MetLife Employee Benefit Trends
Experience the human workplace
MetLife's 16th Annual US Employee Benefit Trends Study 2018
In today's connected world, work and life overlap like never before.
As an advocate for the workforce, MetLife helps employers and employees navigate this new work-life world. We work to understand what matters to employees so that we can help HR decision makers proactively engage the workforce by building meaningful employee experiences that are deeply human.
DOWNLOAD STUDYThe Empowered Employee
Businesses in search of the best and brightest are facing a field of candidates that are more empowered than ever.
The battle for talent is on. Increasingly, workers aren't forced to scramble for opportunities. Instead, employees are in demand, positioned to dictate the terms of employment in more ways than in any other time this century. Employees today see work as a part of who they are and, therefore, want their work to reflect their values, interests and aspirations.
These shifts in employee attitudes are in large part a reaction to a positive market. Today's employees are enjoying decreasing unemployment rates, while platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed are giving employees a clear view into what they can expect from companies. The combination of strong jobs numbers and increased transparency means employees have the options and the information to hold companies accountable.
I feel a strong sense of purpose at my work
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Bridging the Gap
With a more empowered employee comes increased confusion – on both sides. Employers and employees struggle to shape a work experience that benefits them both, and few have found lasting success. Employees and employers are misaligned in their perceptions of what makes a great work experience; as a result, investments aren't seeing returns, and turnover remains high. Employees crave experiences that feel more human and engaging and that enrich their lives as a whole.
Employees today need experiences that will develop their professional skills, challenge them personally, connect them to something bigger and provide an enriching work and life reality. But there's a gap between what employees need and what they're getting. To bridge the gap, employers and HR decision makers need to connect more deeply with employees. In doing so, employers can proactively create enriching experiences that honor employees as whole people.
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Introducing the Human Workplace
What employees want is a human workplace. This is a workplace that sees employees as whole, complete people with experiences at work and at home that combine to make a meaningful life. Through the human workplace, employees have access to the experiences that lead to higher job satisfaction and better performance. Further, employees feel valued, respected and encouraged. In the human workplace, employees improve everything from NPS scores to Glassdoor and Indeed reviews.
To create a human workplace, employers need to create moments of truth that enable more enriching experiences—distinctive moments crafted to acknowledge, support and celebrate employees. This isn't a "nice job" comment, in passing, at the cafeteria. These are intentional opportunities to display commitment to an employee's individuality and humanity that are woven into the DNA of an organization.
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Creating Experiences that Matter
Moments of truth are different for every company. Depending on your company's size and culture, moments of truth will come to life in nuanced ways. However, these moments aren't only about creating changes in employee experiences; they are also about changing a mindset. Crafting a more human experience means enriching the culture of the organization and backing it up with real experiences that provide meaning and value.
Understanding that employees' lives aren't always predictable and that they care about causes in the wider world are just two examples of how to tap into more human experiences. Programs and offerings that support flexibility and that empower employees to make an impact are essential to the human workplace.
For a deeper dive, download the full study.
Answering the Needs of Tomorrow
A more empowered employee means that they can demand more human workplaces. By creating moments of truth and developing intentional experiences that recognize employees' humanity, everyone wins. Employees feel more satisfied, grow more committed to the success of the organization and become promoters themselves while employers benefit from a more engaged and productive workforce.
Shifting mindsets, embracing a more human culture and providing tangible benefits and programs, allow today's employers to meet the demands of tomorrow.