Revolution in Employee Benefits!

The new technology sector has been setting standards in company-employee relations for years. Traditionally, this industry has had the most non-salary additions to pay, and it is the first to start shifting the employee benefits system to the realities of the new normal.

1. Remote work itself is no longer a benefit

Just a year ago, the most popular employee benefit for programmers was… the ability to work remotely. The employee's market and the nature of work facilitating distributed operations meant that in the IT industry there were relatively many companies allowing people to connect with the company from home. The moment the possibility became standard practice forced by the pandemic, the remaining add-ons were also revalued.

- Offers with a remote work option always enjoyed much greater interest than the others. However, there were situations where people working from home did receive a company computer, but “on-site” benefits, e.g. fruit or lunches in the office, could pass them by - explains Olga Żółkiewicz, Employer Branding & Employee Experience Consultant at 7N.

Remote work for those who want it, or practiced only from time to time, is very different from the remote work we know today. Companies therefore began to take care of employees differently.

2. Better recognition of employees' needs

Better recognition of employees' needs

Until recently, the symbol of an employee benefit was a pass enabling use of a gym and other sports facilities. It is no secret that a significant portion of the holders of these cards did not fully use their offer. It was similar with other bonuses - granted top-down to all employees, they often did not match their needs and interests.

The uselessness of some services offered as an addition to remuneration, which became especially visible during lockdown, prompted companies to review their practices in this area.

- At first, we followed the needs reported on an ongoing basis by our employees. Currently, we approach the topic more comprehensively: we study what our consultants and employees need, and on that basis we prepare a new strategy of activities in this area. We also look at what is happening with benefits in the IT industry in Poland and around the world - says Olga Żółkiewicz from 7N.

3. Medical care understood holistically and supported remotely

Medical care understood holistically

Private medical care packages commonly offered by IT companies, which were already very willingly used by programmers, gained in popularity last year. The view is also increasingly widely shared that employee health is not only a matter of fighting diseases, but also general well-being.

- Many HR specialists are currently interested in the possibility of obtaining online psychological support for the employees of their companies. Demand for such services is growing rapidly. This is a consequence of having to stay at home for a longer time, the inability to change one's surroundings and break away from everyday life, which puts some people in a negative mood. We ourselves have started testing this type of service, which was received very warmly - notes Olga Żółkiewicz.

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Some large companies have also added consultations with a dietitian to their benefits package, because in remote mode, and especially during forced lockdown, some people have difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits, which also affects their health.

4. Home deliveries facilitating work and integration

Home deliveries facilitating work

An employee benefit that took on new meaning during the pandemic is concierge, that is, assistance with various everyday errands. The most frequently used assistant service is doing shopping and delivering it to the door, which helps effectively combine professional work with childcare during remote school.

Some companies give employees special sets of various products that may be useful in remote work or simply make the time more pleasant.

5. A cafeteria instead of a fixed package

A cafeteria instead of a fixed package

In some companies, employee benefits were suspended or eliminated, justified by the need to cut costs during the crisis. Often, however, non-salary add-ons are being restored, but the approach to them is becoming more flexible. The pandemic has made the cafeteria, i.e. a set of benefits to be chosen by employees themselves, gain in importance. In the range of available options, the number of services available remotely has increased significantly. In the packages we will find, among others, access to online libraries, e-language courses or professional skills courses, access to VoD platforms, vouchers to selected stores or e-shops awarded with a view to equipping a home workstation.

Summary

The pandemic revalued the benefits system in the IT industry. Remote work ceased to be a distinguishing feature, and companies such as 7N began to study employees' real needs instead of imposing packages top-down. Interest in online psychological support, dietitian consultations and concierge services is growing.

In place of fixed packages, a cafeteria is appearing, allowing choices among options such as e-courses, online libraries or vouchers. This is a signal that flexibility and individualization are becoming the standard in building company-employee relations in the new reality.