Dave Ramsey’s Entreleadership: The Benfit of Benefits

By Dave Ramsey

Published with permission in the April 2016 newsletter.

As a small-business owner, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is mapping out your company’s benefits package. Simply put, offering a great benefits package helps attract the best people.

But while financial compensation is alluring, other benefits can be just as important when it comes to helping a candidate say yes or no to your offer. When it comes down to deciding between two similar jobs that pay the same, the benefits package could make or break the deal.

Recruiting
Remember to highlight your benefits when trying to recruit people for an open position. A good healthcare plan is an important factor to include in your benefits package, but so are other wellness options—including financial wellness. Companies that offer personal and professional educational options to their workers will, in turn, reap the benefits of loyal and better trained team members.

Retaining
Constantly assess your benefits package using input from team members. While there is value in marketplace statistics and surveys, I would advise using these only as a starting point. When workers feel their opinions and needs matter, there’s a better chance that they’ll focus on the team and their jobs instead of just a paycheck. We’re talking about loyalty here. If your company offers the appropriate perks and benefits, team members won’t be searching for new jobs to meet their wants and needs.

Retirement
Offering solid retirement options is one of the biggest things you can do to help team members prepare for the future. It’s also a great idea to offer your team members detailed education about the different kinds of retirement plans offered and actively help them plan for retirement. If you can afford it, matching retirement contributions are a great resource to offer as well. Remember, properly timed and planned turnover through retirement is as good for your company as unplanned turnover is costly. Every business needs a balanced mix of new and seasoned team members.

Keep these three R’s in mind, and you’ll be on your way to growing a team of happy, loyal and productive workers!