How people work is changing, affecting employers and employees alike. There are issues around work-life balance and flexible hours; along with zero hour contracts and the gig economy.
These issues are complex. What suits one person will be disadvantageous to another – but what is clear is that for many employers, how they improve their employees’ quality of life is becoming key.
“Must employers consider quality of life?” asks Greg Searle MBE, ex-Olympic rower in Team GB and now Chief Innovation Officer for Keys Business Concierge.
“While there are certain basic standards to do with duty of care, much of this issue is about what choices businesses make to benefit the people who work for them.”
Embedding Benefits
“You can reward someone by giving them something that will last and benefit them in the long-term,” advises Greg.
Greg explains how the concept of a dedicated business concierge service is shifting, from something exclusively high-end to a more universal benefit.
“You can enhance your employees’ quality of life while helping to improve performance at the same time”
This concept’s origins lie in a much older approach to looking after a workforce.
In the latter half of the 19th century, the Cadbury family wanted to give loyal and long-serving workers something to help their general health and fitness. The result was the Bournville model village. It included sports facilities, a natural, spring-fed lido, along with housing.
“While this does imply a certain degree of paternalistic social control, the concept that an employer might wish to positively influence their employees’ way of life outside work carries some contemporary weight,” says Greg.
Removing Barriers
“Over the length of my sporting career, I experienced, and witnessed, a cultural shift, from starting out with very limited support, to having the kind of support that allowed me to focus fully on my goals”
The concept of a business concierge service fits this model: from being a virtual PA to also helping unlock an individual’s leisure time. There is a deliberate blurring of the boundaries between the benefits of the workplace, and those that are more personally attuned to the employee.
“A business concierge service can help reset that all important work-life balance, in such a way that the employees benefit and so does the employer – reaping the rewards of a better-focused team that feels properly engaged and recognised,” suggests Greg.
This kind of benefit provides an end-to-end service that’s functional and convenient: it enables while it rewards.
“We’re talking about an holistic approach to improving the quality of the employee’s experience. It provides autonomy, it fosters a sense of belonging, and it gives credit where it’s due,” Greg concludes.
To discover how Keys Business Concierge can improve your employees’ quality of life:
- Call 0161 884 3300
- Discover some inspiration at keys-business.com/inspirations
- Watch the video below
