Courtney Shipshock, Author at PerkSpot

5 Employee Gifts That Aren’t Bonuses

Courtney Shipshock November 20, 2019

Sometimes, it feels like we were just celebrating the Fourth of July and then we blinked and it’s the holiday season! As the end of the year approaches, HR professionals are hard at work filling their offices with holiday cheer. And the one thing that’s at the top of many lists? Employee gifts!

And while 94% of employees in a recent survey said they want some form of seasonal gift, remember that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bonus to make your employees feel valued and appreciated. Plus, for many companies, a unique employee gift aligns more closely with the company culture. Check out some out-of-the-box options that will have your employees smiling for the rest of the year!

Holiday Party

What better way to celebrate the end of the year than a company-wide holiday party? You may be thinking of the costs associated with something like this. However, it’s possible to keep a holiday celebration under budget! If possible, utilize your own office space and suggest a potluck, encouraging employees to bring in their favorite dishes to share with their coworkers. You can even hold a gift exchange like a Secret Santa or White Elephant – make sure to include a modest value for the gifts so employees don’t feel pressured to spend big bucks on anything. This is a great way for your employees to get together outside of the normal work hours and celebrate the holidays!

Extra PTO

According to a recent survey, almost 30% of employees said what they’d most want from their company is a few extra hours here or there to spend with their loved ones. As a holiday gift, offer employees an extra vacation day or close the office slightly early leading up to the holidays as a special treat. Work tends to slow down as the quarter comes to a close, so you likely won’t experience a strong impact in output, and you’ll have some happy coworkers who return from their holiday refreshed and ready to get back to work.

Charitable Donations

You know what they say – this is the season of giving! So why not give back on behalf of your employees as their gift? You can make a small (or large!) donation to the charity of your employee’s choice in his or her name, or choose a few options and give them the choice. Bonus points if you pick charities that give back directly to your local community! Not only are you paying it forward in a big way, but your employees will appreciate your charitable thinking. If you want to make it a bit more personal, you can even schedule a day of volunteering at a local charity where your employees can give back themselves.

Productivity Gifts

For some employees, there’s nothing better than unwrapping an actual, physical gift. Make it a win-win and seek out gifts that your employees will love and you can enjoy as well. For example, do you ever hear of employees complaining of bad backs or sore wrists due to typing at their desks all day? Give them a new ergonomic keyboard or chair! Is your sales department dying for branded apparel they can wear to important client meetings? Try presenting them with a branded polo or vest! These are gifts that they’ll enjoy and use, plus they’ll appreciate knowing that you’ve heard their requests throughout the year!

Rewards & Recognition Dollars

Sometimes, a monetary gift really is the way to go! But instead of simply writing your employee an impersonal check, why not use your Rewards & Recognition program to say happy holidays? Not only can you customize it by including a personal note of gratitude and appreciation, but it also gives your employees the opportunity to redeem for a gift card for a number of different stores! Whether they want to treat themselves to something special or use it to help them for holiday gift-buying, rewards and recognition credits give your employees the freedom to buy what they want and the knowledge that they’re being recognized for a job well done. Want to learn more about rewards and recognition programs? Get started here!

Holiday gifts can be a tough thing to navigate, as you want to reward and recognize your employees, but still find something that feels unique to your company and culture (and doesn’t break the bank). Try any of these options and you’ll have some happy employees!

How to Improve Employee Wellness This Winter

Courtney Shipshock November 7, 2019

We set our clocks back over the weekend, which means the days are shorter, the air feels colder (for most people), and for some, it can be hard to keep both their physical and mental wellness in check.

While employee wellness should be an important subject to keep in mind all year long, there is no time more crucial than the winter. In fact, December and January are two of the three most popular months for employees to call in sick, according to a study by CareerBuilder. Of course, employee health is the top concern when it comes to this problem, but it can also affect other areas of your business. Poor productivity, heightened absenteeism, and a decrease in overall performance are all connected to a dip in employee wellness. Learn how to keep the physical and mental health of your employees a priority during the winter!

Sponsor an Employee Flu Clinic

Do you hear an increase in sniffling or coughing throughout the office? Even though winter hasn’t actually arrived, flu season is already upon us. According to CNBC, its peak hits between December and February. Get ahead of it by offering your employees a flu clinic – the sooner the better! For optimal employee participation, choose a day when most of your employees are in the office or, if your employees are part-time, offer the clinic over the course of a couple of days so they can take advantage of the perk!

Provide Healthy Office Snacks

One of the most popular resolutions people set for themselves each year is to have a healthier diet, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until January to encourage your employees to eat a bit healthier. In fact, most offices will probably notice an uptick in unhealthy eating as the holidays near, what with leftovers and snacks being passed around. Help your employees get a jump start on their resolutions (and improve their wellness!) by offering nutritious, well-balanced snacks. This can range from simply leaving fruit out to finding a service that caters the snacks to your office! Want an insider tip? Check with your company’s insurance provider. Some will actually offer a discount to your company for providing those healthy snacks.

Start the Mental Health Talk

Physical health isn’t the only part of wellness you should address in your company. Over 3 million people a year are impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder, some to the point of major depression. Mental health is an incredibly important topic, and it’s vital that you address it as such within your company. Make a point to have open, honest conversations with those who want to participate about what they’re going through. Emphasize the fact that you’re happy to talk privately with anyone who may need to do so. If this problem personally affects you, make sure you keep your health a priority, adjust your goals, and set realistic expectations for your work!

Offer Wellness Discounts

This winter, give your employees’ physical, mental and financial wellness a boost. As winter rolls in, your employees might feel tempted to skip their normal workout, or even cancel their gym memberships due to high costs. A perks and discounts program can help combat this issue. You can offer employees exclusive deals on things like gym memberships and workout equipment! Encourage your employees to utilize their discounts to save money while they focus on their wellness by communicating the program throughout your company. If you’re interested in implementing this program into your benefit suite, click click here !

Winter can be hard on your employees, and it’s easy for their wellness to fall to the wayside. Not only can these tips help improve your employees’ mental and physical health, but they can also improve the overall productivity and performance of your company. It’s a win-win for everyone!

How to Keep Your Company Culture as You Grow

Courtney Shipshock October 17, 2019

For a small business, the process of scaling up is one of the most exciting endeavors your company can undertake. It means you’ve been so successful that people want more. This is reflected in the need to grow your product, your workforce, and your sales! But with growth can come some unexpected problems. One tough one is learning how to scale your culture to match your burgeoning company. Check out these tried and true tips to get started!

Hire with Culture in Mind

Any growing company knows the importance of hiring the right talent as they scale up. But many recruitment and HR professionals tend to make the fatal mistake of hiring anyone who fits the job description, without keeping culture in mind. While there may be several candidates that can adequately fill an open role, not every single one can both fit and add to your own company culture. So how can you make sure they’re the right candidate? Incorporate your company’s values and mission into interview questions to get an idea of how the candidate responds to them. Don’t be scared to place a strong emphasis on your culture and values. That way, the interviewee understands what they mean to the company. But an emphasis on company culture shouldn’t end with an offer letter! Include instances of your company culture in the entire onboarding process. For example, explain office dress code, vacation policy, and any other unique features that you feel gives an indication to how your company runs, both internally and externally. This starts new hires off on the right foot and gives them immediate exposure to your culture.

Communication is Key

When your company consists of five or 10 people, communication is rarely a problem. However, as you scale up, you might start to notice that there’s a much stronger need for a communication method that keeps all employees up to date and informed of important matters. Your communication approach should also give employees the opportunity to speak openly with executives in the office. Whether it’s a monthly, company-wide meeting, an open-door policy, or another format that uniquely fits your company, make sure you create some sort of process that inspires transparency, openness, and communication among all employees.

Connect Office Space to Culture

Many smaller companies don’t just experience growth in employees or sales figures – many will literally grow out of their office space and choose to relocate to a new space that fits their size better. If this is the case for your company, don’t forget to bring your culture along with you! Don’t just make an identical replica of your old office. Instead, work on finding ways to adapt your culture to your new office space. If your culture stresses the value of communication and collaboration, an open office format will point to that. If you enjoy bringing a tone of levity into the office, consider implementing pet-friendly days or regular office get-togethers, like happy hours or game nights that utilize your office space (if possible).

Recognize Outstanding Employees

It’s no secret that recognition can improve engagement, morale, and even productivity among employees. But it can also be a useful tool that conveys your company culture. Make an effort to visibly recognize those employees who you feel embody your company’s values. It’s especially important that you do so in a way that fits in with the company culture. For example, at PerkSpot, we have multiple forms of recognition. The first is the option for any employee to recognize any of their coworkers for a job well done! This cross-departmental recognition creates a culture of appreciation throughout the entire company. We also choose to highlight one specific, outstanding employee each week, who went above and beyond to complete their work in a way that represents our values well. Not only does this affirm to each individual employee that the work they do is important and appreciated, but it also gives their fellow colleagues a good understanding of what kind of words and actions align with the culture of your company.

Any company that is in the process of scaling up should be proud of the growth they’ve already seen! But now comes the tough part – making sure that, as you grow, you remain loyal to the culture and values you started with. Follow these helpful suggestions to keep your company culture intact as you grow!

How to Save Your Employees Money

Courtney Shipshock September 18, 2019

A recent report by Willis Towers Watson discovered that almost a quarter of surveyed employees fell into the “high-stress” category when it came to dealing with their finances. Unfortunately, that financial stress tends to pervade nearly every aspect of an employee’s life, including – obviously – their work. And the stats don’t get any better. Employees who are struggling financially will lose 41% of work time compared to their less-stressed counterparts. Plus, they’re more likely to have low engagement and productivity levels. Whether we like it or not, an employee’s financial struggles can easily become an HR problem. Want to fix that? Check out the top 4 ways you can easily help improve your employees’ financial wellbeing by saving them money!

1. Flexible Schedule

HR professionals already know the importance of a flexible schedule. Not only does it provide the opportunity for a better work-life balance for employees, but it can actually improve productivity and engagement. But there’s another unexpected upside to allowing your employees a bit of flexibility in their scheduling: it saves them money! The option to work remotely or choose your own hours means employees don’t always have to commute into work, so they can save on gas or public transportation costs. What’s more, the necessity for child or pet care, which is more often than not a costly expense, is dramatically reduced. If you’re looking for an easy way to help your employees save, consider implementing a flexible scheduling option!

2. Financial Advising

Many employees develop their financial stress simply because they don’t feel educated enough on the topic. When this is the case, the best thing you as an HR professional can do is offer them as many resources as possible. To begin, get a good understanding of the kind of financial advice your employees want with a survey. From there, you can find a myriad of options that will provide financial education to your employees. Depending on your employees, this can range from budgeting advice, saving tips, investment suggestions, or retirement plan help. Not only can these lessons benefit your employees’ financial wellness, but a less financially stressed employee will be more productive and more engaged.

3. Referral Bonuses

As an HR professional, you probably know the importance of acquiring talented employees for your open roles. But did you know that the most effective way to recruit talent is through your current employees? Not only do employees understand their employer’s brand, culture, and needs, but they also know whether their referrals are equipped to fill open roles. Incentivize your employees to refer the best possible candidates by offering a referral bonus and encourage them to put it towards something important, like monthly payments or a savings plan. You can help put money into your employees’ pockets and find fantastic candidates all in one fell swoop!

4. Perks and Discounts

One of the best ways to help your employees save money is to offer them discounts in the places they spend the most money. But that can be difficult when you have a diverse workforce with different needs. Some employees may want to save on big-ticket items like automobiles or insurance. Others may want savings on smaller, everyday items like groceries, electronics, and other categories. That’s why an option like a perks and discounts program is perfect. Employees can search for the discounts that apply best to them and use them as they see fit.

Everybody knows how difficult it is to concentrate on work and other responsibilities when financial stress is weighing heavily on their mind. Therefore, it’s important that an employer takes the necessary steps to relieve employees’ stress when they can. If you don’t already, try implementing these different suggestions in your company to improve financial wellness, engagement, and productivity!

The Data Behind Why an Employee Perks and Discounts Program Works

Courtney Shipshock September 11, 2019

As an HR professional, there are several areas that are always top of mind. Talent attraction, retention, turnover, employee engagement, and productivity, just to name a few. A perks and discounts program has the potential to improve those areas, and we’ve got the data to prove it. Check out these 5 statistics that prove the ROI on an employee discount program.

Seventy-eight percent of surveyed employees said the employee benefits package is very or extremely important in their decision to accept or reject a job. (EBRI)

The job market has turned so that employers must compete for the best talent they can find for open roles. So, what does this have to do with employee perks and discounts? Quite a bit, actually! When you’re competing for great candidates, it’s important to know what they’re looking for. And it turns out, more than three-quarters of candidates want to see a developed employee benefits package that’s more than your typical run-of-the-mill, traditional benefits. Do this by beefing up your benefits offering with a voluntary benefit like an employee perks and discounts program, and you can use it as an added bonus that comes with any role your company offers!

Eighty-five percent of employees felt their benefits package failed to provide the support and flexibility required to meet current and financial obligations. (Barclay’s)

Consider your current employee benefits package. How does it help support the financial wellness of your employees? If you don’t feel great about your answer, that’s probably because your benefits package doesn’t offer the right options. And unfortunately, it’s not just your employees that are being affected by this. When an employee brings stress over their financial situation into the workplace, it hurts productivity, engagement, and your bottom line. Worrying about finances at work can cost an employer approximately $2,000 per employee. By investing in a free employee perks and discounts program, you can show support for your employees’ financial wellness and help out your bottom line in the meantime.

Ninety-four percent of millennials and 92% of Gen X’ers say nontraditional benefits make employers more attractive. (ICIMS)

Gen X’ers and millennials currently make up the two largest generations in the labor force, so HR professionals should be doubling down on their efforts to attract and retain those candidates. But attracting candidates who are in two dramatically different stages of life is difficult. Whether your employee needs assistance financing their mortgage, helping out an older family member, or saving on a gym membership, they’ll have those options available to them. An employee perks and discounts program makes it possible to provide an attractive benefit that people of all ages, incomes, and career stages can enjoy.

Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost US employers $1,685 per employee per year, or $225.8 billion annually. (CDC Foundation)

Perks and discount programs and employee health and wellness might not seem to be very connected. However, there are more connections than you may think. We know how important the health and wellness of an employee is, both to employees themselves and to the company they work for. So important, in fact, that health and wellness initiatives have been on the rise in the past couple of years. Companies are working hard to put an emphasis on the overall wellbeing of their employees. Finding a perks and discounts program (like PerkSpot!) that offers discounts on gym memberships, healthy snacks, and more allows a company to essentially kill two birds with one stone: you can offer a unique benefit and make it easier for your employees to live a healthy lifestyle!

Seventy-three percent of employees say that customized benefits increase their loyalty. (MetLife)

Every HR professional knows that a loyal employee is an employee they want in their workforce. With concerns like retention and turnover being so high, loyalty in an employee is a quality that can’t be beat. What’s more, a disloyal employee can end up costing a company more than you’d think. To replace an employee, a company usually must expend an average of thirty-three percent of that employee’s salary. Instead of focusing on how to replace the employees you’ve lost, work on retaining the ones you currently have! Incorporate an employee perks and discounts program into your voluntary benefits and improve the loyalty of your employees.

These statistics clearly show the benefits of an employee perks and discounts program. If you’re interested in learning more about how an employee discount program could work for your company, click here!

Why PerkSpot Offers Open Vacation

Courtney Shipshock August 28, 2019

When the name of your company is PerkSpot, it’s understood that you’re going to offer some pretty good perks to your employees. One of our company-wide favorites? Our open vacation policy! Check out why PerkSpot chooses to offer this and why it could be the right PTO policy for your employees!

But first… what is an open vacation policy?

An open-vacation policy is tough to define, but we’ll do our best. Essentially, a company that offers open vacation doesn’t create a specific amount of days that its employees can take off. The policy can vary from company to company. Some refer to it as unlimited vacation. Others suggest a general amount of days but don’t dock employees for choosing to take more or less, and some have their own customized vacation policy that includes other guidelines. Here are our top reasons for offering open vacation!

1. Encourages Work/Life Balance

In a recent poll by Gallup, over 60 percent of surveyed employees said they feel burnt out at work sometimes, very often, or always. One of the best ways to combat burnout? Unplug! At PerkSpot, we place a strong emphasis on creating a good work/life balance, and using a vacation day (or three!) gives employees a chance to do this. Whether PerkSpotters choose to use their time off relaxing on the beach, exploring a new city, or immersing themselves in some quality self-care, it’s okay by us!

2. Boosts Company Morale

Simply put, employees like vacation! That’s no surprise to anyone, but what might come as a surprise is how much offering a perk like open vacation can improve both company morale and employee loyalty. Employers who offer open vacation must instill a good amount of trust in their employees and the fact that they won’t take advantage of it. Similarly, employees who receive such a great perk will go to great lengths to ensure it’s something they use, but don’t abuse. It’s a win-win for both employer and employee!

3. Improves Work Skills

Believe it or not, an employee’s work can actually improve from taking time out of the office to relax. According to an internal Gallup done by Ernst & Young, year-end performance ratings improved by 8 percent for every 10 hours of vacation time an employee took. Plus, they found that vacation-goers were less likely to leave the firm than those who rarely used their vacation days. What’s more, traveling can help improve an employee’s flexibility and communication skills and provide them with a new perspective.

An open vacation policy is a great perk, but it’s not something that will work for every company. If you choose to implement it, be sure to include guidelines about proper communication and planning before any vacation is taken so that it’s a smooth and easy transition. Happy vacationing!

Tailoring Your Employee Benefits Communications Strategy for Non-Traditional Employees

Courtney Shipshock August 21, 2019

A recent report discovered that the turnover rate is the same in organizations that don’t offer employee benefits and those that do, but don’t effectively communicate them. There’s a good chance you have an employee benefits communication strategy in place. But what if it’s not the right one for your employees? Check out this simple guide to tailoring your communication method to your non-traditional employees. It can ensure your employees make the most of their employee benefits!

For remote employees

In 2018, it was reported that 3.9 million Americans worked from home to fulfill at least half of their working hours. Anyone who has worked remotely knows the advantages: more flexibility, productivity, and engagement. But, from an HR professional’s perspective, it raises some difficulties. How can you properly communicate with an employee that you rarely see? It might be hard, but it’s definitely not impossible.

Want to effectively communicate your employee benefits to your remote workers? Turn to the digital possibilities. Remote workers are typically glued to their phones and/or work computers during their working hours. Therefore, digital communication works well here. However, that doesn’t mean you can send a quick ping and hope that the job is done! We recommend a user-friendly website or portal that houses all of your employee benefits offerings. Use email communication to consistently remind remote workers that this exists and is a great resource for any questions or concerns regarding benefits.

For part-time employees

Unlike remote workers, most part-timers aren’t in front of their computers all day. It’s also likely that their benefits suite differs significantly from that of a corporate employee. Whether the benefits you’re offering are run-of-the-mill or part of a more unique voluntary benefits suite, they can be instrumental in helping to retain your employees. In an industry like retail, where the part-time employee turnover rate sits at over 60 percent, employee loyalty is a must.

Want to effectively communicate employee benefits to part-time employees? Reach them at their place of work with physical pieces of communication. Make them specific and interesting, and offer an easy call to action so your employees understand the next steps they should take to learn more about benefits programs. You know your employees best, so consider what you could create that would inspire employees to engage – flyers, posters, and electronic displays are all great ideas you could execute. Give some thought to where to place them so your employees see them.

For gig employees

In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic spike in the number of gig workers that make up the workforce. In fact, online surveys believe employees who reported engaging with gig work the month before make up between 25 and 30 percent of today’s workforce. However, nearly 9 out of every 10 gig workers has another form of income, meaning the benefits you offer are more than likely supplemental benefits. Keep in mind, these supplemental benefits can be a great tool to attract more employees, so it’s important you communicate them to both prospective and existing employees.

Want to effectively communicate employee benefits to gig employees? Take advantage of the method of communication you currently use to send messages and other important data. For many gig employees, this will be an app or website easily accessed on smartphones or mobile devices. Because they are already comfortable using this platform, it makes the most sense to seamlessly introduce benefits communications to it. Be sure to give ample indication to employees that their benefits can be accessed on an app. Assist them by providing a guide that explains just how to browse through the offerings.

According to SHRM, only 19 percent of employers believe that their employees have a high level of understanding regarding their employee benefits. In addition, 80 percent of organizations reported that their employees don’t even open or read their benefits communications. One possible reason? The communication strategy was developed without employees in mind! When it comes to your non-traditional employees, make sure you strongly consider how they best digest and engage with employer communications and develop your strategy around that.

Don’t forget, PerkSpot is here to help! We realize the importance of tailoring a communication strategy explicitly for the employees. That’s why we have a team of account managers dedicated to creating communications that work for your workforce. Click here to learn about what we can do for you.

4 Questions to Ask Your Employees When Creating a Rewards and Recognition Program

Courtney Shipshock August 14, 2019

Here at PerkSpot, we’d like to think we’re something of an expert on rewarding and recognizing employees. We know a rewards and recognition program can improve areas like talent acquisition, employee retention, turnover, and engagement. But where do you start? Begin by surveying your employees, who are the people that will most directly benefit from this program. To get started, check out these four questions.

What motivates you?

One of the most important components of recognizing employees is doing so in a way that feels valuable and motivational. After all, your aim with a program like this should be giving your employees a reason to continue to put forth great performance and reward them for doing so. But to make your program successful, it’s important to know what motivates your employees. Once you have a good understanding of that, you have a much better chance of developing a rewards and recognition program that has a successful and profitable outcome.

How do you want to be rewarded?

It’s easy for an employer or HR manager to guess how their employees want to be rewarded and they might be close to the mark with their guesses. However, if you truly want to reward your employees the right way, it’s important to know what kind of rewards they want. For some, it could be perks, like company outings or vacation days. Others might prefer monetary rewards. For example, consider a yearly bonus or recognition directly connected to quotas or goals. The aim here is to show your employees your appreciation. Do this by giving them something you know they would enjoy.

How do you want your rewards communicated to you?

This question dives deeper into the nitty-gritty of your recognition, but it’s an aspect that should be acknowledged. Your employees may have different preferences for how openly you choose to recognize them. Studies show recognition should remain largely public, as this incentivizes other employees to work towards optimal productivity. However, some employees might prefer more private recognition for their accomplishments. Therefore, it’s vital you check with your employees to confirm they feel comfortable with how you communicate their rewards, both to them and to the rest of the company.

Who do you want to reward you?

Odds are, this answer will dramatically differ depending on the size and structure of your company, so you should take into account the culture of your company when you ask this question. A more relaxed work environment may find employees prefer to receive recognition from all levels: CEO, manager, or coworker. In a more corporate or structured workplace, employees might only feel recognition from their managers makes the most sense. Your aim with this question is understanding whose recognition will have the most impact on work output and productivity for your employees.

When you ask your employees these questions, it’s important to remember that there are no wrong answers. Instead, keep in mind that these answers will help you shape the ideal rewards and recognition program for rewarding your employees. If you’re looking for guidance, or you’re interested in learning about PerkSpot’s Rewards and Recognition platform, click here to learn more!

Lessons We Learned From Our Summer Interns

Courtney Shipshock August 1, 2019

July has officially wrapped up and August has begun. We’re starting to see back to school commercials on TV and school supplies filling the shelves. That can only mean one thing – internships at many companies, PerkSpot included, are coming to an end. While we will be sad to see our interns go, we’re so appreciative of the lessons they taught us during their time at PerkSpot- and here are some of the most important ones:

1. Ask Questions

When an intern comes into your company, they’re bound to have a question or two … or twelve! A new workplace, new responsibilities, and new faces can equal a lot of confusion for someone, and we loved watching our interns learn how to adapt and acclimate to our workplace. But most of all, it was very refreshing to experience people in the workplace who weren’t afraid to ask questions when they didn’t know the answer to something or wanted to dive deeper into a topic or project. In the workplace, there can be an incredible amount of pressure to know the answers at all times. When did we stop asking questions? Asking the who, what, when, where and, most importantly, why, of something helps us create and innovate. It’s how we continue to move forward instead of getting stuck in the same place. Take a page out of our interns’ books and ask a question whenever you’re unsure!

2. Be Enthusiastic

The beauty of an internship program is that interns get to try their hand at several different projects and tasks. Often, doing so helps give them get a better understanding of what they do and do not enjoy, so they can make better decisions about the roles they’d like to pursue in their careers when it comes time to do so. As we assigned tasks and asked for help in various projects from our interns, we loved the enthusiasm they displayed. No matter how big or small the task, our interns strived to give their 100 percent, every time. Sometimes at work, the things we do over and over again can feel menial and tiresome. We forget the excitement and sense of achievement that we felt the first time we completed a task perfectly on our own and watching our interns do so reminded us of that. Adopt the enthusiasm of an intern and you’ll enjoy your workload you work on a bit more.

3. Make Connections

As our summer internship program wraps up, the LinkedIn requests and emails with contact information have come rolling in! Our interns made wonderful connections this summer, with their coworkers, managers, and fellow interns, and they’re working hard to make sure those connections remain intact and strong as they leave our office. But connections like these shouldn’t stop just because you’ve lost your intern status. Networking is part of the professional world, and an important part at that. Make a concerted effort to form connections with those that you work with, as well as people who work in your field and can relate to the work you do every day. Not only is it enjoyable to have coworkers and friends you can celebrate and commiserate with, but you just might find that you’ll need their assistance in your professional life one day!

4. Invest in Yourself

One of the most important elements of an internship program is helping interns grow themselves as working professionals. They’re constantly seeking out opportunities to gain skills or develop the ones they currently possess. They dive into projects they might not be completely familiar with just so they can gain experience and know-how. When was the last time you gained a new skill? We encourage you to be like an intern: be open to taking on new skills, both in your professional and personal life, that can help you grow as an employee and person.

We can’t believe that our summer internship program is almost over. It feels like just yesterday that we welcomed our interns to the office, and soon we’ll be wishing them good luck on their journey. But PerkSpot is extremely fortunate to have had their skills and talents in the office, if only for a short time. Us PerkSpotters will be sure to take the lessons they taught us to heart, and we think you should do the same! What did your summer internship program teach you?

The Key To Recruiting Top Candidates

Courtney Shipshock July 25, 2019

We all know how important recruitment is for a company. The core of any company is its employees, so a good recruitment process is key to a successful company. But finding the right candidates isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, HR Dive reported a talent shortage was one of the top concerns of organizations going into 2019, and by the looks of it, that concern has remained strong as the year enters its half-way point.

So how can recruiters be successful as they seek out talented candidates for their open roles? We think we know one solution – and it’s easier than you think! A perks and discount program is one tool you can leverage during your recruitment to acquire the best talent possible. Check out why!

1. Demonstrates an Investment in Employee Financial Wellness

Did you know 85 percent of employees admitted to feeling anxious about their personal finances, which often interferes with their work? On top of that, 33 percent of respondents said they worry about their finances more than once a week! For almost any employee – and candidate – finances can be a stressful subject. But not all companies can invest in their employees’ financial wellness through monetary benefits, like a bonus or raise in salary. An easier and less expensive solution is a free perks and discounts program that finds other ways for employees to save, namely in the important purchases they’re making on things like cars, vacations, and everyday items. Showing your candidates an investment in their financial wellness will help increase their attraction to your organization!

2. Encourages Employee Work/Life Balance

Almost half of HR leaders say between 20-50 percent of their employee turnover is due to workplace burnout. And when job seekers begin looking for a new job, what is one of the top qualities they look for? A recent Glassdoor study found that 47 percent of respondents said a work-life balance is a top-selling point for organizations they’re considering. But that balance is a difficult thing to strike for employers. Believe it or not, a perks and discounts program can help with this. When employers encourage employees to use a program that offers discounts in categories like travel, health and wellness, and personal hobbies, they’re thus encouraging their employees to pursue their interests outside of work that will keep them healthy and offer a source of relief from the stress that can come from the workplace.

3. Keeps Company Competitive in Recruitment Efforts

With such a strong talent shortage taking place in the recruitment field, finding a way to remain competitive in the hunt for talented candidates feels like a never-ending battle. Companies can easily tout a great work culture or a development program. In fact, we firmly believe all companies should do so! But how can you separate your organization from the crowd? Offer a competitive voluntary benefits suite, perks and discounts program included, that helps round out an already enticing offer for your top candidates. Over half of respondents to a Glassdoor survey said they strongly consider the perks and benefits included in a job offer before accepting. Guarantee a positive response to your next offer letter by including a benefit like perks and discounts in the voluntary benefits you provide!

Every organization knows the importance of recruitment, both to their culture and their bottom line. If you’re looking to improve your employee recruitment, especially during a time when it’s becoming increasingly difficult to secure the best candidates, start leveraging your perks and discounts program as a recruitment tool! And if you don’t offer a perks and discounts program, now is the time to start. Click here to learn more about PerkSpot’s perks and discounts program.