3 Less Common Employee Benefits That Can Help You Attract Employees

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If you're an employer looking for ways to attract top-quality employees to your business, you already know that benefits are the key to attracting the best workers in a competitive field. Health benefits and retirement benefits are at the top of everyone's list, but sometimes it's the smaller, less common benefits that can set you apart and give you an edge with a worker who's debating many similar offers. Take a look at some of the less common employee benefits that you may want to consider adding to your current benefits package.

Group Auto Insurance

Offering group auto insurance can be a win for both employers and employees alike. If you have a large number of employees, you may be able to negotiate a very competitive rate for them with an insurance company that provides group auto insurance benefits, so workers get a great deal on their car insurance just for being employed by your company.

However, usually workers pay their own car insurance premiums, including any extras they decide to add on to their policy. Employers don't pay part of the premiums the way that they do with health insurance. That means that you can offer this benefit to your employees at relatively low cost to your company. You get to offer a benefit that nor many other companies are offering, which can help you stand out from the crowd, it doesn't come with a high price tag, and the employees get a tangible benefit in the form of competitive auto insurance rates. Everyone wins.

Workplace Wellness Programs

Workplace wellness programs take many forms, from onsite physicians or nurses to company gyms to health fairs, smoking cessation programs, and stress management initiatives. What they all have in common is a focus on helping employees live a healthy life in and out of the workplace.

If you're already offering health insurance, you may be wondering why you need a wellness program too. There are several answers. One is that employees who participate in these programs are more satisfied with their jobs and overall benefits packages. Another advantage is that you may be able to offer lower health insurance premiums if you're also offering a workplace wellness program. More than 60% of companies whose workplace wellness programs included an onsite doctor or nurse said that they were able to lower health insurance premiums, and 55% of companies with onsite gyms are able to lower their premiums. This may be why many insurance brokers recommend workplace wellness programs to their clients. Since health insurance premiums are a big expense for both employees and employers, this is definitely a benefit that can attract new employees and benefit your company at the same time.

Free Food

Sure, not many people are going to take a job just because they get free food, but sometimes it's the littlest things that give you the edge over the next company. Packing lunches or figuring out how to fight traffic to and from a restaurant and have time to enjoy a meal in the space of an average lunch break can be a pain. And how often do employees end up getting something unhealthy out of the breakroom snack machines when they don't have time to put together a healthy lunch? You can make your employees' lives a little easier and improve their health by offering nutritious food on site.

Free food as a job benefit can take different forms. If you're a large company, you may consider putting in a cafeteria or partnering with a local restaurant to have healthy food delivered regularly. If you're a smaller company, you might consider just purchasing things like bottled water, yogurt, granola, and other healthy snacks in bulk and filling the break room fridge and pantry – you can sell them to your employees at cost and give them an option that's cheaper and healthier than the nearest snack machine or drive-through window. Some companies have even had success with onsite vegetable gardens. Interested employees can weed and water plants in their down time – an activity that can dovetail nicely with a workplace wellness program – and your employees will have fresh produce available for salads or snacks.

A great health insurance plan and retirement plan are important, but they're just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attracting top-tier employees. Take a look at your benefits package and see how you can add to it to make your company more attractive. For more information on group benefit plans, check out a site like http://www.laprescali.com.

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9 March 2016