How to Attract Top Talent and Retain Good Employees - Give Them Time-Saving Benefits

Of course, money matters. People have to be able to support their chosen lifestyles; however...it may not be the only way to attract top talent and retain good employees in your industry. With more people weighing work/life balance, you may be able to lure and keep these "impact players" on your team with a few unique "time-saving" benefits that your competitors may have overlooked.

Some of these less than traditional workplace ideas include:
• Trade lunchtime for off time. This is a concept in the workplace where employees can trade a lunch hour to leave early on their chosen day of the week. Most employers don't give "paid lunch hours" so they're not losing anything, all they're doing is allowing the employee to forego a lunch hour in exchange for leaving an hour early. Many employees see this as a benefit because they may not always take a lunch hour anyway...but they see TIME as a valuable commodity that is difficult to come by within the hectic workweek.
• Flexible schedules. Let's face it, not everyone performs their best work in the morning--some may do better later in the day. Letting employees arrive earlier or later may be looked upon as a benefit if it's within reason and if the particular position allows for a flex schedule.
• Working from home options. Whether it's a full-time or part-time arrangement, many employees can save time getting ready for work, time driving to and from work, save on gasoline or commuting costs, lunch costs, clothing allowances, and much more. Employers can also save money on office space and energy costs. This type of arrangement may not be feasible in all cases, but when an employee drives to work to turn on a pc and access all of tools he/she may be able to access from home--it is something to think about.
• Extended periods of time off. Normally, extended periods of time off are given to women for mate
ity leave, or employees with a catastrophic illness. What about the employee that brings value to your organization and has hit goal after goal? Why not give long-time employees (five or more years) an option to take an extended period of time off (three to six months) once they have paid their dues? It may be a small price to pay to keep them energized and interested in continuing their employment for yet a longer term.

Supposedly with all of our time-saving devices, we should be rushing from here and there less and less-- but this is not the case. Innovative companies that can come up with ways to give back "valuable time" to their employees, served up as benefits, may be able to beat the competition in the race for "impact players." All it takes is some non-traditional thinking...and yes, "a little time."