The “one size fits all” benefits system is an outdated practice mostly because it neglects the unique needs of each employee.
It does not take into consideration how employees vary in terms of gender, age, marital status, and other individual factors.
This can create a feeling of inequality within the workplace environment as certain employees are provided with more comprehensive and advantageous benefits packages than others.
Clearly then, with today’s diverse and fast-paced work environments a one-size-fits all approach no longer takes into account all the individual differences among employees or offers many incentives for people to remain in their jobs.
Despite advanced capabilities to custom tailor the benefits available for each employee, many firms find themselves stuck in a rut, unwilling or unable to update their current structure. This lack of personalization restricts growth and limits potential success as there are very few opportunities provided for employees due to limited choices of benefits. Employers may not realize, for example, that childcare subsidies would be important to some and health insurance would be important to others.
One of the most concerning aspects of a βone-size-fits-allβ system is the lack of adequate health care available. But with rising costs and expansive coverage requirements, having employees on different health plans can become an issue. On the other side, employees may not be able to receive necessary care that they need due to funding restrictions stemming from a one-size-fits-all approach.
While people may be more engaged at work with flexible working hours, assistance with personal expenses (such as gym memberships), or perhaps vacation time, these options are often overlooked in favor of lower salary increases.
Some benefits can be spent pointlessly when an employer provides a benefit that the employee doesn’t need while at the same time, the employee is missing something different. For example, the employer provides as part of its benefits system XXX amount that can be spent by the employee only for a specific purpose, but the employee does not need that specific thing, the employee will still spend the provided XXX amount while thinking about how the money is being wasted while other needs are not fulfilled.
Furthermore, this type of rigid system does not promote employee retention as it fails to recognize personal ambitions and preferences for particular areas. Although most employees may stick around due to the comfort associated with such a familiar environment.
By providing tailored benefits packages based on individual considerations and needs employers could help bridge those gaps in coverage, ensuring everyone gets the coverage they need without any sacrifice from anyone else who has different needs.
Therefore employers should make sure that their company strategies allot for widespread diversity when crafting attractive benefits packages.
So, why not?
Tailoring benefits for individuals can be a complex, time-consuming process that requires also specific expertise, especially when considering cost planning, applying different labor laws and taxation rules, payroll, document handling, and the list goes on and on when benefits are applied in different jurisdictions and countries.
Luckily for every problem, there is a solution and someone with the solution. Employers can use PSO services to help them design effective benefits systems, tech solutions with already built-in desired functionalities and options, and even EoR/PEO services and solutions that may help them with compliance especially when it comes to the global benefits approach.