Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER March 7, 2016 16 FEATURES BENEFITS Negotiating benefi ts Bridging the gap between CFO, worker perceptions By Dianne Hunnam-Jones N on-monetary perks can play a key role when it comes to attracting and retaining employees. But a re- cent survey suggests managers and employees may not be on the same page when it comes to which benefits are most valuable. Of the 270 Canadian CFOs sur- veyed by Robert Half, 31 per cent say they believe employees want health and wellness benefi ts, such as gym memberships, above all else. However, just 15 per cent of the 400 offi ce employees surveyed say they value those sorts of ben- efi ts, while 35 per cent say they are most interested in additional vacation time. e employees' response aligns with recent trends indicating workers are looking for perks that give them greater work-life bal- ance. Additional vacation days of- fered as a benefi t allow employees to take much-needed breaks from work to relax, recharge and come back with renewed energy and enthusiasm for their job — which can be a benefi t for employees and managers alike. What else do workers want? Twenty-three per cent cite non- traditional work hours as a cov- eted perk. Another 21 per cent would like telecommuting op- tions, while six per cent want on- site perks such as free lunch or parking. Why they matter As demand continues to rise for the most specialized and skilled talent, both managers and em- ployees should consider leverag- ing non-monetary perks during salary negotiations. For example, if an employee is off ered multiple jobs with similar salaries, pro- viding generous vacation time and fl exible work arrangements — such as fl extime, compressed workweeks, job-sharing, telecom- muting or permanent part-time arrangements — may give one company an edge over another. Likewise, if current employees are looking into positions at other companies, they may choose to remain in their current role if their manager can sweeten the benefi ts package. ough they disagree on the most popular benefi ts, CFOs and offi ce workers do agree that com- panies are more willing to nego- tiate non-monetary employee perks now than in the recent past. Fifty-four per cent of CFOs says they are more open to discussing non-monetary perks compared to one year ago, and 24 per cent of workers think perks are up for discussion more often with their employers. e research also found that CFOs at businesses in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia are more willing to off er these extra incentives than they have been in the past. Leveraging perks No matter which side of the desk a person is sitting on, it never hurts to open a discussion about non- monetary perks. Employers should fi rst make sure they're eff ectively commu- nicating to employees and new hires which non-monetary perks the company off ers. en, every year or two, they should survey employees — ei- ther anonymously or during one- on-one reviews — to gauge what workers value most and make sure the company is keeping up with benefi ts trends. In general, employers that are concerned about retaining top performers and attracting the best talent may want to look at off ering additional non-monetary perks. If they're not off ering the incentives that rank highest on workers' wish lists, eff orts to motivate or retain workers could fall fl at. But managers should be careful to consider what's best for their of- fi ce and whether they're prepared to extend non-monetary perks such as telecommuting and non- traditional hours to all employ- ees — not just the ones they're courting. On the flip side, employees should be open with their man- agers and let them know when they're interested in a particular perk, such as more time off , tu- ition assistance or a sabbatical. Workers should be sure to present to their manager the business rea- sons for the benefi t; for example, non-monetary perks may reduce employee burnout and turnover or restore the team's enthusiasm and motivation. Before any negotiation about non-monetary benefi ts, with new hires and current employees, managers need to plan ahead. at means exploring the cost of popular perks and establishing a threshold for which benefi ts they can and will off er before negotia- tions begin. e bottom line is this: Em- ployees want to know their hard work is appreciated. Non-mone- tary perks show that a company is invested in its workers, which can increase employee loyalty, improve morale and increase pro- ductivity and innovation. Dianne Hunnam-Jones is the To- ronto-based district director at Ac- countemps, responsible for Eastern Canada operations. For more infor- mation, visit www.roberthalf.com/ accountemps. Popular perks The most popular perks offered by employers (and why), according to a 2014 survey of 300 HR managers in the U.S.: Subsidized training or education: A robust training program allows a company to consider applicants who may not have all the skills a particular job requires but have the capacity to add the missing knowledge on the job. Flexible work hours or telecommuting: Alternative work arrangements are becoming more common as professionals place greater focus on achieving a healthy work-life balance. Mentoring programs: The opportunity to learn from a senior staff member often translates to better job satisfaction for employees. Such programs can be a great way for junior or mid- career professionals to learn about a new employer's corporate culture as well as higher-level roles they may wish to pursue in the future. Free or subsidized snacks or lunches: Offering free snacks helps keep employees productive during crunch periods when they need energy to make it through a heavy workload. Gym memberships: Perhaps more common at larger companies, this benefi t is a win-win for employees and employers. By exercising, workers get a boost of energy and self-confi dence, which can result in increased productivity and fewer sick days. On-site perks: This benefi t category can vary depending on the organization and the needs and preferences of its workforce. Child care, fi tness facilities, a cafeteria or dry cleaning pickup are among the most common offerings. Matching gifts programs: More and more job seekers want to work for companies that are committed to giving back to the community. Matching gifts programs can help, with fi rms donating a certain amount of money for every dollar a worker raises for a non-profi t or every hour he volunteers. Some companies also offer employees paid time off to volunteer with their favourite charities. Relocation or housing assistance: This is a welcome perk for recent hires who have to relocate or are looking to buy a fi rst home. Subsidized transportation: Employers based in large cities are most likely to offer this benefi t. It could take the form of discounted subway or bus passes, or carpool options. Sabbatical leave: After a certain number of years of service, some employees are permitted to take a short paid leave of absence to pursue professional development or personal projects. Once limited to academia, sabbaticals are slowly fi ltering into the corporate world. Adoption assistance: With adoption assistance programs, employers provide workers with cash grants to help cover the expense of adopting a child through an approved agency or attorney. Source: Accountemps injuries because mistakes are go- ing to happen and it's of critical importance to the safety of the workplace that employees actu- ally come forward when they do, says Quilley. "All of this is well-intentioned, it's just foolishly delivered. If you want someone to tell you about (injuries and near misses), the next thing that happens to them has to be good," he says, adding that positive consequences will likely increase the chances people will report again. "It's fundamentally the 'What happens if I do, what happens if I don't?' question." Legal consequences If the hidden risks and safety con- sequences aren't enough to con- vince an employer of the impor- tance of encouraging reporting, perhaps the legal consequences are. Employers can be hit with a signifi cant fi ne for failing to re- port or discouraging reporting of workplace injuries, according to Adrian Miedema, partner at Dentons in Toronto. " ere are serious consequenc- es for either not reporting to both the WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) and the Minis- try of Labour — that's an off ence in and of itself that you can be charged with. And certainly for pressuring employees not to re- port, you can be charged with that too," he says. "Both under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, there's a duty to report… ere are pretty serious conse- quences and there are a bunch of cases where employers have actu- ally been charged with failing to report." One Ontario employer, for ex- ample, was fi ned $20,000 in 2014 after HR staff and a supervisor failed to immediately report an injury to the provincial Ministry of Labour. e worker in that case had suff ered a broken bone, which is considered a "critical injury" un- der the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition to the fi ne, the employer had to pay a 25 per cent victim fi ne surcharge, bring- ing the total cost of the incident to $25,000. Also in 2014, an Ontario em- ployer was fi ned $75,000 for fail- ing to report an occupational dis- ease claim, said Miedema. Employers can also get into trouble for pressuring workers not to report, he says. "If you think about the Work- place Safety and Insurance Act, if somebody's injured at work and they're pressured not to report, that's an off ence," he says. In fact, there is a specifi c provi- sion in that act that says employers cannot pressure them not to re- port. Section 22.1(1) of Ontario's act, which was just added to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act last year, makes it an off ence to commit "claim suppression." e fi ne can be up to $500,000 plus an administrative penalty, says Miedema. ere is just no reason for em- ployers to avoid reporting. "Quite apart from the fact that we always advise people to comply with the law, that kind of thing catches up to employers eventually. And if you get caught not reporting and, in particular, discouraging employees from re- porting… then the consequences I think are really serious," he says. "No judge is going to be sympa- thetic to an employer that's found to have pressured employees to not report workplace injuries. "It'll catch up to you eventu- ally and the consequences will be a lot more serious if you don't report." Serious consequences for failing to report injuries OHS < pg. 15 "No judge is going to be sympathetic to an employer that's found to have pressured employees to not report workplace injuries." CFOs and offi ce workers agree that companies are more willing to negotiate non-monetary employee perks now than in the recent past.

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