5 EMPLOYEES BENEFITS THAT MAY BE MORE VALUED IN OUR CURRENT WORKING WORLD

COVID-19 has changed the world and everyone has had to make adjustments to how the pandemic has disrupted their lives. Companies are aware that this crisis has an impact on workers and are stepping up to ensure that the needs of their workers are cared for.

Apart from utilising digital platforms to keep teams connected, companies are also providing additional benefits to help their employees adjust to the new normal. As employee benefits typically showcase the values and working culture your organisation prioritises, let’s look at some inclusive and relevant policies that can be valuable and more appreciated in the post-COVID-19 working world.

At the end of the day, happy and enabled employees are more motivated to do well and succeed for themselves and their organisations. This will ultimately drive value for companies.

Healthcare in Singapore can be expensive which is why you should consider employee insurance plans as a vital employee benefit when you are assessing a job offer. While it is standard procedure for companies to provide a basic healthcare plan, companies that are willing to provide a comprehensive insurance plan can offer you better peace of mind as you never know what can happen in the future.

While this is not meant to replace your personal health and life insurance policies, it gives you an additional layer of protection for you and your loved ones.

When you sign on with a company it is always good to check if your employer is providing insurance policies such as medical, personal accident, or other types of insurance coverage. Pay close attention to hospital coverage as well as personal accident and/or permanent disability coverage so that you know what you and your family are entitled to.

On corporate plans, companies also typically offer expanded healthcare and wellness services to their employees. Companies that offer AIA plans will also be able to provide on-demand telemedicine services, enabling remote healthcare access as well as personal case management helping those affected by a serious medical condition with 24/7 guidance and support as they confirm their diagnosis, assess treatment options and identify an appropriate medical provider.

Companies that invest in their employees’ health not only benefit from a higher employee retention rate, but also better financial outcomes due to lower medical care costs and less absenteeism.

Considering the amount of time you spend working, it makes sense that companies also offer workplace wellness programmes which can help to boost employee morale and productivity.

Workplace wellness programmes should not only focus on promoting physical activities but also healthier eating as well as encouraging employees to go for regular health screenings. AIA Vitality provides a holistic approach that enables employees to take charge of their own health by providing them with the necessary knowledge and tools to do so.

Additionally, you will also be more motivated when you are rewarded to make healthier life choices. AIA Vitality offers perks and privileges when you partake in regular physical activity or choose healthier options when grocery shopping.

In this digital age, advances in technology have made it easier for employees to work from home by allowing them to share files, communicate with colleagues, and collaborate on projects with little issues especially with safe management measures making work-from-home (WFH) arrangements mandatory during part of 2020.

Even as these measures are gradually relaxed, your company may still choose to let you work from home, either partially or fully. With all the recent discussion about employee burnout and the call for better work-life balance, you can benefit from such flexible working arrangements as it gives you the freedom to plan your own schedule and spend more time with your family.

During WFH, you might not have access to the same technology infrastructure as you do in the office such as a desktop, high-speed internet, and printers. To help you carry out your daily tasks effectively, your company may choose to give an allowance to help you set up your WFH office

Apart from tech infrastructure, these allowances can also be extended for necessary furniture and equipment which include ergonomic chairs and comfortable work desks. This makes good business sense as spending long hours in physical discomfort will affect your productivity in the long run.

Other than taking care of IT and furniture requirements in your home to improve productivity, your company may also opt to cover extra utility bills while you work from home. Think about it. When you work from your office, the company pays for the water, electricity, and air-conditioning but WFH means that you are paying for these yourself.

In the meantime, your company will be able to reduce its operating cost while you have to pay a higher utility bill. To solve this problem, your company can help to pass their savings to you and your colleagues.

In May 2020, during the Circuit Breaker period in Singapore to stem community spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, AIA Corporate Solutions team reached out to care for its community of employees, agents and corporate clients.

This effort resulted in an experiential and interactive webinar Resilience during Times of Uncertainty facilitated by Potential Project. The awareness session with nearly 800 registered attendees was extended to AIA employees, agents and corporate clients. It was clear that participants would benefit from more support to develop resilience and manage their sense of well-being. Anticipating this, AIA Corporate Solutions further offered employees, agents and clients four weeks of Resilience Training, a programme of thrice weekly drop-in training sessions (from 8 June to 3 July 2020). At the end of this programme series, over 90% of participants reported having a more positive emotional tone, with over 60% feeling calmer and more relaxed. Participants found the programme to be meaningful, and refreshing for their state of mind.

Whether you are going back to the office or working from home, the COVID-19 pandemic has probably changed the way you work. Fear and anxiety about the disease can be overwhelming. How you cope with these emotions and stress can affect your wellbeing, the wellbeing of the people you care about, your workplace and your community. At this unprecedented time, AIA Corporate Solutions is extending support to enable our corporate clients to take care of yourself, your family and work teams.

From November 2020, in partnership with Potential Project, AIA Singapore will offer quarterly mental resilience programs for employees of our AIA corporate clients. Take charge and embark on your mental wellness journey.

The Build Mental Resilience for Healthier, Longer, Better Lives program allows you to:

• Gain insight into the nature of attention and how it impacts our reality
• Learn to train your own mind for resilience
• Manage anxiety and cope better with uncertainty
• Leave with practical strategies to cultivate calm and clarity
  

As we might experience similar scale pandemics in future, it might be time for companies to revise the different employee benefits that they provide. Apart from salary, most workers place a premium on benefits such as health insurance and wellness programmes when they consider job offers as these have a meaningful impact on their lives.

The great thing is that employers are now more aware that by investing in their workers’ health and well-being, they stand to benefit too so keep this in mind when you’re looking for a new job or suggest the above benefits in your current workplace if there is an opportunity to do so.