The Employee Handbook

A monthly newsletter about current challenges and conversations for values-driven HR professionals

Pioneering Perks: Backcountry’s Trailblazing Benefits

When salaries hit the ceiling, how do you maintain workforce engagement and commitment? For specialty retailer Backcountry , benefits that enhance the company’s adventure-driven culture keep workers motivated even when salaries reach their max.?

In a fireside chat at From Day One’s Salt Lake City event , Benjamin Gross, chief people officer and general counsel at Backcountry, spoke about the offerings that not only inspire people to join the Backcountry team but also encourage them to stick around for years to come.?

Benefits come in the form of adventure leaves, big employee discounts on outdoor recreation gear, healthy food, and even having a dog-friendly workplace, says Gross. To make these benefits truly meaningful, you have to know both your target market and your workforce. In the case of Backcountry, the dogs-allowed policy stemmed from an understanding that a lot of their customers and employees have dogs. “So part of it is understanding your workforce and trying to tailor it the best you can,” said Gross.?

Flexibility is also vital, particularly within a workforce fueled by the spirit of adventure. “We have a lot of things we built into the schedule to be more flexible. We allow anyone to leave for a month, anywhere they want to go, as long as they’re available in mountain time hours and do their work. We’re good with that,” Gross said. This affords their employees the chance to embark on once-in-a-lifetime escapades, from trekking through the landscapes of Nepal to shredding the slopes of the Alps. So, where would your next adventure take you?

To read more about Backcountry’s approach to meaningful and specialized benefits, read the full story here. ?

Innovations in Mental Health Benefits

In addition to a dog-friendly office and a healthy supply of office snacks, employees also want mental health support as a perk. Yet the traditional arsenal of benefits and treatments, like talk therapy and antidepressants, can fall short of meeting everyone’s needs.?

In a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s April virtual conference , Sherry Rais, CEO and co-founder of Enthea , shed light on an emerging trend in mental health support: psychedelic-assisted therapy. Psychedelic therapy has promising results, with just one dose capable of profoundly impacting conditions like depression and PTSD. Even a single session can yield significant improvements for those seeking this innovative form of therapy, says Rais.?

“We have a lot of people in the construction industry who deal with high rates of suicide, and a psychedelic drug like ketamine is one of the only substances that reduces suicidal ideation quickly,” Rais said. “A drug like ketamine is magical because it starts working in as little as six hours.”

But making psychedelic therapy more accessible and offering it as a benefit requires a change in its reputation. To shift people’s views on psychedelic healthcare, Rais advises focusing on the benefits of these drugs. “Focus on patient outcomes and data because when administered in a clinical setting, we’re seeing results like people no longer needing to be on antidepressants after just a few sessions, and that goes beyond any kind of recreational intent.”

Want to learn more about psychedelic-assisted therapies? Read the whole story here.

Join us!

While great benefits are crucial for engagement, there’s a world of retention tactics beyond. Join us for our upcoming virtual conference on Wednesday, May 22 , where leaders from Universal Music Group, MGM Resorts, and many more will delve into the strategies, tools, and technologies driving employee retention. Your exclusive, complimentary VIP pass is waiting for you here. ?

We’ve got an exciting line up of half-day virtual conferences and 60-minute webinars all year long. Register today for one of our virtual conferences, featuring panels, fireside chats, and workshops on upskilling and career mobility , finding and deploying HR technology , and much more. Or check out one of our free, hour-long, information-packed webinars on fertility benefits , recruiting top candidates , and enhancing your recruitment strategy. ?

We’re also touching down in Minneapolis , Manhattan , San Francisco , Boston , Philadelphia , and more for our full-day events on the topic of “Building a Culture for Workers and Companies to Thrive in Times of Change.” Hope to see you there!?