Approximately 16 million people in the UK are currently working remotely, in order to avoid excess socialising and cross-infection of the deadly coronavirus disease, although some people are working on shifts and going to the office for one to three days per week.

“Employee benefits have never been more essential,” explains HR expert Martin Chesno.

“Working in an office usually comes with camaraderie, awards, office drinks and lunches. But when the vast majority of the UK workforce is working remotely, this connection with their colleagues and organisation loses its bond.”

“What employers must remember is that they have to keep engaging with their employees, even outside of the office.”

“One-third of the UK workforce is self-employed and the opportunity to become a freelancer, consultant or start your own company has never been better - so it is key to keep staff motivated and to ensure long-term loyalty with the organisation.”

The concept of employee benefits emerged in the 90s, with companies looking to offer more flexible work schedules to working parents and those in need of a better work-life balance.

Today, it is common for every type of company to have some form of employee benefits for their staff. 

One of the most popular schemes is to give your staff access to discount portals, offered by the likes of Perkbox, Xexec and Rewards Gateway. Depending on your package, your team can access regular discounts for shopping, live events, days-out and more. 

Childcare vouchers is popular for working parents, offering discounts off day-care, daily items for kid’s clothing and supplies and activities too.

In terms of health insurance, this is a common product that comes with working in an American company and is catching on in the UK. The likes of Equipsme offer health insurance for companies at just £7 per employee, per month, giving you access to physio sessions, 24/7 virtual GPs and the option to upgrade to optical and dental treatment too.

For those organisations looking to offer life insurance, YuLife is the frontrunner, providing life cover, critical illness and death in service benefit from just £4.99 per month - with access to free will-writing, employee assistance programme and virtual GPs. 

When the recruitment or the cost of replacing key people is very high, the investment into employee benefits is very low. Plus, those staff that get constantly rewarded or have perks as part of their job, are often more productive and have a better morale. With this in mind, it is understandable why employee benefits in 2020 have never been more important and will continue to be.