Companies across the United States who are hiring for open roles often have multiple perks to offer potential candidates – 401(k)s, competitive salaries, and unlimited paid time off, to name a few. But with the number of open jobs holding steady at 10.9 million since last December, job-seekers are holding out for a more coveted type of benefit – one where they feel heard, valued, and supported.
The battle for top talent
According to a recent Global Talent Trends report by LinkedIn, candidates are 67% more engaged with job openings that include company culture as part of the description.
In LinkedIn’s latest report, WPP Global Head of Culture and Engagement Judy Jackson explained that:
“Culture is very important because people know that they have choices, and their choices are beyond the name of the company or the salary that they make. Their choices are around enrichment, their choices are around, who am I learning from? How is my soul being fed? And they are willing to exchange money and location for feeling fulfilled.”
So, how can businesses step up to the plate to attract top talent and create an enviable workplace? Empathy-based policies and perks are the new way to show potential candidates that they will be valued and cared for while they’re on the clock.
How mindfulness can drive your empathy-based benefits
The evidence is already clear that the pandemic has put a new focus on work-life balance. According to LinkedIn, 63% of workers report that work-life balance is their top priority this year, followed closely by culture (60%) and colleagues/camaraderie (43%). With this in mind, offering mindfulness as part of an empathy-driven benefits package can help you meet the ongoing and changing emotional needs of your workforce while also attracting new talent.
What do empathy-driven benefits look like? Creating a culture of mindfulness at work as well as offering both live and on-demand mindfulness-based programming that targets workplace stress, relationships, anxiety, and more is a healthy beginning. Just as employees show up for work, the U.S. work culture is now at a place where it must show up for its employees, and having mindfulness-centered incentives can help lead the way to a place of care, understanding, compassion, and fulfillment for everyone at the office – whether your office is in-person, remote, or a hybrid setting.
