4 ways you can share the love this Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day is a time for sharing the love and showing those around you that you care.
As an employer, why not show your appreciation for the heart of your business – your employees.

“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
By creating a positive working environment of reward and recognition, and supporting employee wellbeing, you can enable your people to thrive. This doesn’t have to cost a lot, but can go a long way to benefit your employees and your business. According to a social media poll by Health Shield, 57% of people said that if their employer proactively supported their mental wellbeing, it would help them to feel more loyal, be more productive and take less time off.^[1]

Here are some things you could do as a business to spread the love and ensure that your employees feel valued, appreciated and part of a great team.

A survey of nearly 2,000 employees by Xexec last year revealed that annual leave was chosen by 43% as the work-related benefit that would make them feel most loved at work.^[2] Giving employees generous holidays and encouraging them to leave stress at the door not only prevents burn-out and absenteeism, it means they’re more likely to feel refreshed and more productive when they’re at work.

Because we know one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to employee wellbeing, introducing flexible working is another great way of promoting work-life balance. By giving employees the flexibility they need to get some down-time, whether that means an extra hour in bed for some or an early finish for others, you can get the most of your employees as they’re bound to bring their A-game when they feel most productive.

2. Company perks and quirks

With increasing pressure on businesses to invest in employee wellbeing and company culture, more and more companies are introducing perks such as on-site massage days, on-site gym facilities, flexible working hours, working from home, extra holiday schemes, fresh fruit deliveries, team building days, increasing budgets for social events and even lounge and sleep pods… Have a think about what more you could do to create a comfortable working environment and you’ll reap the benefits. Why not run an internal Valentine’s campaign to show your employees how valued they are? Giving out free chocolate is bound to go down well and get those endorphins going!

Use Valentine’s Day to remind your employees of the great benefits you give them. Whether it’s pointing them in the direction of your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to deal with a broken heart, or promoting heart health screens, there’s always something you can do to show you care. If your employees have access to one of our health cash plans, they could treat themselves to a hot stone or aromatherapy massage and claim their money back, or treat a loved one to a gift or spa break through PERKS, our rewards platform offering discounts, deals and cashback to help salaries stretch a little further.

4. Support charities close to their hearts

Due to years of austerity and increasing pressure on charities set up to support people in need, it’s likely that you won’t have to look very far to find a local charity offering help to the community. Why not round up a group of volunteers to get together once a month and plan fundraising events? Or how about giving people an afternoon off work to volunteer? At Health Shield, we double all charity donations raised by staff up to £2,000. By engaging and supporting staff with charities close to their hearts, you’re showing that you care and giving everyone the opportunity to benefit from the feeling of making a real difference.

No matter your business’ shape, size or budget, there are plenty of ways you can show that you care and spread the love this Valentine’s Day!

^[1] Health Shield Insights, 2018.

^[2] https://blog.xexec.com/xexec-employee-recognition-survey-results-feb-2018