Almost half of employers may need to review their current benefits offering following the move towards greater remote and home working as a result of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
Employee benefits consultancy Howden Employee Benefits and Wellbeing surveyed more than 200 senior HR professionals from a range of public, private, and third sector employers. It found that 8% said their employee benefits package does not fully support those who work from home, with 44% answering that it does.
As many as 88% expect to facilitate home working post-pandemic, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of HR specialists expecting this change in working patterns to increase their workload and the amount of work pressures they have as a direct result of the move to home working.
The findings also highlighted that almost nine in every 10 organisations are now intending to introduce at least some home working, with around 39% expecting partial home working to be available to all staff and a further 46% intending to introduce this for only some.
A total of 3% are intending to move to an entirely home-based working model after the pandemic restrictions are removed, while 5% wanted to return to their pre-pandemic work practices.
Steve Herbert, head of benefits strategy at Howden, commented that from the employer perspective, the benefits of continuing with at least some home working include cost savings, improved engagement, higher productivity and better staff wellbeing, so all employees are supported, empowered and engaged by their benefits offering.
“We would strongly encourage many more employers to embrace flexible benefits, and/or digital communication and delivery methods to better support the increasing numbers of remote workers in the 2020s. The pandemic is likely to represent a watershed moment in employment, and Howden would urge HR professionals to ensure that their company-sponsored employee benefits offerings reflect this,” he said.
