Geared Up Issue 2 2015 | Page 31

methodology? One of the most effective ways to understand and collect employee opinions regarding their benefits is through the development of an organizational or employee opinion survey. Once you have determined the different benefit packages that are available and what your competitors are doing, you can use this information to form the basis of a survey and find out what employee preferences are, which packages are most appreciated, or what you may want to consider doing differently. It is also a way to increase employee engagement and involvement. However, be sure to implement the suggested changes and feedback that you received in the employee survey, or your employees may be less encouraged to provide suggestions and feedback going forward. 3. Partner with local businesses to promote employee well-being Consider additional ways to promote the health and well-being of your employees. One option is to partner with local businesses to bring an exciting agenda of positive health and fitness messages, education, and initiatives into your workplace and share the same with others. How this works is pretty simple on the surface. You pinpoint companies operating in your local area, and get in touch to invite them to share taster sessions with your members of staff and vice versa, for mutual benefit. They get to increase the awareness of their services, as do you, and build connections with those who are interested. At the same time, you get the opportunity to create an exciting program of events. However, you will need to get some strong foundations in place if you want to make sure that it’s a success. So remember to do your due diligence when it comes to choosing who to work with. You want experts who know their stuff sharing their advice. Messages around moderation, eating real, whole foods, moving more and making sustainable long-term lifestyle changes are the ones that you should gravitate toward. Businesses that promote crash diets or living on packaged shakes should be avoided. The above strategies can be a great kick-start to offering an attractive benefits package without breaking the bank. Remember that your benefits solutions should be tailored to your organization and company needs. For the best results, think about your wider policies and procedures, and the overall workplace culture. It might be the case that there are big issues at play that you need to tackle first, such as a trend amongst your managers for requiring staff to work long shifts without a break. You can’t fix everything at once, but be sure to take a holistic approach! G Lynda Zugec is managing director of The Workforce Consultants, www.TheWorkforceConsultants.com, a network of human resource professionals and industrial-organizational psychologists. The network of experts provides businesses with human resources solutions and assists organizations in advancing their human resource strategies. Tired of unreliable suppliers, different TVs in every gym and inconsistent pricing? 21 has the perfect solution. vision s o l u t i o n s Exclusive for PFIFA franchisees: • LG special bid pricing on all visual solutions including 2-year on-site warranty • 42” to 96” and Video Wall Solutions available • LENOVO special bid PC & laptop offerings for your office, gym or home www.vision21solutions.com 919.600.0171 GearedUp | 2015 Issue 2 29