Perks To Include in a Remote Employee Benefits Package

Remote work has turned out to be a huge hit. In fact, ever since remote work got mandatory worldwide due to COVID, many organizations reported a 47% increase in their productivity.

What does that tell you?

Irrespective of where they’re located, there’s no stopping dedicated employees from giving their 100% at work. This is where you could be their source of motivation that helps them keep up the good work.

We’re talking about introducing perks and policies that favor your employees and help them lead their lives smoothly and come back to work with a fresh mind.

Let’s discuss all that in this article, along with seven perks you can include in a remote employee benefits package to make your workplace the happiest place.

Let’s dive in.

Why should you offer perks to remote employees?

Who doesn’t love and appreciate perks? However, if they’re coming from an employer, employees do feel special and are more inclined to work there.

• Your employees, no matter where they’re working, should start acknowledging the fact that you care for them.
• Your remote employees realize how invested you are in them despite the distance and are ready to offer solutions to all their problems.
• Offering perks and other benefits sparks motivation in your employees to put in their best efforts and engage in their workplace activities.
• Remote employees often miss out on traditional office perks and social interactions. By offering perks, you can boost their job satisfaction. This motivates them to stay with the company in the long run, reducing turnover and associated hiring costs.
• Perks also induce a healthy work-life balance, considering how remote work tends to blur the boundaries between work life and personal life. Your employees will thank you for maintaining a laid-back work environment.
• Offering attractive perks helps you stand apart from your competitors and become a top choice for job seekers.

7 perks to include in a remote employee benefits package

Wellness programs

Remote work can be very exhausting. Often, employees lose track of time and end up working around the clock to meet deadlines.

In most cases, it’s not the extra work that causes burnout—often, employees working remotely find it hard to get the work done due to the mundane work environment and lack of workplace interaction.

As a result, burnout happens, and employees find it hard to put in their best efforts and work collaboratively with other team members.

Additionally, about 25% of US employees feel their employer doesn’t care about their well-being, which makes them unhappy with their job and impacts their performance.

This is your chance to be their knight in shining armor by introducing wellness programs that promote and support their overall well-being.

Here are some ideas for you:

• Include memberships for the gym, yoga classes, meditation apps, and various wellness aspects you can think of. For healthy eating and saving on our meals simultaneously, offering your team members a discount code for veggie & plant-based meals could add variety and convenience to their wellness routine. This way, they can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without the hassle of meal prep.
• Offer access to counseling services, stress management workshops, meditation or mindfulness sessions, and resources on mental health awareness.
• Help your remote employees set up ergonomic workplaces that prevent physical strain and body aches. It’s better if you offer webinars on best postures, desk exercises, and so on to educate them on this topic.
• Initiate health challenges and come up with a reward system for those who actively take part. This encourages everyone in your team to be involved in team activities. For instance, you could take advantage of healthy meal prep kits delivery services so that each remote team member receives nutritious food that’s easy to enjoy post-work. Employees could set their own weight loss goals, and those that reach major milestones could be gifted an ongoing subscription to such a service.

Token vesting to incentivize employees

Token vesting is a common practice used in startups or organizations operating within the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. It’s mainly used to incentivize employees by distributing tokens or equity over time.

Here’s how token vesting for employees works:

• When an employee joins the company or receives a specific performance-based reward, they are granted a certain number of tokens, or equity units. These tokens can be in the form of cryptocurrency tokens, company shares, or other tradable assets.
• The tokens are not immediately accessible or transferable to the employee. Instead, a vesting schedule is established, indicating the duration over which the tokens will gradually become available to the employee.
• The vesting period encourages employees to stay with the company for a minimum duration before becoming eligible for any token rewards.
• As each vesting milestone is reached, a portion of the tokens becomes accessible to the employee.

It’s important for companies to communicate the details of the token vesting arrangement clearly to employees to avoid any misunderstandings. Additionally, companies should consider legal and accounting advice when implementing token vesting programs to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and tax laws.

Professional development opportunities

Learning never stops, and the more your employees are updated about the industry, the better they’re going to perform. As a responsible employer, make it a priority to provide your employees with access to various kinds of learning materials that can help them get better at their jobs.

This can benefit both parties—you and your employees:

• Your employees will upskill and grow in their careers while holding you in high regard. They’ll appreciate you investing in their career growth, which will reflect in their work and productivity.
• You and your clients will be happier than ever with the quality of work your skilled employees will deliver. It’ll help take your business to new heights and generate a massive ROI.

Flexible working hours

Working 9-5 is old news. Today, remote employees enjoy the flexibility of working at their own convenience.

The reason is simple.

When an employee works from home, they’re bound with several other responsibilities and chores apart from office work. Unexpected and unplanned errands get in the way, and it all becomes overwhelming in no time.

However, if an employee has the freedom to log in around noon and finish up work late at night, they’ll be far more productive than working 9-5.

Think about it—add flexibility to your workplace and see productivity spike.

Co-working space memberships

A change of scenery works wonders for remote employees. Especially when they’re in a different city from your office branch, it can get pretty monotonous working from the same desk every single day.

This is where co-working spaces come in. With their office-like infrastructure and fancy cubicles, they’re perfect for times when your employees want to ditch the mundane.

You can allot them a membership for a couple of days a month, so they know they have the option to work from a different space a few times a month.

Additionally, you can tie up with a popular co-working chain to get corporate discounts and encourage your employees to check them out. Often, these co-working spaces have programs and events happening that are sure to be enjoyable.

Visual team-building activities

Who says team-building exercises are only for on-site employees? Distance doesn’t matter when it comes to socializing and connecting with your team. All you need is a strong internet connection and a working laptop. Additionally, you need a good team collaboration tool that allows you to video call, share files, chat, and interact in real time with your team members.

Here are some tips for conducting team-building activities or games for your remote team:

• Form a book club where you all read a book every week or month and discuss it over the phone.
• Come up with an interesting movie game or something to keep the vibes entertaining and fun.
• Celebrate birthdays and milestones through team video calls and send goodies to them.
• Organize virtual events or webinars, allowing them to learn a new skill or engage in new initiatives.
• Have frequent coffee chats where you all check in on one another and discuss life in general.
• Encourage employees to share their ideas and suggestions for process improvements or new initiatives.

Employee recognition programs

Employee recognition programs are initiatives designed to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions, achievements, and efforts of employees within an organization. They help boost your employees’ morale and help them stay motivated at work.

Here are some suggestions for you:

• Assign the employee of the month/ year/ quarter. Display their photos and achievements in a prominent place within the office or on the company’s intranet. They’ll be stoked to see that.
• Don’t forget to recognize the efforts of entire teams that collaborate effectively and achieve significant milestones together. Host team celebrations or provide team-based rewards for their accomplishments.
• Offer opportunities for employees to attend conferences, workshops, or courses related to their interests or career growth as a form of recognition.
• Recognize employees’ loyalty and commitment by celebrating their work anniversaries with a personalized gift of limited and luxurious flowers or a special event.
• Consider providing performance-based bonuses or profit-sharing as a more substantial form of recognition for exceptional achievements.

Make your remote employees feel appreciated

In situations where words become difficult to get through, rewards and recognition make it easy to share the sentiment. As for remote employees, the best way you can show your gratitude to them is by offering perks that work in their favor.

Before deciding on which perks you should go for, it’s always a good idea to sit down with your team and consider their notion of a perk. Consider what an ideal workplace scenario is for them and tailor your policies accordingly.

Remember, happy employees are always the best performers.