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Increase Diversity and Boost Loyalty

These benefit suggestions are surprisingly inexpensive to offer but can set your organization apart from many others, enhancing candidate diversity while also encouraging employee retention.

More than a third of hiring managers plan to increase investment in diversity, according to a new Recruiting Brief by Lever. “When doing so, it’s so important to make the investment in the areas that will make the biggest impact — and that will vary by company,” says the firm. “For some, sourcing a diverse candidate pool is the most worthwhile investment while, for others, software or training to combat unconscious bias will make the biggest impact. In some cases, inclusive employee benefits and perks can help you attract and retain candidates from underrepresented minorities.”

Lever’s brief suggests surveying employees, and even candidates who decline your offers, to see what perks and benefits are of interest.

Telecommuting

Perhaps your organization already allows telecommuting, but did you know that “if those with compatible jobs and a desire to work from home did so just half the time… a typical business would save $11,000 per person per year and the telecommuters themselves would save between $2,000 and $7,000 a year?” according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com.

The tremendous cost-saving benefits of telecommuting are self-evident, but it may be a particularly attractive benefit to disabled or semi-retired professionals or working parents who “may prefer to work from home to reduce workplace challenges and eliminate an unnecessary commute,” according to Lever’s “Supporting Diversity with Inclusive Employee Benefits and Perks.” “In addition, offering remote work allows you to recruit talent from anywhere in the world. That gives you a bigger talent pool from which to build a diverse workforce — even if your geographic location isn’t particularly diverse.”

Flexible Schedule

A flexible work day can also help you attract and retain working parents, seniors or others who may be interested in a position that allows them to make their own hours.

Floating Holidays

Consider that people of varying religious beliefs or cultures may prefer to celebrate non-mainstream holidays. “This can be a great opportunity to stand out to candidates, as 55% of companies do not offer this benefit,” according to Lever’s “Supporting Diversity with Inclusive Employee Benefits and Perks.” “Seventeen percent offer one day per year, 16% offer two days, 13% offer more than two days.” Think how much more appealing your offer will look if you are in that 13%.

Professional Development

Maybe you would like to attract veterans or someone else with a nontraditional business background. A bit of training for someone from a different economic or educational background can contribute to diversity of thought and help your company innovate; the tremendous experience a veteran brings also can make a positive impact in your organization.

Take time to research the options that are the best fit for your organization rather than offering “benefits” that won’t be used. For examples, see “13 Employee Benefits That Don’t Actually Work” on Forbes.com.

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