Supporting your employees doesn’t have to break the bank. You can provide perks in the form of policies rather than material rewards.

Creating a work environment with actionable benefits can increase productivity whilst attracting and retaining skilled employees.

Flexible work

An attractive perk that an increasing number of companies offer is flexible hours. Small businesses are often in the best position to offer flexible work arrangements, as schedules tailored for the individual can still allow work to get done efficiently. This gives employees a healthy work/life balance.
Note also that Employees who meet certain conditions defined under the Fair Work Act have the right to request flexible and part-time working arrangements from their employer. In these situations, an employer can only refuse such a request on reasonable business grounds.

Support

Sometimes employees need time off with short notice or something in their personal lives affects their ability to work. Business owners can make a positive impact on employees that are experiencing problems or hardships. This could be through listening and talking them through their approach to work or providing active support with altered work hours until things have settled down. Looking after an employee in a time of need helps to create a supportive environment that staff are more likely to enjoy working in.

Novelty days

Having a novelty day weekly or monthly can provide a fun atmosphere and give employees a day to look forward to. For example, you could implement initiatives like a “bring your pet to work” day, assuming that no one is allergic and the pets are sufficiently well trained as to not cause disruption in the workplace. If your workplace has a dress code, “casual Friday” could be a good way to boost morale at the end of the week.