a fan of the “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” question. But if a manager is asking me this with a goal of understanding my desired career trajectory and is also willing to provide advice and direction of how to meet those goals, that goes a long way and also helps me answer this question for myself. 

Career path mentorship can show employees that you are willing to invest time in their growth and reassures them of their longevity with your organization. No matter what line of work you’re in, regular one-on-ones with employees to discuss questions, concerns, and career options can go a long way towards improving retention rates.

Opportunities for personal development can also offer widespread advantages. These could be as simple as a free webinar that teaches new skills or inspires them to be more productive each day. 

Be a Champion of Your Workforce

Life can be tough, even more so now, but we are all in this together and small acts of kindness and appreciation can make a world of difference. As an organization that employs frontline, deskless and hourly workers, you have the opportunity to be a champion of your workforce. Making some additions to your company culture and employee benefits program can help to attract, retain and empower your talent. 

Learn more about our partner Rain and how we are working together to champion deskless workers here.