4 Benefits New Candidates Will Be Looking For In A Post-COVID World

Human resources professionals are responsible for many different tasks within a company. Specifically, HR specialists are responsible for the employee lifecycle, which includes recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, retiring, and firing—as well as administering benefits.

No matter which way you look at it, meeting the needs of employees is just what HR departments do.

However, with the global influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for new innovative ideas and a hands-on approach in terms of HR is needed more than ever. 

From remote working opportunities to additional healthcare options, take a close look at the types of benefits new candidates will be looking for in a post-COVID world:

Remote Work Opportunities

Adjusting to a new normal hasn’t been easy, and if you are one of countless employees who have had to make the switch to remote work, you now realize the multiple advantages your home office can have. Employees finally have the freedom to work their own way, and many are thriving in these fairly isolated conditions. Whether it’s finally being able to work for the company of their dreams despite being in a different location, or being able to take care of their children during the day without having to completely rely on childcare, it’s no question that people are starting to see the upside to remote work.

Relocation Benefits 

With the health crisis affecting the large metropolis areas most directly, some people are looking to relocate to places where they can be closer to family or have more space—within their homes or outside. And with the number of companies switching to remote work permanently, this is more of a possibility than ever before. 

Whether it’s a resource hub on your website that includes online listings of houses for sale in the local community or actual monetary aid to help spur their move, there are plenty of ways a company can support new employees during a relocation. 

Flexible Work Hours

With the introduction of remote work to many employees’ lives, some have found it difficult to turn work off at the end of the day and enjoy their time at home untethered to their job. With flexible work hours, employees may have a better chance of creating some much needed work-life balance. 

Flexible hours can mean anything from adjusting hours to better meet daily responsibilities to cutting the work week short once a month with a four-day weekend. Having the option to move hours around without sacrificing either personal time or efficiency is quickly trending to become a major asset to HR departments. In fact, studies show that giving workers the flexibility to create their schedules actually boosts productivity in most cases. 

Healthcare Options

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still alive and well—all the more reason to expand the healthcare options that your company provides. Within this, a greater array of healthcare options being made available to workers is sure to take center stage for many candidates while researching potential employers. Include things ranging from concrete services such as dental, to more abstract concepts like talk therapy, tele-health, or even yoga. Your company should even consider health care options that are on the employees’ terms to utilize, like online wellness subscriptions or gym memberships. If and when the time comes to face another health crisis, it will definitely pay to be over prepared rather than totally unequipped.

Want more tip & tricks for how to offer benefits virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic? Click here to download our ebook, HR’s Guide to Virtual Open Enrollment & Benefits.