Introduction
Paula included the most common types of discretionary benefits with examples. Her post offers preliminary information about benefits, clearly distinguishing one type from another, including her personal experience. However, several points significantly influenced the tendencies in benefits established in the companies. One such issue is the pandemic of COVID-19, which forced senior leaders to consider additional benefits for employees to cope with new personal and professional challenges.
Discussion
Since decentralized workforces are becoming more prevalent across businesses, human resource leaders have informed us that they intend to provide flexible advantages to support employees wherever they may be, not simply those who work at the company’s office. For example, parents emphasize flexible family benefits over on-site childcare facilities, with 61% of respondents favoring the latter more (Green et al., 2021). Most intend to increase the number of paid memberships available on Internet portals for locating and managing care services and in-home emergency childcare.
Benefits’ advancement heavily relies on local and federal policy and businesses. Adopting the American Rescue Plan is a significant and vital first step in resolving the pandemic’s three crises (Green et al., 2021). They include the care problem, the women’s employment issue, and the mental health crisis will demand diligence, perseverance, and inventiveness. The companies try to resolve the mental health issue through the implementation of additional wellness benefits, which fit in as described by Paula Services Benefits. It is essential because it includes personalization depending on a particular employee’s age, demographics, and other features.
Conclusion
Therefore, Paula described the main central benefits groups in terms of the traditional human resource field. Nevertheless, it is crucial to address the new emerging peculiarities of the discretionary benefits that appeared after the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. New requirements of society forced employers to consider a potential alteration to the existing programs to support their workforce. Through the expansion of benefits abilities, it is possible to meet the needs of people after severe stress conditions of a pandemic.
References
Green, N., Tappin, D., & Bentley, T. (2021). Working from home before, during and after the Covid-19 pandemic: implications for workers and organisations. New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 45(2), 5-16.