In this post we’ll explore the best benefits for small business employees. We’ll discuss how your organisation and your workforce enjoy all the benefits that good perks can bring, for less.

Do Small Businesses Need to Invest in Employee Benefits?

A good business benefits package can:

• Boost employee engagement.
• Reduce staff turnover.
• Increase productivity.
• Decrease the risk of burnout.
• Help you attract the best possible candidates for every role.

Be sure to read our full guide to the 10 best employee benefits. We’ve also got a guide to the key employee benefit trends to look out for in the coming years.

Which Benefits are Best for Small Business Employees?

Ultimately, small business employees want the same things as all employees: flexibility, some recognition for their efforts and achievements, and a good work/life balance. So as a small business manager looking to build an employee benefits package, it’s really a question of finding the most cost-effective way to give your team something they’ll truly value.

Flexibility Benefits

In a recent survey, over a quarter of UK employees said they’d prefer flexible working arrangements over a pay rise.

Flexible working can be as simple as allowing your employees to work remotely either part-time or full-time. Or you could offer flexible hours, sabbatical opportunities, time-off for volunteering, or any other scheme that gives employees a say in how and when they work.

It’s all about championing a good work/life balance. And to this end, you could also think about your leave policy. You could offer more annual leave than your employees are entitled to on a statutory basis, and you could try to be as generous as possible with your parental leave policies.

Travel Insurance Benefit Options

If your employees often travel as part of their work, then travel insurance is a no-brainer. It will cover them for any unexpected expenses they may incur on their journey, such as a delayed flight, a missed connection, or lost luggage.

But some employers go above and beyond and cover their employees for their personal travelling. So if an employee takes a holiday, their business travel insurance can cover them for many of the risks they may face either at home, overseas, or in transit.

This is a particularly good employee benefit for small businesses. If a small number of employees are doing a large amount of work, then employees may be less likely to take leave. They may tell themselves that they’re simply too busy for a holiday. This, of course, will put them at a greater risk of exhaustion and burnout.

But if you cover your employees’ personal travel, you’ll send a strong signal that you expect them to take a well-earned break. It’s a subtle way of showing your employees you care, and it could contribute to a more energised and engaged workforce.

Learn more about travel insurance as an employee benefit.

Healthcare and Dental Cover

Whenever employees are surveyed about which benefits they value the most, they invariably rank health cover above all else.

It’s easy to understand why. With healthcare cover, employees can get fast-track round the clock access to a range of services, from diagnostics to high quality specialist treatment. There’s no need to worry about long waiting list, endless referrals, and expensive bills.

With healthcare cover, your employees can get the care they need as soon as they need it. You can also add dental cover to your staff healthcare policy to provide an even more comprehensive service.

Business healthcare plans have a reputation for being pricey. Many small businesses may assume that they simply cannot afford to give their employees such a benefit. But this is not necessarily the case. Read our guide to how you can save money on business health insurance. We also have a guide to how choosing the right type of plan can help you offer healthcare cover, for less.

We Help Small Businesses Offer Tailored Employee Benefit Packages

If you are a small business of 10 or more employees, we can help you put together a tailored employee benefits package that will enable you to attract and retain the top talent in your industry. We specialise in travel, healthcare, dental, and personal accident insurance packages.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you offer a truly outstanding employee benefit package.