As of Q2 2021, 58% of U.S.-based employees are working remotely at least part-time. Businesses who embrace this new reality will likely open themselves up to a larger and more diverse pool of talent. Human resources teams, in particular, must lead the charge and adapt their benefits, hiring and retention efforts.

Benefits
Catered lunches, commuter cards, onsite masseuses - these are increasingly the "good ol' days" and no longer relevant to an employee or candidate. This means your company likely has additional budget to be reinvested into your most value asset: your people. 57% of employees say their benefits package is more important now - in this increasingly distributed workforce world - than ever before.

Being thoughtful about this "reinvestment" requires employers to make data-driven commitments to their benefits program. Embark on a survey journey across your team, make it anonymous, and make sure to listen to what your people are really asking for. For example, a pattern of Dependent Care FSA requests might also mean a babysitting stipend or virtual tutors would alleviate some of the stress your working parents are facing. Bedrosian & Associates has partnered with Level to roll out their new Funds product - giving your company a blank canvas for which to paint its greener pastures for 2022 and beyond. Contact your Bedrosian & Associates advisor if you'd like to learn more.

Hiring
As a result of this pandemic, the recruiting and hiring landscape has been altered for the foreseeable future. Your company has likely gone from hosting candidates onsite, to scheduling Zoom interviews. Even providing a warm welcome to new hires has its own virtual hurdles. So how do you overcome these obstacles?

1. Be clear from the gate. From the initial job posting, all the way through the hiring stage, your company needs to have clearly defined policies for the current- and post-pandemic world. Will your company make your remote and/or hybrid structure permanent?
   
2. Leverage this new reality. Employers who embrace and support this virtual world will see a competitive hiring edge. Would it make more sense to hire an equal-quality candidate who resides in a lower cost-of-living-area, or the one in Manhattan? Bedrosian & Associates can help advise on these decisions - ask your Bedrosian broker about Salary Surveys!
   
3. Adjust your process. Look at the virtual interview process through the lens of your candidates. Are they receiving adequate information and exposure to your culture?
   

Retention
With different priorities, come different challenges - just face it, your people see articles about the most "accommodating" employers in their space.

HR teams are now tasked with finding ways to bring people together, who are geographically apart. How should you bring your company's values, vision, and mission to life? Your organization needs to make a concerted effort on this front, or risk losing your top talent to competitors who are handling the remote work transition more effectively. There are studies that show replacing a salaried employee costs, on average, 6 months' salary! Don't let your employees feel like they're navigating these changes alone - Bedrosian & Associates encourages all of our clients to offer more virtual support by making sure you have a premium Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Talk to your Bedrosian broker about adding or improving this benefit.

Human resources leaders, along with their employee benefits broker, can adapt practices and perspectives, and ultimately improve their benefits strategy to align with what employees need in today's world.