TOTAL REWARDS

Do-gooders

Employee well-being is a top priority for many HR leaders, and there’s no shortage of benefits that purport to boost it. A recent study from a researcher at Oxford University, though, found many mental health interventions—from well-being and sleep apps to relaxation practices to coaching—aren’t actually beneficial for workers’ mental well-being.

There was one exception, though: Volunteering did show positive outcomes, with participating employees showing a stronger sense of belonging, collaboration, and feeling supported in handling stress.

Though volunteering isn’t a standard employee benefit, it may be becoming more common. Some 28% of organizations offer paid time-off for volunteering as of 2023, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), up from 26% in 2019.

Crunchbase, a private company data provider, has been offering “volunteering time off,” or VTO, to its employees (currently numbering around 165) since 2018. The company saw an uptick in the amount of time employees spent volunteering between 2021 and 2023, and its chief people officer, Kelly Mendez-Scheib, said the benefit has given Crunchbase’s remote workforce opportunities to gather and engage with one another in-person.

Keep reading here.—CV

PRESENTED BY BETTERHELP

Bring on the benefits

Let’s talk numbers: Depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1t every year. What’s driving that $$$ amount? Loss of productivity.

If your business is struggling, it might mean your people are struggling too. That’s where BetterHelp comes in. Their new service makes it easy for employers to offer online therapy as a workplace benefit.

BetterHelp Business gives organizations access to the largest network of professional, licensed, vetted therapists. The platform is built specifically for HR professionals, so you can count on a functional, straightforward interface that’s easy to manage.

Amplify access to mental healthcare for your employees. Request a demo to learn more about BetterHelp Business.

HR STRATEGY

Not well enough

While often used interchangeably, well-being and wellness are distinct; the former refers to the state of an employee’s overall health (physical and mental, as well as financial) and the latter describes how an employee can maintain their health (think: exercise and meditation).

And both are HR priorities. Nearly all (98%) CHROs say they’re at least somewhat responsible for their employees’ well-being, according to Conference Board’s Q1 CHRO Confidence Index survey of 150 CHROs, which it released on March 22.

While just 26% of respondents reported that their companies increased spending on well-being in 2024, Diana Scott, leader of the Conference Board’s US human capital center, told us monetary investment isn’t necessarily an indication of their commitment.

Keep reading here.—MC

HR STRATEGY

Flexibility reigns supreme

Numerous studies have shown that workers, no matter where they’re based, want more flexibility and work-life balance. Finland, the world’s reigning happiest country, has required employers to offer many employees flexible work schedules for nearly three decades, serving as a model for other countries.

Where in the world? The Working Hours Act went into effect in 1996 and stipulates that employers must allow eligible workers to shift their schedules by up to three hours, according to the World Economic Forum. Hypothetically, if a 9-to-5 employee wanted to enjoy some daylight hours in January (when the sun doesn’t rise until around 9am in Helsinki), they could begin their day at 12pm without penalty. Or a parent could start their workday earlier to accommodate their child’s school schedule.

By 2011, 92% of Finnish employers offered flexible work arrangements. The law was then amended in 2019, allowing full-time workers to choose their start time and location at least half the week.

Satellite view. Work flexibility is about more than just hours worked and can look different based on someone’s job function, location, or employer.

Keep reading here.—KP

TOGETHER WITH COCOON

Take it or leave it. Want to attract and retain the best talent? Start by evaluating your org’s paid leave policies. Take a peek at the newest leave benchmarks to see how your org stacks up with Cocoon’s paid leave benchmark report. Explore benchmarks for median parental, medical, and caregiver leave policies.

WORK PERKS