What are non-monetary incentives for remote employees that they will actually care about?
To help you identify non-monetary incentives that would actually benefit your remote employees, we asked HR managers and business leaders this question for their best advice. From allowing job flexibility and additional vacation time to providing support for workstations, there are several non-monetary incentives that you may consider offering your remote employees as benefits that would mean a lot to them.
READ ALSO: Following 18 months of remote work, is the demise of the office upon us?
Here are 12 non-monetary incentives that remote employees will actually care about:
- Allow for Job Flexibility and Additional Vacation Time
- Organize Corporate Retreats
- Provide Secure and Dependable Feedback Loop
- Offer Student Loan Repayment
- Promote Work Club Activities
- Offer Parental Leave
- Provide Free Internet Subscription
- Offer Mental Wellness Leave
- Provide Online Development Training
- Give Employees a Chance To Choose Their Own Project
- Shine Light On Your Employees
- Provide Support for Workstations
Allow for Job Flexibility and Additional Vacation Time
To me, this is the ideal non-monetary incentive for remote workers that they would actually value because it helps them achieve a healthy work-life balance. Work schedules should be flexible enough to allow employees to work when they want. As a result, the organization’s dedication, employee happiness, and general loyalty will all improve.
Jay Bats, ContentBASE
Organize Corporate Retreats
There are very few employees out there who genuinely don’t want to meet their coworkers. Corporate retreats lie somewhere between a working vacation and a team field day, allowing employees to deepen their professional relationships while learning new skills. It’s the kind of perk that’s really been left behind since the pandemic, but companies are learning how important these retreats can be. They’re also great for marketing and recruiting, and the photos can be splashed all over social media.
Shawn Plummer, The Annuity Expert
Provide Secure and Dependable Feedback Loop
Traditionally employees tend to dread feedback sessions and 1-to-1 performance reviews, but as a remote employee these actually become integral to your job satisfaction and security, as well as your career growth. Remote employees are inherently at risk of being alienated and detached from their teams, management and by extension, their roles. Offering them the chance to work within a secure and stable feedback loop, with regular check-ins, can help them to feel confident and content in their work.
Stephan Baldwin, Assisted Living Center
Offer Student Loan Repayment
As student debt remains a consistent challenge facing millennials, companies should consider student loan repayment as part of their benefits package. Not only will this increase work productivity, but also improve health by eliminating financial stress and reducing employee turnover.
Companies looking to retain top talent need to express that employee well-being is a priority and they offer an effective solution to financial stability. If employers are able to offer a student loan plan, they have more opportunity to recruit millennials with a high skill set and decrease employee retention rates.
Natália Sadowski, Nourishing Biologicals
Promote Work Club Activities
Work clubs are extremely beneficial in any company, especially for remote workers. Employees still want to feel connected with their colleagues, even if they can only interact over Zoom. A work activity such as a book club connects team members with each other in any department and creates a conversation. While it’s a non monetary benefit, it creates a community.
Jodi Neuhauser, Ovaterra
Offer Parental Leave
Parental leave policies are huge incentives for remote workers. Because remote work offers flexibility that attracts parents to those roles, strong parental leave policies will incentivize them to accept a position or stay at the job instead of searching for other opportunities. A robust, comprehensive, and inclusive parental leave policy is an attractive benefit that every organization should offer and embrace.
New Melchizedec S, Expertrec
Provide Free Internet Subscription
Provide your remote employees with free internet subscription to carry out their tasks without fear of network suspension. Most remote jobs require good internet coverage, so it matters if you are proactive in shouldering an expense that directly impacts the quality of your employees’ work. Check your employees’ location to identify what network works best for them. If possible, take time to coordinate with two or three internet service providers to give remote workers more options. Doing so leaves a positive impression on your employees, who will think that you genuinely care about their internet experience in the long run.
Lilia Tovbin, BigMailer.io
Offer Mental Wellness Leave
Give your remote employees a real break by offering paid time off to take good care of their mental health. When employees are experiencing burnout and intense stress, a mental wellness leave promotes recovery and prevents them from leaving their jobs.
Provide free screening tools to help employees assess potential risk factors for their mental health conditions. Do this before they take a leave, so they can evaluate how to spend their time away from their remote offices. Employees who understand they are at risk for anxiety or depression are more likely to undergo psychotherapy, allowing them to become more emotionally stable when they return to work.
Adam Garcia, The Stock Dork
Provide Online Development Training
This is, in my opinion, the best non-monetary incentive for remote employees because it helps everyone to provide training courses for your personnel. Embracing learning in the workplace will increase employee engagement, satisfaction, and motivation throughout the year. When they complete the course, they could be eligible for further awards and recognition. This includes attending conferences, refining their writing and language, or learning new ways to market their work.
Kenny Kline, BarBend
Give Employees a Chance To Choose Their Own Project
Managers can incentivize top-performing employees by letting them choose their own projects. Many remote employees struggle with workload and meeting clients’ demands, metrics, and deadlines. Most of them don’t have a choice but to accept the tasks because it’s their job. Therefore, rewarding hard-working employees with this non-monetary incentive is such a sweet treat.
Lorraine Daisy Resuello, Connection Copilot
Shine Light On Your Employees
Don’t underestimate the power of recognition and positive feedback. Employees, both in-person and remote, want to be recognized for their hard work. Shine a light on your employees and call out their accomplishments. Remote employees especially want to ensure that they’re being seen. It can be hard when no one is actually seeing you working, and everyone wants to feel connected with their co-workers. So, give them public recognition and praise not only during your one-on-one meetings, but during your team meeting as well.
Christian Kjaer, ElleVet
Provide Support for Workstations
Help the employee out with their workstation. This is, in my opinion, the best non-monetary incentive for remote employees that they will actually care about. This is because showing them how to set up a workspace and having to send them the facilities they need to do so can help them do their best work and feel productive.
Remote workers spend a lot of time in front of their computers. In the long run, they’ll suffer from back and neck pain, bad posture, and carpal tunnel syndrome. A more productive working environment can be achieved through the use of an ergonomic workstation. Ergonomic office chairs and standing desks help employees feel better, work more efficiently, and are more comfortable, all of which boost morale and productivity.
David Janssen, VPNOverview
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