According to new research a staggering 42% of companies don’t measure staff appreciation of benefits.

It takes time and resources to offer benefits to staff, and, in addition to helping companies support their staff, they are also an excellent recruitment, retention and engagement tool. If companies don’t measure how much they are valued, they’re missing a trick, says GRiD, the group risk protection industry body.

Support recruitment and retention

Asking which benefits are most appreciated gives employers great insight. It can show which benefits are understood, whether or not they add any value for an employee, and which ones are most relevant – to a workforce as whole and to specific demographics. It can help employers decide which benefits to enhance and which ones could be ditched. It is therefore surprising given the money spent by organisations that there is not more scrutiny on their effectiveness or perceived value.

“Companies that engage their staff see a greater appreciation”

When companies are competing for talent, employee benefits can be a great differentiator. A comprehensive employee benefits package demonstrates how much a company cares about its staff and can be a reason to join.

When employers don’t know which benefits are valued, they don’t know which are going to work harder for them when trying to recruit. The same applies when they’re looking to engage and retain their workforce.

So it’s crucial that employers understand how much their employee benefits are appreciated.

Asking staff shows increased appreciation

Companies that engage their staff see a greater appreciation. Of those that do measure staff appreciation, 55% believe their staff value their benefits very much. Of those that don’t measure, only 25% believe their staff value their benefits very much.

Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD said: ‘When employers don’t measure how much their benefits are valued, they’re only really doing half a job. Offering them is one thing, but it’s crucial that employers know which ones are adding value to their company.’

Hassle vs Insight

One of the reasons that may hold employers back from measuring is the perceived hassle, time and cost of doing so. But companies have done the hardest work in choosing which benefits to offer and sourcing them in the first place; measuring appreciation doesn’t have to be complicated, and help is available.

A relatively simple set of questions asking employees which benefits they believe they have, and which ones they value can provide great insight – not only into which current benefits are appreciated, but also which others might be relevant.

Moxham concluded: ‘It’s often the case that employers seek to offer a package that accommodates different generations and sectors of the workforce but there are some benefits that every member of the workforce needs, regardless of age, position or salary, such as group risk protection benefits, which help employees and their families maintain their financial resilience in the event of death, long-term sick-leave or diagnosis of a critical illness.

‘Understanding what staff need is key to ensuring that what’s offered is relevant.”

If you need guidance on how to structure an employee benefits package tailored to your workforce advo can help. In the first instance contact Jamie Tuffield, advo’s head of employee benefits on jtuffield@advo.co.uk