Raising the Bar on Employee Benefits
What's the buzz? In short, Renee's a voice for change. Since 2013, the social-media giant's Senior Benefits Director has been reinventing the field, taking her company's benefits from "traditional and table stakes," wrote EBN, "to family friendly and innovative." Just a few words of wisdom from the honoree:Listen up!
Listening is the way to employees' hearts -- and their benefits needs, which is why Renee spends a lot of time in focus groups. "Talking to employees" wrote EBN, "is exactly how Facebook perfected its benefits in the first place."
Be bold
Facebook hasn't just set the bar on employee benefits -- they continue to raise it. "I'm most proud when an employee complains to me and says we're kind of middle of the market," Renee told EBN, "and I say, 'Yeah, that's because we moved the market.'"
Solicit feedback
Take the good news with the bad. "If I post something and they don't think it quite met the mark," says Renee about employees, "they will come back and let me know."
Create grassroots communities
Help employees support employees. "We, from a benefits perspective, can give them all the benefits data, like how does your insurance work and how does the paid time program work," she tells EBN, "but another employee who has that experience will step up and say, 'Here are the things you should know about."
Reinvent
Not happy with how things look? Make change. "Our benefits were pretty lean when I first got here," said Renee. "The very first survey we did, people told us they really wanted a 401(k) match and better life insurance. So I came in got those up and running."
Renee's strategy is clearly working, with EBN pointing out Facebook's 4.5 out of 5 Glassdoor score. "The benefits play into our attraction, retention and overall engagement," she said. "Employers need to take care of their employees." We couldn't agree more. Congratulations, Renee -- and thanks for setting the bar so high!
