With the Great Resignation inspiring a record-number of American workers to up and quit their current full-time positions, is it time for employers to revisit their benefits packages and offers to in-person employees? The answer is absolutely.
What is "The Great Resignation" and why should employers take notice?
The Great Resignation is an ongoing circumstance in the American workforce, largely connected to the global pandemic and a shift in personal values and needs for the average employee. According to data from CNBC Make It, an estimated 1 in 4 workers quit their job in 2021 alone. Based on surveys, the top reasons for this are lack of flexibility, insufficient benefits, and feeling unsupported by their company.
Employees need to be offered additional benefits to increase morale and encourage a smooth transition back to the office.
For employers and company executive to ignore the demands of employees would be a grave mistake, as we are living in an employee's job market. People are growing tired of the same old benefits package: 401k offers, dental, medical, vision, etc. What employees need is to feel they are gaining something (whether it's monetary benefits or a good reason) through committing to come into the office in person every day after nearly two years of productive work online.
Employers need to upgrade their office spaces, and offering employees EV chargers would be a great start.
With news coming out this week regarding a $7.5B investment from Congress into electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the United States, employees at major companies are likely going to make the switch to an EV within the next 5-10 years. Just a few months ago, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, also issued an executive order requiring that 50% of new car sales in the U.S. to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2030. This means that employees are going to need chargers if they are to return to work, and they're going to expect employers to pay for it.
Many in-person workplaces (such as gyms, wineries, hospitals, college campuses, and grocery stores) already offer employees access to electric vehicle charging stations. In order to compete with local businesses, it is important for companies to consider the amenities and perks that they offer to their top talent in order to keep them satisfied with their working conditions on-site.
Show your employees that you are working towards your company sustainability goals.
In the age of social media and with a rise in attention surrounding social and environmental justice, employees are observant when it comes to the values of the companies they spend 40 hours or more per week of their lives working for. Employees want to represent organizations with missions that do more than just make sales, but give back to important causes. To attract additional talent and keep workers who generate revenue for your place of business, it's important to do some soul searching to think about how your brand can offer your community something more than just a product or service.
People want to know how you intend to use your platform to leave the community in a better place than when you entered it. Achieving goals of sustainability or reducing your carbon footprint through encouraging electric vehicle usage is a great start to promoting a positive company culture rooted in environmental sustainability.
For additional information on commercial electric vehicle charging for businesses and office spaces, contact us to learn about our Level 2 Charging stations with pedestals for public use.