As if 2020 couldn’t get any more confusing, the rules have changed again!
Many of the new restrictions, particularly the pubs closing at 10pm, have encouraged some of the UK public to attempt Stoptober – a month of abstinence from drinking and smoking throughout October.
For that reason, we have decided to compile a list of non-monetary employee benefits that do not involve drinking – sorry, Fizz Friday, you’re going to have to sit this one out!
Team building
Ok, so team building isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, but we think it’s time it involved something more than a work lunch here and there.
Team building should be a full day at minimum, so that employees are encouraged to completely immerse themselves and leave work behind. Where possible, it should also be offsite (if your company is back working face-to-face).
Hold a virtual Great British Bake-Off interpretation, volunteer at a charity garden centre or conduct a scavenger hunt around your town (or online!).
Puppy therapy
If relaxation or destressing is something you want to encourage, puppy therapy is definitely the cutest way to do so!
Companies such as Paws in Work bring puppies into offices to reduce anxiety and increase positivity and energy. Paws in Work claim that their sessions lower cortisol (stress) levels, depression and blood pressure and have a positive effect on the puppies too!
If your business is still working remotely then you will have to hold off on this one, but it might be the perfect welcome back benefit!
Keep Fit Webinars
In the theme of staying healthy in October, why not move exercise classes online? As some workforces are still working from home, employees might be missing their weekly running club.
Keeping active is so important for employee’s wellbeing, but as we move into the colder months it becomes increasingly difficult to do so from home.
Regular remote team workouts are a great way to get everybody exercising and also have a bonus – the option to turn off your webcam!
Flexitime
As Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. This statement doesn’t just ring true for animals, though.
Flexitime is based on agreed core hours of working time, outside of which employees can choose their hours. An example of this is 10-4 core hours and a 40-hour week minimum, so employees can choose to work 9-5, 10-6 or 8-4.
It has been proven countless times that allowing flexibility increases productivity, and employees who feel valued and trusted are more loyal to their company.
Working from home
Working from home has become the norm over the past 6 months, but that wasn’t always the case. To show your employees that you trust them even further, let them keep some work-life balance by letting them work from home if they need to.
Non-monetary benefits don’t always have to include drinking, even though it’s what us Brits do very well. This Stoptober, take some time to offer employees some healthy alternatives as a little way of saying ‘Thank You’.