PLSO May June 2019

17 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org Featured Article Recruitment is expensive, and an empha- sis on retaining top talent through efforts to support their well-being can lead to a significant reduction in these costs. A re- cent Staying@Work survey revealed that within the next year, 64 percent of em- ployers would adopt programs to address the overall wellness needs of employees in five areas: 1. Financial Nearly 75 percent of people worry about their finances at least some of the time, reports the American Psychological As- sociation. Concerns about house and car payments, child care and daily living expenses, and student loan debt can af- fect an employee’s work performance. The World Health Organization calculates that financial stress costs employers $300 billion each year in missed work and lost productivity. To address these concerns, nearly 84 percent of employers provide financial wellness programs, offering services like counseling to set up and maintain family budgets. However, only four percent of employers provide loan repayment as- sistance, such as the BenefitEd program, making this a benefit that wouldhelpmany employers stand out from their competi- tors when vying for talented employees. With BenefitEd, employers can easily set up a monthly, quarterly or annual con- tribution, or matching payments, toward employees’ student loans. Employers may provide BenefitEd for specific positions or toemployeesmeeting certaincriteria. Some employers are using BenefitEd’s platform to let their employees take advantage of match dollars that have traditionally only been used for retirement. 2. Social One key way employers support employ- ees’ social well-being is with policies that allow for greater flexibility and work-life balance. Employees who can telework or control their schedules to better jug- gle work and family responsibilities are more relaxed, productive and satisfied with their jobs. 3. Community Seventy-nine percent of employees sur- veyed in a recent study preferred to work for an employer that cares about social and environmental issues, and encourag- es community involvement. WAYS Companies are Keeping Employees Happy 4. Career Employees want to work for employers that appreciate themand provide learning opportunities. Tomeet this demand, many employers offer tuition assistance pro- grams, repayment programs likeBenefitEd, and lunch-and-learn options offering em- ployees a chance to develop new skills and get training for jobs in other departments. 5. Physical Nearly two-thirds of employers encourage their staff to develop healthy lifestyles. Popular programs include nutritious food and snack choices in cafeterias and work- out areas to make it more convenient for employees to exercise. Employee engagement and happiness are essential to running a successful business. Asmore companiesmake this connection, employees can expect to be offeredmore opportunities and benefits that they need and want to be healthy, happy and effec- tive in the workplace.  x Article courtesy of www.youbenefited.com To learn more about how employers are support- ing employee needs, visit YouBenefitEd.com/Happy. For years, many American businesses have provided wellness programs dedicated to encouraging employees to improve their physical health and fitness. But a new work culture is emerging, as employers recognize the need to focus on the overall well-being of their associates in order to keep them at a company.