Businesses all around the world had to adapt to a pandemic that crippled many industries and the people that work in them. Workers have been able to persevere as we work our way out of it but there’s a lingering feeling in the air that some change will be permanent.

A part of this lingering feeling is workers realising they want change in their workplace they didn’t get before the pandemic. Before hiring, businesses should take note of these critical factors potential employees are looking for when choosing their new workplace.

Flexibility

Working from home was a nice perk some workers were getting in the past couple of years but definitely wasn’t something expected. Since the pandemic started, many businesses were forced to go from working in-office to moving all of their work online.

Workers have since realised that they can keep most, if not all of their productivity in line without having to step outside. Many workers will be deciding on a job in the next couple of years from employers hiring on a strict work-from-home basis.

Holiday

Being forced to stay at home during the pandemic means that millions of people across the world didn’t get to have a proper vacation in the past year. As the pandemic gets closer to ending, people might be looking for a new job but they will be looking for a vacation as well.

Workers want to ensure that they will not only be getting vacation days when they start working but that they will have many more in the years to come. Businesses must make a point that they offer many business days for their employees with little backlash in terms of when they are allowed to take them.

Professional Development

Workers often don’t just want a job but want to build a career for themselves. This means developing their skills to the point where they can keep advancing their position in the company they currently work at.

Employers can facilitate these needs by offering courses and free reading materials for anyone looking to advance in the company. Good benefits to offer along with this include guaranteed raises and a review to see if a worker is eligible for a promotion.

Health

The pandemic has been disruptive for many who often pride themselves on their positive physical and mental health. It may take years for many people to get back on track to where they were before 2020.

Employers can help facilitate the health needs of workers by offering various health benefits. First, employers should think about adding a gym in their workplace so workers always have the chance to work out for the times they can’t make it to their other gym.

Employers should also think about offering various mental health benefits like paying for therapy or covering mental health days for when employees need to take a break at home.

Food

In the middle of a busy workday, it might be hard for workers to get the nutrition they need. Employers can take a few critical measures to improve the eating habits of those they hire.

For those that work on-site, employers can add a cafeteria filled with plenty of healthy options that are easy to grab and go when in a rush. Employers should also think about offering a desk delivery service for times when work is piling up.

Remote workers might not also have time to go to their kitchen and make food for themselves which is why food delivery benefits could be offered. This could include free delivery from delivery services or other factors like dropping off meals from a company cafeteria.