While a competitive salary will nearly always be the biggest factor in a person choosing where to work, there are many perks that can help influence someone to join your company over others. We’ve outlined some of the benefits Salesforce professionals have told us they value most.
It’s the little things that make people more likely to stay in a job, which demonstrates why it’s vital that you’re offering a competitive benefits package.
In the 2018/2019 Mason Frank Salary Survey, respondents working within the ecosystem gave their opinions on what kind of perks appeal most to them, and what we found is that a lot of these benefits are surprisingly easy to implement, even if you’re on a limited budget.
A little creativity will go a long way to ensuring a harmonious working environment that encourages professionals to stay with you for years to come.
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Flexible and remote working
Working from home is probably the easiest to implement, and the most impactful, with 48% of survey respondents naming it as a valued perk. If you don’t allow it already, it should be a serious consideration.
It may seem quite daunting, but your employees will thank you for allowing them the flexibility to balance their work and home life.
Realistically, someone spending time away from their desk is probably going to be working in a much more focused environment than the bustle of the office, meaning the quality of work you get from their time is far greater.
They’ll also likely cover more of the day, too. Their laptop will likely be switched on over breakfast, catching up on anything that has cropped up overnight, and once the school run is done they will have interruption-free time to work.
Sure, the kids will be back home before a normal office day would be finished, but the likelihood of someone then working later to accommodate this is high, and those focused hours during the day are almost priceless.
Time off for volunteer work is also often appreciated and great for your company too. Many of your employees will be engaged in community or charity work, and you helping them facilitate that is invaluable for everyone involved.
Someone doing voluntary work shows an attitude that you want in your workplace, so encouraging that mindset will benefit both you, your employee, and ultimately the cause they are committing their time to.
If you have periods of downtime then encouraging volunteer work is a great way to foster a positive mindset within your organization.
Providing healthcare
Looking after an employee’s health is one of the key benefits you can provide in any industry. This is especially the case in the US, where healthcare is something of a concern for workers who do not have robust health insurance or are unsure as to where they stand.
This is also one of the deciding factors in a being a permanent Salesforce professional, as opposed to a contractor, where you aren’t afforded such protection.
In the 2018/19 Mason Frank salary survey, 61% of respondents named health insurance in their top three most important benefits. Over half of respondents (51%) also highlighted a dental plan as significant to their job satisfaction, while 40% listed a vision plan.
You may not consider these things from the outset, but clearly Salesforce professionals value the assurance that their health is being taken care of.
It’s imperative you proactively explore ways to retain your best Salesforce staff. As a specialist Salesforce recruiter, we’ve outlined our five top tips for staff retention.
Filling their stomachs
Providing free snacks at work is listed as a welcome benefit and is something that you may be able to instigate quite easily. Free fruit bowls are a simple and cost-effective way to supply your teams with snacks without repeated trips to vending machines.
Perhaps more importantly, fruit is far less likely to set up the sugar crash that a chocolate bar will inevitably produce.
If you’re looking after your team’s stomachs, providing a good-quality meal was also mentioned as a welcome addition. If you aren’t able to provide this, then it’s worth trying to find caterers who can, even if it’s only once a week.
Many firms will be happy to travel to you to provide this, and it only takes a small amount of creativity to make it something to look forward to. After all, who wouldn’t love a Taco Tuesday at work?
Being pet-friendly
If you’re looking for something unusual, it’s also worth thinking outside the box a little in terms of perks. A dog-friendly office was listed by some survey respondents as a welcome benefit. It’s a growing trend which could help improve your entire office as a place to work as well as make you stand out to potential recruits.
Obviously, it’s a potentially massive change to your working environment, but as people value their pets more and more, it’s worth your consideration. Adopters to the practice have revealed that having a furry companion or two around can help improve morale.
Movie director Ridley Scott’s company RSA Films have made their premises pet-friendly and revealed that it “brings calm and joy in some very stressful situations.” Let’s be honest, it’s going to be pretty difficult to bring conflict to a scenario with a puppy in your lap.
A word of warning though—any permanent addition to the workplace should be subject to a probationary period, whether they have two legs or four.
You don’t want unsettled or disruptive animals around, so make sure there’s a very clearly defined trial period to make sure pets fit into the office environment, and be super aware of any allergies that may rule it out or dictate how it is introduced.
Admittedly, having water bowls dotted around the office rather than water coolers might seem a strange culture change, but it’s a good example of how thinking outside the box may make you a more appealing employer.
Many suggestions are easy and cost-effective to implement, they just require some creative thought. If there’s something on your employees’ mind that makes their working day stressful, try to combat it with a perk, no matter how unusual it may seem.
The Mason Frank Salary Survey is a fantastic resource to find out financial expectations around the Salesforce Ecosystem, as well as the perks and benefits most likely to attract professionals to your organization.
To make sure you’re offering the compensation, benefits, and culture that Salesforce professionals look for, download the full report and get the most current snapshot of the Salesforce Ohana available anywhere.
