20 Must-Have Benefits For Remote Employees

The traditional nine-to-five office model is undergoing a profound transformation. As organizations increasingly embrace remote work arrangements, employees are discovering many advantages that extend far beyond the confines of a physical workspace. From newfound flexibility to enhanced work-life balance, the benefits for remote employees are reshaping the professional landscape.

In this blog, we'll discuss the key benefits for remote employees.

The 20 Note-worthy Employee Benefits for Remote Workers

1. Subsidized Insurance Plans

Having an insurance plan has become one of the priorities of every modern-day working professional. It provides a sense of financial security to your employees, which is very important today. However, most employees purchase several insurance plans to secure their various assets, including their family's future.

And this is where it starts getting tricky as these plans often end up costing more than your employees could manage. Hence, as a responsible employer, you can help your employees by facilitating them with subsidized insurance plans.

2. Learning and Development Opportunities

According to a report published by pwc

60% of workers with specialist training say they have a clear sense of how the skills required to do their job will change in the next five years, compared with only 20% of those whose jobs don’t require specialised training.

Learning and development opportunities have always been at the forefront of effective employee benefits. Employees these days are more curious about learning new technologies, enhance their skills and grow professionally. When they are allowed to quench their thirst for knowledge while working simultaneously, they feel obliged.

Also, the availability of online courses has now made things way more accessible for anyone to learn anything. And you can too provide your employees with access to premium online courses on any topic they wish to learn.

3. Childcare Benefits

Your employees are definitely going to love it when you extend some benefits for their family members' wellbeing. And the best one here would be providing benefits for your employees' children. When your employees work from home, they might also have to look after their kids at the same time.

This ultimately creates a major distraction for your employees. Hence, to relieve your employees, you can provide some childcare benefits like access to professional babysitters or engaging online classes for kids.

4. Access to Home Care Services

Another benefit that would make your employees feel good working for your organization is access to home care services. While your employees work from home, they also need to look after their own homely chores, which could be very distracting and time-consuming.

Hence, you can consider facilitating your employees with various domestic care services like meal delivery and laundry to help your remote employees stay engaged at their own jobs.

5. Offer Flexible Work Hours

You must set hours during the day when all team members are expected to be available for meetings or communications.

However, within these core hours, employees must have the flexibility to adjust their schedules to accommodate personal needs or preferences.

For example, someone might start work earlier or later depending on their commuting time, family obligations, or peak productivity times.

6. Remote Work Retreats

Each of us has dreams and desires we hope to fulfill someday. Your employees are no exception!

Offering them a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a reward is a powerful gesture of appreciation for their dedication to work. After all, they're striving for happiness and fulfillment like everyone else. And receiving such a reward will undoubtedly boost their morale and satisfaction with their work.

7. Compressed Workweeks

You can offer your employees compressed workweeks. It involves condensing the traditional five-day workweek into fewer days, typically by extending the length of each workday.

For example, instead of working eight hours a day for five days, employees might work ten hours a day for four days. This arrangement allows employees to enjoy longer weekends. Such flexibility can improve work-life balance and potentially increase productivity during focused workdays.

8. Bereavement Leave

In a study conducted by NFP in 2023, it was revealed that

57% of companies provide a three-day bereavement leave policy, while 18 percent now offer a five-day bereavement leave policy.

The loss of a loved one is a significant event in anyone's life. Offering bereavement leave to your employees acknowledges the importance of allowing them time to mourn and regain emotional stability.

This demonstrates genuine concern for your employees' mental wellbeing, reinforcing your commitment beyond mere rhetoric. Additionally, it helps prevent potential disruptions caused by distracted or grieving employees, thereby safeguarding your company from potential setbacks

9. Virtual Coffee Breaks

You can schedule regular video calls. In these calls, your team members can relax, share personal anecdotes, or discuss non-work topics over a virtual cup of coffee. These sessions offer a valuable opportunity for colleagues to connect on a more human level.

10. Remote Team Building Activities

Implement engaging online activities such as virtual games, collaborative projects, or themed challenges. These activities should be designed to promote teamwork and camaraderie among remote team members.

Your employees can forge meaningful connections by participating in these activities.

11. Co-working Space Allowance

You must consider budgeting for co-working spaces or offering reimbursements. They provide a conducive work environment, chances for face-to-face interactions, and a break from the home office. Giving this flexibility supports your team's social needs and combats isolation.

12. Ergonomic Equipment Stipend

Why not empower your remote team with a stipend to invest in ergonomic furniture?

Think comfy chairs and standing desks. Not only does this boost posture, but it also screams comfort during those long work stints. It shows you've got their back when it comes to their wellbeing.

13. Subscription Benefits

It's one of the best benefits for your remote employees.

Nowadays, various OTT services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., provide everyone a great way to rejuvenate themselves with some awesome content to binge-watch. Not only this, but you can also opt for getting your employees some other subscriptions like magazines, access to paid online forums, and more.

14. Wellness Apps and Subscriptions

Have you ever considered giving your team the gift of wellness? Imagine an employee wellness platform packed with personalized resources, from mental health tips to fitness challenges, all designed to fit their busy lives.

It's like providing them with a supportive community and a personal fitness coach right in their pocket.

Providing employees access to an employee wellness platform is a valuable gift, demonstrating a commitment to their wellbeing.

15. Stipend for Home Office Supplies

Give your remote team the green light to spruce up their home office, whether by adding organizers, plants, or cozy lighting.

Afterall, allowing them to tailor their workspace boosts both productivity and mood, creating a space where they can thrive.

16. Online Learning Courses

90% of companies offer their employees some form of digital learning.

If your company is among the 90% of companies that offer digital learning, then kudos. But if your organization is among the remaining 10%, pull up your socks. With the increased demand for skilled individuals in corporate America, online learning has become essential to professional development.

If you wish to invest in your employees' future and help them grow personally and professionally, consider offering them an online learning course.

E-learning courses will provide accessibility and flexibility for your employees to learn and develop new skills.

Since online courses come without the pressure of deadlines or exams, your employees will love them.

17. Employee Recognition Programs

You must establish a comprehensive employee recognition program to honor and incentivize remote workers for their outstanding contributions. Although there are many ways, some you can consider are these:

A. Public Recognition

Don't underestimate the power of a shoutout!

Celebrate your remote team's wins and milestones in public forums like team meetings or company-wide newsletters. Recognizing their hard work and achievements fosters a sense of belonging and motivation.

Some ideas for you:

• Acknowledgment in Meetings

• Company-wide Announcement

• Social Media Recognition

• Recognition Boards or Walls

• Award Ceremonies or Events

B. Peer-to-peer Recognition

Empower your team to acknowledge and celebrate each other's achievements through informal channels like social media, team chats, or group messages. Fostering such a culture of appreciation strengthens bonds between colleagues.

It also creates a vibrant and supportive workplace environment where everyone feels valued

C. Performance-based Rewards

Let's not overlook the timeless tradition of Employee-of-the-Month and Employee-of-the-Year awards. They remain potent tools for recognizing employee efforts.

Performance-based accolades hold a unique allure. They have stood the test of time as effective forms of recognition.

We shouldn't underestimate the power of this long-standing practice in boosting motivation.

Rewarding employees serves as a remarkable way to provide external motivation.

18. Employee Benefits Platform

Consider gifting unforgettable experiences such as holidays or travel vouchers to your employees through employee benefits program.

Providing opportunities for rest, relaxation, and adventure not only promotes well-being but also fosters a deeper sense of loyalty and appreciation.

Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a spa retreat, or an exotic vacation. These experiential gifts create lasting memories. It also demonstrates a genuine investment in your employees’ happiness and fulfilment beyond the workplace.

19. "Focus Fridays" or "No Meeting Wednesdays"

Ever heard of these? They're like mini holidays for productivity. These are specific days or times when meetings take a back seat, allowing everyone to dive into their work without interruptions. It's a game changer for fostering deep focus and getting stuff done.

20. Online Workshops and Webinars

Online workshops and webinars are valuable for employees. These virtual sessions will provide a convenient platform for your employees to learn new skills.

Employees can customize their learning experience to align with their career goals and aspirations. Additionally, participating in these workshops fosters engagement and growth within your team.

Such online workshops and webinars will empower them to thrive in their professions.

Wrapping Up

Reading this article, you might have noticed that employee benefits for remote workers are quite different from the regular workplace benefits employers generally provide.

At the same time, choosing benefits for these employees, you must be sure about how you will deliver them. Also, these benefits must be effective and flexible so your employees can choose what they want. And this is possible with the help of a cloud-based employee benefits platform.

This article was co-authored by Sanjeevani Saikia and Angshuman Dev Talukdar, who work as digital marketers at Vantage Circle. For any queries reach out to editor@vantagecircle.com.