Why Offering A Flexible Employee Benefit During Uncertain Times Empowers Employees [Q&A]

If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen. There are no experts who can tell us all exactly what will happen next in these uncertain times. 

The good news is that the current situation is improving. Businesses are starting to re-establish their office operations, which raises many questions. How do we go back to the office safely? How do we enforce social distancing? Will workers want to come back?

With so many new logistics to consider, there is a real danger of overlooking the mental health needs of employees. Getting your businesses back in order is paramount, but not at the expense of your most important asset – your people.

Worker restrictions are being lifted for a return to the office, yet social distancing isn’t going anywhere and many people are hesitant to return to group settings and risk exposure. In our recent survey, the majority of people (over 60%) said they are not ready to go back to their gyms or studios.

At Urban Sports Club, we anticipated this slow transition and as a result, launched a hybrid benefit program, which puts your employees in control of their mental and physical fitness. The flexible corporate program makes it easy for them to pick and choose from thousands of fitness and mindfulness courses, either live-streaming at home or in-person with their favorite trainer. 

Employee Benefits Questions About Transitioning Back to Business 

1. Why is it important to focus on and invest in employer branding now? 

At its core, an employer brand is a promise that you make to your employees about how you value them. Your employer brand is designed to build camaraderie, improve productivity, and maintain employee satisfaction (happiness). 

There is no better time to reinforce this promise to your employees. During times of instability and uncertainty, actions speak louder than words. This is an opportunity to follow through on your employer brand and support and encourage your people when times are tough.

According to research from Harvard Business Review, psychologically supporting your employees goes a long way toward helping them move forward confidently to do their best work.

Your team’s mental health, productivity, and team spirit are more important than ever. By providing them with a myriad of mental and physical health options, you empower them to take responsibility for their well-being.

2. Shouldn’t I focus on our processes and company communications rather than organizing an employee benefit?  

These uncertain times require thought-out plans and a communication strategy to ensure everyone is clear on how you are moving forward. This is your number one priority, but it is not mutually exclusive to providing employee benefits that will help people adjust to a new work environment. 

You can’t transition your business processes and company communications without addressing how you are helping employees transition as well. The Urban Sports Club hybrid solution is an easy-to-implement program that can help foster your employee’s physical and mental health during the transition.

Instead of putting employee benefits on the backburner, incorporate them into your transition plan. Your people are looking for signs of stability in the business approach and how you support them. 

3. Why are online fitness courses the best employee benefit option for fostering mental health?

Mental health affects everyone differently. By offering a benefits program that allows employees to choose the classes that appeal to their unique situation, everyone wins. Some people relieve stress through physical activity, while others seek out things like yoga and meditation.

Our hybrid program offers a full range of fitness options including exercise and mindfulness classes. This approach takes the administrative work away from the company while giving each employee a customized program to help them deal with their mental well-being.

These programs not only keep your team healthy, but they will improve employee productivity, relieve stress, and reduce absenteeism.

Another unique feature of our program is that your employees can take classes together. We’ve found that exercising in a group keeps team members more committed and motivated. Not to mention, this “village effect” helps increase immunity, happiness, and team morale!

4. How easy is it for our employees to transition between offline and online classes with the Urban Sports Club hybrid plan?

We want to remove any barriers that prevent your employees from accessing the health and fitness classes that fit their unique needs. With Urban Sports Club, each person can seamlessly switch between online and offline classes. 

The hybrid program provides thousands of courses with more than 50 types of sports ranging from yoga and gymnastics to climbing and even regular football matches.

There is no telling how each individual will adjust to the next phase of work. Some might try returning to a physical gym or studio but then decide they are not ready. Others might prefer to do both offline and online courses. 

Our hybrid solution is designed to accommodate each employee’s unique approach to staying healthy.

5. Why are employees your biggest asset during this transition period?

Every company is experiencing similar challenges about how to address their employees’ safety while remaining productive. During these times, your company has an opportunity to leave a positive impression on your employees that will have long-lasting implications on your reputation. People remember how you make them feel. 

Your team’s institutional knowledge, skill-sets and familiarity with the company culture are invaluable during this transition. The work efficiency and talent of your people will determine the pace of your transition into a new way of working.

6. What if I don’t want to commit to anything long-term in this current situation? 

We are very aware of the challenges businesses are currently facing. A time of uncertainty makes it nearly impossible to make commitments to anything.

Our mantra for our hybrid solution is ‘flexibility’. Your employees enjoy the flexibility of choosing the classes that are right for them, while being free of any contracts or long-term commitments.

Employees can go to the gym, to a class in the park, or do an online course at home. Whatever makes them most comfortable. We offer you this flexibility so that you don’t need to decide for your employees. You can cater to each person’s personal preferences and comfort levels. 

Employee Benefits that Support Your Company Transition

You have a lot on your plate as your teams transition back to the office while incorporating new processes to keep everyone safe. Our mission at Urban Sports Club is to help you in this process by offering health and fitness opportunities that work with your employees’ new reality. That said, it is our pleasure to offer a fully flexible program designed to address the current needs of your company and its employees. 

Please contact us to learn how we can customize a plan specifically for your company. 

More about Urban Sports Club Corporate Programs:

Urban Sports Club works with companies to help its employees stay healthy with access to thousands of live online courses as well as physical gyms and fitness centers. In addition to the classic fitness classes such as Yoga, Pilates, and HIIT, many of the courses also are designed to help people reduce stress and maintain inner balance. 

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