The world is growing increasingly dependent on technology by the day, in everything from healthcare and education to leisure. That’s why it’s no surprise that the competition for tech talent grows yearly.
This LinkedIn post on the tech talent war reveals that the situation continues to heat up, with tech companies scramble to attract the best candidates to build strong teams that help their bottom line.
One thing that companies are doing to attract and retain tech talent is offering health benefits, as working in tech involves long hours that could affect their physical health and the fast-paced environment can lead to mental fatigue.
Moreover, replacing an employee can be costly, so companies are trying their best to retain tech talent. Our blog post “19 Best Ways to Retain Employees” lists some well-being perks you may already offer, like paid time-off and gym memberships, but you can do more by giving your employees health benefits apart from what’s covered by basic medical insurance.
To do this, here are some health benefits to offer your tech employees:
Vision insurance
Working in tech involves hours in front of digital screens. This could worsen employees’ eyesight, cause discomfort, and result in strain. If they have poor eyesight, this can also impact productivity levels.
That’s why providing vision insurance can be crucial. Make sure your provider is accepted by various eye care centers so employees won’t have difficulty looking for a provider. That way, they have free reign over choosing where to get eyewear and eye care services.
This includes Target Optical’s eyeglasses range. Its collection of quality frames from brands like Ralph and Oakley can be bought at a discount using vision insurance from providers like Aetna and EyeMed.
Meanwhile, other providers offer the option to get free or discounted eye exams at retailers like Walmart, which accepts insurance plans from companies like Spectera and Davis Vision. Ultimately, providing vision insurance can encourage your employees to address eye problems before they hamper health and productivity.
Dental insurance
Tech employees are prone to damaging their teeth when stressed. For instance, an employee working on a difficult cybersecurity task may have a habit of unconsciously grinding their teeth, leading to pain and tooth fractures. Stress-eating sweets can result in toothaches and decay, preventing them from working due to pain.
Consider offering dental insurance as a health benefit to safeguard your employees’ teeth. Many benefit plan providers offer dental policies as a supplemental add on.
Most dental insurance plans cover the full cost of routine hygiene visits and can significantly reduce the cost of common restorative procedures, but often do not cover cosmetic procedures such as whitening and orthodontics. Research shows young adults are increasingly self conscious about their smiles and considering treatment with braces or clear aligner.
Therefore, offering a premium dental plan with orthodontic benefits can be a great way to make your benefits especially attractive to prospective employees.
Mental health coverage
Working with digital devices and technology can have negative effects on employees’ mental health. Medical News’ article on digitalized workplaces reveals that such employees can experience technostress, a psychological response that occurs due to the inability to cope with digital technologies.
For instance, computer breakdowns elevate cortisol levels, leading to acute stress. Tech employees can also experience anxiety and sleep deprivation when overwhelmed at work.
Providing mental health coverage helps your tech employees manage these issues in a healthier manner. Give them access to mental health clinics and professionals—whether online or offline—and cover their appointment expenses. This will encourage them to seek help for their mental health needs, so they can cope accordingly.
Pharmacy benefits
Although your tech employees can access the health services above, paying for their medicine is a different game. This can take a lot from their pay, especially if they have to take multiple medications throughout the day. Missing a dose of their medicine can cause pain, affecting their overall health and productivity.
Pharmacy benefits allow your tech employees to get prescription medicine at a discount, including those for chronic and acute diseases. You can recommend CVS to your employees, as they have hundreds of branches and accept various medicine discount benefits from AltaMed and UniCare. This way, your tech employees can take their meds on time, whether for chronic conditions, dental concerns, or anything else.
Offering health benefits maintains tech talent’s well-being and attracts them to your company. In doing so, you can ensure they’re always healthy as you work with them towards success.
