Attract and Retain Employees With These 10 Benefits

An extensive list of the top ten employee benefits to help employers successfully attract and retain the best talents.

January 13, 2023
Press the button to generate random icebreaker questions.
There are 300 more icebreaker questions at the bottom of the article
How would you describe your job to a five year old?
What season would you be?
What is a weird food you have tried? Would you eat it again?
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Would you go in the mother-ship with aliens if they landed on Earth tomorrow?
What is your favorite season?
Do prefer working from home or the office?
What is your earliest memory of this job?
What is the best thing you have bought so far this year?
What is the earliest book you remember?
If you had to move to another country, which one would you choose?
You are the best criminal mastermind in the world. What crime would you commit if you knew you would get away with it?
What is your favorite movie genre to watch?
What was the last thing you ate?
What person from history would you add to Mount Rushmore?
What is a weird fact you know?
What is your favorite part of working from home?
Were the Spice Girls a good team?
Imagine you can instantly learn any language. Which would you choose?
If you could live in any state, which state would you pick?
Which fictional team is the best team of all time?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
What do you usually eat for a quick lunch?
What simple food will you never eat?
Show us the weirdest thing you have in the room with you right now.
Would you rather stay at a hotel or an AirBNB?
What is your favorite movie genre to watch?
Are you more productive in the morning or at night?
Who is someone in your community that makes a difference?
Who was your most unique pet?
Choose one famous person from history you want on your team during a zombie apocalypse.
What is a good way to give back to the community?
Which song could you listen to over and over again?
Is Hugh Grant funny?
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Would you want to have an imaginary friend today? Did you have one as a child?
What actor or actress would you want to play you in the movie about your life?
What is the best super power?
What is your New Years resolution?
You can only eat one food again for the rest of your life. What is it?
What is the best work holiday?
What is the first gift you remember receiving?
Would you rather join Metallica or Backstreet Boys?
What is the best example of a community you have seen?
What is an easy way to do something nice for someone?
Show us your phone background and tell the story behind why you picked this image.
What was your first job?
Pick any band to play at your funeral.
If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
Which superpower would you give to your arch enemy?
What is the most obscure superpower you would want?
What emoji best describes how you are feeling right now?
If you could live in any country, which country would you pick?
Would you rather live in a city or a town?
What is your favorite holiday?
What is something you accomplished as part of a team?
What is your standard office lunch?
What is your most used phone app?
What is your favorite season?
Have you ever won something as a team?
Imagine you are a professional baseball player. What is your introduction song?
Beach holiday or ski trip?
Have you ever been to a funny comedy show?
Would you rather live at the North Pole or the South Pole?
What is your favorite song to sing?
If you could live in any state, which state would you pick?
Imagine you could teleport anywhere. Where would you go right now?
What is the most unusual job you have heard of?
What was the last thing you ate?
You can visit any fictional time or place. Which would you pick?
What do your family and friends think you do all day?
What movie do you wish you could watch again for the first time?
Show us your most-used emoji.
What was the most unique style or fashion trend you ever embraced?
What movie defined your generation?
You are stranded on a remote desert island. Are you alone or with your worst enemy?
What is your favorite knock-knock joke?
Have you ever told someone Santa is not real?
Do you know how to speak more than one language?
On a scale of 1 – 10, how much of a team player are you?
What is your #1 recommendation in this city?
What is your favorite holiday?
What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next six months?
What is your favorite mythical creature?
What was the first way you made money?
If you could be great at any Olympic sport, which would it be?
Which song could you listen to over and over again?
When did you start liking/hating mushrooms?
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Do you take your PTO all at one time, or another way?
Which show do you remember most from your childhood?
Which beverage goes best with pizza?
Would you want to have a personal assistant follow you around everywhere and do what you asked of them?
Have you ever met your idol?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Would you rather live 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future?
What is your hobby?
When you are alone in the car, what volume is the music at?
Imagine you no longer have to work. How would you spend a Tuesday?
What is your favorite type of sandwich?

In today's business world, your company's valuable assets are no longer limited to its physical resources like buildings, stock, and equipment.

Employees are often the most essential resource to a company, and for good reasons - "With great employees comes great productivity and even greater customer satisfaction."

People want to work for employers who provide benefits that demonstrate their value by offering compensation packages that meet their needs. They also want to work for employers who realize how much company culture can affect employee motivation, loyalty, and retention rates.

So, how do you attract and retain employees with benefits other than company perks? Look no further!

In this article, we've put together a list of benefits your employees will love — and we're betting you'll love them too.

How Do Benefits Impact Retention?

Employee benefits should be at the top of the list as one of the essential employee engagement KPIs.

Benefits, perks, and compensation may seem like the last things on a job seeker's mind when looking for their next job, but that’s not the case. 

To adequately explain the importance of benefits on employee retention, check out this study by Metlife. It showed that 74% of holistically healthy employees are more likely to be satisfied with their job. 

When companies tie the benefits for employee retention with the overall employee engagement strategy and map out a cost-benefit analysis of employee retention, it becomes easier to incorporate the benefits seamlessly.

And companies that want to stay competitive and be more than just a job to their employees must put their best foot forward with relevant employee retention benefits. 

There are various benefits of employee retention and ways that employee benefits can impact retention. Some of them are:

  • Employees who feel valued at work are more engaged and productive, leading to higher retention rates, customer satisfaction, and better business results.
  • Employees who feel a sense of belonging and loyalty to the company are most likely to be more fulfilled at work, leading to higher retention.
  • Benefits reduce turnover rates by giving employees more reasons not to pivot to other companies—and low turnover rates = high retention rates.
  • Benefits are also a great way to engage disengaged employees and incentivize them to find the spark again.

What Benefits Should Employers Offer For Improving Employee Retention?

One of the most significant mistakes companies make is deciding what kind of benefit or benefit plan works best without considering the needs and preferences of their staff.

Various companies are beginning to go beyond the norm to tailor their employee’s needs and build relevant benefits. E.g., Using gamification to increase employee engagement wasn’t a common trend years ago. 

While employee retention is often a challenge, and there's no one-size-fits-all template for employees to offer their workers, there are areas that employers can focus their efforts.

According to a report by Metlife, there are five key areas that employers can address to build a more satisfying experience for their employees.

The five key areas, in order of importance, are:

  • Purposeful work
  • Flexibility & work-life balance
  • Social & supportive cultures
  • Career development/training
  • Wellness programs & benefits

While the above serves as a guide, it's not a call to compulsorily change your existing perks and benefits. Instead, companies need to customize the benefits to fit their employee's needs, the industry, and sustainability.

Often, the benefits you offer employees can be the difference between a good employee and a great employee. That's why it's essential to understand the benefits your employees want and what they value most.

When looking to create a benefits package to enable your brand to attract and retain top talent, it's essential to do some research. Here's a step-by-step way to begin:

Conduct your research -> Design a policy -> Implement & Promote

  1. Conduct Your Research: 

Firstly, start by including the question in your interviewing process. Ask candidates what perks and benefits they look forward to having.

Secondly, you can also conduct periodic in-house polls or surveys for employees to know what matters most to them - you may never know if you never ask!

Thirdly, it will be helpful to understand the benefits offered by other companies in your industry.

  1. Design A Policy: 

After researching and deciding what benefits your company will offer, it's important to document it.

A benefits policy is a document that outlines the terms, conditions and eligibility requirements for all of your employee benefits. It can be a simple one-pager. It provides clarity and accountability while ensuring that your employees understand the details of their benefits and how to use them.

  1. Implement And Promote: 

Lastly, after designing the policy and ensuring that your company is capable of handling it, the implementation phase begins.

Here, the company educates the employees on the different benefits they offer and how they can make the best of it.

Read: How To Take Advantage of the Employee Retention Credit

Which Benefits Attract And Retain Employees?

As employers expect candidates to put their best foot forward, the modern workforce has expectations as well.

So, providing amazing employee benefits is a great way to set your company apart, especially when the playing field is unequal financially. 

Ready to dive in?

Here are the top 10 benefits that can make a difference to your prospective and existing workforce.

  1. Health Insurance
  2. Retirement Benefits
  3. Vacation Time / Paid Time Off
  4. Remote Work Options
  5. Wellness Benefits
  6. Education and Career Growth Opportunities
  7. Employee Savings Account
  8. Flexible Benefits System
  9. Longevity perks
  10. Promote from within

  1. Health Insurance

Health insurance attracts and retains top talent because it shows that your company cares about its employees’ well-being. Employees who feel valued are often feel more loyal to their companies, which can lead to greater productivity, improved employee retention and better customer service.

Health insurance can be offered as a separate plan or as part of a group plan with other benefits such as life insurance, disability insurance and retirement plans.

  1. Retirement Benefits

A retirement plan is a program that allows employees to save money for their retirement. This can be done through either a defined contribution (DC) plan or a defined benefit (DB) plan.

Retirement plans are an important compensation package for employees because of their benefits for employee retention. They attract and retain employees by providing them with financial security in retirement. They allow employees to save for their future while they’re working, which means they don’t have to worry about saving money later in life when raising a family or paying off student loans.

  1. Vacation Time/Paid Time Off

Workers need time away from work to relax and recharge.  Even staff who work remotely get burned out and shouldn’t be left out - hybrid team managers understand this struggle.

According to a study by Zippia, 63% of employees said they’d turn down a job offer if it didn’t include PTO.

This is a vital benefit because employees who are sick or in crisis shouldn't have to choose between taking care of themselves or losing pay. They should be able to spend time with family and friends or pursue passions outside of work. 

  1. Remote Work Options

With many companies offering remote work options, this is one of the most popular benefits. Though it can be challenging to manage, remote work can offer many benefits for employees and employers alike.

It gives employees flexibility and allows employees to spend more time with their families and other loved ones.

  1. Wellness Benefits

The benefits of a wellness program go beyond the physical health of employees. If your employees are happy and healthy, they will be more productive and satisfied with their work, increasing morale and the bottom line.

Wellness programs improve employee engagement, reduce absenteeism and reduce health costs through early detection of illness. They are one of the holy grail benefits of high employee retention.

  1. Education And Career Growth Opportunities

Assisting your employees in their career or educational growth are great ways to encourage your employees and show how much you care. It's also a great investment for the future.

Companies can provide tuition reimbursement or reimbursement for certification programs. Some companies also offer mentoring programs to help employees improve their skills.

  1. Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are a popular way to incentivize employees while reaping the benefits of staff retention. They are also an effective way to increase loyalty, morale and productivity.

Employee Stock Ownership plans allow employees to buy shares of their employer's stock. And employees are more invested in your company when they have a stake in its success.

  1. Flexible Benefit Systems

Flexible benefit systems are a key component of a strong employee value proposition. 

Employees can tailor their benefits with flexible benefits plans to meet their specific needs and circumstances. Employers offer options to workers and they can choose their benefits based on their lifestyle.

  1. Longevity Perks

Employee longevity is a key indicator of employee engagement. And in this era of job hopping, rewarding long-standing staff is like a two-pronged sword. You're appreciating them for their efforts as well as their loyalty.

You can do this by offering certain benefits or incentives when an employee reaches a certain milestone in their career with the company.

  1. Promotion From Within

Promoting from within helps companies retain talent and build employee loyalty. It seamlessly shows how benefits affect employee retention.

Promoting from within the company helps creates a culture where employees are inspired to work hard and do their best because they know that their efforts will pay off.

When you promote someone from within, it benefits the company as well. The employees already understand the company's values and they can hit the ground running.

Going Beyond The Salary

The salary is an essential consideration when hiring staff but employee benefits are more than just a paycheck. They are the kind of attention to employee needs that stand out in a talent acquisition environment.

Employee benefits often serve as the benefits of employee retention programs, increasing employee retention while helping employees thrive.

So, companies looking to stand out will need to go beyond the salary offer in order to attract and retain not just good, but great talent.

Browse our Free Employee Recognition Guide

Get the foundational knowledge on creating an employee recognition program that boosts employee engagement and helps them feel valued.

Explore Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Assembly SOC 2 compliant?

Yes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.

What's the ROI for employee recognition?

There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.

Does Assembly offer longer-term contracts?

Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs.

The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.

Does Assembly offer onboarding support?

We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.

How much do rewards cost?

At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis.

The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.

Does Assembly offer discounts?

We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

How do I cancel my plan if needed?

If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist.

If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at support@joinassembly.com.

What customizations are available?

Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!

Who can give or receive recognition?

While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here.

What integrations are available?

Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.  

Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.

What's your average adoption rate?

That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.

Must rewards be set up to use Assembly?

They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.

Are points required to use Assembly?

No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.

Could find the answer you are looking for?

Please schedule time with an expert and we will help you to get all your questions answered