Rethinking your employee benefits for post-COVID-19 world

COVID-19 had an immediate impact on the workplace by shifting employees from the office to the home. Even though active numbers of infections are subsiding, we’re beginning to see the pandemic may have a lasting effect on the workplace and how, where, and when people work. The crisis also has opened up new opportunities for employees to work remotely. With current labor shortages in mind, you may want to revisit your benefit plans and decide whether to expand them in the post-COVID-19 world to retain and attract new talent. Here are some benefits you may be thinking about or may want to consider.

Choosing where and when to work

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many employees were forced to work from home in response to government shutdown orders. Now that the orders have been lifted, some members of your workforce may prefer to continue working from home to (1) avoid a commute, (2) attend to childcare, elder care, or other home obligations, or (3) simply be more productive. In fact, in a recent survey by Blind, a majority of employees (about 64 percent) at top-tier companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook would opt to continue working from home over receiving a pay raise.

Telecommuting is just one type of flexible work arrangement. Others may include a compressed workweek, flexible scheduling, or a hybrid home/work arrangement. Employers considering flexible work arrangements should: