Give the people what they want!

It is hard to imagine that 2022 is just around the corner. Just the other day it was 2019 and everyone was speculating what the new decade would look like, and here we are well underway and heading to 2022!

Businesses were especially hard hit by the sudden Covid 19-restrictions and had to either adapt or close down. Not only did the changes in the work environment impact the operational side of businesses, but also raised questions for HR departments. Pre-2020 one of the big debates within the HR sector related to the possible benefits vs risks of working from home. Fast-forward and few months and that argument seems to be all but settled, with working from home being the norm rather than the exception.

So, what does the future hold for HR? Understandably the changes that occurred in society had — and will continue to have — an impact on the workplace, and HR practitioners will be in the hot seat to navigate these issues.

A constant topic of debate within HR is benefits, and considering the significant changes in employee management and employee relations recently, you can be sure that as we head into 2022 benefits will again be high on everyone’s agenda. Here are some aspects to consider when planning benefits for 2022:

1. Mental health

Since the onset of the pandemic there has been a lot of focus on the mental health of employees. During 2020 many employers implemented various initiatives and programs to assist employees with their mental health, and research shows that these initiatives will only expand in 2022. Recent surveys further reveals that employees rate mental health programs as a priority when it comes to company benefits; with some suggestions ranging from regular free counseling sessions to mental health days. It is clear from the available data that employee mental health will be a high priority in HR come 2022.

2. Life experience over work experience

One of the consequences of having employees working from home is that employers gained a greater insight into their employees’ home lives. Another such consequence is that an employee’s home life now has a greater impact on their work performance than it did before. It is therefore no surprise that employers started to move towards benefits that support an employee’s life experience rather than just the work experience. With most employees continuing to work from home, it is expected that the so-called life support initiatives will become more commonplace within the context of employee benefits.

“For some people, the need for company benefits outweighs the need for the salary” — Will Hays

Multi-Generational Management

When considering benefits there is one component to keep in mind. For probably the first time companies face having a workforce potentially consisting of five generations, from so-called traditionalists born in the 1940–50’s, to the more recent Gen-Z’s (born 2000’s). With such a massive age and generational gap within a workforce, navigating all the requests and demands can be a full-time job and even distract from other important issues.

Since the emergence of Millennials in the workplace there has been many an article and interview published discussing how to manage the difference in expectations between Millennials and other generations. However, recent surveys showed that there are many aspects that overlap from one generation to another. It is therefore advisable that HR departments shift their focus to the similarities that exist between the different generations, rather than running the gauntlet of managing the difference. One thing is very certain: HR cannot successfully manage employee benefits without managing the multi-generational workforce.

With the majority of the workforce working remotely, the risk of employees becoming disengaged is greater than ever. Offering benefits that do not meet the needs of employees can easily lead to a disinterested and unmotivated employee base. This in turn can lead to a drop in productivity and an increase in staff turn-over. HR practitioners should make a concerted effort to ensure their HR department remains in touch with employees and that employees still feel like part of the team despite them working from home.