Shawnee Love   •   July 26, 2019

Almost every employer seems to be feeling the pinch of a desperately low unemployment rate which is making it extremely difficult to find and hire new employees.

That issue is compounded by the fact that employers who can’t find new people are working the ones they have harder and harder. This overburdened group of people don’t have time to look for new jobs, and often are so overworked they aren’t mentally or physically ready for a new job anyway.  That means even if you headhunt and lure someone (paying premium rates and often making promises your own employees wish you were making them), you aren’t necessarily getting the top dog you thought you were.

It’s a vicious cycle that I don’t see easily resolving itself given the fact that we are not getting enough people to join the workforce each year through immigration, retraining or aging in (i.e., young workers).

For these reasons, recruitment can’t be your only solution to filling positions.  In fact, one of the most effective way to fill a position is to not have it come open in the first place.  That is:

Retention

I have blogged at length about what employees want in the past, so hopefully you are already implementing many of these recommendations.  Today’s blog is dedicated to getting creative with perks, something your company might consider if you are fighting to keep the people you have.

Some of these new perks being offered include:

• The ability to bring pets to work
• Paying for pet daycare
• Cool Tech as swag (i.e., iPad/ Tablet to take home and share with the family)
• Access to holiday homes or company cars, boats, etc. while on vacation or down time
• Gym memberships and contributions towards healthy activities (e.g., reimbursement for ski passes, spin classes, etc.)
• More Paid Time Off (creative because it goes against instinct to give people time off when you desperately need them working and can include time to volunteer, care for family, new babies, or personal mental health)
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided- you are at work, you get fed. And not just instant noodles, but chef-prepared with options for all the dietary preferences you can imagine
• Gaming centers- full rooms with all the video, arcade and board games needed to escape from work
• Use of company cars, scooters, bicycles, and other forms of transportation so employees need not put miles on their own vehicles even when running personal errands
• Housecleaning/ Laundry service
• Free Tickets to great shows, trips, and events
• Allowances for books, education, and classes of interest which aren’t necessarily relevant to work- self development is the only criteria
• Onsite opportunities for massage, yoga, meditation, naps, etc.

While these perks may seem a bit unreal to many, necessity is the mother of invention and these are desperate times when it comes to finding good people.  If you have a creative way to retain your staff, please share in the comments below.