Health and wellness perks help attract and retain staff
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Employers are responding to today’s tight job market by offering better health and wellness benefits, according to new research released by the Society for Human Resource Management.
SHRM’s 2018 Employee Benefits Survey found that 34% of organizations increased their overall benefits in the last 12 months. When employers added offerings, they were most likely to increase health-related benefits (51%) and wellness benefits (44%).
Seventy-two percent of respondents said retention of current employees was one of the main reasons they increased benefits; 58% cited the need to recruit new employees.
Wellness benefits are popular offerings. The survey found that 75% of employers offer wellness resources and information or a general wellness program. Over the last year, substantial increases were seen in company-organized fitness competitions and challenges. This year, 38% of employers offered them, compared to 28% in 2017. The prevalence of CPR/first aid training increased seven percentage points, from 47% to 54%. The “sitting is the new smoking” movement got a boost this year, as use of standing desks increased from 44% to 53%.
Online resource Download the complete SHRM survey at shrm.org/2018EmployeeBenefitsSurvey.
