In today’s hiring landscape, employers are moving beyond traditional health and retirement benefits to embrace unique incentives that attract top talent. In particular, employers are hyper-focused on unique benefits that attract the millennial generation, which has surpassed Generation X as the largest age group in the workforce. While most employers and HR professionals have likely read countless articles about empowering millennial employees in the workplace, it cannot be denied that this generation faces a much different work/life landscape than those that came before them.

Since traditional benefits no longer serve most of the workforce as they once did, continued conversation is necessary to identify new employer strategies, including the implementation of unusual benefits that address millennials’ specific needs and challenges. These include the flexibility to allow employees to work where and when they want, personalized wellness programs that incorporate gamification and recognition for goals met, mental health resources for employees and their families, sabbaticals that encourage personal growth and exploration, and more. Such examples not only meet the unique needs of millennial employees, but they also help organizations foster an authentic and empathetic workplace culture.

Rethinking traditional benefits to address employee stress

One of the main goals employers have for their workplace benefits is to reduce employee stress. Personal stressors can lead to decreased workforce productivity, absenteeism, and turnover—which ultimately take a negative toll on overall office culture. Reducing stress is particularly critical for millennial employees, as this generation reports higher stress levels than any other age group. Millennials are also more likely than other generations to say their stress has a very strong impact on their physical and mental health.