Being a responsible employer is a hard ask these days.
There’s so many boxes to tick.
And at Public Practice Recruitment Ltd we’re all about helping our clients become the very best employers so that they can attract and retain the very best accountants that the market has to offer.
But we’re also all about the easy wins. So in this article we wanted to suggest a few ideas for how you can offer additional wellbeing benefits to your staff on the basis of minimal effort and maximum reward.
First let’s consider why wellbeing benefits matter.
The world of accountancy in 2022 is revolutionised. The market is entirely candidate driven and there are serious shortages of talented accountants, particularly in the fields of tax and audit. Average salaries are at record highs and we’re seeing brilliant candidates having several enticing job offers to choose between.
So when you find someone that you think will make a first-class addition to your team, you need more than just an excellent financial package to make sure they choose you.
And post COVID, wellbeing matters to people more than ever. They’ve seen the difference that a little work life balance can make to their quality of life. They’ve learned the hard way that being mentally and physically fit isn’t something that they can put off until later in their life. Health is wealth and the days of professionals working themselves into an early grave through stress and bad lifestyle choices, for the most part, are well behind us.
So adding wellbeing perks to your employee value benefit is a must in 2022.
So here’s our ideas for a few easy wins.
Make wellbeing your go to for staff get togethers and team building.
Yes, lots of your staff will enjoy a well earned trip to the pub at the end of a hard week and though that might be how some would choose to boost team morale and get to know colleagues, we recommend that it’s a social event best saved for Christmas.
Instead consider how you can boost team morale with events such as team challenges – maybe a sponsored walk or bike ride or swim. Instead of offering to take your staff out for a meal to reward them for hard work, why not lay on a wellbeing day with workshops on how they can manage stress and invest in their self care?
Look to bolster the support systems of the people who work for you too – perhaps offer a family fun day or allow your staff to get to know each other on a deeper level by opening the doors to one of your Partners’ homes for a staff bbq each summer. If you staff feel like you care for them and the people they care for, they will enjoy a greater sense of workplace wellbeing.
Make it easy for your staff to stay physically fit.
Register for the Cycle to Work Scheme and offer your employees the opportunity to sacrifice some of their salary, tax free, to purchase cycling equipment for their commute.
Consider teaming up with a nearby gym to arrange a subsidised membership, personal training or classes just for your team members.
Consider setting up a staff five a side football team or a netball team.
Invite a yoga instructor in to the office to do a weekly class or a masseur who can give desk based 5 minute shoulder massages.
Don’t forget to offer inclusive physical health benefits too, if you have members or your workforce who suffer with a disability, you’ll want to ensure you find a way to ensure they are welcomed too.
Fill your staff room with fresh fruit as opposed to biscuits and sweets. And make sure cool water is readily available.
Mental health is just as important as physical health.
Make sure your line managers receive training in active listening and that your staff have regular opportunities for one to ones.
Encourage an open system of communication and ensure that your culture is free of blame and shame. Create methods to collectively learn from mistakes and share best practice of how to handle significant events.
Offer subsidised or free access to counselling and make sure that your policies and procedures recognise stress as a contributing factor to mental illness.
Be as flexible as practically possible. Hybrid working, core hours, jobs shares and part time working all boost employee wellbeing.
A healthy workforce creates healthy growth. Your staff will be happier, more efficient, productive and well received by your clients when they look and feel well so make sure that you prioritise workforce wellbeing at every opportunity.
For more help and support on creating a well workforce, take a look at the Wellbeing at Work section of our Employers’ Hub.
And for help showcasing your brilliant package of wellbeing rewards to our database of talented accountants looking for a new role in practice, contact us today.
