Creating a workplace where employees thrive: How benefits packages can help 

Employee Benefits Business Job Career Concept.

Meeting employees’ physical, mental and financial needs is key to boosting engagement and cutting turnover – Frank Mengert reveals how benefits can drive organisational success 

Every business wants to have a highly productive workforce. But in order to achieve this, organisations need to be willing to take certain steps to ensure their working environment is something their employees can thrive in. 

Benefits packages are a great way to promote the improved wellbeing of staff and build a more engaging company culture 

Although reducing the presence of toxic attitudes and investing in leadership training are two important aspects of achieving an optimal working atmosphere, there are other initiatives the business can incorporate to better support their employees. Benefits packages, for example, are a great way to promote the improved wellbeing of staff members and help to build a more engaging company culture that everyone enjoys being a part of. 

Boosts employee wellbeing 

When you take the time to put together a comprehensive benefits package for your employees, you’re actively contributing to improving their physical and mental wellbeing. Although a competitive salary on its own can help provide employees with additional financial support for healthcare, employee benefits offerings can often provide much more affordable and holistic levels of healthcare coverage.  

Some of the potential benefits you could offer include: 

  • PTO arrangements: While Paid Time Off (PTO) isn’t a legal prerequisite for every US state or the UK, this doesn’t mean that employers can’t still offer this provision in addition to their employee benefits offerings. Providing employees with the ability to take time away from work while still receiving compensation can help them to better balance their professional and personal commitments without adding the financial pressure of a smaller paycheque.  
  • Wellness programmes: There are a number of wellness programmes that businesses can incorporate into their benefits offerings to help employees prioritise their self-care routines. These programmes help to facilitate access to on-site fitness centres or subsidised gym memberships to encourage employees to prioritise their physical health.  
  • Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs): EAPs provide confidential support for various issues, including stress management and relationship problems, offering employees a valuable resource they can use to help them address personal challenges that may impact their worklife. 

By providing access to these helpful resources through your benefits packages, you’re taking the necessary steps to help employees improve their overall wellbeing in and out of the office. This often translates into a much happier workforce and more improved productivity. 

Improves financial security 

Financial stress is common for many people today. However, if left unchecked, this issue can easily occupy your employees’ attention and distract them from being able to put their best foot forward. 

Creating an attractive benefits package can help to address certain financial security issues your employees may be having and make them feel more confident in their ability to stick with the company long-term.  

Offering retirement plans (such as 401(k) in the US and pension contributions in the UK) is a good way to help employees feel more secure with their financial future. This provides them with more stability and minimises the chances they’ll start looking for alternative employment.  

Businesses can also consider adding financial assistance programmes to help their employees with financial planning, budgeting or debt management. All of these support mechanisms help employees eliminate unneeded stress in their lives, which naturally helps them to focus more on thriving in their roles and achieving more for themselves and the organisation. 

Promotes better work-life balance 

Offering flexible work arrangements, such as hybrid scheduling of the ability to work remotely, lets employees take more control over how they complete their work throughout the week. This added flexibility and convenience can greatly reduce work-related stress and increase job satisfaction. 

Providing generous paid time off is another important element when trying to create a better work-life balance for employees. By considering offering more than the bare minimum standard for paid holiday or sick days, employees feel less pressured throughout the year and can take the time they need to fully recharge.  

For employees just starting a family, offering additional paid parental leave is also a highly valuable benefit. This gives mothers and fathers time to bond with their children without needing to sacrifice their financial wellbeing. This shows your employees how much you value their contributions and adds the human element to a business’s identity. 

By putting a high priority on establishing a healthy work-life balance, organisations create a workplace where employees feel truly respected. This leads to increased engagement, reduced burnout, and significantly reduced staff turnover.  

Facilitates more employee growth 

When offering benefits that encourage continuous learning or professional skill development, organisations prove they’re committed to investing in their employees’ future and encourage them to improve their day-to-day capabilities. 

Tuition assistance programmes, for example, can help employees take more initiative when working on themselves, whether it’s getting a degree in a certain specialisation or taking short-term professional development courses. This not only provides them with new skills but also can improve morale, showing all employees that the company actively supports their ability to better position themselves for higher-paying roles in the company. 

Some of the ways you can incorporate these initiatives into your benefits packages include: 

  • Providing opportunities for employees to attend workshops, conferences and online courses.  
  • Offering mentorship programmes that pair employees with experienced mentors inside or outside the organisation can provide valuable guidance and support for career development.  
  • Investing in leadership training for high-potential employees to prepare them for future management roles. 

Supporting employee growth helps create a more engaged and motivated workforce. This also helps businesses to continuously see more returns on their invested time and resources when growing their teams. 

Creates a sense of belonging 

Giving your employees a strong sense of belonging is crucial when creating a thriving workplace where everyone feels connected to shared business objectives. Benefits play a key role in establishing belonging. 

When employees feel that their physical, mental and financial needs are being considered, they are more likely to develop a strong sense of connection to their colleagues and the organisation. A good way to ensure this happens is by gathering employee feedback on benefits offerings This not only helps to ensure that the benefits packages are constantly aligned with employees’ needs but also shows your team that their opinions really matter. 

Build a thriving workforce 

Prioritising the wellbeing of your employees is an important investment in your company’s future success. Integrating comprehensive benefits packages not only helps your employees to thrive in the roles they’re in but also ensures you maintain a positive company culture long-term. 


Frank Mengert is the founder and CEO of ebm 

Frank Mengert

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