Here's how incentives and benefits can help your company stand out to today's workers.
The year is now 2020 and the gig economy is in full force. Not only is technology rapidly changing, so too is the definition of a standard 'employee'. Here's how incentives and benefits can help your company stand out to today's workers.
Are you a full-time employee? Are you a part-time employee? Perhaps you are a sole trader figuring out your own work and don't consider yourself to be an 'employee' at all. With so many different types of workers that have already bloomed throughout this gig era, this brings to light an entirely new question - how do we define 'employee' in today's changing world of work, and more importantly, how can benefits progress and stand out in response to this change to attract and retain new-age workers?
The changing definition of employee
At the end of 2018, in efforts to agree on and create a united approach to the future of work - and what it means for workers - the Australian Senate released a report which offered clear recommendations for how the Government and Australian organisations can prepare for this future. Many of these recommendations revolve around the idea that the definition of 'employee' has very much evolved, and it's time for organisations, and the benefits and incentives they offer, to do the same.
Within the report, the sixth recommendation states that Australia's future workplaces will, "need to more rapidly adapt to and anticipate the evolving nature of work and employment relationships, so that workers, however classified, are afforded fundamental workplace rights and entitlements," as well as to, "broaden the definition of employee to capture gig workers and ensure that they have full access to protection."
So how can benefits and incentives stand out to today's workers?
Benefits for Gig Workers Case Study: Deliveroo
Let's take a deep dive into a company that practically invented the gig economy. Ding dong! It's Deliveroo.
The Deliveroo workforce around the world consists of nearly 8000 gig workers - those who have the complete freedom to choose when, where and for how long they are going to work. The organisation and it's untraditional working model has only become more successful around the world since launching in 2013. However, with that success has come multiple legislation issues in terms of whether or not a certain type of worker is considered to be an employee, and even more so - what that means for their workplace benefits, rights and protections.
Deliveroo has chosen to take a very forward-thinking approach for its gig-thriving workforce. After achieving success for their workers in France, the employer is now working hard to push Australian legislation to create benefits and incentives for the new workers of today. For Deliveroo, this would include a program that would allow their workers to accrue paid sick leave over time - without having to be classified as an official 'employee'.
Deliveroo is doing even more to stand out and give their workers access to further benefits that will provide a sense of purpose, protection and stability when they need it most, including:
1. Listening to worker needs and aligning benefits accordingly
This is an area that, despite the legislative hurdles, Deliveroo is paving a new and exciting path in. It has become clear in recent years that offering flexibility is no longer a choice for employers, but rather it has evolved into more of a right for workers given the positive effects it can have on one's ability to balance their working life with their personal and family lives.
To make sure that the Deliveroo flex work model is aligned to their gig workers needs, the organisation recently surveyed nearly 300 of its drivers across Australia to find out what they value in gig economy work, and why many of them continue to remain loyal. When asked what was important to them when choosing the type of work to undertake today, second to compensation was their ability to balance work and life. And the third most important factor for them when choosing work? Access to benefits. In the words of Deliveroo Australia, "This emphasises that [workers] want both flexibility and security, which Deliveroo is offering and seeking to go further on."
2. Creating programs that allow workers to make an impact on society
With the news today filled with unprecedented stories and the only constant is change, organisations are expected now more than ever to take a clear stance on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ensure their business is doing more than just operating to make a profit. The expectation today is that a business is making a true societal impact. And when programs are created that make workers feel like they are a part of that impact, they are likely to feel more fulfilled and engaged in their work.
As an example, at the end of 2019, Deliveroo announced its new Sustainability & Social Impact Team to lead new initiatives across Australia in 2020. This comes off the back of successful CSR and purpose-driven programs started by the company in 2019, including a Homeless Delivery Initiative. Through a strategic partnership with the Lighthouse Foundation and 25 restaurants across Melbourne, customers were able to donate money for food to be delivered by Deliveroo to the homeless in Victoria. This initiative is a clear way for today's gig workers to work when their schedules allow while also being part of something that is making a difference and helping those in need.
So regardless of how an employee is defined these days, one thing is clear - it's the benefits and incentives that can make all the difference, for the worker and the organisation.
Reach out today or request a demo to find out more about how Power2Motivate's range of features and employee benefits programs can improve workforce engagement while helping your organisation to stand out.