What are some examples of non-wage employee benefits?
The pandemic changed our view of employee benefits, or additional benefits offered to employees by companies. Lunch cardsareoneof the most popular. Thanks to them, employers have at their disposal a tool to support the eating habits of their employees.
Taking care of healthy habits, including caring for the right diet and regularity of meals, affects not only the general well-being, but also efficiency at work. Research shows that we eat the first meal too late, forget about the second breakfast, do not include vegetables and fruits in the diet. Feelings of hunger and lack of adequate hydration of the body also reduce efficiency.
Productivity at work is a process that starts much earlier than when you turn on your computer and check your task list for the day. It’s a process that is influenced by our daily habits, such as sleep, physical activity and healthy eating.
Employees’ eating habits took under the magnifying glass in 2020 the company Dailyfruits. The results of the survey show that as many as 76% of working Poles have a diet low in nutritional values – more than 40% do not eat vegetables every day, and almost 50% of fruits. The most important meal, without which the day should not start, much less demanding physical or mental work, is forgotten by 46% of respondents. Half of those surveyed do not care about proper hydration of the body, which can result in difficulties with concentration, headaches or lethargy. 58% of working Poles believe that hunger affects their effectiveness.
Employers who care about the well-being of their subordinates have non-wage benefits to support wellbeing. In the face of the closure of sports facilities, the inability to offer meals in the workplace (e.g. in the company canteen or as part of fruit days of the week), companies can provide their employees with modern and safe lunch cards. According to the Wellbeing Indicator 2019 study, healthy eating, physical activity and sleep increase employee productivity by 25%. Moreover, absenteeism of employees who care about healthy habits is reduced by 27%.
A lunch card is a solution tailored to the present times – you can use it without leaving home, making an online payment. The card user can choose from the offers of restaurants and retail chains, but also order meals through online platforms with door delivery. Lunch cards offered by Ederned Australia are valid for up to 4 years, and thanks to compatibility with mobile payments in Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, there is no risk of losing or stealing the card.
„As a result of the pandemic, the pyramid of workers’ needs has changed. Employers who care about the well-being of their team, even if their work from the office has moved into their homes or is carried out in a hybrid model, can support employees in shaping healthy eating habits. One way to deal with the precarious, stressful situation we find ourselves in may be to take care of the proper diet and regularity of meals. Thanks to lunch cards, the employee receives additional support and a specific amount every month, which he can spend precisely for nutritional purposes. A healthy and properly nourished worker is a person who works more efficiently, has more positive energy and is less likely to get sick. The benefits of implementing lunch cards are therefore mutual – both the employee and the company benefit – comments Edyta Ziajowska, Commercial Director, Edenred Polska.
According to Edenred’s internal calculations, an employee who performed his duties in the office cost the company PLN 1082 per month on average. When switching to remote or hybrid mode, most components of this cost have been minimized or completely eliminated. The money saved can be used to provide real support to workers and their well-being – especially during a pandemic. The amount of top-up of lunch cards in the amount of PLN 190 per month is free of zus premium. This generates significant savings for both companies and employees.
Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.
