If you want to attract the best talent to come and work in your business, your benefits package needs to be worthy of those you want to recruit!
Finding, nurturing, and keeping exceptional people is a challenge every business on the planet faces.
Gone are the days when a business could post a job ad and elicit dozens of responses on the back of offering an attractive salary and little else.
Today's global talent pool wants to know much more about the benefits your business can offer them. So, whether you're recruiting cross-border or conducting an internal search for relocation candidates, how you show your commitment to employee well-being is directly linked to the talent you'll attract.
While there are many things you can offer to current and prospective employees when building a benefits package, many studies through the years have highlighted that health coverage is the one that people find most attractive.
If you offer healthcare as part of your salary and benefits package, both your recruitment and your overall business will benefit in several ways:
It’s also worth considering the impact of offering a healthcare benefit on potential employees’ lives as a whole.
For example, people who are considering changing jobs or relocating overseas will be looking for stability and security. Offering employees a group health plan means they won't have to organise their health cover themselves or worry about what they'll do if they get ill.
While offering healthcare as part of your overall benefits package is a positive step to take for your business, you should recognise that it's increasingly considered the norm. As such, it isn't enough to say "we provide healthcare," you need to get specific about what's included in the plan you offer your people. In particular, if you can talk about niche elements of your healthcare cover, you will give yourself a fantastic opportunity to stand out from the crowd when advertising your vacancy.
Benefits candidates love to see mentioned as part of a health plan include:
These aren't necessarily going to be available with every group health plan you look at but are the types of things candidates look for when exploring the benefits you offer.
Choosing a health plan for your existing employees and to advertise to candidates isn’t as simple as deciding to do it.
Keep these three things in mind to help you arrive at the optimal solution for your people.
How much private health coverage do you want to offer your people? You will likely have a choice from basic cover to a fully comprehensive plan that covers things like dental and even maternity cover.
Remember, one of the things people love about getting health coverage from their employer is that it saves them money. Will the health plan you choose leave your people needing to take out additional coverage for peace of mind?
While offering private health cover is a fantastic benefit, you could easily end up spending tens of thousands of dollars per year on coverage.
As such, it is relatively common for employers to get their people to contribute to the cost of their health plan. This might happen by:
Of course, the most attractive solution for your recruitment and retention strategy is to offer the best level of coverage without reducing the salary you're offering and covering the costs 100% yourself. Many businesses find the benefits of providing private healthcare pay for themselves anyway, so it's worth considering.
Many health insurers now offer added value benefits, such as employee assistance programs, packaged into their private health plans.
Remember, your healthcare benefit will play a significant role in selling your company to prospective candidates, and you’ll be able to advertise any added value that comes with healthcare when you’re recruiting!
You must see your group health plan and overall benefits package as something that will continue to evolve. There'll always be another business trying to offer something better to attract great people. The last thing you want for your business is to see a reduced candidate pool or to start receiving resignation letters because a more attractive benefits package is available from your competitors!
Whether you’re looking for international health insurance or a health plan to cover your domestic employees and candidates, ensure you take the time to consider the right plan for your business. And don't rest on your laurels once you think you've found it!